Chemical Engineering (Faculty of Engineering)

Chemical engineers design the processes and systems required to scale something a chemist produces in the lab (like plastics, pharmaceuticals and chemicals) into mass manufacturable products.

Studying chemical engineering at McGill will prepare you to design, run, model and optimize all kinds of systems these can range from production and manufacturing systems, to corporate systems, economic systems, and even weather, population or global systems.

We need to produce things faster, cleaner and in a smarter way in order to sustain our growing population and the increasing demand on our world's natural resources. Chemical engineers consult with many different industries to address this issue.

• Canadian citizenship or Canadian permanent residency
• 23 years of age or older by the start of classes (21 years of age for the Faculties of Management and Music)
• No high school, college or university level studies within the last five years that would constitute a basis for admission
• Two letters of reference
• Mature Student Statements:
  • Letter of Intent, including description of all educational experiences
  • Complete resume of employment and other activities, highlighting points relevant to the application
• In some cases, an interview may be required
• Demonstrate academic potential by successfully completing a minimum number of specific courses (see 'Minimum grades & prerequisites' below) within the three-year period prior to admission and no later than May 15th of the year of application for the intended program (May 1 for some programs). These courses, which may be completed at CEGEP or university, will also fulfill prerequisites for the intended program. 

Chemical engineers are in demand across fields. You can work in industries like pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, food and beverage processing, petrochemicals, energy and advanced materials, mining, environmental engineering, and production and manufacturing.  

Your skills in designing efficient, safe and effective processes will make you an asset in any industry. Chemical engineers develop strong project management skills and many go on to managerial and executive positions.  

You could become a professional: 

• Energy manager 
• Production manager 
• Analytical chemist 
• Environmental engineer

1. Know your deadlines.

   Mark your calendar with these important dates regarding your application. 

2. Decide what to study.

   Use the program finder tool to explore over 300 undergraduate programs and find your best match. 

3. Make sure you're eligible.

   Admission to most programs is based on grades only. In this step, you'll find:
   • How your academic record is reviewed
   • The grades that gained entrance to your program in previous years
   • The prerequisites for your program

4. Get ready to apply.

   As of October 1, you can apply. Complete each step of the pre-application to-do list, including:

   • Understand the deadlines that apply to you
   • Prepare your academic documents
   • Identify supporting documents you'll need to provide

5. Submit your application.

   Review our tips on how to apply and see what the application fees will be. Remember that you can apply to two programs.

6. Apply for an entrance scholarship.

   Look into entrance scholarships early! The deadline is usually a week after your application deadline. This page provides information about entrance scholarships, bursaries, and other funding opportunities.

7. Submit documents and keep in touch.

   We'll connect with you by email to let you know when to upload supporting documents, if required. In this step, you'll see:
   • How to follow your applications status
   • Supporting documents you may need to prepare
   • How to submit supporting documents, including self-reporting your grades