Getting into queen’s health science acceptance rate is a major goal for many Canadian high school students. Whether you dream of becoming a doctor, pursuing biomedical research, or building a career in health care, understanding the admissions process is an important first step. One of the most common questions prospective students ask is about the queen’s health science acceptance rate and what it takes to receive an offer.
The challenge is that admissions are not based on grades alone. Queen’s considers academic performance alongside a mandatory supplementary application for its on-campus Health Sciences program. Consequently, two applicants with similar grades may receive different admission decisions.
You may have encountered estimates suggesting that the acceptance rate is approximately 4%, 5%, or 7%. However, these figures should not be confused with an officially confirmed acceptance rate for the 2026 admissions cycle.
This guide examines the available admissions information, explains competitive grade expectations, explores the supplementary application, and provides practical preparation strategies. It also covers application deadlines, program structure, and what students can realistically expect from the selection process.
What Is Queen’s Health Sciences Acceptance Rate in 2026?
Queen’s University has not publicly confirmed a definitive program-specific acceptance rate for its 2026 Bachelor of Health Sciences on-campus admissions cycle in the admissions information reviewed for this article.
A third-party admissions tracker estimates the rate at approximately 7%, but that figure is not an official statistic published by Queen’s University. Its methodology relies on available university information and estimates, making it unsuitable as a precise measure of an individual applicant’s admission chances.
An acceptance rate is calculated by dividing the number of applicants who receive admission offers by the total number of applicants and multiplying the result by 100.
For example, if a hypothetical university program received 5,000 applications and offered admission to 400 students, its acceptance rate would be 8%.
However, that example does not represent Queen’s actual 2026 admissions results.
The distinction matters because universities generally issue more offers than the number of students who eventually enrol. Some applicants accept offers from other institutions, while others decide not to attend university that year.
A program’s incoming class size therefore cannot be used independently to calculate its acceptance rate.
The key takeaway: Queen’s Health Sciences is a highly competitive program, but applicants should treat unofficial percentage estimates cautiously and focus on the university’s published admission requirements.
Queen’s Health Sciences Competitive Admission Average
Understanding the competitive admission average is more useful than relying on an unofficial acceptance rate. The competitive average describes the level of academic performance generally needed for admission consideration, while an acceptance rate measures the proportion of applicants receiving offers.
Queen’s currently lists the Bachelor of Health Sciences competitive average as the low 90s, based on the minimum average required for admission consideration in the previous September intake. The university explicitly states that these averages can change annually and may be higher in subsequent admissions cycles.
This does not mean an applicant with a 91% average will necessarily receive an offer. It also does not mean that everyone with a 95% average will be admitted.
Queen’s evaluates applicants using their grades and supplementary information, with preference given to those whose overall qualifications meet the program’s selection requirements.
What Grades Do You Need to Get Into Queen’s Health Sciences?
For Ontario high school applicants, Queen’s requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six eligible Grade 12 university or university/college-level courses.
The required courses for Health Sciences are:
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| ENG4U English | Minimum 80% |
| SBI4U Biology | Required |
| SCH4U Chemistry | Required |
| MHF4U Advanced Functions or MCV4U Calculus and Vectors | One required |
| Two additional 4U or 4M courses | Required |
A mandatory supplementary application is also part of the admission requirements.
The 80% English requirement is a prerequisite minimum, not the overall average needed for competitive admission.
Similarly, completing the required science and mathematics courses establishes academic eligibility but does not guarantee an offer.
Queen’s no longer accepts Grade 12 Data Management as the mathematics prerequisite for Health Sciences. Applicants should check their course selections carefully, especially if they are planning their final year of high school.
Students applying from other Canadian provinces, international schools, or the International Baccalaureate system must satisfy the corresponding curriculum-specific requirements.
For preparation purposes, aim to perform consistently well across all six eligible courses while giving particular attention to Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English. Strong grades can support an application, but they do not replace the supplementary component.
How Queen’s Health Sciences Selects Applicants
Queen’s uses a combination of academic performance and supplementary information to assess applicants for its on-campus Health Sciences program.
The university explains that applicants must first meet a minimum admission average determined for the relevant cycle. Their supplementary responses are then considered alongside their academic records when making admission decisions.
