Admission to the School of Medicine

Applicants to the first year class of the University of Louisville School of Medicine are considered individually and are selected based on merit without consideration of race, sexual orientation, religion, gender, age or national origin. 

Overview

The Admissions Committee evaluates an applicant’s acceptability based on the entire academic record (undergraduate and graduate), Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores, and premedical advisory committee recommendations. The applicant’s communication skills, personality, and motivation are evaluated by interviews with committee members. Extracurricular activities and medical exposure are also important elements of the applicant evaluation. Complete undergraduate preparation is strongly encouraged. The minimum prerequisites are listed under the Pre-Med Requirements. Your best resource for determining the appropriate prerequisite courses is the pre-med advisor at your undergraduate institution.

Interviews are arranged by the Admissions Office for each applicant whose credentials appear to warrant further exploration. The interview day schedule allows the applicant to talk with medical students and learn more about the School of Medicine.

Inquiries concerning admission should be addressed to:

University of Louisville School of Medicine
Office of Admissions
Health Instructional Building, 1st Floor
500 South Preston Street
Louisville, KY 40202-3866
(502) 852-5193 or (800) 334-8635 ext. 5193

louisville.edu/medicine/admissions
Email: medadm@louisville.edu

Residency Status

Out-of-State Residents: Consistent with the mission of the University of Louisville as a state university, residents of Kentucky are given preference for admission.  Applications from nonresidents are accepted; those with significant academic, personal, or family ties to Kentucky are given preference. Residency must be established one year before submitting your application.

International Applicants

Applications from international students, including those with "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" status (DACA), are accepted.  Consistent with the mission of the University of Louisville as a state university, those with significant academic, personal, or family ties to Kentucky are given preference. International applicants are considered under the following circumstances:

• The applicant has a pending application for permanent residency status in the United States and A) is either married to a U.S. citizen who has an established residence in Kentucky and intends to remain in Kentucky or B) has numerous members of his or her immediate family who have established residence in Kentucky indefinitely; or
• The applicant is married to the beneficiary of an approved I-140 Petition for Immigrant Worker (“I-140 spouse”) and the applicant and the applicant’s I-140 spouse are eligible for permanent residency except for delays stemming from backlogs in visa priority dates, and the applicant and the applicant’s spouse are presently in an immigration status that is renewable until they obtain permanent residency and  A) the applicant’s I-140 spouse has an established residence in Kentucky and intends to remain in Kentucky, or B) the applicant has numerous members of his or her immediate family who have established residence in Kentucky indefinitely; or
• The applicant has been granted DACA status and A) is either married to a U.S. citizen who has an established residence in Kentucky and intends to remain in Kentucky or B) has numerous members of his or her immediate family who have established residence in Kentucky indefinitely.

The Admissions Dean or the Dean's designee will make all decisions as to whether consideration circumstances exist in a particular application for admission.

International students, including those with a pending permanent residency application or DACA status, are not eligible for most federal benefits, including federally guaranteed student loans. Such loans usually comprise an important part of a medical student's financial aid package. Therefore, if these international students are offered admission, they must submit documentation of sufficient funds to cover the cost of completing a medical degree (cost estimates). Admission offers to international students who cannot submit adequate documentation of sufficient funds will be withdrawn. The Dean or the Dean's designee shall make all decisions as to whether the documentation of sufficient funds is adequate for a particular international student offered admission.

Early Decision

The Early Decision Program (EDP) provides the well-qualified applicant an opportunity to secure acceptance by October 1.

Candidates accepted through the EDP must attend the accepting institution. By applying as an EDP candidate, the individual agrees not to apply to any other U.S. medical school until any of the following occurs:

1. Denial of an EDP commitment,
2. Release from the EDP commitment, or
3. October 1 notification deadline expiration.

The limited number of early decision seats are awarded based on exceptional academic standing and MCAT scores. The Early Decision Program application deadline is August 1.