A world-class education is closer than you think

International First-Year Application: Use this application if you are in your final year of secondary school or have recently graduated but not yet completed any university courses.

International Transfer and Graduate Application: Use this application if you are a transfer applying to one of our undergraduate programs or applying to our graduate programs in Acupuncture, Clinical Research, Dental Hygiene, Healthcare Administration and Management, Health Sciences, Medication and Patient Safety, Nursing, Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Public Health, or Regulatory Affairs and Health Policy.

PharmCAS: Use this application if you are applying to Year III Doctor of Pharmacy program in Boston or Worcester or Manchester Doctor of Pharmacy programs.

OTCAS: Use this application if you are applying to the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program.

PTCAS: Use this application if you are applying to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

CASPA: Use this application if you are applying to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. 

OptomCAS: Use this application if you are applying to the Doctor of Optometry program.

First-Year Applicants: If you are in your final year of secondary school or have recently graduated but not yet completed any university courses, use the MCPHS First-Year International Application. 

Transfer Applicants: If you have completed 12 or more college or university credits or have already earned a bachelor's degree and are looking to earn a second bachelor's, please visit the Transfer Applicants section to learn more about the application process. 

Graduate Applicants: If you are interested in one of our masters or doctoral programs, please visit the Graduate Applicants section to learn more about the graduate admission process. 

All first-year applicants must submit the following credentials along with their completed application:

• Official high school transcript
• Official score report from one of the following: SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, EPE (English Proficiency Exam, the MCPHS on-campus test)
• One letter of recommendation

Please plan sufficient time for language test preparation, score delivery, and transcript evaluation.These items may be submitted via email at international.admission@mcphs.edu or by mail to:

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Admission Office
179 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115

Contact information

Email address: international.admission@mcphs.edu
Address: Admissions Office
179 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
USA

If you are submitting a PharmCAS, PTCAS, OPTOMCAS, OTCAS, or CASPA application, please submit all documents directly to the CAS application, not to MCPHS.

Types of Documents

High School Transcripts:

• Reach out to your high school and have them email or mail us your official transcripts. We cannot accept transcripts sent in by the applicant.

College Transcripts:

• Reach out to your college/university and have them email or mail us your official transcripts. We cannot accept transcripts sent in by the applicant.

• *Students with international coursework must submit a course-by-course evaluation from World Education Service (WES) or Education Credential Evaluators (ECE). The completed evaluation must be submitted to MCPHS by WES. Please note that a WES or ECE evaluation is not required for applicants with coursework from English-Speaking Canadian universities and colleges.

Letters of Recommendation

• Either students or recommenders may submit letters of recommendation by email or mail. All letters must include the recommender's name, email address, and phone number.

Test Scores

An official score report from one of the following exams is required for the following applicants:

• Accepted tests for first-year applicants: SAT, ACT, OSSLT, IELTS, TOEFL, iTEP, PTE, EPE
• A test score is required for your application regardless of your country of citizenship, language of instruction in primary and secondary school, or official language of your country
• Accepted tests for transfer, graduate, and doctorate program applicants who did not attend all of high school in a country where English is the official language or complete a bachelor's degree or higher in a country where English is the official language: IELTS, TOEFL, iTEP, PTE, EPE

How to submit Official Score Reports

• SAT: Please request College Board to send a copy to MCPHS (School Code: 3512)
• ACT: Please request ACT to send a copy to MCPHS (School Code: 1806)
• OSSLT: Please request a final score report from your guidance counselor to be emailed to international.admission@mcphs.edu
• IELTS: Please scan a copy of the score report to email to international.admission@mcphs.edu
• TOEFL: Please request ETS to send a copy to MCPHS (School Code: 3512)
• iTEP: Please request iTEP to send a copy to MCPHS
• PTE: Please request PTE to send a copy to MCPHS
• EPE: This is an MCPHS on-campus English Proficiency Exam. However, at this time, all dates for this exam are currently suspended for registration. Please check back for updates on when the exam will be offered again.

** If you do not achieve the minimum required score, email international.admission@mcphs.edu for more information about completing a certificate through ESL classes, that can be accepted in place of an English proficiency score.

Additional Exams

GRE: Required for students applying to lab-based masters and doctorate programs. Please request ETS to mail a copy to MCPHS (School Code: 3512)

• MS/PhD in Medicinal Chemistry
• MS/PhD in Pharmaceutics
• MS/PhD in Pharmacology
• PhD in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

MCPHS offers international students multiple types of admission to the university.

Direct admission: available to students who are currently in their final year of high school and meet the language proficiency requirement.

Conditional admission: available to students who have not yet taken one of the required exams for language proficiency or who need additional language instruction before beginning their studies at the university level. If you are conditionally admitted, you can gain full admission by showing language proficiency through an acceptable score report or achieving certain levels at one of our English schools in Boston and around the United States.

Bridge admission: available to students who need some additional language instruction. This program is a unique pathway that allows you to begin your academic program while taking intensive English classes that complement and contribute to success in your degree program. Find more information about our unique bridge program here.

Ways to Satisfy the English Language Requirement for Each Admission Level

Download our English Language Proficiency requirements as a PDF. 

• Candidates for whom English is not the primary spoken language are required to take the TOEFL, PTE, IELTS or the MCPHS EPE which is administered on our Boston campus. The language proficiency test requirement may be waived on an individual basis for applicants who have attended all four years of high school in the United States (exclusive of ESL courses) and have scored 480 or higher on the evidenced-based reading and writing section of the SAT, or who have an earned degree (bachelor’s or higher) from a U.S. college or university (exclusive of ESL courses).
• This is an MCPHS on-campus English Proficiency Exam. However, at this time, all dates for this exam are currently suspended for registration. Please check back for updates on when the exam will be offered again.
• The CAPPS programs and all MS and PhD programs in Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry require a higher English proficiency level (90 TOEFL or equivalent).
• A completion certificate for cited levels, provided to MCPHS by the ESL school, can be submitted in place of a language proficiency test score. MCPHS has agreements with area ESL schools. Please contact us for more information.

Step 1: Take Required Exams

First-year applicants must submit proof of language proficiency through one of the following exams: TOEFL, IELTS, iTEP, SAT, or ACT.

Step 2: Submit Your Application

The Admission Office accepts applications from international students on a rolling basis with priority filing dates of November 1 (Early Action I), December 1 (Early Action II), and February 1 (Regular Decision). A decision about a particular student will not be made until their file is complete. So be sure to submit your application and all other required materials. We will communicate with you through email once your application has been processed to notify you of any missing materials.

Step 3: Wait for Your Decision

MCPHS will provide an application status update within three weeks of receiving all of your required materials. If accepted, you will be notified via email.

Step 4: Confirm/Accept the Offer of Admission

If you are offered admission to the University and plan to attend you must confirm your enrollment through our online deposit gateway system by May 1. If accepted after May 1, you must confirm your enrollment within two weeks. A link to the deposit gateway will be provided with your acceptance package.

Step 5: Apply for an I-20

You will be contacted by email regarding the 1-20 application, visa process, and required documents needed.

Step 6: Prepare for Your Arrival

After you receive your I-20 form for your student visa application, make a visa interview appointment with the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country. After you obtain the visa, you should begin to make housing, travel, and health insurance arrangements.

Step 7: Attend Orientation

Once you arrive in the U.S. you will attend Orientation and International Student Advising Day where you will learn more about the university, your class schedule, and more.