The minimum average and number of students selected can vary depending on application volume, applicant grades, and available places.
This means the selection process is not simply a matter of arranging applicants from the highest average to the lowest and filling every available seat in that order.
Grades remain important because they demonstrate academic preparation for a demanding science-based degree. The supplementary application provides an additional opportunity for students to demonstrate qualities and experiences that their transcripts cannot fully communicate.
A strong application should therefore address both components:
- Academic preparation through consistent performance in required courses.
- Personal qualities demonstrated through specific experiences and reflection.
Students should also distinguish between official admission requirements and advice circulating in student discussions. An applicant’s experience from a previous admissions cycle may be useful context, but it does not establish a universal rule for future applicants.
Does a 95% Average Guarantee Admission?
No. A 95% average may be academically competitive, but Queen’s does not guarantee admission to applicants who achieve a particular percentage.
The university explicitly states that meeting its minimum or competitive average does not guarantee an offer.
Students sometimes assume that obtaining a higher average automatically eliminates uncertainty. That interpretation overlooks the program’s supplementary application and the changing characteristics of each applicant pool.
Consider two hypothetical students who both achieve a 95% average.
One applicant submits clear, thoughtful supplementary responses that explain specific challenges, decisions, and lessons learned. The other submits vague responses with little personal reflection.
Their grades are identical, but their applications provide different information for the admissions committee to assess.
This example illustrates how the two application components may contribute to a decision. It does not suggest that a particular supplementary score will guarantee admission.
For students with averages below 95%, the appropriate conclusion is not that admission is impossible. Instead, they should compare their grades against the published competitive range, confirm that they meet every prerequisite, and prepare the supplementary application carefully.
Students with very high averages should take the supplementary component equally seriously. Neither grades nor supplementary responses should be treated as a substitute for meeting the program’s full requirements.
Queen’s Health Sciences Supplementary Application Explained
The supplementary application is a mandatory part of applying to the on-campus Bachelor of Health Sciences program.
For the 2026 admissions process, Queen’s introduced a supplementary format consisting of one written response and one video response, delivered through Kira Talent.
This differs from older application formats discussed in some student forums and admissions guides. Applicants should prepare for the format required in their own admission cycle rather than relying on outdated essay instructions.
The supplementary application gives students an opportunity to communicate how they respond to challenges, work with others, and learn from their experiences.
It is not simply a place to repeat academic achievements already visible on a transcript.
Queen’s publishes assessment rubrics explaining the qualities considered in the written and video components. These include initiative, adaptability, reflection, understanding of others’ perspectives, and awareness of personal contributions.
Students should prepare examples from their own lives rather than inventing dramatic experiences or memorizing generic answers.
Written Response: What to Expect
The written component gives applicants 10 minutes to complete and submit their response, with a maximum of 335 words.
Queen’s warns that exceeding the word limit can negatively affect an application. Applicants should therefore practise developing focused answers within the allotted time.
The published written-response rubric emphasizes how applicants describe challenges and demonstrate initiative, adaptability, persistence, problem-solving, and meaningful reflection.
A useful preparation exercise is to identify a genuine experience in which you encountered a challenge and had to make a decision.
For example, you might describe organizing a school project after a team member became unavailable or adapting your study approach after receiving disappointing results.
A clear response should explain:
- The situation and why it presented a challenge.
- The specific actions you personally took.
- How you approached the problem or adjusted your strategy.
- What happened as a result.
- What you learned and how the experience influenced you.
Avoid spending most of your response describing the circumstances while providing little explanation of your own actions.
The most informative part of an answer is often the connection between what you did and what you learned.
A relatively ordinary experience can provide meaningful evidence of personal development when described thoughtfully. There is no need to manufacture a major crisis or claim that every challenge resulted in complete success.
Video Response: How to Prepare
The video component gives applicants two minutes to prepare and two minutes to deliver their response.
According to Queen’s published rubric, the assessment considers the relevance of examples, appreciation of different perspectives, initiative, adaptability, personal responsibility, and reflection.
The university also provides practice questions that applicants can complete before beginning the official assessment. These practice responses are not included in the final evaluation.
Preparing for the video response does not mean memorizing a script.
Instead, practise organizing your thoughts quickly and expressing them in a conversational, understandable way.
