Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for an all-in-one resource on the admissions process? Check out our 2025-26 Applicant Manual [PDF].
What is the application deadline?
Your application for admission to the 2026 intake must be submitted electronically by December 8, 2025, 12PM (noon) PST.
Do you accept international students?
No, 大象传媒鈥檚 School of Medicine is only available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Can I transfer into 大象传媒鈥檚 School of Medicine?
No, transfer requests from students at other medical schools will not be considered.
What if I don't want to specialize in primary care? Can I still apply to the 大象传媒 School of Medicine?
The 大象传媒 School of Medicine is focused on strengthening the primary care system and addressing the shortage of physicians serving communities across British Columbia, particularly those that are underserved or underrepresented. We see increasing the number of physicians entering primary care as the cornerstone of our mission to improve access to comprehensive, community-based care, but we also recognize that other specialties play vital roles in meeting community health needs. While our academically rigorous MD program will prepare graduates for residency in any medical specialty, we believe our program will best align with applicants who have a strong desire to pursue a career in primary care and serve in communities where they are needed most.
What is the equal probability selection process?
A limited number of applicants will be invited to participate in the multiple mini-interview (MMI) based on alignment with our social accountability mandate, institutional values, and priority attributes. If the number of aligned applicants identified in the initial file review is different from the number of available interview spots, we鈥檒l use an equal probability selection process to determine which applicants advance to the MMI.
Can I apply more than once?
We will only consider one application (to one admission option) per student per year. There is no limit on the number of years you may apply.
大象传媒 to our school is highly competitive, and the strength of the applicant pool can vary from year to year. Your chances of admission may change depending on the quality and size of the applicant pool in any given cycle.
大象传媒 Streams and Options
Is a Casper test required?
No, we do not require a Casper test.
Is the MCAT required?
Our School of Medicine has three admission options: GPA option, MCAT option, and GPA & MCAT option. The MCAT is required for the MCAT option and GPA & MCAT option. If you apply through the GPA option, an MCAT is not required.
Can I apply to more than one admission option? For example, could I apply to both the GPA option and MCAT option?
No, applicants will only be considered through a single admission option. We do not accept multiple applications from one student for the same intake. All applicants will be considered equally across the three admission options; there is no advantage accrued by applying to a particular option.
If I achieve a higher GPA or MCAT score than the minimum requirements, what is the benefit to my application?
There is no benefit to applicants who present a higher GPA or MCAT score than the minimums. All applicants who meet the admission GPA and MCAT thresholds will be eligible for admission consideration. No rank order or score will be based on this information and once academic eligibility is confirmed, the GPA and MCAT scores are not considered further in the admission evaluation process. Other features (e.g. course selection) of the academic transcript may be considered during holistic review of applications.
Can I use multiple transcripts to build my GPA?
No, if you are pursuing a GPA option (GPA only or GPA & MCAT), you must build your GPA from a single four year undergraduate degree. If you have completed multiple undergraduate degrees, you may choose which transcript to use. For GPA options (GPA only or GPA & MCAT), all pre-requisite courses must appear on the transcript you are using to build your GPA. If you are not able to meet the GPA threshold with the transcript demonstrating your pre-requisite course options, you should apply to the MCAT stream, which allows you to use multiple transcripts to demonstrate the pre-requisite courses.
Can I change the GPA/MCAT option I selected for admission?
Once your application is submitted, you can no longer change any aspect, including the academic eligibility option you have selected.
We advise you to ensure that you have thoroughly reviewed all three admission options (GPA, MCAT, and GPA & MCAT combined) prior to submitting an application. Your application will only be reviewed for the option selected.
How do I determine which admission option to choose? GPA vs. MCAT vs. GPA & MCAT Option?
If you qualify for admission because both your GPA and MCAT score are higher than the required thresholds, you may wish to consider the pre-requisite course requirements. The MCAT option requires fewer pre-requisite courses, and also has more flexibility in how pre-requisite courses may be presented. Applicants choosing the GPA option must present the pre-requisite courses in a single transcript; MCAT applicants can present multiple transcripts to demonstrate achievement of the pre-requisite course options.
We give no preference or advantage to any eligibility option; they are all equally eligible for further consideration.
Academic Requirements & Documents: GPA, MCAT, Courses
What does 200-level course mean? What are course levels?
At 大象传媒, undergraduate coursework is broken into 100, 200, 300, and 400 levels. Each level is an indicator of first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year coursework.
For example, the GPA option requires at least one of the two required Life Science courses to be 200 level or higher. To satisfy this requirement, you must show completion of a second-year (or higher) Life Science course.
How do I know if my courses are eligible for the course requirements?
If you attend a BC post-secondary institution, use the to review how your coursework transfers to 大象传媒.
