Ontario Medical Schools’ International Students Ban: What it Means for You

Ontario to Ban International Students from Medical Schools

The province of Ontario recently announced a ban on international students at all medical schools in Ontario. The ban will come into effect following the next admissions cycle, meaning no more international students will be eligible to study at Ontario medical schools.

The province announced that 95% of its medical school seats will be reserved for in-province applicants from Ontario, with the remaining 5% reserved for applicants from other Canadian provinces (out-of-province applicants). This change in policy will significantly reduce the number of Canadian medical schools that accept international students, as Ontario was previously one of the most international-friendly provinces for medical school applicants.

The reason for this change was due to the Ontario provincial government’s policy to encourage Ontario applicants to study and practice medicine in the province, by reserving more seats for them. Since Ontario is facing a severe shortage of family physicians, the policy is being implemented to support students who are more likely to study and stay and practice in the province after graduation.

Currently, around 88% of all seats in Ontario medical schools are held by in-province students, according to the provincial health ministry officials.

International Students in Ontario Medical Schools

Ontario is home to 7 medical schools, and many of these opened their doors to international students. Even though very few Canadian medical schools accept international students, the proportion of seats held by international students compared to Ontario and even out-of-province applicants is low.

Here’s a summary of the student population at medical schools in Ontario:

What the Ban from Ontario Medical Schools Means for International Students

As we can see, there aren’t many international students currently studying at medical schools in Ontario, as the competition to get in is already very rigorous, as reflected by medical school acceptance rates.

Even so, this does severely limit the options for international students hoping to study medicine in Canada. With the removal of Ontario as an option, these are the only remaining medical schools in Canada that accept international students:

• Université de Montreal Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Medicine Université Laval
• McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Université de Sherbrooke Faculty of Medicine

For US students applying to Canadian medical schools, the outlook will be similar. There are some medical schools in Canada that accept US students, but with Ontario’s ban on international students, that list will get shorter, too.

Bottom line, international students who choose to study medicine in Canada will need to be even more selective when choosing where to apply. Or, you'll need to obtain either Canadian citizenship or permanent residency status first, to widen the net of available medical schools. The need for a very competitive application will continue to be a must if you want to get into medical school in Canada.

Note: if you’re an international medical graduate hoping to complete your residency in Canada, you will still be able to, provided you meet all the application criteria for CaRMS and individual residency programs in your province of choice.

What the International Ban in Ontario Medical Schools Means for Out-of-Province Students

These changes in policy don’t just affect international students. Many premeds across Canada apply to Ontario medical schools—they offer an excellent education, there are more medical schools in Ontario and therefore more chances to be accepted, and some may just be the best fit for you.

However, with only 5% of the seats at Ontario medical schools being allocated to out-of-province students, it will mean an already competitive landscape will become even fiercer.

In Canada, most medical schools already favor in-province applicants, and with only 18 medical schools across the country, it means there is usually only one or two options to study medicine in your home province. So, many Canadian premeds apply out-of-province or even to Canadian-friendly US medical schools to get an acceptance.

Here’s a look at the out-of-province population at Ontario medical schools right now:

So, the number of applicants from outside Ontario currently studying at medical schools in Ontario ranges from around 10-15%. This will soon drop to about 5% total. This means as an out-of-province applicant, your chances of getting into medical school in Ontario will likely decrease in the coming admissions cycle.

However, it is still possible to get accepted with a stellar med school application and the right strategy. Medical school admissions consulting can help you polish your application and tailor it to Ontario medical schools, increasing your chances of acceptance. 

Applying to medical schools in Ontario? Get familiar with the OMSAS application!

What the Ontario Medical Schools Ban on International Students Means for Ontario Applicants

While the Ontario ban on international students in medical schools won’t have a significant impact on Ontario premeds chances of admissions—it’s still going to be very competitive to get into medical school in the province!—there are some incentives that may encourage Ontario applicants to look more strongly at medical schools at home.

The province also announced it would be expanding the Learn and Stay grant to include family medicine. Meaning Ontario students will be eligible to have their medical school tuition and other expenses covered if they agree to stay in Ontario and work as a family physician for a set term once they complete their residency.

While this agreement does limit your options during residency and beyond, if you are eligible it can go a long ways towards paying for medical school, so it is worth considering for Ontario students who are interested in attending medical school and practicing in their home province.

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