The Queen’s University Bachelor of Health Sciences is a relatively new, fast-growing program that many see as a rival to the more established program at McMaster. It has quickly drawn a lot of attention and applications from high school students. In its early years the acceptance rate was about 4.25%. Since then, the program has grown to an enrolment of 420, with admitted grades in the mid 90s[1].
How hard is it to get into Queen’s Health Sciences?
For 2019 and 2020 entry, there were over 4,000 applications for 170 spots. This information came directly from the Queen’s Health Sciences website, which has since removed it. That’s a conservative acceptance rate of 4.25%. It counts only full-time on-campus students; the program also offers an online version. For September 2021 entry, the program’s co-director, Dr. Adams, reported that applicants had increased to 5,600.
Since then the program has expanded a lot. For 2027 entry, OUInfo lists an enrolment of 420 and a grade range in the mid 90s[1]. Queen’s no longer publishes how many students apply, so there is no official current acceptance rate. With the class about 2.5 times its original size, the rate is likely higher than 4.25%, but the mid-90s grade range keeps it one of the hardest programs in Canada to get into. Queen’s says the minimum average and the number admitted change every year with the size and strength of the applicant pool[2]. Interest in Queen’s overall keeps rising: more than 63,000 students applied to Queen’s for Fall 2026[3].
Applicants and seats over time
Queen's Health Sciences: applicants and on-campus seats
Published figures only; applicant counts stopped being published after 2021.
| Year | Applicants | On-campus seats | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4,000 | 170 | |
| 2020 | 4,000 | 170 | |
| 2021 | 5,600 | ||
| 2027 | 420 | [1] |
2019–2021: Queen's Health Sciences website at the time (since removed) and the program co-director. 2027: OUInfo.
Is Queen’s Health Sciences harder to get into than the Ivy League?
At its 2020 acceptance rate (4.25%), Queen’s Health Sciences was about as hard to get into as the most prestigious universities in the United States, whose 2020 rates are shown in brackets below.
Despite how new it is, Queen’s Health Sciences reached an acceptance rate similar to McMaster Health Sciences.
Today, Ivy League rates are lower, and Queen’s no longer publishes its own. For comparison, here are the latest Ivy League rates next to McMaster Health Sciences, plus the Canadian programs that do publish applicants and seats:
Acceptance rates: McMaster Health Sciences vs the Ivy League
Ivy League: Class of 2029 (admitted 2025), with each school's 2020 rate in brackets.
Harvard and Cornell no longer publish their rate, so their 2020 figures are shown. Dartmouth: 1,702 admitted of 28,230 applicants. 2020 rates: Class of 2024.
Seats per 100 applicants: competitive Canadian programs
Official first-year seats divided by applications, for programs that publish both.
Waterloo figures are approximate ("over"/"almost") counts for 2026 entry; McMaster: over 7,000 applicants for 240 seats. Grade ranges: McMaster 90% minimum; Waterloo CFM and Software Engineering low to mid 90s. Queen's Health Sciences (420 seats, mid-90s range), Ivey and U of T don't publish applicant counts.
Requirements for 2027 entry
- Courses: English 4U with at least 80%, Biology 4U, Chemistry 4U, Advanced Functions or Calculus & Vectors, and two more 4U/M courses[1].
- Grades: admitted students are typically in the mid 90s[1].
- Supplementary application: required for the on-campus program, due February 15[2]. Offers are based on both your supplementary information and your grades.
What makes Queen’s Health Sciences so popular?
Although it is a newer program, Queen’s Health Sciences shares a lot with McMaster’s. Beyond the BHSc name, Queen’s followed McMaster in offering smaller classes, more attention per student and lots of room for electives. The most notable difference is that Queen’s doesn’t use an inquiry-based model of learning.
McMaster’s survey of its graduates since 2003 found that 61.3% of graduates counted in 2020 had gone to medical school[11]. No other Canadian undergraduate program comes close to that. Many believe Queen’s now has the tools to rival those numbers, and many students see its program as giving them excellent chances of getting into medical school. Many Queen’s Health Sciences students have reported getting into professional schools, but Queen’s hasn’t published official graduate statistics yet, so it remains to be seen whether its results will match McMaster’s.
Want to learn how to apply? Read our guide to the Queen's Health Sciences supplementary application, including tips for a strong application.
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate for Queen's Health Sciences?
It was about 4.25% for 2019–2020 entry (4,000+ applicants for 170 seats). Queen’s no longer publishes applicant numbers. Enrolment is now 420, so the current rate is likely higher.[1]
What average do you need for Queen's Health Sciences?
When is the Queen's Health Sciences supplementary application due?
February 15 for fall first-year entry.[2]
Sources
- OUInfo: Queen's Health Sciences (QH)
- Queen's Bachelor of Health Sciences: supplementary application
- Queen's Journal: admission averages and Fall 2026 applications
- McMaster Honours Health Sciences: future students FAQ
- OUInfo: McMaster Honours Health Sciences (MNS)
- Forbes (citing the Yale Daily News, Columbia Spectator and Brown Daily Herald): Ivy League admit rates for the Class of 2029
- The Daily Princetonian: Princeton admits 4.4% of applicants to the Class of 2029
- The Daily Pennsylvanian: Penn admits 4.9% for the Class of 2029
- The Dartmouth: Dartmouth offers admission to 1,702 applicants for the Class of 2029
- University of Waterloo: basis for admission decisions
- McMaster Health Sciences: post grad page (graduate survey, Classes of 2003 onward)
Figures were checked against these sources on November 5, 2026. Schools change their numbers every cycle, so confirm on the official site before you apply.
Thanks for the info!