Applicants applying through the Indigenous Admission Stream must meet the admission and application requirements outlined on the Application Information & Admission Requirements page and submit all required application documentation for their application to be considered.
As a key to increasing the Indigenous physician workforce, NOSM University designates a minimum of six (6) seats each year to Indigenous students who have significant living experience and/or a cultural connection to Northern Ontario. This is an indication of our commitment to recruiting Indigenous students; however, this is a minimum, not the total number of Indigenous students that we will admit.
Persons who identify as Indigenous may choose one of the following options:
1. Self-identify as Indigenous and apply to the General Admission Stream only or
2. Apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream.
The Indigenous Admissions Subcommittee will review the stream-required documents for all applicants who apply through the Indigenous Admissions Stream, meet the minimum requirements, and provide all the required stream documentation. Applicants reviewed by the Indigenous Admissions Subcommittee may receive a higher context score.
Applicants who do not meet the requirements or do not submit all required documentation to support their application to the Indigenous Admission Stream will be considered through the General Admission Stream.
Applicants who want to self-identify but do not apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream are not required to submit any documentation and will not be considered for admission through the Indigenous Admission Stream.
Indigenous Admission Stream Requirements
Persons of Indigenous ancestry (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) who apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream must submit the following documentation:
Personal Letter
In the personal letter, applicants must tell the Indigenous Admissions Subcommittee about their background and their involvement with and contribution to their Indigenous community. The letter should include:
- Why the applicant would like to be considered as an applicant in the Indigenous Admission Stream
- Details about the applicant’s cultural and personal background. Applicants should provide specific information about their background and how they are involved with their Indigenous community. Indigenous communities could be First Nation, Métis, or Inuit, Treaty community or organizational affiliation, such as a Student Centre, Friendship Centre, or a Volunteer Organization that supports Indigenous people and communities.
- Examples of how they are culturally connected to their Indigenous community (activities, ceremonies, celebrations, traditions, language, etc.)
The letter must not be longer than one thousand (1,000) words.
Recommendation Letter
Applicants must provide a recommendation letter that attests to their connection to the Indigenous community. This letter can be provided by a diverse Indigenous community/organization. For instance, the letter could come from a First Nation Band Council, Métis Community Council, recognized Indigenous leader, community Elder, Indigenous academic scholar, school counsellor, or Indigenous organization.
The letter’s author should know about the applicant’s connection and contribution to the Indigenous community. Applicants should choose someone who knows them well and can speak to their community connection. If the Band/Community leadership does not know the applicant well, a Spiritual Leader/Elder/Senator might be more appropriate. The letter should not be from a family member.
In the letter, the author must include their:
- full name
- title
- address
- telephone number and
- email address.
AND
the author must answer the following questions:
- What is your relationship to the applicant?
- In what capacity do you know the applicant?
- How many years have you known the applicant?
- Describe the activities supporting the applicant’s connection and involvement with the Indigenous community. The following details would support your letter: Nature of the activity, the frequency or the duration of said activity/activities.
NOTE: We will accept only one (1) letter of recommendation. Additional letters will not be considered.
Declaration of Ancestry Documentation
Submit one of the following options as proof of Indigenous ancestry. In all cases, you are also required to submit an official letter from the Indigenous community you are claiming membership in. This letter must:
- Be printed on official community letterhead,
- Be signed and sealed by an authorized representative of the community,
- Clearly confirm your current citizenship or membership status,
- Be dated within one year of the application deadline.
Accepted Proof of Ancestry:
All of the following require an official letter from the Indigenous community you are claiming membership in.
- Indian Status Card
Issued by a federally recognized First Nation listed by Indigenous & Northern Affairs Canada. - Métis Nation Citizenship Card
From one of the four provincial affiliates of the Métis National Council:- Métis Nation of Ontario (must include a “complete citizenship” confirmation letter from the MNO Registrar),
- Métis Nation Saskatchewan,
- Métis Nation of Alberta,
- Métis Nation British Columbia,
OR
From one of the following: - A valid membership card from a Métis Settlement in Alberta,
- Northwest Territories Métis Nation,
- Manitoba Métis Federation.
- Inuit Identification
A Nunavut Trust Certificate or Inuit Enrollment Card connected to a land claim agreement in:- Nunavut,
- Nunatsiavut,
- Nunavik,
- Inuvialuit.
- Modern Treaty or Self-Government First Nation ID
Citizenship identification issued by a First Nation with a modern treaty and/or self-government agreement. - Non-Status First Nation Membership
A membership card or documentation showing that the applicant is a Non-Status First Nation individual affiliated with an Indigenous organization currently negotiating a treaty or agreement with federal/provincial governments.
If You Do Not Possess One of the Above Documents
You may still be considered if you submit all of the following:
- Personal Statement
A letter outlining your lived experiences and ongoing relationship with a legally recognized and rights-bearing Indigenous community (First Nation, Inuit, or Métis). Include community-specific details such as treaty, scrip, land claim, and territory. - Ancestral Documentation
A copy of your parent’s or grandparent’s:- First Nations Status Card,
- Métis Nation Citizenship Card,
- Nunavut Trust Certificate, or
- Inuit Enrollment Card,
plus an official letter (as described above) from their Indigenous community confirming current citizenship.
- Proof of Lineage
Your long-form birth certificate or baptismal certificate that shows the connection to the relative named above. - Community Confirmation Letter
A letter from the Indigenous community you are claiming membership in, confirming you are recognized as part of that community. This must also be dated within one year of the application deadline.
Note: “Rights-bearing” refers to Indigenous collectives that hold constitutionally protected Aboriginal or Treaty rights under Section 35 of the Constitution Act.
Additional Requirements
- Submit clear copies of both the front and back of your proof of ancestry document(s) if applicable.
- Failure to provide complete documentation will render your application through the Indigenous Admissions Stream incomplete.
Applicants wishing to apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream must submit these three (3) required documents to OMSAS via Secure Applicant Messaging (SAM) by the application deadline.
Information regarding supports and resources available to Indigenous students at NOSM University can be found by visiting the Indigenous Medical Education webpage.
