General Requirements
Thank you for your interest in our program. The goal of the UNC School of Medicine is to produce outstanding physicians who are well-prepared to meet society’s rapidly evolving health care needs. Our Admissions Committee seeks to find students who will thrive in our rigorous educational setting, and who demonstrate the altruism, integrity, leadership, communication skills, motivation, and passion for service that set Tar Heel Doctors apart.
*** Information for AMCAS Admissions Cycle 2025***
MCAT Exam is required (updated 02/29/2024)
The last MCAT exam scores accepted for the current cycle will be from September 14, 2024.
Online Coursework
On-line courses will only be considered if your institution is unable to offer you a place in a seated class, or if the course is offered as a hybrid (in-person and online). We recommend contacting our Admissions office for confirmation of acceptability.
P/F Grading
Our UNC-CH undergrad campus ended the P/F grading accommodation for our undergrads at the end of the spring 2021 semester (https://registrar.unc.edu/registrar-covid-19/) therefore, we require letter grades for any current and future coursework after spring 2021.
Primary Application Deadline
Our AMCAS Submission Deadline is October 1st. Please note, we do not participate in the AMCAS Early Decision Program (EDP).
CASPer and AMCAS Professional Readiness Exams
We do not require the CASPer exam, or the AMCAS Professional Readiness Exam (formerly known as the AAMC Situational Judgement Test)
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation from faculty, physicians, or any other letter writers, and/or organizations must be on their letterhead (if applicable) and signed. Requirements and deadlines can be found at: https://www.med.unc.edu/admit/requirements/admissions-process/#step-three–garner-your-letters-of-recommendation-
Minimum criteria
The minimum criteria identified below, including the undergraduate requirements, must be met regardless of the AMCAS cycle you are applying to.
- In-state applicants – Applicants who meet the following academic criteria, as well as the total MCAT score indicated, are considered competitive applicants. The criteria are a minimum science (BCPM) and cumulative GPAs of 3.2, and a minimum total MCAT score of 500.
- Out-of-state applicants – Out-of-state applicants make up our largest and most competitive applicant pool. Applicants who meet the following academic criteria at the undergraduate level, including the total MCAT score indicated, are considered competitive applicants. The criteria are a minimum science GPA (BCPM) of 3.49, minimum cumulative GPA of 3.59, and a minimum total MCAT score of 514. Please note that international, Canadian, and those holding various immigration status such as Temporary Protective Status (TPS), F-1, DACA, etc., are considered part of the out-of-state applicant pool.
MCAT requirements
The AAMC offers the MCAT exams between January and September and prospective students should plan to take the MCAT no later than September of the year they plan to apply to medical school. Remember, A new cycle begins each May, and AMCAS identifies the application cycle for the year an accepted applicant would begin medical school. Your application is considered incomplete without the MCAT exam.
If you took your MCAT exam between January and September in one of the calendar years below, look to the right to find the AMCAS cycles your scores will be valid. Remember, each AMCAS cycle begins every May. | Your MCAT scores will be valid only for the application cycles listed below. (AMCAS names the application cycle for the year you would begin medical school). Each AMCAS cycle begins in the May prior to the matriculation year. |
Calendar year 2022 | AMCAS CYCLES: 2023, 2024, and 2025 |
Calendar year 2023 | AMCAS CYCLES: 2024, 2025, and 2026 |
Calendar year 2024 | AMCAS CYCLES: 2025, 2026, and 2027 |
Calendar year 2025 | AMCAS CYCLES: 2026, 2027, and 2028 |
Calendar year 2026 | AMCAS CYCLES: 2027, 2028, and 2029 |
If you submitted your AMCAS application prior to taking the MCAT for the first time, or if you are retaking the exam, please note that your application will not be reviewed until the scores have been reported by AMCAS. In addition, If your initial MCAT scores meet the minimum criteria, and you are planning to retake the MCAT exam, your AMCAS application will be reviewed. REMEMBER, if you intend to retake the MCAT you must indicate this information on your AMCAS application, otherwise medical schools will not know!
There is no need to call us to give us your new scores because AMCAS will automatically upload them to your application. We do not average MCAT scores but will use the most recent valid score on your AMCAS application. Once again, pay attention to the table above to make sure that your MCAT scores are valid for the application cycle you are applying for.
To prepare for the MCAT, we recommend checking out the AAMC Pre-Med Navigator at Khan Academy.
Degree Requirements
A bachelor’s degree is required for admission from a regionally accredited institution within the U.S. or Canada. Students are encouraged to pursue one or more scholarly interests in depth during their undergraduate years, but course work must demonstrate proficiency in the natural sciences. A student who earns a degree in less than four years may apply and should recognize that understanding the human condition and developing good judgement require experience. Without unusual qualifications, questions about the breadth of education, maturity, experience, and motivation may put such an applicant at a disadvantage. Please note that all degree granting programs and coursework, AND UNC School of Medicine prerequisites, must be completed prior to matriculation. https://www.med.unc.edu/admit/requirements/admissions-process/admissions-policies-2/
Transcript Requirements for Accepted Applicants
Please note, all degree granting programs and required coursework must be successfully completed prior to matriculation. If you are accepted, your acceptance is contingent upon successful completion of all UNC SOM required coursework and degree granting programs from a regionally accredited college or university. All final official transcripts from all U.S. and Canadian institutions attended must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by July 1st of the matriculating year for verification that our prerequisites have been met and successfully completed, in addition to the coursework required for your degree granting programs. Please note, we will begin collecting final official transcripts, from accepted applicants, after January 1st of the matriculating year.
