Application Process

COVID-19

A decision regarding whether interviews will be in person or virtual will be made in August 2021 for the 2022 Admissions Cycle.

Our school will accept pass/fail grades, without prejudice, for courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applicants are required to take the MCAT before we make admissions decisions for the Class of 2026. Applicants should not delay applying because an MCAT score is not yet available.

Congratulations for all you've accomplished to reach this stage in your journey toward a career in medicine!

Please review the information in this section carefully before beginning your application to UND's School of Medicine & Health Sciences. If you have questions, ontact the Office of Student Affairs & Admissions.

How to Apply

Step 1: Complete the AMCAS Application

UND SMHS uses the American Medical College Application Service, the centralized, web-based, application service that allows applicants to complete and submit one primary application to multiple schools. Applicants are asked to meet the following AMCAS deadlines in order to be considered for admission into UND SMHS:

Submission of AMCAS Application: October 18 (by 11:59 p.m., EST). You can submit your AMCAS application without all or some of your letters and without your final MCAT score by the October 18 deadline, and we will send you a secondary application. Anyone who submits an AMCAS application to UND SMHS will receive a secondary application.
Submission of transcripts to AMCAS: October 31 (by 11:59 p.m., EST)
Receipt of Secondary Application, MCAT scores and all Letters of Recommendation: November 1 (by 11:59 p.m., EST). Incomplete applications will not be considered for admissions.

Applicants who do not meet the above deadlines will not be considered for admissions into UND SMHS. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible due to the rolling admissions process.

AMCAS can take six to eight weeks to process and verify your application before we receive it. If you wait until the deadline to submit, we may not receive a processed/verified application by the time our interview slots are full.

Step 2: Submit the Secondary Application and Fee

Starting at the end of July, secondary applications are sent via e-mail to all applicants who submit an AMCAS application to UND SMHS. We do not pre-screen for secondary invitations; applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Applicant Eligibility and Selection Criteria before applying.

Applicants are asked to meet the following Secondary Application deadlines in order to be considered for admission into UND SMHS:

Submission of Secondary Application: Nov. 1
Submission of a $50 non-refundable secondary application fee: November 1. (The fee will be automatically waived for those individuals who qualified and participated in the AAMC fee assistance program.)

Applicants who do not meet the above deadlines will not be considered for admissions into UND SMHS. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible due to the rolling admissions process.

Notice of Changes to Secondary Application

On the secondary application, you have the opportunity to address any changes or additions you would like to have considered in your application. However, once you have submitted the Secondary Application, you will not be able to make any changes to it. It is final. No changes can be made to any part of the primary or secondary application. If you have the opportunity to interview, you may correct the information within the interview.

Step 3: Submit Letters of Recommendation

Letters must be submitted by November 1 through the AMCAS Letter Service. The UND SMHS cannot accept letters not submitted through AMCAS.

UND SMHS requires three letters of recommendation. We suggest acquiring letters from a diverse group of people (college instructors, faculty, supervisors, etc.) who know you well and can address the personal characteristics noted in the section on Selection Criteria. Non-traditional applicants who have been out of school for a number of years may choose to include more letters from supervisors than faculty.

Choose one of the following options to satisfy the letters of recommendation requirement:

Option 1: Submit three Individual Letters of recommendation. If you submit more than three letters, only the first three will be forwarded to the Medical School Admissions Committee. OR
Option 2: A Committee Letter (which we count as equivalent to two letters of evaluation) and one Individual Letter of recommendation, which is not part of your Committee Letter.
- A Committee Letter, regardless of how many additional letters it contains, counts as two letters of recommendation. In order to meet the requirement of three letters of recommendation, you must submit one more individual letter. For many applicants, this final letter is from a supervisor.
Option 3: A Letter Packet, which will account for all three letters of recommendation required.
- The Medical School Admissions Committee will only read the first three letters of a letter packet.

Types of letters as defined by AMCAS:

A Committee Letter is a letter authored by a pre-health committee or pre-health advisor and intended to represent your institution’s evaluation of you. A Committee Letter may or may not include additional letters written in support of your application
A Letter Packet is a packet or set of letters assembled and distributed by your institution, often by the institution’s career center. A Letter Packet may include a cover sheet from your pre-health committee or advisor; however, in contrast to a Committee Letter, a Letter Packet does not include an evaluative letter from your pre-health committee or advisor.
An Individual Letter refers to a letter authored by, and representing, a single letter writer.

Any applications that do not have the required minimum of three letters submitted through the AMCAS letter service by the November 1 deadline will be considered incomplete and withdrawn from consideration.

Any applications that include only a Committee Letter upload, regardless of the contents of the Committee Letter, at the deadline will be considered incomplete at two letters and withdrawn from consideration. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you have the right number and types of letters submitted; we will not contact you about missing letters.

What if I have more than three letters of recommendation?

The Admissions committee will only review the first three letters submitted. Committee Letters always counts as two letters, no matter the number of letters attached. An additional letter submission would be required to meet the three-letter requirement. An individual letter from the committee letter or letter packet may be submitted separately to meet this requirement. Letter packets count as all three required letters of recommendation.

Step 4: Complete Your Application

Your application will be forwarded to the Committee for review only after it is fully completed. The Committee receives completed applications, and interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis. There are a limited number of interviews available.

