International & US applicants

Toronto cityscape

We are pleased to welcome international and US students to our MD Program and MD/PhD Program. In addition to the 259 seats currently offered to Canadian students, we have seats available for international/US students.  

Situated in one of the most diverse urban centres in the world, our MD Program is an ideal destination for international learners.

Our reputation

The University of Toronto’s commitment to excellence in teaching and research ensures we are consistently ranked among the best universities in the world.

In 2017, the University of Toronto was ranked number one in Canada for Medicine in the QS Rankings. We were also ranked in the world’s top three universities for Clinical Medicine in the 2016 National Taiwan University Rankings.

The University of Toronto was named the top Canadian university in the 2017 US News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking, the 2016 Times Higher Education World University and University Reputation Rankings, and the Shanghai Jiaotong 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Interested in applying? Watch our MD Program International Admissions Presentation (recorded March 2017) for a detailed outline of the application process, admission requirements, and the amazing benefits of studying medicine at U of T.

 

"U of T's MD Program is internationally recognized and

prepared me for life as a resident. Faculty and staff advised

and guided me through the application process which helped

ease my transition to the Internal Medicine Residency Program

at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US."

SAGAR DUGANI, MD PHD ABIM FRCPC, CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A FELLOWSHIP IN GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE IN TORONTO

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Internationally educated applicants

If you are currently studying or completed your studies outside of Canada, to be considered for admission you must:

  • have a completed non-medical bachelor's degree that is considered equivalent to a four-year bachelor’s degree in Canada. If you are applying in the final year of your degree program, you must complete the degree requirements and provide proof of completion prior to the date of enrolment in the medical program.
  • submit transcripts from studies undertaken at universities outside of Canada or the US to World Education Services (WES) for assessment. For admission consideration we require a course-by-course evaluation that includes an overall GPA calculation 
  • fulfill all other academic requirements as listed here:

It is not necessary to undertake a pre-medical program as long as you meet our academic requirements.

If you have not yet completed a bachelor’s degree, you may be interested in learning more about the degree programs offered at the University of Toronto.

Financial information

Fees

The fee schedule for international students for the 2016-2017 academic year is available on our tuition and fees page, please note that this information may be subject to change. You may also want to take into account additional budget items such as books, living expenses and other items.

University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)

UHIP is a mandatory health insurance plan for all international students studying or working at the University of Toronto. International students are not provided with health insurance through the Ontario government.

Financial Aid

The Government of Canada requires that all international students show they have enough resources to pay for their studies and living expenses. As a result, the University and/or Faculty of Medicine may only award grant funding if your circumstances have changed since your arrival in Canada. Grants will not be sufficient to cover total university costs.

If you wish to apply for a private line of credit from a financial institution in Canada, you may be required to have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident co-sign for the loan.

You may apply for scholarships and awards offered by the University of Toronto and the Faculty of Medicine, subject to eligibility. There may also be other scholarship opportunities available to you through global organizations and the Canadian government.

Eligible US medical students may apply for certain US benefits, college savings plans, grants and scholarships:

 There are also a number of loans and tax credits available to US students.

Immigration information

International or US applicants selected for admission must obtain a study permit (visa) by the start of the program. The Government of Canada requires that you provide evidence that you are able to pay for your studies before granting a study permit.

Life as a U of T medical student

The following links may be helpful:

Postgraduate medical residency training programs

A medical degree does not necessarily give you the right to practice as a physician. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have met all the licensing requirements of the country in which you intend to practice medicine.

 

If you are in Canada on a study permit (visa), there will be some restrictions as to where you can apply for medical residency training within Canada after obtaining your medical degree.  Applications are managed via the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). For provincial eligibility criteria, please see the summary of intake criteria for visa holders.

You may apply to participate in a US medical residency training program match as an international medical graduate from a Canadian medical school.  There are a number of different organizations handling applications to residency programs:

  • FREIDA: a searchable database of all US residency programs that will be offering positions in the current match year.
     
  • NRMP (National Resident Matching Program): receives applicant rank order lists and runs the match for most US residency positions.
     
  • ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service): hosts electronic residency applications and distributes them to NRMP-participating residency programs.
     
  • CaRMS (Canadian Resident Matching Service): acts as your “designated Dean’s Office” for ERAS, providing you with an ERAS registration token and processing all of your residency application supporting documentation to the ERAS system.
     
  • SFMatch (SF Match Residency and Fellowship Matching Services): matches applicants to US residency positions in Child Neurology and Ophthalmology.
     
  • AUA  (American Urological Association): matches applicants to US residency positions in Urology.

For medical residency training in all other countries, please check with the representative organization(s) within that country.

If you are an international medical graduate hoping to undertake further training or an observership via the University of Toronto, you should contact Postgraduate Medical Education.

Related links