MGC Admissions

Our admission committee holistically reviews each application with these elements in mind:  

• Academically rigorous undergraduate coursework 
• Experiences that demonstrate familiarity with the genetic counseling field, including volunteer work, employment, and clinical observation. 
• Unique leadership skills, research experiences, and cultural understandin

• Three essays (See application for prompts)
• A resume or CV, including your prerequisite courses and a listing of genetic counseling related experiences
• Letters of recommendation from three to five relevant professors, research advisors, and/or work supervisors
• Proof of successful completion of a four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• Official transcript(s), documenting prior degree(s) and completed coursework must be submitted by Feb. 28.
  • Students enrolled in a course of study at the time of application are required to provide an unofficial transcript as part of the online application, and then provide the final, official transcript as soon as it is available.
  • To be considered “official,” a transcript must be sent directly from the institution to Vanderbilt University. Official transcripts can be emailed through the school’s secure electronic service to CDM@vanderbilt.edu or mailed to Vanderbilt Center for Data Management.
    • CDM PMB 407833
      2301 Vanderbilt Place
      Nashville, TN 37240-7833
      United States of America
  • Find more information about submitting final transcripts, external degree verifications, and verification of academic work at institutions outside of the U.S. on the Vanderbilt Registrar’s website.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are no longer part of the VUSM MGC application.

Before matriculating into Vanderbilt MGC, you should have completed coursework in the following general areas:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• General or human genetics
• Statistics
• Psychology

It is highly recommended that these courses are completed by the fall preceding your matriculation year. If you haven’t yet met these prerequisites at the time of application, please provide an explanation on your application or describe your plan to fulfill them.

These courses must come from an accredited U.S. institution, except in the following cases:

• Study Abroad: U.S. applicants who have studied abroad as part of their U.S. degree are not required to use World Education Services (WES) for a credential evaluation as long as their international coursework is included on their U.S. institution transcript.
• High school Advanced Placement (AP): AP coursework may be used as evidence of competency in the areas of study listed above, but college coursework is preferred.

International Institution Transcripts: A course-by-course evaluation of all international transcripts (non-US) of previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work is required by one of these two independent evaluation service based in the United States:

• International Education Evaluation (IEE) – Note: Applicants who use the Vanderbilt University Institution Portal will receive their evaluation at a discounted rate in three days with standard processing.
• World Education Services (WES)

Visas

If you need a student visa (F-1 or J-1), you must be able to document that you have the financial resources to pay for (at a minimum) one year’s expenses each year. For more information on visas necessary for studying at Vanderbilt, see International Student & Scholar Services.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Since the MGC is a clinical practice degree, students must have robust written and spoken English skills.  If English is not your native language, please provide scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) on your application. The minimum acceptable score on the paper-based TOEFL is 600, and for the Internet-based test, 100. The Vanderbilt Institution Code for the TOEFL is 1871. We strongly suggest that applicants take the TOEFL by the first week in December in order for their scores to be reviewed.

TOEFL is not required for applicants who have earned a U.S. bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association in the United States, or the international equivalent degree from a university of recognized standing in a country in which all instruction is provided in English. Therefore, applicants with degrees from the U.S., Australia, Canada (except Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales) are not required to submit TOEFL scores. 

Costs & Financial Aid

Vanderbilt does not have specific aid opportunities set aside for only international students; admitted candidates to VUSM are eligible for both merit and need-based scholarships regardless of citizenship status. To be eligible for Federal loans, you need a permanent resident visa or an immigrant visa if you are not a U.S. Citizen. Because international students are not eligible for federal aid, VUSM recommends that applicants line up loan opportunities before making a commitment to attend a U.S. graduate school.