Comprehensive List of the best U.S. Medical Schools That Accept Direct Applications

Applying directly to U.S. medical schools for clinical electives can be an excellent opportunity for international medical students. However, the process can be competitive, expensive, and often requires meeting specific eligibility criteria. Below is a comprehensive list of U.S. medical schools that accept direct applications from international students.

Medical School	Eligibility	VSLO Required	Fees	Learn More	Key Requirements
Johns Hopkins University	Final-year students (LCME, COCA, or affiliated)	No	$500 per elective + $5000 tuition (non-LCME) + $330/month health insurance	Learn More	Immunization, health insurance, B-1/B-2 visa
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science	Final-year students	Yes	$350	Learn More	USMLE Step 1, health insurance ($50,000), TOEFL (if applicable), 48 weeks clinical experience
Duke University Hospital	Final-year students	Yes	Not specified	Learn More	CV, personal statement, USMLE Step 1, LORs, English proficiency
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center	Pathology & pediatrics for international students	Yes	$150	Learn More	CV, immunization, USMLE Step 1, prior successful rotation in the U.S.
University of Michigan Health System	Final-year students	Yes	$125	Learn More	CV, personal statement, transcript, immunization, photo
New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus)	Final-year students	Yes	$50 application fee + $150 per elective + $68 SHS COVID-19 fee	Learn More	CV, transcript, immunization, visa (B-1, WB)
Washington University/B-JH/SLCH Consortium	Students from VSLO network	Yes	$100	Learn More	CV, transcript, immunization, photo, English proficiency
University of Pennsylvania Health System	Partner institutions only	Yes	Not specified	Learn More	TOEFL (if applicable), passing Step 2 CS
Emory University School of Medicine	Final-year students	No	$500 application fee + $3600 (if accepted)	Learn More	CV, transcript, health insurance, criminal background check, TOEFL (if applicable)
Weill Cornell Medical College	Final-year students (international)	Yes	$300 application fee + $1500 (2 weeks) or $3000 (4 weeks)	Learn More	TOEFL (if applicable), clinical rotations for 2 months max
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai	Final-year medical students	No	$500 application fee + $3,150 tuition fee	Learn More	Official transcript, LORs, CV, Passport copy, TOEFL (if applicable), Health insurance, Visa copy (post acceptance)
Stanford University	Final-year medical students	No	$300 application fee + $125 document fee + $3,100 (2 weeks) / $6,200 (4 weeks) tuition fee	Learn More	LORs, CV, Background check, TOEFL/IELTS, Personal Statement, USMLE Step 1 (optional)
Baylor College of Medicine	Final-year medical students	Yes	$1,000 application fee + $2,300 tuition + $25 Occupational Health fee + $12 Malpractice Insurance fee	Learn More	CV, Biographical Data Form, TOEFL, Health insurance, Dean’s Certification, Visa (F-1 accepted, B-1 not accepted)
University of Florida (Gainesville)	Final-year medical students from VSLO Network schools	Yes	$50 application fee + $1,000 per week tuition	Learn More	CV, LOR, Immunizations, Background check, USMLE Step 1
University of Florida (Jacksonville)	Final-year medical students	Yes	$50 application fee + $1,000 per week tuition	Learn More	CV, LOR, Immunizations, Background check, USMLE Step 1
Yale-New Haven Medical Center	Final-year medical students	Yes	$200 processing fee + $4,500 tuition (4 weeks)	Learn More	CV, LORs, Personal Statement, USMLE Step 1, TOEFL, Health insurance, Visa
University of Louisville School of Medicine	Final-year medical students	No	Varies based on rotation	Learn More	CV, LORs, USMLE Step 1, Background check, Immunizations
University of Kansas School of Medicine	Final-year medical students	No	$50 application fee + $250 admin fee + $1,000 accommodation fee	Learn More	TOEFL/IELTS, Health insurance, Visa (B-1 or ESTA), Immunization, LORs
University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago (Metropolitan Group)	Final-year international medical students in good academic standing	No	$3,000 USD (due on the first day of the elective at orientation)	Learn More	TOEFL required if courses are not in English, Completion of core clerkships, UIC Immunization Form, Health Insurance, Valid Visa, HIPAA Certification, CPR Training, Malpractice Insurance, COVID-19 Vaccination Proof

Key Takeaways

• Competitive & Expensive: Most prestigious institutions have application fees and tuition costs.

• Strict Eligibility: Many are only available through VSLO. Also many require USMLE Step 1, TOEFL scores, and prior U.S. rotations.

• Limited Availability: Applications open at certain times and mostly only for final-year students.

• Higher Prestige & Stronger Impact – Direct applications offer rotations at top teaching hospitals, leading to stronger LoRs, better networking opportunities, and stronger visa support letters, all of which enhance residency applications.
  

For more details, check each school's official page. If you're looking for guaranteed rotations without the long application process, Saioo Services offers accessible clinical rotations through AMO with discounts. ($400 discounts available for limited time) Learn the difference between Direct Applications vs. Third-Party Rotations in this previous blog.

📌 Next in this series: A detailed guide to VSLO Schools.

📖 Also, check out our previous blogs here: Saioo Blogs