CUCOM adopts a comprehensive approach to assess students beyond their test performance. We consider applicants’ strengths in terms of their experiences, extracurricular activities, personal attributes, proficiency in the English language, and their potential contribution as medical students and future physicians.

What Students Should Know Before Applying to CUCOM:

1. Review the admission requirements and academic prerequisites (Appendix A) published online.
2. Consider the best time to start medical school: January, May, or September.

Admission process: 

• Application with supporting documents
• Admissions Committee will determine the eligibility and acceptance
• Admission Director will issue letter of acceptance and visa process
• Visa process
• Fees involved
• Payment of tuition fee for the first year

1. Application with Supporting Documents:

• Complete the online application form.
• Application fee: Non-refundable $200, payable to CUCOM.
• Official transcripts: Official notarized transcripts must be sent to CUCOM’s Director of Admissions. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a credentialing service that is a member of National Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
• Personal statement: Provide a statement summarizing your reasons for pursuing a medical career, your intended specialization, desired practice location, and personal attributes that make you a qualified physician.
• CV: A chronological listing of your educational, employment, and other experiences, including volunteering or clinical exposures dating back to high school.
• Certificates: High school diploma, college degree certificates, and other certificates obtained since high school.
• References.

2. Evaluation of Applications by Admissions Committee:

• The applicant’s file will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee, composed of five faculty members.
• The evaluation process includes assessing the applicant’s eligibility based on the application form and supporting documents.
• An interview with the applicant (Interview guide: Appendix B).
• The outcome of the evaluation will be reported to the Director of Admissions.

3. Admissions Director 

• The Admissions Director will inform applicants of the Admissions Committee’s decision.
• Successful candidates will receive a provisional offer letter indicating their acceptance. This letter must be signed by the student and returned to CUCOM to confirm admission and acceptance of the conditions.

The student is required to pay a one-time administrative and enrollment fee of $2,500 to confirm admission and initiate the immigration procedures. An additional $2,000 will be transferred toward educational resources, library, technology, and simulation fees.

4. Visa Process:

Students must pay the administrative and enrollment fee of $2,500 and provide the following for processing a St. Lucian visa for one year. The visa is renewed yearly.

• 2 certified passport-size photographs
• Completed St. Lucian visa application form
• A valid passport valid for up to six months
• A return ticket to the port of origin
• Copy of travel itinerary
• Letter from school, college, or university (Offer of Admission Letter)
• Proof of sufficient funds or a bank statement
• Medical Certificate (CUCOM has a medical certificate form)
• Police Clearance Certificate or Letter of good conduct

The process begins with the submission of these documents to the Ministry of Health, which then prepares a cost waiver letter to exempt students from paying the visa fee at the airport. Subsequently, the Ministry of Health forwards this letter to the Immigration department. The Immigration department, in turn, issues the visa letter. Students are required to carry this letter when they travel and present it to immigration officials at the airport. Upon their arrival at the St. Lucia airport, the visa is officially stamped in their passport.

5. Fees Involved in the First Year:

• Application fees
• Tuition fees
• Examination fees
• Board exam fees
• Dorm and community housing fees
• Visa and travel fees

These are the general fees that students should be aware of, and it’s important to budget for timely payments to ensure program completion.

• Tuition Fees:
  • Premedical Semester: $6,500 per Semester
  • Preclinical Semester: $6,500 per Semester
  • Clinical Semester: $12,000 per Semester
• One-Time Fees:
  • Application Fee: $200 (Non-refundable)
  • Registration Fee: $2,500 (Non-refundable, transferred toward educational resources)
• Scholarship Opportunities:
  • Full Scholarship: Available (Application required)
  • Partial Scholarship: Available (Application required)
• Annual Total (Without Scholarship):
  • Tuition and Fees: $28,800 (Premedical and Preclinical Semesters)
  • Tuition and Fees: $15,600 (Clinical Semester)

All fees must be paid through wire transfer, and all applicable bank charges are the responsibility of the student. Please note that all fees are subject to change at the university’s discretion.

Academic Prerequisites:

CUCOM requires a minimum of 90 credit hours of college courses with a GPA of 2.5 or above for undergraduate performance. The following courses are prerequisites:  

Course	Course – Credit Hours	Lab – Credit hours
General biology or zoology (2 semesters)	6	2
General chemistry or Inorganic chemistry (2 semesters)	6	2
Organic chemistry (2 semesters)	6	2
Physics I (1 semester)	3	1
Mathematics- calculus or statistics (1 semester)	3
English (1 semester)	3

Alternative areas of interest: History, languages, arts, and information technology are also viable choices.

CUCOM strongly advises applicants to obtain a degree from an accredited undergraduate institution.

Successful completion of a 4-semester Pre-med program at a recognized university with the specified credit hours, prerequisite courses, and GPA requirements will result in direct admission to the Medical Program.

If two of the mentioned courses are currently in progress, provisional acceptance decisions will be made, provided that the planned completion date is at least 2 months before the program’s start date. The visa application process will begin after the successful completion of these ongoing courses and meeting the other aforementioned visa requirements.

CUCOM does not mandate MCAT scores as a prerequisite for admission.

For U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and permanent residents seeking federal financial aid, MCAT exams are necessary, and their scores must be submitted for admission consideration, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Education.

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Interview Guide:

The Admissions Director will confirm interview dates and times with applicants. The interviews will be conducted via video using the Vonage Business calling system by a faculty member from the Admissions Committee. In cases of a high number of interviews, a faculty interviewer may be selected from the committee’s pool of interviewers. All interviews will be securely recorded and stored online for a minimum of 10 years, accessible only to academic leadership and the Admissions Committee Chair. Within one business day, the interviewer will submit an evaluation report to the Admissions Committee.

Here are the questions you will be asked during the interview, and the corresponding grading criteria:

• Tell me briefly about yourself and your family.
• Do you have any family members who are physicians?
• Why do you want to become a doctor?
• Can you briefly explain your signed written personal statement?
• Have you volunteered in the medical field, and how have your experiences prepared you for the responsibilities of being a physician?
• What are your career plans in medicine? Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
• Thinking of examples from your recent past, how would you assess your empathy and compassion?
• What are your hobbies?
• What qualities do you look for in a physician?
• What excites you about medicine in general?
• What do you believe to be some of the most pressing health issues today, and why?
• What special qualities do you feel set you apart from other medical school candidates?
• Have you traveled outside your home country before?
• Do you have any medical issues or disabilities I should be aware of?
• How did you hear about CUCOM?
• Do you have any friends or relatives studying at CUCOM?
• Is there anything else we haven’t covered that you believe I should know about you or your interest in becoming a doctor?

Grading Scale:

• Ability to properly explain the written personal statement: Maximum grade 2
• Good language proficiency and performance in the interview: Maximum grade 2
• History of volunteering and social service: Maximum grade 2
• Well-defined career goals and motivation to be a doctor: Maximum grade 2
• Knowledge about contemporary issues in medicine: Maximum grade 2

Grade Scale:

• Grade 9 or above: Excellent
• 7 to 9: Good
• 4 to 7: Satisfactory
• Less than 4: Poor