Choose several authentic examples from school, employment, volunteering, family responsibilities, or personal projects.
For each example, consider what you contributed, how others were affected, and whether your perspective changed afterward.
A simple response structure can help:
- Briefly establish the situation.
- Explain your role and the action you took.
- Describe the outcome or complication.
- Reflect on what you learned.
Practise speaking within the two-minute limit without rushing through every sentence.
You should also test your camera, microphone, internet connection, and surroundings before completing the actual assessment.
Queen’s recommends allowing approximately 30 minutes for the application process and choosing a comfortable location with a stable internet connection.
Queen’s Health Sciences Application Deadlines and Admission Timeline
Applying to Health Sciences requires careful attention to deadlines because the main university application and the supplementary assessment have separate submission dates.
As of September 20, 2026, the regular application cycle for September 2026 entry has already passed. Students preparing to begin university in September 2027 should use the next admissions cycle rather than following expired 2026 deadlines.
Queen’s has published the following key dates for 2027 entry.
| Date | Admission milestone |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Applications open |
| November 20, 2026 | Recommended application date for students seeking major admission awards |
| February 1, 2027 | Health Sciences application deadline |
| February 15, 2027 | Mandatory supplementary application deadline |
| March 31, 2027 | Deadline for supporting documents, including applicable transcripts and English test results |
| April 30, 2027 | Queen’s receives Ontario high school grades through OUAC |
Students should also review their individual applicant accounts because some requirements may differ according to their educational background.
Submitting the university application early does not automatically mean you will receive an admission offer early.
Similarly, submitting the supplementary application immediately does not guarantee priority over applicants who complete it closer to the deadline.
When Do Queen’s Health Sciences Offers Come Out?
Queen’s generally communicates admission decisions throughout the application period rather than releasing every offer on a single date.
The university’s supplementary application guidance states that it aims to communicate all admission decisions by mid-May.
This means applicants may receive decisions at different times, even when they have similar grades.
Some students may receive offers before their final Grade 12 marks are available, while others may have to wait until the university receives additional academic information.
If a classmate receives an offer before you, that does not necessarily mean your application has been rejected.
After applying, you should:
- Activate your Queen’s NetID when you receive your admission acknowledgement.
- Review your individual To-Do List in SOLUS.
- Check whether supplementary and supporting documents have been received.
- Monitor your email and application account for updates.
- Continue maintaining your academic performance.
Queen’s uses the applicant’s academic information and other required materials to assess the application. Missing documents or an incomplete supplementary assessment can prevent the university from completing its review.
Applicants who receive an offer should read its conditions carefully, including the deadline for accepting the offer and any final-grade requirements.
Practical Tips to Improve Your Queen’s Health Sciences Application
There is no guaranteed strategy for gaining admission to a competitive university program. However, students can take practical steps to ensure that their applications accurately demonstrate their preparation and qualifications.
The most productive approach is to address the areas within your control rather than focusing on unofficial acceptance-rate estimates.
Begin by confirming your course prerequisites and identifying any academic subjects that require additional attention.
Then prepare for the supplementary application using genuine experiences rather than attempting to predict the exact questions.
Focus on Academic Consistency
Academic performance remains a major part of the admissions process.
Students should prioritize understanding the material in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English rather than focusing exclusively on short-term grade improvements.
A strong foundation in these subjects can also support your transition into university-level health science courses.
Consider using these strategies:
- Review difficult concepts throughout the semester instead of immediately before examinations.
- Ask teachers for feedback on assignments and assessments.
- Create a realistic study schedule that allows time for all required subjects.
- Practise explaining scientific concepts in your own words.
- Monitor your progress and adjust your study methods when necessary.
If you are struggling in one prerequisite course, address the problem early.
An improved mark may help your academic record, but understanding the material is equally important for your future studies.
Queen’s generally uses the most recent grade when calculating the admission average for a repeated secondary school course. However, students considering repeating a course should review the applicable admission rules before making changes to their academic plans.
Use Extracurricular Experiences Meaningfully
Extracurricular activities can provide valuable experiences to draw upon when preparing supplementary responses.
However, the published assessment rubrics do not suggest that applicants need to complete a particular number of volunteer hours, join specific clubs, or obtain a particular leadership title.
