Future Undergraduate Students
Ranked among the world’s top engineering schools, the Faculty of Engineering plays a significant role in McMaster University earning its reputation as one of Canada’s most innovative universities. Our focus on experiential, problem-based learning and our inter-disciplinary approach to collaboration results in smarter insights, ground-breaking ideas and greater optimism. This approach is helping us create a Brighter World.
If you have any questions please contact us at thinkeng@mcmaster.ca or 905-525-9140 x27174.
Learn about the ways you can get involved with the McMaster Engineering community. There's something for everyone - from student politics, design teams, non-profit organizations, to the Engineering Musical. There's something for everyone!
McMaster Engineering Society
The McMaster Engineering Society (MES), one of the largest student groups on campus, supports students academically, professionally and socially.
The MES supports about 20 groups and serves more than 5,000 undergraduate student members. Students are able to receive funding for various activities such as intramurals, conferences, special projects and more.
"Even just visiting McMaster, you can tell that everyone here is passionate about the Engineering community. That passion translates to people supporting one another, and working really hard to improve our community through clubs, teams, and our engineering society. That's the kind of people I wanted to be surrounded by." - Hannah McPhee, Engineering Physics
Clubs, Teams, and Student Organizations
Under the leadership of the McMaster Engineering Society, there are dozens of groups you can get involved in. Below are just a few highlights!
McMaster Engineering Musical
A singing and dancing extravaganza, complete with a full band and interpretations of popular songs, the musical is an annual tradition. Each September auditions are held and then, week by week, the show is put together entirely by students - from writing songs to creating the script to building sets and playing music.
McMaster Solar Car Project
The McMaster Solar Car Project builds and races solar vehicles; provides training to students on basic and intensive technical skills that are not offered in any university class; and promotes the use of sustainable energy systems to the local and global community through outreach events.
Women in Engineering
This group inspires young women to change the world by pursuing an engineering degree. It offers support to female students of many ages in a variety of ways, from camp programs, clubs, conferences and scholarships for elementary and high school students.
Haleigh Longo
"McMaster Engineering Musical is a group that really fosters community and growth in the students that are part of it. [...] In Mac Eng Musical, everyone helps each other out because we all understand the struggle of engineering, and we have a little more empathy and compassion for each other. In Mac Eng Musical there's a lot of growth that happens; a lot of people come in are very shy and introverted and after the show they have so many more communication skills and they've grown as a person. I've seen it happen a lot of times. But the best thing about Mac Eng Musical is the community feel that you get; everyone in cast, band, crew, and everyone else that helps with the show really grow together as a family." - Haleigh Longo, McMaster Engineering Musical, Mechatronics Engineering
Research Opportunities
The Faculty of Engineering is home to many internationally renowned researchers.
McMaster Engineering professors receive the highest level of research funding per faculty member in Canada. They are involved in research Centres of Excellence, consult with industry and government, and contribute to internationally renowned institutes in all disciplines. McMaster's engineers are in an enviable leadership role in research and graduate education. The Faculty also boasts state-of-the-art buildings, laboratories and equipment.
Undergradute students in the Faculty of Engineering have the opportunity to work with professors and graduate students on a research project. Students can get involved in research as early as after their first year of studies. See below for examples of undergraduate students who worked in research at McMaster!
Meet Undergraduate Summer Researchers
Inside the Lab: Meet our student researchers
September 29, 2017
#InsidetheLab: Improving healthcare with bio-inspired technologies
The Didar Lab is showcasing their bio-inspired technologies today as part of the next instalment of Inside the Lab.
July 12, 2017
#InsidetheLab: Bearings support bridges, but how long can they last?
#InsidetheLab: is McMaster Engineering’s new Instagram story series that gives a behind-the-scenes look at how our students are working towards tackling the grand challenges facing our world through innovative research projects.
June 28, 2017
#InsidetheLab: New ideas sprout from nanotechnology
Can innovations in nanotechnology improve plant growth for crop-based farming?
Take a Tour
McMaster Engineering offers tours throughout the year. Hear first hand from our Student Ambassadors about academic programs, experiential learning opportunities, student life and more!
Register for a Webinar
Join us for an online webinar where you can learn what makes McMaster's Faculty of Engineering such a great place to pursue your post-secondary education! Staff and students are available to answer all of your questions.
