Fall 2026 Admission Statistics
2026 Interviewee Profile
This page shares aggregate information about the 205 applicants invited to interview for August 2026 admittance. Statistics reflect interviewees, not admitted students. Later this summer we plan to share additional information about the admitted class of 48 students in a way that protects applicant privacy.
Key numbers
1,864
Total applications received
1,697
Complete & academically eligible
205
Applicants invited to interview
199
B.C. residents
Selection Process
How interview spots were filled
Of the 1,697 complete applications meeting academic eligibility requirements, our Initial File Review Process identified 447 applicants as aligned with the school’s mission and mandate.
Because the number of aligned applicants exceeded our 205 available interview spots, we used an equal probability selection process to fill those spots from the aligned pool. Every applicant invited to interview had an application verified as acceptable in all respects.
The information on this page is provided to help prospective applicants understand our process. It should not be interpreted as representing specific decision-points in the selection process. Detailed interviewee statistics, including GPA, MCAT, gender, age, language, and geographic distribution, are available in the downloadable profile below.
FOR FUTURE APPLICANTS
Common reasons applications did not move forward in 2026
Understanding why applications were unsuccessful can help future applicants prepare stronger submissions. The following are the most common reasons that applications did not move forward this cycle.
- External information was not received by the December 8 application deadline, including official transcripts from the issuing university, MCAT scores released from the AAMC, and/or five complete character references.
- An adjusted GPA or MCAT score below the posted threshold for the selected academic eligibility option.
- Ineligible adjusted GPAs, for example, meeting the threshold only by using courses outside of the last 90 units to fill the “Remaining Courses” section of the Adjusted GPA.
- Prerequisite courses were not eligible, most commonly because the course title and calendar description did not describe the required content listed in Appendix B of the Applicant Manual. This was a particular issue for applicants who chose seminar or “independent study” courses without verifiable calendar information about the specific topic the year the course was taken.
- Employment or community activities described as including meaningful engagement with Indigenous groups were not affirmed as such by verifiers.
- Employment or community activities described as meaningful Indigenous engagement included descriptions that did not reflect meaningful engagement with Indigenous groups as defined by the application questions.
What doesn't matter
Factors that provided no advantage or disadvantage in 2026
There are often rumours among applicants about what matters when applying to medical school. The following aspects of an application neither advantaged nor disadvantaged applicants in this cycle.
| Research activity is not required and is not prioritized over other types of employment or community involvement. |
| Educational discipline (major). |
| Qualifications or profession of references. |
| Choice or location of undergraduate institution is not considered. |
| Academic eligibility option selected (GPA only, MCAT only, or GPA & MCAT). |
| GPA and MCAT scores beyond the threshold are not given additional advantage. |
| Age, gender, high school location, and other social identity characteristics volunteered by applicants are not considered. |
| Volunteer activities are not required or given preference over other experiences (employment, community involvement, education) that are aligned with the school’s mission. |
| The title or position held within a community does not necessarily accrue advantage; contributions can be shown in many roles. |
| Connections with or references from physicians or SFU faculty do not provide benefit over references from individuals who know you well. |
ADVICE FROM OUR TEAM
What we positively value
- Character references from people who know your capabilities well.
- Longitudinal connections to a community or place of employment that you find genuinely meaningful.
- Connections to B.C., even if your journey started elsewhere.
- Honest and transparent descriptions of your accomplishments and involvements.
- Transcripts from all institutions are evaluated as equivalent, disregarding notions of institutional prestige or difficulty.
- Experiences aligned with the mission of a community-focused, socially accountable school of medicine.