The FIRM deadline for completed applications is November 1. The absence of any required material will lead the Committee to consider the application as incomplete and will prevent consideration of the application. An application is complete after the following credentials have been submitted:

Verified AMCAS application and transcripts
MCAT Scores that are no older than 3 years as of January 1st of current application year
Secondary Application and Fee
Letters of Recommendation

IMPORTANT: When we have received all required application materials, you will receive an email notifying you that your application is complete. If you do not receive this email, it means that your application is incomplete. The Office is unable to assume responsibility for notifying applicants of missing credentials. If you have any concerns about the completeness of your application, contact the Office before the deadline. If you contact us after the deadline to inquire about an incomplete application, it will be too late to change the status of your application.

PLEASE NOTE: To have a fair and equitable process for all applicants, we are unable to accept additional information from any applicant. If you have updates or corrections to your submitted materials, you may address that in the Secondary Application or at the time of the interview if you are offered that opportunity.

Open All

Timeline

May: The AMCAS application can be electronically accessed by prospective applicants.
July: AMCAS begins transmitting applications to UND SMHS. The Admissions Office begins sending secondary applications to AMCAS applicants until the October deadline.
August 2: Early Decision Program deadline for submission of the AMCAS application and transcripts (by 11:59 p.m., EST).
August 16: Early Decision Program deadline for receipt of secondary application, secondary fee payment, and all letters of recommendations (by 11:59 p.m., EST).
Sept.: Completed applications are reviewed and interview invitations are sent to qualified applicants on a rolling basis (through December).
October 18: Deadline for submission of the AMCAS application (by 11:59 p.m. EST). Interviews begin on select weekends.
October 31: Last date to submit transcripts to AMCAS (by 11:59 p.m. EST).
Nov. 1: Deadline for receipt of secondary application, secondary fee payment, and all admissions materials (by 11:59 p.m. EST).
December: Review of applications completed, and final interviews scheduled.
January: Interviews completed in January, and all applicants notified of admissions decisions by the end of the month.
February: Waitlisted applicants updated (through June). "Plan to Enroll" option for accepted students becomes available. UND SMHS highly encourages students to utilize this tool.
April: The AAMC Application and Acceptance Protocols recommends applicants holding multiple acceptances narrow their choices to a maximum of three medical schools. "Commit to Enroll" option for accepted applicants becomes available. UND SMHS highly recommends that you use this tool when you are ready to commit to UND SMHS and are withdrawing your applications from consideration at other medical schools.
21 days prior to first day of Orientation: Accepted applicants at UND SMHS are required to select the "Commit to Enroll" option in AMCAS. Failure to do so may result in the rescinding of the admissions offer.
July 5: Intro to Medicine Week and first day of classes.

Apply Early

Applications are reviewed, and interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis. In addition, the number of interviews offered is limited. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible due to the rolling admissions process.

Application Review Process

The first step in the process is to review an applicant's primary and secondary applications to determine if our residency requirement is met (for more information, visit Applicant Eligibility.) Next, starting at the beginning of October, the Admissions Committee members will thoroughly review all completed applications that meet the residency preferences on a rolling basis.

Interviews

Scheduling Interviews

The Admissions Committee reviews applications and offers interviews on a rolling basis. Interviews are held on specific Fridays and Saturdays in October through January and the number of interview slots is limited. When all interview slots are filled, we will begin an interview waitlist. A timely submission of application materials, therefore, is important.
Applicants will be notified of the invitation to interview via email with instructions on how to schedule an interview. It is expected that applicants will schedule an interview within two to three business days to assure a timely scheduling of interviews.
A week prior to the interview you will receive an email with details of the interview day.

What to Expect on Interview Day

Applicants are asked to arrive at least one-half hour early on the day of interview. Refreshments are provided for the applicants.
Medical students and admissions staff will be available to provide information and answer any questions you may have (this is not part of the interview process).
There will be scheduled tours of the UND Simulation Center on the day of your interview that you can join.
The interview team consists of three admissions committee members: a basic scientist, a physician and a medical student. One team member will be the lead interviewer; all members, however, will ask questions in turn.
The interview is expected to last 45-60 minutes.
Following the interview, applicants may stay and talk further with the medical students and, if they desire, take a tour of the school.
Applicants should allow for two to four hours on the day of their interview.

Admissions Decisions

Medical School Admissions Committee

Recognizing the importance of diversity, dedication and altruism, we are dedicated to the holistic process for all medical school applicants. Each applicant is considered on his or her own merit, not only with regard to the academic preparation required for the rigors of medical school but also the characteristics and qualities needed to succeed in this unique patient-centered learning environment and ultimately to be an excellent physician.

Composition of the Medical School Admissions Committee

The Committee on Admissions is comprised of hardworking and dedicated individuals from across the state of North Dakota. The 18-member Committee is made up of basic scientists, clinicians and medical students who are either elected by their peers or appointed by the medical school dean.

Offers of Acceptance

Acceptances will be offered via email. Applicants who meet certain selection criteria will be offered acceptance on a rolling basis throughout the interview process; all other applicants will be notified soon after all interviews are completed in January.

Accepted students between November and April 30th must respond within four weeks of initial admissions offer to accept or reject the offer. Accepted students after April 30th must respond within 5 days of the acceptance offer.

Accepted applicants at UND SMHS are required to select the "Commit to Enroll" option in AMCAS and withdraw from applications from other schools 21 days prior to the first day of Orientation, which will occur on July 6. Failure to do so may result in the rescinding of the acceptance offer.

Failure to meet the above requirements may lead to rescinding the acceptance offer.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply by repeating the application process described above. Applicants who applied to UND SMHS and were not admitted may request feedback from the Office of Student Affairs & Admissions to identify ways they can significantly improve their applications before reapplying. There is no limit to the number of times an applicant can reapply.

Technical Standards

Potential and actual applicants are encouraged to review the Technical Standards for Matriculation, Progression, and Graduation for the Medical Doctor program at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences.