Biomedical Science M.B.S.

Admission Requirements

Unless you choose to use the Post Baccalaureate Centralized Application Service (PostbacCAS), applicants must use the online application. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.

Each applicant must:

• Possess a baccalaureate degree from an Institutionally Accredited college or university or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.

• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 scale) when considering all college level courses taken.

  • If you are still completing your bachelor's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.

Take the following steps to be considered for admission:

Step 1: Complete the Application

Complete the online application, unless you apply through the Post Baccalaureate Centralized Application Service (PostbacCAS). If you apply through PostbacCAS, you will not use the online application, instead follow the directions in the PostbacCAS system rather than the steps listed below.

• Answer the application questions.
• Send your requests for letters of recommendation.
  • Three Individual Letters from professionals/academics
    Three letters of recommendation are required as part of your application to the MBS program. The letters should be from professionals/academics who can comment on your qualifications for graduate study in the biomedical sciences from a standpoint of personal experience with your professional/academic activities. Letters of a non-professional nature (from friends, family, etc.) will not be accepted. You will be asked to supply information for your three recommenders in the application.
  • One Committee Letter Packet
    Applicants who have an electronic committee letter packet from their pre-health office may use this packet in lieu of the letters from individuals. The committee letter packet must include at least three letters of recommendation and have a cover letter from the pre-health office verifying that the recommendations are authentic. You will be asked to supply information for your committee in the application. Please do the following when adding recommenders:
    • Add the names for each recommender included in the packet and add grad.admissions@unco.edu as the email address for each recommender. There should be three different names and three different letters of recommendation, but each should have the same email address (grad.admissions@unco.edu). 
    • Contact the recommending institution and ask them to submit the Interfolio packet to grad.admissions@unco.edu
• Submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee. 
  • Domestic Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
  • International Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
  • The Graduate School is waiving application fees for all current UNC students and alumni! (The waiver applies only to the UNC Graduate School application.) Click for details.

Once you submit your application you will be assigned an Admissions Portal, allowing you to upload supplemental items, as listed below, and track your application through the admissions process.

Step 2: Request Transcripts

Request one official transcript from any regionally accredited college or university where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned or is in progress (if you have earned multiple degrees, bachelor’s level or higher, an official transcript is required from each college or university where a degree was conferred). If you received a degree from UNC, you do not need to request a transcript from UNC. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request that applicants provide official transcripts from other colleges or universities as needed. Applicants who have earned or are directly pursuing a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution without receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., PharmD) may be eligible to apply to the Graduate School without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. 

Exceptions:

• If an applicant intends to use Veteran’s Education Benefits, an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended will be required in order to maintain compliance with Veteran’s Affairs policies.
• Per program requirements, some programs may require that official transcripts from each college or university attended be submitted for admission consideration. Currently, applicants to the following programs must list all colleges or universities attended and provide official transcripts for each:
  • Biomedical Sciences MBS
  • Sport and Exercise Science — Biomechanics Emphasis (M.S. and Ph.D.)
  • Athletic Training M.S.

Official transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent via mail directly from the educational institution in an unopened, sealed envelope or through an electronically secure digital program from the issuing institution.

Mailed transcripts should be sent to:

University of Northern Colorado
Office of Admissions
Campus Box 10
501 20th St
Greeley, CO 80639

Electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent directly from the educational institution to: grad.admissions@unco.edu.

The Office of Admissions does not accept email, scanned or PDF transcripts directly from applicants. All official transcripts, submitted as part of the application process, are retained by UNC and not returned to applicants or admitted students.

UNC retains submitted transcripts, from institutions other than UNC, for admitted students for up to five years after graduation or date of last attendance at UNC. Transcripts provided by applicants who were not admitted, denied admissions or did not complete their application are destroyed after one (1) year. The Office of Admissions will make every attempt to use previously-submitted transcripts if they are within these timeframes. However, if the Office of Admissions cannot locate previously submitted transcripts, the transcripts fall outside the timeframes listed above or they are considered illegible, applicants must provide new transcripts.

Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow the requirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.

Step 3: Standardized Test Scores

Submit official scores from at least one standardized test (MCAT, GRE, etc). You can either load a PDF of your test scores or contact ETS to request to have GRE test scores sent electronically to UNC (UNC's institutional code is 4074); other scores can be submitted in hard copy form to the University of Northern Colorado, Office of Admissions, Campus Box 10, 501 20th St., Greeley, CO 80639.

At least one standardized test with a minimum score of the following:

• GRE 300
• MCAT 497
• DAT 17
• OAT 300

Testing Note: A standardized test is required for consideration. If an applicant has not yet taken one of the above tests, the GRE should be their primary target for admission to this program. The other tests (MCAT, DAT, OAT) are acceptable in circumstances where an applicant has already taken one for the purpose of applying to a health profession program.

Step 4: Supplemental Items

Log back into the Admissions Portal to submit the following:

Letter of Intent: The letter of intent should be used to explain who you are, your career goals, the path that you chose to reach your current educational standing, your accomplishments along the way, and how you have prepared yourself for graduate/professional school. It is critical that you also highlight your clinical, research, and community service experiences. Your letter can explain why the school should consider you over other persons for a position in the program — in other words, why are you likely to succeed. Tangible examples of past successes are useful to support your argument. The letter of intent is also your opportunity to present compelling information that you do not feel is adequately communicated in the other application materials. The letter of intent should be submitted online to the UNC Graduate School during the application process. 

Curriculum Vitae or Résumé: A CV or résumé documenting your academic, clinical and other work experiences.

Once you apply to the UNC Graduate School and your application packet is complete, your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and then sent to the faculty/program for an admission recommendation. The timing of the admission decision depends on each individual program’s deadline and review process.

International Applicants

International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.

For More Information 
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.

STEM Designation 

This STEM-designated degree program meets the qualifications of students on an F-1 visa to apply for a 24-month extension of post-completion optional practical training (OPT). For more information regarding OPT, please visit the Department of Homeland Security’s Optional Practical Training for F-1 Students.

Please note: This designation does not apply to degree programs that are offered online.