Best Medical Schools for International Students

The application procedure for medical school is already highly competitive! It is even more difficult if you are an international student. In addition to the challenging admission process for medical schools, only a small portion of American medical universities accept international students.

Additionally, most demand that international students fulfill extra requirements, such as coursework at an institution recognized by the United States (and Canada) or proof of English language competency.

Nevertheless, hundreds of international students are accepted each year into US medical schools, including some of the most esteemed universities in North America. 

This article focuses on the best medical schools for international students and the requirements you must submit to get accepted. 

Can You Get into US Medical Schools as an International Student? 

You can enter US medical schools as an international student… but it is uncommon. A few international applicants are accepted and enrolled in some U.S. medical schools.

Before you apply, you must check each medical school's policy on accepting overseas applicants because of their differences. In the Medical School Admission Requirements 2019, 48 schools declared that they welcome applications from overseas applicants. 

A medical school's specific admissions guidelines can be found on its website or in the "Application Deadlines and Requirements" section of the Medical School Admission Requirements.

325 out of 1,890 international applicants that applied to American M.D.-granting programs in the 2019 application season were admitted. Out of those who were admitted, 272 entered medical school. This covers applicants who used TMDSAS and AMCAS to submit their applications.

Medical School Requirements for International Students 

One of the biggest obstacles to applying to medical school is that you can only use a narrow pool of medical schools as an international student. Furthermore, the eligibility of international students is determined by many factors that vary amongst medical schools.

You should always be ready for two everyday needs. Still, you should examine the exact eligibility requirements at each medical school that interests you. There are additional prerequisites for some medical schools, though. For instance, Boston University and other institutions mandate that all required courses be taken at the United States or Canadian institutions.

Some universities, such as George Washington University, exclusively accept international students with bachelor's degrees from a university in the United States or Canada. 

Even more stringently, certain medical schools, like the University of Rochester, will only accept international students who earned their undergraduate degrees there. 

However, just like any other institution, medical schools for international students require the following:

Extracurricular Activities

Completing extracurricular activities is one of the main worries for international students. These include working part-time, joining student organizations, volunteering at hospitals or clinics, and shadowing medical professionals. 

You will need to consider how to obtain verifiable extracurricular experience without breaking the requirements of your F-1 student visa, unlike students who are U.S. citizens and green card holders. 

You are not permitted to work off-campus on an F-1 visa during your first year of undergraduate study in the United States. This would cover everything from working at a restaurant to giving back to the community by volunteering at a hospital or nonprofit. 

Most of the first year will be spent adjusting to American higher education, finishing coursework for your major, and preparing for your premed programs, so this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Remember that you are free to join student organizations and groups for four years as an undergraduate. There is bound to be an organization on campus that you can get involved with and obtain extracurricular activities for your application if you have an extraordinary passion that might strengthen a medical school application, such as robotics, biology, or engineering.     

After your first year, you might be able to work off-campus under certain conditions, but you will need permission. You can, however, work in voluntary positions without any problems. Your visa requirements will be broken if you engage in paid employment or unpaid internships without authorization. 

It all comes down to whether you are working for a for-profit organization or a private firm and if you receive any compensation. For instance, participating at a soup kitchen or a community clinic is acceptable as long as there is no expectation of receiving any remuneration (such as cash salary, reimbursement for expenses, or other forms of compensation).

However, working for free at a for-profit organization is not typically regarded as volunteering. Even the chance exists that you may be performing tasks for a business that are usually compensated jobs. This would also be against the terms of your visa.

Shadowing

The extracurricular activities necessary for admission to medical school include shadowing a doctor, which is a crucial component. Finding shadowing opportunities may be more challenging, given your unique status as an international student. 

You must ensure that you will not be engaging in any professional activity. At the same time, you must comply with the conditions of your F-1 visa, as previously noted. We suggest contacting your university's office for international students for assistance with your particular circumstance.

Research 

Before applying to medical school, every premed student should participate in research that they find interesting. The typical method for doing this is to contact professors and doctoral researchers and ask them to join their team or participate in undergraduate projects on campus.

Be careful since some of the work on a research project might be viewed as employment for international students. Unless you have permission to work in the USA, it is best to avoid conducting research on a team with a private corporation. 