High School Class Visits
Are you a high school teacher interested in spending the day at McMaster Engineering? We offer educational programming designed for the needs of your students.
Upcoming Events
August 23, 2018, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
METRIC
The Engineering Graduate Society (EGS) is pleased to annouce METRIC 2018: the McMaster Engineering, Technology, Research & Innovation Conference.
Youth Programs
Paying for School
Tuition & Residence Costs
The amount of money you will spend depends on lots of factors like if you're an international or domestic student, whether you will stay on residence or at home, personal expenses and more. Visit McMaster University's Cost Estimator to find an approximation of the total fees customized for you.
Meet our scholarship winners
Earning Money for School
There are several different ways you can earn money for your education. Listed below are resources we provide to help you with your finances.
McMaster's Faculty of Engineering offers a variety of Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships to students admitted and enroled in full-time first-year degree studies within McMaster's Faculty of Engineering and who are beginning post-secondary studies for the first time in September 2018.
Canadian citizens, Canadian permanent residents and international students who complete their final year of high school in Canada are eligible.
Bursaries are granted on the basis of financial need, and are available to all registered McMaster students who apply and qualify.
- the online bursary application is available in the Mosaic Student Center during the fall of your first year
- a bursary is a grant which does not require repayment
- students must apply to OSAP (or other government loans) prior to applying for bursary funds (some exceptions apply, see McMaster Aid on the SFAS website for more information
For more information on bursaries offered by McMaster University, click here.
The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a financial aid program that can make it easier for students and families to go to college or university.
The program offers funding for school through two kinds of money:
- grants: money you don’t have to pay back
- a student loan: money you need to repay
Funding is available for both full and part-time postsecondary students, and is based on a number of factors, including your family income. Some students may get their tuition covered by OSAP.
Visit the OUAC official website to learn more.
Engineering Co-op & Career Services connects students with employers, provides career-planning tools and resources, and provides opportunities for students to gain paid employment experience.
Visit the co-op page to learn more.
The McMaster Work Program offers students, who demonstrate financial need, the opportunity for meaningful employment on-campus. These are paid part-time positions during the fall/winter term, and full-time or part-time during the summer. '
Click here to learn more about this program.
Meet our FIRST Robotics Entrance Scholarship winners
Please visit the following sites for complete information as well as the summary below, prior to contacting us.
- Admission requirements: future.mcmaster.ca/admission-requirements
- Application dates & deadlines: future.mcmaster.ca/deadlines
- Application process: future.mcmaster.ca/admission/process
| Program of Study: | Target Enrolment: | Admission Requirements: | OUAC Application Deadline: | Anticipated Admissions Average: | Supplementary Application: | Supplementary Application Deadline: | Notes: |
| Engineering | 900 students | Click here. | January 17, 2018 | High 80s | Mandatory. An invitation to access the online supplementary application will be emailed to you by KIRA within 10 days of submitting your application through OUAC. | February 1, 2018 | Admission is by selection, meaning both grades and the supplementary application are take into consideration. As a result, there is no absolute cut-off, and admission marks vary from year to year, depending on the number of applications. |
| Computer Science | 50 students | Click here. | January 17, 2018 | 90-95% | None | Not applicable. | The admission marks vary from year to year, depending on the number of applications. |
| Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences (iBioMed) | 140 students | Click here. | January 17, 2018 | +90% | Mandatory. An invitation to access the online supplementary application will be emailed to you by KIRA within 10 days of submitting your application through OUAC. | February 1, 2018 | Admission is by selection, meaning both grades and the supplementary application are take into consideration. As a result, there is no absolute cut-off, and the admission marks vary from year to year, depending on the number of applications. |
| Bachelor of Technology | 240 students | Click here. | Recommended to apply by January 17, 2018. For deadlines see here. | 77-80% | None | Not applicable. | The admission marks vary from year to year, depending on the number of applications. |
| Bachelor of Technology - Degree Completion Program | n/a |
December 1, 2017 April 1, 2018 |
+75% | Mandatory. Click here for more information. |
December 1, 2017 April 1, 2018 |
||
| Certificate in Technology | n/a |
Do not apply through OUAC. Please follow the instructions, outlined here. Deadlines:
|
+70% | Mandatory. Please see here for more information. | Please see here for more information. |
If you can't find the answer you're looking for here, please contact us at thinkeng@mcmaster.ca or at 905-525-9140 ext.27174.
