Masters in Biomedical Technology - Prospective Student FAQ

Our program only offers a September intake for new admissions. The application opens each year on October 1st and closes on May 1st.

Fall 2024 admissions: The application Portal will open on October 1, 2023 and will close on May 1, 2024.  The completed admission application (including all supporting documents) is due on May 1, 2024. Due to the volume of applications we receive we cannot grant extensions beyond this date.

If we are currently accepting applications, please follow the below steps:

• You can access the portal by clicking the “online application” link found under step 3 of “Start your application” on the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Apply Page.
  • Note: you require an eID account to complete the application.
• Once in the Student Admissions for Graduate Studies portal, you can find our program listed as: Medicine - Biomedical Technology
• After you’ve submitted an application, you can upload your unofficial transcripts, prerequisite proof, and CV/resume through your Student Centre.
  • Please do not provide us with any application related documents via email unless explicitly requested by the program.

See the rest of our Frequently Asked Questions for more details.

Our minimum requirements for admission are:

GPA: A minimum of 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.

Minimum Education: A BSc in Biological Sciences or Equivalent. Please see the "I don't have a BSc in Biological Sciences. Can I still apply?" section for further details.

Suggested Preparatory Courses: 

• Genetics (Biology 311 or equivalent)
• Cellular and Molecular Biology (Biology 331 or equivalent)
• Biochemistry or macro molecules (Biochemistry 393 or equivalent)
• Senior-level course work in at least two of the following subject areas: microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and/or physiology

Please see the "I don't have all of the suggested preparatory courses. Can I still apply?" section for further details.

Documents:

• A current C.V.
• A Vision Statement (no more than one page) outlining career goals and how the MBT program will help achieve them

Two Reference Letters: Please see References section for further details.

English Language Proficiency:An applicant whose primary language is not English must fulfill the English language proficiency requirement. Please see the English Language Proficiency section for further details

Unfortunately no. Due to the limited number of seats in our program, and the high number of applications that we receive, meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you will receive an offer of admission to our program.

• Outside North America: find the grade equivalency and minimum GPA requirement for your country here.
• North American institutions: we are generally seeking a "B+" average for a letter score, or 78% as a percentage. 

Please note:

• Do not attempt to convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale
• Transcripts frequently include an institution's grading scale and that is the one we will use when looking at your application. If your institution's grading scale is not included on your transcripts, it is helpful to include the Grading Scale as part of the document you upload.

We do require applicants to have a minimum 4 year degree in order to apply for admission. If you hold a 3 year degree then you are not eligible to apply for admission unless you also hold a Masters degree.

We do consider students who hold a degree in a subject other than Biological Sciences. We have had students come into our program with diverse backgrounds. Our admissions committee will be looking at your application as a whole, which includes your GPA, references, CV, statement of interest, and recommended course preparation.  You can consider your strength in all of these different areas when determining if you would like to apply to the program.

The list of recommended courses is not required for admission, but it is taken into consideration by our admission committee when evaluating your application's strength.  Our admissions committee will be looking at your application as a whole, which includes your GPA, references, CV, statement of interest, and recommended course preparation.  You can consider your strength in all of these different areas when determining if you would like to apply to the program.
 

We require two references as part of the application package. One of the two references must be a academic reference, and the second can either be an academic or professional reference. Please note that if you are using a professional reference they must be able to speak to your ability to undertake work at the graduate level.

All references must be sent from a verifiable institutional or business email address. We cannot accept non-verifiable references sent from gmail, hotmail. etc.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies has created a document on how to find good references that you may wish to refer to.

You will only need to upload an unofficial copy of your transcripts as part of the admissions process. If you receive an offer of admission then we will require you to submit official copies prior to the Fall term that you are beginning your studies. The deadline date and location to send your official transcripts will be listed in your admission letter.