The 大象传媒s Office will consider any academic full-time courses where the academic calendar, syllabus, or outline align with the course topics addressed in the Indigenous Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Life Science course pre-requisite pages. However, the 大象传媒s Office cannot assess course pre-requisites prior to application. A final determination of whether a course satisfies the requirement will be made during the file review process.
Is a specific undergraduate degree preferred?
No, there is no preference given to the discipline of your 4-year undergraduate degree.
I have completed my pre-requisite courses outside of my 4-year undergraduate degree. Can I submit multiple transcripts?
If you are applying via the MCAT option, you may submit multiple transcripts to demonstrate achievement of pre-requisite courses. If you are applying via either the GPA or GPA & MCAT option, all pre-requisite courses must appear on the transcript you are using as evidence of your 4-year undergraduate degree, from which you are constructing your GPA. In Application Cycle 1 (Fall 2025 deadline), we will consider an Indigenous Studies pre-requisite completed before medical school entrance in Fall 2026. Starting in Application Cycle 2 (Fall 2026 deadline), the Indigenous Studies course pre-requisite must be completed at the time of application.
I鈥檝e written the MCAT multiple times, which score will be considered?
If you have written the MCAT more than once, your second attempt made within the last five years will be used, regardless of how many times you鈥檝e written it.
Why do you only consider the second MCAT attempt?
Completing the MCAT multiple times is an expensive and time-consuming option not available to all applicants. We accept only the second attempt so there is no incentive for multiple re-writes.
How long is the MCAT good for?
MCAT scores must be achieved within five years of application to 大象传媒鈥檚 School of Medicine. If your second attempt was written more than five years ago, we will look at the only or, if more than one, the second attempt written within the five-year window.
What if my total MCAT score meets the total score threshold but one or more of my section scores is lower than set thresholds (or vice versa)? Will I still be considered?
No, you must meet both the total and individual section score minimums to be eligible for admission. If you present either a total MCAT score or section score lower than the set thresholds, you will be removed from consideration.
Resources
Want all the details about the program or applying? Look at our:
Non-Academic Requirements
Who should I pick as a character reference?
We encourage you to select character references who know you well from an educational, professional or extracurricular perspective. They may not be relatives, friends or family friends.
What happens if you cannot reach my verifier/reference? How will I know?
The status of your reference check will be available in your portal. When your verifier/reference has submitted the required information, will be updated to reflect this.
If it is close to the deadline, we would recommend following up with your verifier/reference to ensure they complete the required information on time. Applications that are missing reference verifications by the application/document deadline will be removed from consideration.
Reference requests will be sent from med_mdadmissions@sfu.ca. You may wish to suggest that your verifiers and references add this email address to their safelist to ensure requests are received.
How fluent do I need to be in the additional languages I include in my application?
You will need to be conversationally fluent with enough proficiency to participate in everyday conversations on a range of topics, including work, education, or social settings, without significant difficulty. This implies a comfortable ability to understand and communicate in spoken interactions.
If you say you have conversational fluency in a language, you may be asked to complete a portion of the multiple mini-interview (MMI) in that language. Do not list fluency in any languages you would feel uncomfortable answering an MMI station in.
Will you consider the post-graduate work I am completing/have completed? For example, a masters or PhD program?
Only grades achieved in an undergraduate bachelor鈥檚 degree or undergraduate courses taken to fulfill pre-requisites will be considered in the assessment of academic eligibility via GPA. Any post-graduate work will not be included in the evaluation of GPA, although when reviewers holistically assess your file, they will consider information included in these transcripts. If you are applying for admission through the MCAT option, you may be permitted to use some of your post-graduate course work to fulfill course pre-requisites requirements. Final determinations will be made during the file review process.
If you are currently enrolled in a post-graduate program, you must complete these studies before starting medical school. Please be prepared to send documentation of successful completion of your studies by June 30 of the year you will begin medical school. A letter from your program director or department chair is sufficient until final transcripts are available.
What happens if I make a mistake in entering my academic coursework for GPA calculation? Can I update the courses used for evaluation after submission?
No, once you have submitted your application you can no longer edit your GPA calculation.
We recommend you begin your application as soon as possible to allow time for entering your courses and selecting which courses will be used for your adjusted GPA calculation.
I was graded on the 4.00 scale 鈥� how do I convert my GPA to a 4.33 grading scale?
The grade conversion and your evaluation will be based on the percentage or letter grade you received from your post-secondary institution. No complex conversion from a 4.00 to 4.33 grading scale is required, you just need to enter the percentage or letter grade that appears on your transcript.
I was assigned both letter and percentage on my transcripts 鈥� which one do I use?
Within the transcript entry section of the application, you will be asked to input both the letter and percentage grades you were awarded.