Your First Year
General Inquiries
For a complete list of second-year programs available, please see Program Selection above. If the program you are interested in is not listed there, it is not offered at McMaster. However, some of our existing programs are applicable to other fields; for example, mechanical engineering has clear applications in the aerospace field.
You can find more information on the iBioMed program here.
Hamilton is located approximately 70 minutes from Toronto. For more information on places to see and food to eat, visit tourismhamilton.com.
Admissions
Please contact the admissions office (contact information here).
No, it does not matter how you rank McMaster on OUAC.
What is involved?
The supplementary application is a mandatory part of the admissions process for Engineering and Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences (iBioMed). It consists of two video questions and one written essay question.
You will receive an invitation by email to access the supplementary application portal within 10 business days of completing your application through OUAC. Once you have access, you can practice as many times you want before you start your actual interview. Please note that once you begin your actual interview, you will have 30 minutes to complete the entire process.
I have not received the email with login information.
Please wait 10 business days for the email to be sent to you. If it has been more than 10 business days, please email thinkeng@mcmaster.ca with the issue and your OUAC reference number.
I am having technical problems with my KIRA application.
Please emailn KIRA directly at support@kiratalent.com
I'm having issues with payment.
Please email us at thinkeng@mcmaster.caso we can further assist you.
The anticipated minimum admissions average is high 80s for Engineering, 90% for iBioMed, 90-95% for Computer Science, and 77-80% for Bachelor of Technology. Please click here for the most up-to-date information regarding admission requirements.
Along with your admissions average, we also take your performance on the supplementary application into account for Engineering and iBioMed
You can check your application status on your Mosaic student centre. This is the first place you will be able to see an offer. We will email you as well shortly after Mosaic is updated.
Free choice is granted to incoming engineering and iBioMed students with a high admissions average. With free choice, you are guaranteed your first choice of program after first year. Exceptions to the free choice are: Chemical & Bioengineering, as well as the Management and Society options. If you are granted free choice, it will be stated on your offer of admission. Please note that even without free choice, the vast majority of students are admitted into their first choice of program after first year.
You will not be at a disadvantage if you take a required course in the summer, night class or online. We will only consider the grades you’ve received for required courses.
Please note that you must complete all required courses by the end of your Grade 12 year to maintain your offer of admission (i.e. you can’t take a required course over the summer after Grade 12).
No, you will not be at a disadvantage.
Please see the admissions page here.
Programming experience is not necessary for admission to the Engineering, B-tech, or iBioMed programs. First year engineering students take a computing course that specifically teaches you how to code in Python and is taught from the ground up (i.e. assuming you have no experience in this area). If you would like to get some practice in advance or are curious about coding, check out Codecademy, a site that teaches you how to code (for free!) in a variety of languages.
Offers of admission for Computer Science, B. Tech, and Engineering are sent out in two rounds: the first round of offers will be sent out within the first two weeks of March, and the second round in early May.
iBioMed offers are sent out in early May (one round only).
Co-op and Financial Aid
Co-op at McMaster Engineering is available to all students. For B.Tech. students it is mandatory and for CS, iBioMed and Engineering students it is optional. The flexible format enables students to design their own work-study sequences. This means that you are free to choose between 4-month, 8-month, 12-month, and 16-month internships.
You can find more information about our co-op program here.
Book a Tour
Our Student Ambassadors can give you a tour of McMaster Engineeering including our world-class facilities, and tell you about our top-ranked programs and student life!
High School Class Visits
Are you a high school teacher interested in spending the day at McMaster Engineering? We offer educational programming designed for the needs of your students. Request a high school class visit online.
Youth Programs
McMaster Engineering offers exceptional STEM programs for elementary and high school students throughout the year.
Meet our Student Ambassadors
Our five Student Ambassadors are undergraduate students who are experts in all things McMaster Engineering. They lead tours of our campus throughout the year and are available to answer all of your pressing questions about student life, programs and extracurriculars.
Learn what our ambassadors love most about being a part of the Fireball Family.
News
July 30, 2018 / Department News
New Minor in Innovation gives students a head start on becoming successful entrepreneurs
Beginning in September, a new Minor in Innovation will be available to all McMaster University students. It’s designed to give students the tools they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven marketplace.
July 20, 2018 / Department News
McMaster wins Global Teaching Excellence Award
McMaster has won the prestigious Global Teaching Excellence Award based on the strength of its experiential learning opportunities, a commitment to global engagement and the work of the Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching.
