International Applicants to U.S. Health Programs

The different health profession have different approaches when it comes to international applicants.  We’ve summarized the information below but you are encouraged to check relevant professional association sites for updated information.

Medicine

The AAMC’s website for international students states: “In 2019, 48 schools indicated in the Medical School Admission Requirements that they accept applications from international applicants. You can research an individual medical school’s admissions policies on its website or within the “Application Deadlines and Requirements” section in the Medical School Admission Requirements. In the 2019 application cycle, 1,890 foreign applicants applied to M.D. granting programs in the United States and 325 of those applicants were accepted. Of those accepted, 272 matriculated into medical school. (This includes applicants who applied via AMCAS and TMDSAS).”

You can find a list of medical schools that have accepted international applicants on InGenius Prep and Medical School Coach.  You can also watch a brief webinar on International Students Applying to US Medical Schools.

For additional support and finding mentorship with doctors on their F1 visas, check out F1 Doctors.

Because international students are accepted to U.S. medical schools at a lower rate than domestic students, we strongly suggest that you consider adding the following programs to your list, when you begin your medical school application process:

Caribbean:

• American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
• American University of Antigua
• Trinity School of Medicine
• Xavier School of Medicine (Aruba)
• St. George University School of Medicine (Grenada)

Australia: The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia has a partnership with a health consortium in the U.S., which takes all of their students who want to pursue residencies in the US. They offer a Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program.

Singapore: The Duke-NUS Doctor of Medicine (MD) spans 4 years, and graduates are awarded a joint Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree by Duke University and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Canada: Canadian Medical Schools may be more challenging to get into than U.S. medical schools if you are not from a Canadian province.  Check out this article in Medium titled “International student wishing to study medicine in Canada? Here’s what you need to know.”

Dentistry

From the ADEA’s page for international students: “If you are an international student, the good news is that you are qualified to apply to most dental schools in the United States and Canada. The bad news is that you may have to go to some extra lengths to apply to dental school. Many schools require international students to demonstrate English language proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or providing some other assurance of proficiency in English. The other downside of being an international student with dreams of going to dental school in the United States is that it is more difficult to get financial aid since you are not a U.S. or Canadian Citizen, but there are resources that can help you find other options.”

Pharmacy

The AACP page for International Students and Graduates states this: “Some U.S. pharmacy institutions do not consider international (non-U.S.) applicants for admission. International applicants may compete for a limited number of positions or may be ineligible for admission, depending on institutional and state policies. Private pharmacy institutions generally offer non-U.S. citizens a greater number of positions within the program as compared to state-supported, public institutions.”  You can click on a school of interest in the PharmCas Directory and scroll down to the International Applicants section to see whether the school accepts international applicants.

Physician Assistant

Here are a few resources with helpful information.  The Physician Assistant Life (list of all PA Programs Accepting International Students).  PA School Finder (interactive Map showing PA schools accepting international students).  U.S. News (“Consider a Physician Assistant Program as an International Student”).

Physical Therapy

Use the “Eligible Citizen Types for Admission” filter on this page to search for schools who accept students who are not U.S. citizens.

Occupational Therapy

Find schools at American Occupational Therapy Association and look to see which ones accept international students.