IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Are you a level 1 applicant?
Your supplementary application deadline is Friday, January 26th, 2024 at 12:00 PM (ET).
Are you an upper-level transfer applicant or a second-degree applicant?
Your supplementary application deadline is Thursday, April 18th, 2024 at 12:00 PM (ET). Please refer to your dates and deadlines here.
How to complete a supplementary application? Please review this page for more information about the supplementary application. A recording from our upcoming November 30, 2023 information session on how to use the Kira Talent platform, as well as tips and advice from our student ambassador discussion panel, is available below.
Have any questions?
The supplementary application is a mandatory part of the admissions process for those applying to a Faculty of Engineering program:
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Bachelor of Technology
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Computer Science
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Engineering
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Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences (iBioMed)
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All 2nd-degree and transfer applicants
This application is an opportunity for us to meet you virtually and learn more about who you are. We will be asking you questions related to communication, problem-solving, and more!
All the information related to our supplementary application process can be found on this site: FAQs, tips and tricks, important reminders, instructions on the process, etc. Still have questions? Contact us by filling out this form.
Important Note: It can take up to 10 business days after you have applied on OUAC and received your acknowledgement email before you will receive access to your supplementary application via email. If you have not received the email invite from us within a few weeks of applying, please check if the email went to your “promotions”, “spam”, or “junk” folder. If you still have not received an invite email then please notify us via this form.
Check out the supplementary application information session that took place in November 2023, for more details about the process and advice!
Mac Eng Info Session: Supplementary Application (AM) – International Students (Student Visa) Focused
Mac Eng Info Session: Supplementary Application (PM) – Canadian Students Focused
Important Reminders
Computer Requirements
Computer Requirements You will require an Internet-connected computer with a functioning webcam and microphone, as well as a front-facing camera.
Unlimited Practice Time
The system allows for unlimited calibration practice questionsbut once you start the formal interview questions you only get one chance – this allows us to see your candid responses.
4 Questions in Total
4 Questions in Total The supplementary application will consist of 4 questions (3 video responses and 1 written response) and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The assessment can be done on your own time.
Tips from Current Students to Applicants

“I think it’s best to relax and focus on being your most genuine self. That’s it! If you can do these two things, you’ll succeed at showcasing your unique traits and achievements. The supplementary application is not meant to be intimidating. Rather, it’s a chance to introduce yourself in a way not possible using only a transcript.”
– Mathieu, Engineering Physics & Biomedical Engineering

“Dress to impress! Dressing up in a professional manner will put you in the right state of mind to take the application seriously; it will change everything from your posture to your fast reflexes and thinking on the spot!”
– Lauren, Civil Engineering

“Practice, practice, practice! Being comfortable with the presentation format will go a long way! Also, do a variety of questions (ex. what are your strengths, who do you admire…etc.). Exposing yourself to different questions will help you prep better for any questions you might come across!”
– Krish, Software & Biomedical Engineering

