Medical schools in Canada are highly competitive, so many Canadian students look south of the border to attend Canadian friendly US medical schools. Many American schools have great reputations and outstanding educational standards, so it’s no wonder they attract applicants from Canada and other parts of the world. In this blog, you will learn about the American application process, tuition, funding opportunities, admission requirements, and finally, how to study in the US as an international student. Of course, you'll also find an up-to-date list of Canadian friendly US medical schools. 


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Article Contents
3 min read

List of Canadian Friendly US Medical Schools What Are Canadian-Friendly Medical Schools? US Medical School Application Systems Admission Requirements for US Medical Schools Admissions Deadlines Tuition Costs and Financial Aid Do Canadians Need a Visa to Study in the US? Residency Options FAQs

What Are Canadian-Friendly US Medical Schools?

Canadian citizens looking to attend medical school in the United States must be aware that not all US medical schools accept Canadian and international students. Some schools do not even consider out-of-state applicants. This is due to several factors. Naturally, medical schools are highly competitive. Even though there is a shortage of medical professionals in the US and Canada, there is no shortage of applicants. Although the United States has over 150 medical schools, the competition is not any lesser than in Canadian medical schools, of which there are only 17. Our MD expert and graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Dr. Jaime Cazes shares his experience applying within and outside of Canada:

" I applied within Canada and to a few medical schools in the US. In Canada, there are so few medical schools that it really is just a numbers game to some extent. If you are intent on getting into medicine, it really only hinders you to be selective about where you apply to. My official advice is to apply broadly within Canada and the US." - Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

Though Dr. Cazes did end up becoming a medical student in Canada, he did apply to 2 medical schools in the US. He decided to focus his efforts on Canadian medical schools for another important reason: some US schools do not accept Canadian and international medical students due their desire to support local applicants. State schools make the application process a bit more difficult and tuition costs a bit higher for external applicants to entice the in-state residents to attend their school. This is a way to support in-state medical development, since in-state applicants are more likely to stay and practice medicine in their home state.

Most US schools designate three categories of students:

  1. In-state applicants
  2. Out-of-State applicants
  3. International students

Canadian and international applicants with US permanent residency status are typically regarded as US applicants, and therefore are classified as in-state or out-of-state applicants depending on where they are applying. Canadian citizens are treated by many US medical schools as out-of-state applicants - these types of medical schools are often called “Canadian friendly”, since the medical school application process is more relaxed than it is for international students. These medical programs have the same admission requirements for Canadians as for out-of-state American students. Most importantly, Canadians do not pay international student fees, but rather out-of-state fees at these schools.

Something else to consider is that Canadian and international applicants have a higher chance of being admitted to private US medical schools. Public medical schools receive funding from state and federal governments, so they are more eager to spend their money on American applicants, rather than qualified foreign nationals. This does not mean that Canadians cannot get accepted to US public medical schools, but it does mean that to be simply considered, the Canadian students’ applications must be better than their American counterparts’.

Here's a step-by-step guide to get ready to apply to US medical schools as a Canadian applicant:

Check out our video below to learn more about Canadian-friendly US medical schools:

List of Canadian Friendly US Medical Schools

So now that we understand what "Canadian friendly US medical schools" means exactly, let's find out which schools are classified as Canadian-friendly! Here is a comprehensive list of all Canadian friendly US medical schools. These schools also accept international students, and are best-suited for Canadian students who want to be admitted as out-of-state matriculants. 

Click the name of each school below to learn more about admission info for Canadian applicants.

Boston University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Central Michigan University College of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Duke University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes, DukeMed accepts applications from Canadian students who have done their undergrad in Canada; however financial aid is limited for students who are not American citizens.

Accepts Other International Students: Yes*

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

*Requires completion of an undergraduate degree from an accredited American college or University, or if the undergraduate degree is from a foreign college at least two years of university work at an American-accredited university or college.

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents(“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Harvard Medical School

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes*

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

*at least one year of full-time academic work in the US or Canada is required for international students

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes (case-by-case)

Accepts Other International Students: Yes (case-by-case)

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Mayo Medical School

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Meharry Medical College

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes *Applicants must be Canadian citizens. Permanent residents of Canada not accepted

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Stanford University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY)

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes; must have permanent resident status in the US

Accepts Other International Students: Yes; must have permanent resident status in the US

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes; must have permanent resident status in the US

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: No

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes; US or dual citizenship required

Tulane University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Universidad Central del Caribe

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes*

Accepts Other International Students: Case-by-case*

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes*

*Must be fully bilingual, English and Spanish

University of California, Los Angeles

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences - Pritzker

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

University of Maryland School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes*

Accepts Other International Students: No

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes*

Must be a US citizen or Permanent Resident.

University of Virginia School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes*

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

*If not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. are eligible to apply provided they have completed at least 90 semester hours of coursework in a U.S. or Canadian college or university.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Case-by-case

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes*

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

*With a degree from Wayne State University

Weill Cornell Medical College

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

Yale School of Medicine

Accepts Canadians as International Students: Yes

Accepts Other International Students: Yes

Canadians Treated as Out-of State US Residents (“Canadian Friendly”): Yes

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2 Comments

Megan

You have an error on your Canadian friendly schools' list. BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE does NOT accept Canadians. Neither does any other med schools in Texas. You have to have either a Green Card or a US Citizenship. As such, it should be removed from the list.

Reply

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Megan! The official MSAR website states that Baylor College of Medicine does accept Canadians on a case-by-case basis. You are right that it would be difficult to get accepted, but it is theoretically possible.

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Hamed Reihani-Kermani

Hi, I was wondering when would an international student who has been accepted to a U.S. medical school need to make the first tuition payment? Also, does the student need to demonstrate proof of financial ability before enrolment? Thank you in advance for your time.

Reply

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Hamed! Thanks for your question. Typically, every medical school will have its own tuition timelines. Additionally, you may be required to demonstrate proof of financial ability not to the school, but to the US government when you apply for your student visa. The best approach is to research each school's timeline or even reach out to the administrators of your chosen schools to ask these questions, since every school is different. 

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