Numerous universities have undergraduate summer research programs on campus, allowing students to participate in ongoing initiatives or, in certain circumstances, develop their research proposals. This is often carried out under the guidance of a faculty mentor, and some options include financial support. 

The most excellent places to look for international student research opportunities are those on campus. It can become tricky because your selections may be more constrained than other premeds. The best place to turn for advice is your premedical advising office or the office for overseas students.

Letters of Recommendation

Suppose you want to apply to medical school. In that case, you will need letters of recommendation from professors, experts, or doctors with whom you have worked. There are no exceptions for international students, although getting them should not present serious challenges.

At least three letters of recommendation are often required by colleges, but we advise aiming for six. You can cover everyone in this way, from professors to coworkers. 

Ask for letters from any professors who gave you a letter grade in a class, any doctors who saw you provide patient care, and any witnesses from an extracurricular activity you participated in. 

You may present a compelling case for admission to any medical school program by bolstering your application with letters of recommendation from individuals who have observed your performance inside and outside the classroom.

Secondary Applications

Students must submit their initial applications to AMCAS, the American Medical College Application Service, to attend medical school in the United States. International students pursuing their undergraduate studies at a U.S. college undergo the same procedure. 

However, it would help if you considered which colleges accept overseas students and only apply to those that do before deciding. Schools will send you a secondary application after you have submitted your AMCAS application, where they will ask you additional detailed questions about yourself to gain a more complete picture of you as a candidate. 

Essays are a significant component in secondary applications. Here, students present their credentials as applicants and show how they will contribute to the community of a medical school in addition to their academic standing and MCAT

results. 

Where your originality can be seen in secondary essays. A diverse student body is valued by medical schools because it improves their capacity to serve as medical ambassadors for the entire human race. A sort of supplementary essay known as a "diversity essay" is frequently included. 

When responding to a diversity essay, you can think about your encounters in your native country that influenced your decision to study medicine and discuss how those encounters will benefit the student body. 

Language is one issue that overseas students have in particular. All medical school application essays must be prepared in formal English with no grammar errors. 

We advise you to utilize any writing support offered by your university to the fullest, especially if English is not your first language. This might assist you in finding mistakes and making clarification edits before submission.  

GPA

US students are graded according to their grade point average or GPA. Your class grades are averaged from 0.0 to 4.0, with 4.0 denoting an A+. In America, this scale will inform medical schools of your grades.

Maintaining a high GPA is essential to successfully getting accepted into medical school. Most medical schools need a minimum GPA of 3.5; for students who enrolled in 2022–2023, the average GPA was 3.79. Fewer medical schools will accept your application as an international student, and those that do will have fewer seats available.

When it comes time for clinical rotations, many institutions that accept overseas students have sizable endowments and the ability to sponsor student visas. That entails the elite schools, which will demand the best marks.

MCAT

All American medical schools need applicants to have taken the MCAT, often known as the Medical College Admissions Test, and doing exceptionally well on it is crucial. This is in addition to having an outstanding GPA. 

For applicants to the most prestigious universities (Yale, Harvard, Cornell, etc.), the average MCAT score is about 520. 

A score of 521 falls into the 98th percentile with a maximum of 528. Although there will be stiff competition, it is not impossible to attend a prestigious medical school in the United States, as many students do. It would be best if you strived for the most outstanding possible score, whether you are an international student or a citizen of the United States.  

Premed Coursework 

The premedical coursework is the same for international and American students. You must enroll in math, English, biology, chemistry, and physics courses. 

To be sure you are on the correct track, it is essential to check with your school's pre-health advising office because the precise classes you must take will differ depending on your university. 

Best Medical Schools for International Students

Some medical institutions in America only accept Canadian nationals as international students. 

International applicants from Canada have an advantage when getting accepted to medical schools in the U.S. Because of this, plus Canadian degrees are frequently considered equal credentials to American degrees.

Although fewer alternatives are open to overseas students, there are still many medical schools for international students like you. You can still apply to many of the most esteemed medical schools in the world. 

Here is a list of the best medical schools for international students.

Additional FAQs – Best Medical Schools for International Students