International applicants to health professions

How the health professions application services handle coursework from outside the United States, profession by profession. Every fact below names its official source.

Last checked:
A globe wearing a stethoscope beside a medical cross and a health student holding a passport.

Do health programs accept international applicants?

Visa, immigration and work rules change. This page is general information, not immigration or legal advice: confirm every step with your school’s international student office and with official U.S. government sources.

Some U.S. medical schools accept and matriculate a small number of international applicants, and in 2025, 43 schools indicated on the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) website that they accept applications from international applicants. [1]

Medical schools in the United States have varying policies on accepting international applicants, so it is important to confirm each school’s policy before applying. [1]

By profession: coursework from outside the U.S.

Each card names the application service for that profession and links to its College Preparation page. Every program sets its own rules for international applicants, so confirm with each program.

  • Medicine (MD and DO)

    The AMCAS application service does not accept foreign transcripts or verify foreign coursework unless the courses were accepted by an accredited U.S., U.S. Territorial or Canadian postsecondary institution. [1]

    In most cases international students will need to secure private loans, or institutional loans if the medical school offers them. [1]

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to AACOMAS, and most AACOMAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it does not recommend or endorse any particular evaluation vendor. [2]

  • Dentistry

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to ADEA AADSAS, and most ADEA AADSAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators. [3]

    ADEA CAAPID is a centralized application service that supports internationally educated dentists seeking advanced dental education in the United States, including advanced standing programs, which are typically shorter than traditional D.D.S./D.M.D. degrees. [4]

  • Pharmacy

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to PharmCAS; most PharmCAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report sent directly to PharmCAS, and PharmCAS only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES). [5]

  • Physician assistant

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to CASPA, and most CASPA programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it does not recommend or endorse any particular evaluation vendor. [6]

  • Physical therapy

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to PTCAS, and most PTCAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES). [7]

  • Occupational therapy

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to OTCAS, and most OTCAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES). [8]

  • Optometry

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to OptomCAS, and most OptomCAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it requires applicants to request foreign evaluations only from World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). [9]

  • Podiatric medicine

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to AACPMAS, and most AACPMAS programs require foreign coursework to go to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and applicants should check with their programs for a preferred or required evaluation vendor. [10]

  • Veterinary medicine

    Applicants should not send foreign transcripts to VMCAS, and applicants who attended a foreign school or earned a degree outside the United States must submit foreign coursework to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report, and it only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES). [11]

  • Nursing

    Each state in the U.S. is responsible for the licensure of nurses within that state, and variations exist among the states. [12]

    All boards of nursing require a candidate for licensure to pass an examination, and all U.S. boards of nursing use the NCLEX-RN for registered nurses and the NCLEX-PN for practical nurses. [12]

Questions people search

Chosen from our search-question research. Every answer is cited.

Can international students go to medical school in the US?

Some U.S. medical schools accept and matriculate a small number of international applicants, and in 2025, 43 schools indicated on the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) website that they accept applications from international applicants. [1]

Medical schools in the United States have varying policies on accepting international applicants, so it is important to confirm each school’s policy before applying. [1]

Your next step

Find out where you stand in math and reading today with a free placement test, then fill the gaps one step at a time.

Take the free placement testCreate a free account

Free for students, teens and adults. No card needed.

Requirements differ by school and program and can change from year to year: confirm with each school, and for licensing, with the state licensing board. UpOnly Learning does not promise admission, grades, a job or pay. For full, up-to-date details, check the original sources below.

Sources

  1. Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Applying to Medical School as an International Applicant. https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/applying-medical-school-international-applicant. no edition stated. Checked .
  2. AACOMAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/AACOMAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_AACOMAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_AACOMAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  3. ADEA AADSAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/ADEA_AADSAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_ADEA_AADSAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_ADEA_AADSAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  4. American Dental Education Association (ADEA). ADEA CAAPID: Applicant. https://www.adea.org/CAAPIDapp/. no edition stated. Checked .
  5. PharmCAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/PharmCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_PharmCAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_PharmCAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  6. CASPA Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_CASPA/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_CASPA/Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  7. PTCAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/PTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_PTCAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_PTCAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  8. OTCAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/OTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_OTCAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_OTCAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  9. OptomCAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/OptomCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_OptomCAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_OptomCAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  10. AACPMAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/AACPMAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_AACPMAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_AACPMAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  11. VMCAS Applicant Help Center (Liaison). Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts. https://help.liaisonedu.com/VMCAS_Applicant_Help_Center/Sending_Your_Official_Transcripts_and_Test_Scores_to_VMCAS/Sending_Official_Transcripts_to_VMCAS/2_Foreign_and_French-Canadian_Transcripts. no edition stated. Checked .
  12. National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). U.S. Nursing Licensure for Internationally Educated Nurses. https://ncsbn.org/nursing-regulation/licensure/internationally-educated-nurses.page. no edition stated. Checked .

Format: Publisher. Page title. URL. Edition or catalog year. Checked date.