June 21, 2018 / Department News
Meet the newest Schulich Scholars
In September McMaster will welcome four students who have been named Schulich Leaders.
Meet Our Students
Departmental Student Ambassadors
Alisha Suthakaran
Civil Engineering & Management 2021 - In high school, I was always torn between my interests for engineering and business, however, I ultimately chose to pursue engineering at university. I chose Civil Engineering and Management as it allows me to explore both of these disciplines independently as well as see the links between them. Management gives me the ability to develop a fundamental set of business skills that in conjunction with my civil engineering classes, will prepare me for a role in developing infrastructure. Furthermore, through this program I am gaining a better understanding of the role of civil engineering in the commercial world.
Aly Al Samouly
Civil Engineering & Management 2020 - Being a part of the Civil Engineering and Management stream gives me an opportunity to tackle everyday problems from a different perspective. I had a number of great eye-opening experiences through collaborating with students from other Engineering and Management disciplines, as well as Commerce students. In addition, Management stream opens many doors within Civil Engineering, as it develops the understanding of an organization’s daily operations and the key steps taken by companies to manage employees, resources and projects.
Annika Yardy
Hiking trails and exploring Hamilton. Developing 3D models of the heart. Professors who always have your back. These are a few of my favorite things at McMaster.
Cameron Carruthers
I will strive to develop expertise in the design of building systems and the reduction of their carbon footprints.
Cody Van Der Kooi
The award has relieved the financial burden of tuition from me over the past four years and has opened up the opportunity for me to work with your company over the past three summers.
Connor Nikel
My future goals include working in transportation engineering/urban planning.
Dan LaFrance
The most impactful lessons I have learned at McMaster are not of maths or of concrete. Memories that stand out are of Society courses, learning practical and holistic engineering, and understanding the complex relationships between people and the world around us. Engineering and Society offers a different perspective, a new opportunity to learn through open discussion. “Society” has also given me insight into the built world that I would not have had otherwise. This program has been invaluable to my McMaster experience, and has helped me become the person I am today.
Daniel Park
Civil Engineering
Data Dreams: Hatim Rehman
Meet Hatim Rehman, an undergraduate computer software engineering student. Our team of engineering students, faculty and staff are pioneering new technologies to make data servers run more efficiently by building them in a streamlined, smarter way. Read more about the Hatim’s McMaster Engineering journey here:
Gazenfar Syed
Software Engineering
Kassandra Bot
(TEST SPOTLIGHT) Civil Engineering & Management 2021 - The Civil Engineering & Management program is exceeding my expectations. The skills I learn in the management portion tie in well with the project management roles I hope to have in the future. It is setting me up well for future opportunities and is giving me an advantage over just Civil Engineering or just Commerce graduates. The mandatory commerce courses, like Accounting, Economics, and Finance are selected well to provide me with more than enough knowledge to excel in these future roles. I love the fact I differentiated myself in the job market.
Keeran Sivanesan
The Society aspect of my degree complements my engineering degree very nicely. Through the core sustainability courses and my focus electives in Statistics, my degree has been customized to my liking and is extremely unique to me. After the completion of my degree, I will have the skills to tackle jobs in Engineering, Business Analytics (Statistics), Public Policy, Sustainability, etc. This gives me that confidence that in the future I will have a wide variety of job opportunities in fields that interest me.
Lauren Weir
Your generous gift helped to relieve a huge financial burden on my parents and I will be continually grateful to you for your generosity.
Pooja Srikanth
Chemical and Bioengineering
Quinn Shobbrook
' The Engineering & Society program has shaped my university experience and I cannot imagine completing my degree without it. Society has given me the ability to tailor my degree to what I want to study, and allowed me to explore and experiment with topics outside my engineering degree. From biology, to art, to sustainability I have been able to expand my breadth of knowledge and learn from differing perspectives. That being said, what makes the Engineering and Society program unique and worthwhile are the professors. They routinely challenge my ideas, and have encouraged me to think more critically about topics familiar and foreign to me. Some have even become great mentors, and have helped me in ways that cannot be summarised in 150 words. I greatly value my time in Engineering and Society, and I will take my experiences in these classes with me long after I leave McMaster.
Seraj Singh
Mechanical and Management
Suban Sriranganathan
Mechatronics and Management