Instead, the rubrics focus on how applicants demonstrate and reflect on qualities such as initiative, adaptability, collaboration, and problem-solving.
- Volunteering in your community.
- Participating in a school club or student organization.
- Working part-time while maintaining academic responsibilities.
- Helping family members with regular responsibilities.
- Participating in sports, arts, or other team activities.
- Completing an independent project that required persistence.
The value of an experience depends on what you actually did and learned.
For example, organizing a small community event may give you meaningful insight into teamwork and decision-making.
Simply listing the event without explaining your contribution provides much less information.
Students should not pursue activities solely because they believe an admissions committee expects them to appear impressive.
Choose opportunities that genuinely interest you and allow you to develop useful skills.
Is Queen’s Health Sciences a Good Choice for Future Medical Students?
Many applicants are interested in Queen’s Health Sciences because they hope to attend medical school after completing their undergraduate degree.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences provides an academic foundation in human health, including biomedical and social science perspectives.
Its curriculum emphasizes applying knowledge to practical scenarios and developing competencies that can support a variety of health-related career paths.
However, Health Sciences is not a direct-entry medical degree, and admission to the undergraduate program does not guarantee admission to medical school.
Medical schools evaluate applicants through their own selection processes, which may involve university grades, prerequisite coursework, entrance examinations, interviews, and other requirements.
These conditions differ among institutions and can change over time.
A student planning to pursue medicine should therefore consider whether the undergraduate program’s academic structure and learning environment suit their strengths and interests.
What Makes the Health Sciences Program Different?
Queen’s uses a blended learning approach that combines independent preparation with opportunities to apply course material.
Students work through learning modules before participating in activities that encourage discussion, problem-solving, and application of concepts.
This approach is often described as a flipped classroom model.
The format can be appealing to students who enjoy independently reviewing material before exploring complex questions in a group environment.
However, it also requires consistent time management and a willingness to prepare before scheduled learning sessions.
Students interested in the program should consider whether they enjoy:
- Exploring both biomedical and social aspects of health.
- Working independently with academic material.
- Participating in collaborative learning.
- Applying scientific concepts to practical situations.
- Developing communication and critical-thinking skills.
The degree may provide a foundation for further education in medicine, research, public health, and other health-related fields, depending on the student’s course selections and additional qualifications.
It is important to distinguish between an undergraduate degree that supports future career preparation and a professional qualification that directly authorizes someone to practise a regulated health profession.
Students should choose their undergraduate program based on academic interests, learning preferences, financial considerations, and potential career pathways rather than an assumed advantage in medical school admissions.
On-Campus vs. Online Health Sciences: Are Admission Requirements the Same?
Queen’s offers both on-campus and fully online Bachelor of Health Sciences study options. Although they belong to the same broader degree program, applicants should not assume that the admission process is identical.
The on-campus program requires a supplementary application, while Queen’s states that applicants to the fully online Health Sciences program do not need to complete that assessment.
This distinction is particularly important when researching the queen’s health science acceptance rate.
An acceptance-rate estimate for the on-campus program should not automatically be applied to the online program. The applicant populations, admission procedures, and available places may differ.
Students considering online study should review the specific eligibility requirements, available entry terms, course delivery arrangements, and expected study commitments.
Online learning may appeal to people who need greater scheduling flexibility or cannot relocate to Kingston.
However, it also requires self-discipline and the ability to manage independent learning.
Applicants should consider whether they prefer regular in-person interaction or a more flexible study arrangement.
Students interested in transferring between study formats should confirm the applicable academic and admission rules rather than assuming that acceptance into one format guarantees access to the other.
The most important step is to identify the exact program and delivery format you intend to apply to before comparing admission statistics or preparing application materials.
Frequently Asked Questions About Queen’s Health Sciences Acceptance Rate
1. What is Queen’s Health Science acceptance rate in 2026?
Queen’s has not published a definitive, officially verified acceptance rate for the 2026 on-campus Bachelor of Health Sciences admissions cycle in the information reviewed for this guide.
A third-party estimate places the rate at approximately 7%, but the figure should not be presented as an official university statistic.
An acceptance rate must be calculated using the number of applicants and the number of admission offers issued during the same admissions cycle.