An applicant whose primary language is not English must fulfill the English language proficiency requirement. If your degree was taught only in English, and this is listed on the transcript and can be verified through the WHED database, we can waive the test requirement. Otherwise you will need to send us one of the following test results:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ibt) score of 105.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.5 (minimum of 7.0 in each section)
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)  score of 75, or higher (Academic version).
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL) score of 70 (minimum 70 in each section)  
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC) score of A- in each course.
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency minimum score of 200.
• Duolingo English Test and obtaining a minimum score of 145* (with no sub-score below 125*). (temporary until Fall 2024 intake)

Submitting Official Proof of English Language Proficiency and other Test Scores 

Arrange for the agency where you completed your test to send an electronic copy of your official score report to the University of Calgary. The information you supplied in your online application is not considered official, but will assist the Department in evaluating your application until the official score is received.

•    Duolingo - Instructions to share Duolingo scores can be found on their website.
•    IELTS - Instructions to share IELTS scores can be found on their website.
•    TOEFL - Instructions to share TOEFL scores can be found on the ETS website. Ensure you indicate the Department Code associated with your program of interest. Department codes for TOEFL can be found in the TOEFL Information Bulletin. The University of Calgary institution code is 0813.
•    GRE - Instructions to share GRE scores can be found on the ETS website. Ensure you indicate the Department Code associated with your program of interest. Department codes for GRE can be found in this document. The University of Calgary institution code is 0813.
•    PTE - Instructions to share PTE scores can be found on their website.

The MBT program offers a joint degree with the Haskayne School of Business' Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Students interested in this option would need to apply to both the MBT and MBA programs and gain admission into both to be eligible.

There is no requirement for which year you take MBT courses, and which year you take MBA courses, but you would start with one program's requirements and, upon completion of those, you would move on to the other program's requirements.

Students who take the joint MBT/MBA program have a reduction in their MBA course load (2 courses). There is no reduction in course load for the MBT portion of the program.

If you have any questions about the MBA Admission Requirements please contact mba@haskayne.ucalgary.ca

No, we do not require these test scores and do not use them as part of our admissions evaluation.

In general, the answer is no. These requests must go through the Faculty of Graduate Studies and are very rarely approved.

The expected completion time for our program is one year (Fall Term, Winter Term, Spring Term, Summer Term)

No, we do not offer an online version of our program. Students must attend in person in Calgary.

Our program’s current tuition costs are listed here and are listed under the section "Excluding programs listed below, all other master's course-based, diploma, and certificate programs. All costs are listed in CAD $

Students are also assessed General Fees in addition to their tuition fees.

Please note: Each academic year, graduate student fees may be subject to change. Please note that these totals are estimates and if there are discrepancies between the FAQ page and the University Calendar, please use the University Calendar for reference.

You can take a look at the program's course requirements in the University of Calgary Graduate Calendar. Program/Course Requirements on the linked page.

MBT students must complete 12 weeks of paid industry work experience in the practicum portion of their program. This generally takes place in the Spring/Summer term after the program's coursework is complete. The MBT program will help students to find a suitable practicum placement.

Each student who is enrolled in the 12 week practicum will receive a minimum of $2400 over the course of the practicum.

You can take a look at our list of over 180 Industry Partners that MBT students have worked with in the past.

Our program does not currently provide entrance awards or a program stipend.

Dr. Ron Mathison MBT Graduate Scholarship - This award is given to the MBT student who places first in the Business Pitch each year. You can find information on previous winners here

Practicum Funding - Each student who is enrolled in the 12 week practicum will receive a minimum of $2400 over the course of the practicum.

Please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies awards page to see if there are any additional awards you can apply to. Please note that many competitions are limited to thesis based students only.

Federal legislation stipulates that only certified consultants may offer advice about immigration issue. Students who have been accepted to the University of Calgary will have access to International Student Services (ISS) at the University of Calgary, who are certified in this area. Please see the following websites for more details:

• Study permits
• Post-Graduate Work Permits

Our office is not able to provide any information or advice on these matters ourselves.