Neuroscience at Western
Not directly. At Western University you apply to Medical Sciences (ESM), then choose neuroscience in Year 2 — you apply to the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience.
The program you actually apply to
Medical Sciences
83–90%OUAC ESMCo-op available
Prerequisites
- English, ENG4U
- Calculus and Vectors, MCV4U
- Biology, SBI4U
- Chemistry, SCH4U
- Note:
- Although Western offers first-year Physics courses that do not require high school Physics as a prerequisite, it is strongly recommended that students complete SPH4U.
When you choose neuroscience
In Year 2 — you apply to the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience.
What to watch for
Western is explicit: 'Students do not apply to the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience from high school.' Neuroscience appears on OUAC as a subject of interest under both Medical Sciences (ESM) and Science (ES), but that is only an indication of interest and guarantees nothing — you apply to enter the Honours Specialization in Year 2 after meeting the first-year requirements, and students entering through other faculties can apply too. The department's posted admission averages differ sharply by code: low 90s via ESM, mid 80s via ES.
The same application also gets you to
Medical Sciences is the entry point for 3 other majors at Western. You are not choosing between these at application time.
Neuroscience at the other campuses
Compare the entry programs side by side →- Algomanot offered at Algoma
- BrockDirect entry73–77%
- Carletonvia Science - Honours (CT)78%
- Guelphvia Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours (GZ)80–91%
- Lakeheadnot offered at Lakehead
- LaurentianDirect entry70%
- Laurier (Waterloo)via Psychology (BA or BSc) (UZN)73–77%
- McMastervia Life Sciences Gateway93–97%
- Nipissingnot offered at Nipissing
- Ontario TechDirect entry70–73%
- Queen'svia Life Science & Biochemistry (QL)83–87%
- TMUnot offered at TMU
- Trentnot offered at Trent
- U of T (Mississauga)via Psychological and Brain Sciences73–80%
- U of T (Scarborough)via Life Sciences73–80%
- U of T (St. George)via Life Sciences (including Psychology)83–90%
- Waterloovia Life Sciences80–83%
- WindsorDirect entry70%
- YorkDirect entry80–87%
Entry routes were researched against each university’s own program pages in 2026-08-16. Western’s page. Faculties restructure — confirm before you apply.