Prerequisite Courses

The courses below are required for admission; you may apply while coursework is in progress:

Prerequisite Coursework
Biology or Zoology with accompanying Labs	1 year / 2 semesters required
Inorganic/General Chemistry with accompanying Labs	1 year / 2 semesters required
Organic Chemistry with accompanying Lab	1 semester required
Physics with accompanying Labs	1 year / 2 semesters required
Composition (writing intensive)	1 semester required
Behavioral/Social Sciences (first-year Psychology and Sociology strongly suggested)	2 courses required

• Prerequisite course grades must be "C" or better.
• The admissions committee also recommends coursework in biochemistry, molecular biology, and statistics.
• Advanced Placement credits may fulfill prerequisite requirements as long as an upper-level course in that discipline is completed.
• We accept coursework that is graded on a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis to fulfill a prerequisite course requirement for courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• We will accept online coursework including labs recognized and verified by a centralized application service, for courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bachelor's Degree

To be considered for admission, you must have a BA or BS or complete the requirements for a degree before enrollment. The degree must be from an accredited institution.

Test Scores

Competitive scores on a standardized exam such as MCAT, GRE, DAT, or PCAT.

The BMS program will continue to accept the various appropriate graduate admissions tests (including GRE & MCAT) as posted in our admission requirements.

• MCAT
  • For the 2021-22 admissions cycle, only scores from January 2019 or newer will be considered.
  • MCAT scores must be provided in your application by uploading a PDF score report using the MCAT Testing History (THx) System. MCAT score reports must contain the 16-digit verification code.
  • The minimum MCAT score the BMS program will require for applicants who indicate their “Career Interest” as “Allopathic Medicine” or “Osteopathic Medicine” is a 496. If your career interest is in a field other than allopathic or osteopathic medicine, we encourage you to email us at grad.admissions@rosalindfranklin.edu to find out if your MCAT score is competitive.
• GRE
  • Official GRE scores must be reported through ETS to Rosalind Franklin University at Institution Code: 1117.
  • GRE results with all section scores (Quantitative, Verbal, and Analytical Writing) in the 50th percentile or higher are considered competitive.
  • If you indicate your “Career Interest” as “Allopathic Medicine” or “Osteopathic Medicine”, you may apply with a GRE score in place of the MCAT. However, if admitted based on a GRE result, you will still be required to take the MCAT and earn a score of 496 or higher prior to matriculation into the BMS program.
• DAT
  • Applicants should upload a scanned copy of their DAT results that also contains the DENTPIN number and Test Date.
  • Applicants must achieve a Total Science score of 18 or higher in order to be considered for admission to the BMS program.

CASPer Examination

The CASPer examination has been waived for the current application cycle. Otherwise, all applicants are required to take the 2021-22 or the 2022-23 U.S. Professional Health Sciences version of the CASPer to “Rosalind Franklin University Biomedical Sciences”. Candidates with a valid CASPer that applied to the Chicago Medical School in 2022 may contact admissions to have that exam moved to their Biomedical Sciences application.

TOEFL

If you earned a bachelor’s degree from outside the U.S. and/or you do not hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, you are required to demonstrate proof of English proficiency via an official TOEFL report that includes a total score and category scores in reading, writing, listening and speaking. (The TOEFL requirement may be waived if you have been a full-time student at a U.S. college or university for at least two consecutive years, or if you are from a country in which English is a primary language.)

• If you have a valid TOEFL score, please send directly to Rosalind Franklin University at Institution Code 1117 from ETS.
• For the TOEFL score to be accepted, the TOEFL exam date must be no more than two years prior to the date of application submission.
• A TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) of 100 or the equivalent is recommended for graduate school with no category score being lower than 22.

GPA

Competitive overall and science GPAs. See the BMS class profile for more information.

Letters of Recommendation

We require three letters of recommendation written by either professors who have taught you in class or a supervisor under whom you have worked.

Alternatively, composite letters from a pre-professional committee may be submitted in place of the three individual letters.

Letters of recommendation must be directly submitted through RFUCAS by the recommenders or by a university representative in the case where a committee letter is used. If you have obtained any recommendation letters through Interfolio, please follow these instructions on how to upload letters from Interfolio to an online application system.

Any changes to this requirement due to COVID-19 related restrictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions Committee.

Transcripts

Official transcripts need to be submitted from each college, university, and community college previously attended according to these instructions.

HealthCare EXPERIENCE

Applicants must communicate interest in and understanding of the medical field and its various components as well as demonstrate motivation and commitment to health care through employment, volunteer work, or other experiences. 

SERVICE

A competitive applicant will demonstrate a commitment to public service through a variety of humanitarian-based activities to serve for the benefit and betterment of their surrounding community.

LEADERSHIP

A competitive applicant will demonstrate leadership characteristics through a variety of activities. 

COMMUNICATION

Applicants must demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

International applicants are eligible for admission to the Biomedical Sciences program.

However, one of the benefits of joining the Biomedical Sciences program is the opportunity to interview for admission to other degree programs at Rosalind Franklin University.

Because the Allopathic Medicine program in the Chicago Medical School will only consider applications from U.S. citizens, U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, this BMS student benefit to interview with the Chicago Medical School would not apply to international students.

International students interested in applying to any other Rosalind Franklin University programs (e.g. Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, MS in Physician Assistant Studies, or Doctor of Pharmacy programs) while in the Biomedical Sciences program may be considered for an interview and admission, assuming the applicant meets the program’s requirements.