1. Black-identified applicants who wish to be considered under the EABA should apply for the BHSc (Hons) Program as per the normal process.
2. In early February, all BHSc applicants for Level I will receive an email from the BHSc (Hons) Program with the instructions for submitting the Supplementary Application. This email will also contain a link to a form where Black applicants who wish to be considered under the EABA can identify themselves to us. This will happen in May for those who are applying as Level II transfer applicants.
3. Those who self-identify for consideration under the EABA process should submit their Supplementary Application as per the normal process.

• Supplementary Application from those in the EABA stream will be scored by a panel of Black faculty, alumni and current students in the BHSc (Hons) Program. Having this team of Black evaluators score the applications of Black-identified applicants will help to reduce the potential for conscious or unconscious anti-Black bias to affect the Supplementary Application scores.
• The Supplementary Application scores provided by the EABA review panel will be used to determine admissions decisions for EABA applicants using the same process and cutoffs as the usual process.

Why has the BHSc (Hons) Program introduced a process for Equitable Admissions for Black Applicants?

Admissions to the BHSc (Hons) Program is incredibly competitive. We have over 7,000 applications for only 240 spots. Diversity of students is not only valuable for learning itself but can also help to address some of the pipeline issues in health professions (healthcare, research and policy) where we also see Black people underrepresented. Black students are relatively underrepresented in the BHSc (Hons) Program compared to the general population of Ontario, indicating that there are barriers to access for Black applicants. These barriers likely consist of multiple factors through which systemic racism has been shown to disadvantage Black people and communities. Although our admissions process cannot address all of these barriers, by instituting a process in which Black applicants’ Supplementary Application questions are scored by Black reviewers, we can help to mitigate the potential impact of conscious or unconscious bias in the scoring process and send a clear message that Black applicants are welcome in our community and encouraged to apply.

How does the EABA differ from the general application process?

The principal difference is that Supplementary Application questions from applicants in the EABA process will be scored by a panel of Black faculty, alumni and students. Applicants under the EABA process must meet the same course prerequisites, GPA cutoffs and Supplementary Application Score cutoffs as the rest of the applicant pool, and there are no quotas for admission under the EABA process.

How does a person prove they are eligible to apply under the EABA process?

You must self-identify as Black or as multi-racial including Black ancestry and identify with that ancestry. ‘Black’ can mean Black African, Black Caribbean, Black North American,or other forms of Black identity. Applicants under the EABA will be asked to pledge and confirm that they appropriately meet these self-identification requirements.*

Is it easier to get into the BHSc (Hons) Program under the EABA process?

No. Applicants under the EABA process must meet the same course prerequisites, GPA cutoffs and Supplementary Application score cutoffs as the rest of the applicant pool, and there are no quotas for admission under the EABA process. The EABA process does not create an advantage for Black applicants. Rather, it is intended to mitigate some of the disadvantages that Black applicants may face with respect to systemic factors and the potential for conscious and unconscious bias.