Admission Requirements

We prioritize the review and admission of applications submitted earlier in our rolling admission process. All applicants are eligible to receive merit-based scholarships up to $8,000, renewable each year. Consideration for this scholarship is based on a holistic review evaluating candidates’ passion, interest, academic background, and work experience.

For admission consideration, the following application materials must be submitted:

• Completed MCPHS Application
• Official college transcript(s) from all colleges/universities attended demonstrating satisfactory completion of at least two (2) years of undergraduate-level education (60-semester credits or 90 quarter credits) from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
• A formal statement of purpose indicating your desire to study acupuncture at MCPHS University
• Additionally, students will be required to successfully complete a faculty interview (by invitation only) to be considered for admission.

Master's Admission Requirements

Applicants to the master’s-level programs must have completed a minimum of two (2) years of undergraduate education, equivalent to at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits, from an institution accredited or pre-accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

For applicants with international education, coursework completed at a foreign institution must be evaluated by a recognized educational credentialing service to verify equivalency with U.S. undergraduate education standards.

Up to 30 semester credits (or 50% of the two-year undergraduate requirement) may be satisfied through prior learning assessment. Acceptable methods include:

• Credit by examination using nationally recognized, independently administered standardized tests.
• Credit for military or corporate training based on American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations.

Please note that prerequisite and co-requisite credits used for admission are not applied toward the total credits required for degree completion.

English Language Proficiency Requirements for International Applicants

International applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency to be considered for admission to all degree, certificate, and non-degree graduate programs.

English proficiency can be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

1. Previous Education in English

Applicants meet the English proficiency requirement if they have completed any one of the following:

• Four years of study at a U.S. high school where instruction was conducted in English.
• At least two years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate or graduate-level education at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• At least two years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate or graduate-level education in an institution where both the language of instruction and the curriculum were delivered in English.
• High school or at least two years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate or graduate-level education in an institution located in one of the following countries or territories where English is an official language of instruction:

  American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, St. Helena, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Note: In all cases, English must have been both the primary language of instruction and the language of the curriculum.

2. Standardized English Language Assessments

Applicants may also demonstrate proficiency by submitting official scores from one of the following approved assessments, meeting or exceeding the minimum required score:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT - Total: 61),
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Academic Format (Overall Band: 6.5),
• Duolingo English Test (Score of 90),
• China Standard of English Language (CSE – Score of 6),
• Cambridge First Certificate of English (FCE – Score of C),
• Cambridge English Advanced (CAE – Score of C),
• Common European Framework Reference (CEFR – Score of B2),
• Occupational English Test (OET – Score of 250, C),
• Pearson Test of English (PTE), Academic (Overall: 45).