Requirements for Admission
Admission
California University of Science and Medicine reviews all applications holistically, looking at requirements and qualifications, experiences, passions, and commitments to your chosen field of medicine. CUSM is committed to ensuring healthcare equity in the Inland Empire of California and all communities nationwide. Our students are invested in our mission and their personal goal of a fulfilling career in providing compassionate and unparalleled patient care.
Requirements for entry into the CUSM MD program
Undergraduate Degree
Students must hold a bachelor's (baccalaureate) degree from a regionally–accredited undergraduate college or university in the US or an equivalent degree from a non–US accredited undergraduate university. Coursework completed at a non–US institution must be accompanied by an evaluation report certified by one of the foreign educational credentials evaluation services CUSM approves (i.e., a member of NACES).
CUSM welcomes diverse curricular student backgrounds and does not have specific course requirements, but instead recommends students work towards a solid depth of knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics, mathematics, behavioral and social sciences, communication, and laboratory or field experiments.
CUSM prefers a total undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and a BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics) GPA of 3.0 or above.
Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®)
Applicants must have taken the MCAT exam within three years of intended matriculation into medical school. To be considered for admission into the entering admissions cycle of 2025, applicants must have taken the MCAT between January 2022 and September 2024. The college has established a minimum composite score of 502 for the MCAT. The average MCAT score among students in our most recent incoming class was 511.
Citizenship
An Applicant must be a citizen or permanent resident of the US. In addition, applicants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status may apply. Please review the Policy on DACA Applicants.
CUSM does not admit international students.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation through the American Medical College Application System (AMCAS). If a Pre-Health Advisory Committee's letter of evaluation is available, it may replace the other letters' requirement.
Technical Standards
The Technical Standards section describes the essential abilities required of all candidates *. Upon acceptance, students must attest to their ability to meet those standards with or without reasonable accommodations. Their signature notes this acknowledgment on a copy of the school's Technical Standards.
* A student with a disability must provide a medical report describing the disability and explaining the required accommodation type. CUSM will review the student's disability requirements to determine our ability to provide reasonable accommodations.
Requirements for Accepted Students
Following an offer of acceptance to the CUSM MD program, the following are requirements for matriculation and enrollment. If a student is unable or unwilling to meet these requirements, the offer of acceptance will be withdrawn.
- Must notify CUSM of any institutional, legal, or academic actions against accepted students from the date of American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS®) application submission and matriculation. All must be reported to the admissions office at CUSM.
- Must provide consent to a criminal background check.
- Must meet the immunization requirements set by the State of California and additional requirements established by CUSM. Detailed instructions will be provided with the Acceptance Letter.
- Must attend the CUSM MD orientation program.
- Must agree to the Standards of Conduct for Teacher-Learner Relationship
CUSM requires continuous student health insurance coverage from enrollment through graduation, regardless of whether the academic schedule includes classroom instruction or participation in clinical rotations.