The number of students who enrol is not an adequate substitute for the number of offers because some successful applicants choose to attend other universities.
For prospective students, the published competitive average and admission requirements are more useful planning tools than an unofficial acceptance percentage.
Queen’s currently lists the competitive average for Health Sciences in the low 90s, based on the previous September intake. This threshold can change, and meeting it does not guarantee admission.
Applicants should therefore review both academic requirements and the mandatory supplementary application before assessing their readiness.
2. Can you get into Queen’s Health Sciences with a 90% average?
A 90% average may place an applicant near the university’s published competitive range, but it does not guarantee admission.
Queen’s currently identifies the competitive average for Health Sciences as the low 90s, based on the previous September intake. The actual minimum required for consideration may change from one year to another.
The university also considers supplementary information when evaluating eligible applicants.
Students with a 90% average should first confirm that they meet all required course prerequisites, including the minimum English grade and the appropriate mathematics requirement.
They should then prepare the supplementary application carefully, using authentic examples that demonstrate their experiences and personal development.
It would be misleading to claim that a 90% average makes admission impossible or that a particular supplementary response will compensate for any academic shortfall.
The university determines the applicable minimum average and evaluates applicants according to its admissions process.
Students should also consider applying to other programs that align with their academic interests and long-term goals.
Maintaining several realistic educational options is more useful than relying on admission to a single competitive program.
3. Is Queen’s Health Sciences harder to get into than Life Sciences?
The two programs have different published competitive averages and admission requirements.
Queen’s currently lists the competitive average for Health Sciences in the low 90s and Life Science and Biochemistry in the mid-80s. These figures reflect the minimum averages required for admission consideration in the previous September intake, not guaranteed admission thresholds for every applicant.
Health Sciences also requires a mandatory supplementary application for on-campus admission.
Life Science and Biochemistry has its own academic prerequisites, and students should review the specific requirements for their educational background.
A difference in competitive averages does not provide enough information to calculate or compare the programs’ actual acceptance rates.
Nor does it establish which degree is academically more demanding after admission.
Students interested in both options should compare their curricula, learning approaches, course flexibility, and potential career pathways.
Health Sciences emphasizes the integration of biomedical and social perspectives on human health, while Life Science and Biochemistry provides a different academic structure for exploring biological and chemical sciences.
The appropriate choice depends on which program aligns with the student’s interests and educational plans.
4. Do you need volunteer experience to get into Queen’s Health Sciences?
Queen’s published Health Sciences admission requirements do not establish a universal minimum number of volunteer hours for applicants.
The on-campus program requires eligible academic qualifications and a supplementary application.
Its supplementary assessment rubrics emphasize qualities such as initiative, adaptability, appreciation of others’ perspectives, problem-solving, and meaningful reflection.
Volunteering can provide useful experiences to discuss, but it is not the only way to demonstrate these qualities.
Students may develop relevant skills through part-time employment, school projects, family responsibilities, sports, personal challenges, and other activities.
For example, helping coordinate a community event may demonstrate teamwork and adaptability. Working through a difficult academic project may provide evidence of persistence and thoughtful problem-solving.
The important consideration is whether the applicant can explain their actions and reflect meaningfully on what they learned.
Students should avoid inventing volunteer experience or participating in activities solely to create an impressive application.
Authentic experiences, clear communication, and thoughtful reflection provide a stronger foundation for preparing supplementary responses than an exaggerated list of achievements.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the queen’s health science acceptance rate requires more than finding a single percentage online. While unofficial estimates suggest that admission is highly competitive, Queen’s has not confirmed a definitive acceptance rate for its 2026 on-campus intake.
The university’s published competitive average, academic prerequisites, and supplementary application requirements offer a more reliable starting point for prospective students.
Strong grades matter, but applicants should also prepare thoughtful, authentic responses that demonstrate how they approach challenges, work with others, and learn from their experiences.
For students preparing for September 2027 entry, applications open on October 1, 2026, with the Health Sciences application deadline set for February 1, 2027, and the supplementary application due February 15, 2027.
Focus on meeting the published requirements, preparing carefully, and selecting educational opportunities that align with your interests. No particular grade or supplementary response guarantees admission, but understanding the process will help you submit a complete, well-prepared application.