Please note that CLEP credits are not accepted for required courses, and we do not accept verification from the World Education Services (WES) or a similar type of organization or entity for the required coursework.
The requirement below was updated on 01/13/2022, and the change begins with AMCAS cycle 2023
Typically, the prerequisite courses are taken during an undergraduate, post baccalaureate (after college), or graduate degree program. Your grades must be documented in letter-grade format on your transcript and not pass/fail. There is a five-year limit on the Natural Sciences prerequisite coursework. We begin calculating the elapsed time from the YEAR you graduated, or completed the given program, not the year you began taking the courses. Coursework must be completed from a regionally accredited college or university within the U.S. or Canada.
Example for clarification
Program completion year (undergrad, post baccalaureate, or graduate) | AMCAS cycle begins in May of | Year of matriculation into medical school | Validity of Natural Science Course work |
2015 | 2020 (for AMCAS cycle 2021) | 2021 | Yes |
2015 | 2021 (for AMCAS cycle 2022) | 2022 | No |
** Humanities and Social and Behavioral Science course work do not have a time limit.
If you are not within the five (5) year limit at the time you plan to apply to our program, you are required to complete one of the choices below before submitting and application to our medical school:
- Demonstrate current mastery in the natural sciences by satisfactorily completing 30 credit hours in a graduate science program in the natural sciences, prior to applying (letter-grade format is required) – OR –
- Complete 30 credit hours of post baccalaureate coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, etc. prior to applying to demonstrate current mastery in the natural sciences
International Educational Institutions
The prerequisites identified on our website and the MSAR, must be met from a regionally accredited college or university within the United States or Canada.
After your prerequisites have been successfully completed and AMCAS has verified your credentials, UNC School of Medicine will review your application and take into consideration all your educational degrees.
Beyond the fixed requirements, a variety of undergraduate educational experiences are appropriate to medicine. UNC School of Medicine values a pattern of preparation for medicine that shows serious and mature use of your undergraduate years. Course work in the humanities and social sciences as well as advanced work in the sciences and mathematics is preferred. Proficiency in English is essential.
For more information on who we consider to be our ideal candidate, click here.
Prerequisite Items
Academic preparation must include the UNC SOM prerequisite courses identified on our website regardless of your field of study, advanced degree, or the medical school program type selected on the AMCAS application.
- All prerequisite coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or Canada, and your grades must be documented in letter-grade format on your transcript and not pass/fail. Narrative evaluations are not accepted in lieu of GPAs.
- CLEP credits are not accepted for required courses, and we do not accept verification from the World Education Services (WES) or a similar type of organization or entity for the required coursework.
- A minimum of 30 credit hours of natural science coursework is required at the time of application to our program.
- Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate coursework will not be accepted for the UNC SOM required courses.
- We require seated (in-class) prerequisite coursework for you to acquire the interpersonal skills required to succeed in our curriculum and in medical practice. Online courses will only be considered if your institution is unable to offer you a place in a seated class, or if the course is only offered as a hybrid (in-person and online). We recommend contacting our Admissions office for confirmation of acceptability. The exception to this requirement is if online instruction is the only option offered by your institution due to continued pandemic protocols.
- Substitutions are not allowed for the coursework identified in the categories below, or the required laboratory (including teaching the subject course, other courses that have components of a required course, or laboratory research experience, etc.). For example, Biochemistry cannot substitute for one of the Biology Sciences, as we have identified Biochemistry as one of the required courses for the Chemistry category.
UNC SOM Required Coursework
Remember, you will need a minimum of 30 credit hours of natural science coursework at the time of application to our program. An accepted applicant is required to demonstrate proof that the natural science courses below are on their final official transcripts. The natural science courses are not suggestions or recommendations, they are required. Please refer to the degree and transcript requirements above.
Natural Sciences (REQUIRED)
- Mathematics – One Statistics course is required. Statistics or Biostatistics are acceptable courses to fulfill the requirement.
- Chemistry – Biochemistry is required. Two chemistry laboratories associated with any chemistry course are also required.
- Biological Sciences – Two of the advanced biology courses listed in this section are required, and one of the advanced courses listed in this section must include a laboratory. Acceptable advanced biology courses include Microbiology, Immunology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Physiology, and Genetics.
Humanities (RECOMMENDED)
Three courses are recommended. Humanities coursework in the following categories are acceptable: English, History, Philosophy, Ethics, Ethnic and Gender Studies, Social Justice, Religion, or foreign language study.
Social and Behavioral Sciences (RECOMMENDED)
Three courses are recommended. Social and Behavioral Science coursework in the following categories are acceptable: Behavioral Psychology, Psychology, Sociology, Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities, Economics, Political Science, and Anthropology.
Statement on Equal Educational Opportunity
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is open to all people of all races, is committed to equality of educational opportunity, and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on based on race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Equal Opportunity/ADA Office has primary responsibility for administering this policy. Moreover, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill actively seeks to promote diversity by recruiting and enrolling disadvantaged students and students from underrepresented groups.