Degree program

Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)

Western University — Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS)

Professional graduate study in library and information science, with hybrid and online pathways.

Good for: I have a degree and want to work with information, research or libraries. Where could I begin?

Where do I start? ↓

Checked October 20, 2026 How we check information

At a glance

Delivery: Hybrid
Cost: Confirm cost with provider
Who can access it: Confirm international-credential equivalence, fee category and any study authorization with Western; admission and student-aid eligibility are separate assessments.
Intake: Applications advertised — confirm places

This is a study option, not automatic recognition of an overseas library qualification or a job guarantee.

01 / Start here

Your first steps

Use FIMS admissions guidance to request assessment of your existing degree and clarify any English exemption.
Compare the hybrid and online schedules against work and family commitments before selecting an intake.
Request a complete fee quote and financial-aid assessment; treat the closed fellowship as a future inquiry, not secured funding.

September 2027 hybrid applications open until full. Next online intake: January 2028, applications March 1–June 1, 2027. May 2027 online cohort accepts no new applications.

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02 / Check the fit

Requirements and limits

Four-year university degree or assessed equivalent, normally at least 70% in the last two years; published alternative combinations exist.
Transcripts, translations where required and two referees. Professional supervisors may substitute when university study was several years ago.
If not exempt, IELTS overall 8.0 or the published TOEFL equivalent, taken within two years. Prior-degree exemptions refer to Canada, USA or UK, with conflicting three-/four-year wording; confirm with FIMS.

Confirm international-credential equivalence, fee category and any study authorization with Western; admission and student-aid eligibility are separate assessments.

Important limits and details to confirm

This is a study option, not automatic recognition of an overseas library qualification or a job guarantee.
A functioning fellowship application link does not reopen its expired deadline. Do not budget a 2027 award without confirmation.

Location

London, Ontario; online pathway also offered with a different intake schedule.

03 / Understand the commitment

Costs and possible funding

Full-time fees are charged per term. FIMS directs applicants to Registrar fee schedules, but a reliable current MLIS quote was not retrieved. Request tuition, ancillary and living costs for the intended format and status.

Western MLIS awards and financial assistance (mixed aid, provider published): No guaranteed funding package. FIMS lists competitive donor awards, bursaries and loans; ask which current awards fit your circumstances.

Western Libraries–FIMS fellowship for Black and Indigenous students — closed round (scholarship, provider published): Published 2026 round closed July 1, 2026. It offered three full-time terms of tuition/fees plus a paid two-term campus co-op to selected Black or Indigenous Canadian citizens/PRs entering the fall hybrid cohort. Renewal for 2027 is unconfirmed; inquiry lead only.

OSAP (mixed aid, conditional external lead): Ask Western financial aid to assess your status, residence, course load and exact enrolment. Neither admission nor overseas qualifications establish personal aid eligibility.

04 / Check with the provider

Sources and where to get help

Use the provider’s official starting page to ask about your situation. Published information was checked on October 20, 2026; the provider must confirm current availability and personal eligibility.