“Take a deep breath! It isn’t something you need to exhaustively prepare for, do your best responding to the questions and you’ll do great! Try and answers the questions with evidence from your life experiences- extracurriculars, in school, and even day-to-day activities.”
– Sheel, Chemical & Bioengineering
Read about Julia's Experience with the Supplementary Application
FAQs
Important Note: It will take up to 10 business days after you have applied on OUAC and received your acknowledgement email before you will receive access to your supplementary application via email. Thank you for your patience! Be sure to check your “promotions”, “junk” and/or “spam” folders for this email.
*If you do not have your McMaster Student ID Number, please contact thinkeng@mcmaster.ca with your full name, program name, OUAC reference number, and email registered to OUAC.
Please contact Kira Talent directly by clicking the ‘Need help?’ button and choosing ‘Live Chat’ at the top right at any point in the process or you can email the Kira Talent Support Team directly at support@kiratalent.com.
Correct! If you have applied to more than one of our MacEng programs, you are only required to complete one application. The score you will receive will be used for admission purposes to any of the Faculty of Engineering programs you applied to.
For Ontario High School Applicants: Your supplementary application status on your MOSAIC account/Student Centre will take a while after the official deadline to be updated so the status of “notified” is normal! Once you complete your application, you should receive a confirmation email from Kira Talent stating that you have completed your assessment.
For High School Applicants from Outside of Ontario or Upper Level Transfer/2nd Degree Applicants: Your supplementary application status on your Applicant Portal will take a while after the official deadline to be marked as completed. Once you complete your application, you should receive a confirmation email from Kira Talent stating that you have completed your assessment.
As long as you have received a confirmation email from Kira Talent OR you click on your initial invitation link and see 100% completed, you have nothing to worry about. Each supp app gets reviewed by at least two reviewers before being sent to McMaster.
The supplementary application is a mandatory part of the admissions process for any of our Faculty of Engineering programs which includes Bachelor of Technology, Computer Science, Engineering 1 and/or Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences (iBioMed), as well as all 2nd-degree applicants. Only one application is required if you are applying to more than one of these programs.
The supplementary application will consist of 4 questions (3 video responses and 1 written response) and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
There is a part of the application that says “practice questions”, but please be aware this is used for calibration purposes to get you familiar with the platform and the questions you will find here are NOT like the real assessment questions.
Once you begin your assessment, you will only get one opportunity to answer each question.
For each video response: you will receive 1 minute to prepare your answer and 2 minutes to verbally respond to your question.
Written Response: you will have 10 minutes to complete your answer from when you receive the question.
There is a $50 fee for the supplementary application that you will pay for when applying through the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC). Please note this fee will be called a “McMaster program fee.”
The supplementary application deadline for Fall 2024 Level 1 applicants is Friday, January 26th, 2024 at 12 PM (noon) Eastern Time, unless otherwise noted in your supplementary application invitation email.
For each video response: you will receive 1 minute to prepare your answer and 2 minutes to verbally respond to your question.
For the written response: you will have 10 minutes to complete your answer from when you receive the question.
There is a part of the application that says “practice questions”, but please be aware this is used for calibration purposes to get you familiar with the platform and the questions you will find here are NOT like the real assessment questions.
We recommend that you take the time to review and take notes of your experiences to reference for the 4 official assessment question. You may find it helpful to google interview questions to practice with outside of the platform.
- What does being resourceful mean to you, and why is it important?
- Tell us about a time management strategy you used. Why does it work?
- How do you create a balance for yourself when working in a stressful environment?
- Give us an example of a time you acted with integrity.
If you have applied to the Bachelor of Technology Degree Completion Program – you are not required to complete a supplementary application form.
To learn more about the Degree Completion Program, please see here.
We reached out to our incredible team of Student Ambassadors to pass along their advice on completing the supplementary application:
- Make a plan or a basic skeleton of how you’ll answer questions. Make sure to include what your topic is about, how it affected you and how you used your knowledge and experience to overcome the task/topic and what you learned from the experience. McMaster wants to get to know you, the person behind the grades/academics, so these supplementary applications are the gateway to knowing you!
- Make sure you’re in a well-lit area where you won’t be disturbed!
- Try not to stress, be yourself, they are just trying to get to know you! Don’t worry about what you think they want to hear, answer truthfully, your fresh ideas and approach will shine through!
- One surprising thing about my application was that it was quite easy to fill the time limit for the video answers. I was initially concerned that I would not have enough to say to fill up the time, however, the questions are great at simply bringing forth the experience and opinions you already have. I found that as long as I stayed true to my real self and experiences, the time was easy to fill.
- For any application you complete during your lifetime, it’s always best to start early. This is a good way to avoid deadline stress and provides extra time to prepare and review your application if needed. You got this!
Check out Julia’s experience with the supplementary application! Read about her tips here!