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All supplemental application materials and supporting documents must be uploaded directly to the McGill admissions processing system.

• Online Application for Admission form
• Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee of approximately $75 is payable by credit card when you submit the form. Applications cannot be processed without this payment. Please Note: We do not accept cash or personal cheques.
• Transcripts: Copies of all college or university transcripts (undergraduate and graduate) are required—and must be uploaded to the uApply system. This includes transcripts for all post-secondary institutions listed on your “Education History.” Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation provided by the institution issuing the transcript or by a certified translator. An explanation of the grading system used by the applicant\'s university is also helpful—and can be included at the end of the transcript. Transcripts can be sent before the application is completed in full. Transcripts submitted during the application process can be student copies of official transcripts, or “unofficial” copies downloaded from a self-serve university web system. Indeed all transcripts received via the uploading process are considered “unofficial.” At a later date, students who receive an offer of admission will be asked to submit official and complete versions of all transcript documents in hard copy, as a condition of admission.
• Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) confidential letters of recommendation are required for all applicants, from instructors familiar with the applicant\'s work. On the online application form you must provide the names and email addresses of at least two professors who are familiar with your academic work. The system will then contact these referees and invite them to upload references on your behalf. When providing contact information for their referees, applicants may list public domain addresses such as Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo Mail on the application form. But please note that the admissions system asks that all reference letters be uploaded from a valid institutional or professional e-mail address. (In rare cases where a certain referee does not have an institutional e-mail address, or a student’s previous school does not have official e-mail addresses, the applicant should contact the English Department.) Letters of recommendation can be uploaded before the application is completed in full. If an applicant has been out of school for a few years, one letter from an employer or a colleague can be sent, but academic references are generally more effective.
• Personal Statement: Applicants should submit a detailed “statement of purpose” of 750-800 words describing the nature of the research to be pursued at McGill. Although it is given the title of “personal statement,” this statement should focus on the research program rather than personal biography. It might highlight the intended field of study, the media involved (literature, film, theatre), the relevant authors, the period, the approach, the research questions, past training or research projects in these areas, and/or the match with McGill resources in this field. The “Personal Statement” should also serve as an example of advanced ability in critical writing. The admissions committee places considerable emphasis on this statement.
• Writing Sample: All applicants must upload a writing sample that demonstrates the quality of the applicant\'s academic work. PhD applicants should upload a section of their MA thesis or MA research project, or a strong graduate seminar paper (with a length of from 15 to 25 pages, double-spaced). MA applicants should submit a successful, advanced undergraduate essay (with a length of from 10 to 20 pages, double-spaced).