I experienced personal hardship or extenuating circumstances during the course of my undergraduate studies and do not meet the required GPA threshold. Does 大象传媒 offer retroactive accommodation for any reason?
大象传媒 does not offer retroactive accommodation for GPA. Applicants should address their concerns with the institution granting the grade, score or credential they wish to appeal. In pursuit of an accessible admissions process, we have created three options to demonstrate your academic eligibility. If you experienced hardship during your undergraduate studies to the extent you are not able to meet the GPA threshold, you may consider applying via the MCAT option.
When do I need to submit supporting documents?
All transcripts and required application documentation must be submitted by 12pm PST (noon) on December 8, 2025. Any documentation received after this date will not be considered for your application.
If you are offered admission, the deadline to submit any post-acceptance documentation is June 30. Any alternative deadlines (e.g. if you are waitlisted and receive an offer after June 30) will be communicated in your offer letter.
What if my documentation arrives after the deadline? What if the circumstances were outside of my control?
Your application will be removed from consideration. The document deadline is firm to allow for the completion of a time-sensitive review process.
When are MMIS?
The MMI for 2026 will occur in-person on March 28 & 29, 2026 at the 大象传媒 Burnaby Campus. Applicants selected for the multi mini-interviews (MMI) will be notified via email and on the application portal. Interview invitees will be able to schedule their interview date/time through their portal.
What if I have a conflict with the MMI date offered?
In-person attendance at the MMI is mandatory. If you鈥檙e unable to attend the scheduled interview dates, you will be removed from consideration. If you have an emergency reason for a day-of absence (e.g. illness), you will be accommodated in the next MMI date if possible. If you have an emergency reason for a day-of absence on the last MMI day, you will be removed from further consideration.
I missed the deadline to accept and schedule my interview as I did not see the email. Can I still accept?
No, if you did not accept and schedule your interview by the deadline provided, you will be removed from consideration. You will not be eligible to accept after the deadline as your MMI interview seat will have be given to another applicant.
When are offers made?
Offers of admission will be made in May, via the portal. The offer letter will include the deadline to accept the offer of admission. Once the deadline to accept has passed or if you decline the offer, new offers will be made to other students on a rolling basis until all spaces have been filled.
How does the waitlist work? Can I find out what position I am in on the waitlist?
First-round offers of admission will be made from our final ranked list of applicants. If any offers are declined or are not accepted by the deadline, we will continue to make offers from our waitlist until all spaces are full.
When all spaces are full, remaining waitlisted applications will receive an update in their portal and via email.
We will not disclose an applicant鈥檚 position on the waitlist.
How do I find out why I was removed from consideration?
We will not provide individual feedback about admissions decisions. You will learn when you have been removed from consideration via the ApplyMD portal, but no reason will be provided. The portal will be updated periodically throughout the process at specific milestones:
- Application completed
- Interview invitation issued/not-issued
- Offer/Waitlist/Decline
We encourage you to check the portal regularly for status updates. Due to the anticipated high volume of applications, the 大象传媒s Office is not able to provide individual updates or feedback regarding the status of your application.
I was denied. Can my application be reconsidered?
You may only appeal admissions decisions on the following grounds:
- Incorrect application of our school鈥檚 admissions policies;
- Denial of natural justice and due process, which potentially altered the outcome of the decision, such as procedural errors, reasonable apprehension of bias or denial of procedural fairness
- Factual errors that may have altered the outcome of the decision, such as relying on incorrect, incomplete or irrelevant information.
This does not include if you entered information incorrectly.
Appeals will not be considered if you do not satisfy our school鈥檚 admission requirements, such as completion of course pre-requisites. If you have experienced extenuating circumstances during the course of your previous studies that impacted your ability to meet the eligibility requirements, you should address your concerns with the institution granting the grade, score or credential you wish to appeal.
For further details, please refer to the 大象传媒 SoM Faculty Rule on 大象传媒s Appeals [PDF].
I received an offer of admission but I am no longer able to attend. Can I defer?
Newly admitted students may request a one (1) year deferral of admission in exceptional cases. Deferrals are only considered for unforeseen hardships or extraordinary circumstances.
Deferrals will not be considered for:
- Supporting the completion of other studies
- Supporting professional or personal development
- Indecision on medicine as a career
- Application to or attendance at another medical school.
If you鈥檙e requesting a deferral, you must do so in writing to the 大象传媒s Office within two (2) weeks of receiving your offer of admission.
If you鈥檙e granted a deferral you must confirm your attendance by April 30 of the year your (deferred) program begins. You鈥檒l then follow the curriculum in place for that cohort and must meet any new requirements for incoming students.
Please see the 大象传媒 SoM Guideline for 大象传媒s Deferral [PDF] for more details.
Resources
Want all the details about the program or applying? Look at our:
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