Application Information

The English proficiency testing requirement may be waived for applicants who meet any of the below criteria:

• Is a citizen of Australia, Cameroon, Commonwealth Caribbean nations, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe.
• Has completed a minimum of three years of documented study in a university-level academic program in the United States or one of the countries listed above.
• Has completed a minimum of three years of documented study in an English-medium academic program in Canada, Hong Kong, or South Africa.

For international applicants for whom an English proficiency testing requirement is not waived, scores from an accepted language proficiency test (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo) must be submitted with your application. The expiration date of those scores may not be earlier than our application submission deadline for the application cycle to which you are applying. Based on the evaluation of your application package, we retain the right to require additional English testing upon arrival and you may be required to take additional English classes. If you are recommended to take English classes, the cost of the courses will be your responsibility.

For students whose secondary education was obtained outside of the U.S., transcript evaluations will be accepted from World Education Services (WES), Spantran or another member institution of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

International students admitted to the Program in Genetic Counseling at Washington University School of Medicine are eligible for an F-1 visa. The admission decision at the Program in Genetic Counseling Washington University School of Medicine is based on academic and personal merit and on the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match process as administered by National Matching Services, Inc. Admissions are not based on the ability of the student to pay the costs of education. However, individuals who are not citizens of the United States of America or who do not hold U.S. Permanent Resident Visa status are not eligible for financial aid due, in part, to regulations covering most programs used by the School to fund financial assistance. Therefore, in order for the School to complete the required documents, which are necessary for issuance of a Visa, the student must document, by a date and in a manner designated by the School, that the necessary amount of funds, as established by the School, is available to pay the costs of education (tuition and living expenses) for the anticipated period of enrollment (2 years). Documentation of the required amount of financial resources may be done via this form: https://students.wustl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/DCOF-2yrProgram.pdf. This document is not required at the time of application submission but will be requested from any international applicants offered an interview and it must be supplied in advance of the Match Rank Order List submission deadline.

For more information about international admissions, please contact the Office for International Students and Scholars: https://students.wustl.edu/international-students-scholars/.

The Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors/Genetic Counselor Educators Association (AGCPD/GCEA) has established a waiver for the $100 fee associated with the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match. Prospective students who demonstrate financial need AND have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater can apply for a Match fee waiver. Prospective students should apply for a fee waiver BEFORE registering for a Match Code Number.

Applications for the Match fee waiver are due by October 4, 2023. Applicants will be notified by October 30, 2023 as to whether they have received a waiver. There are a limited number of waivers, so not all applicants will receive a waiver. Instructions for how to register for the GC Admissions Match will be provided to those who receive a waiver.

Waivers are non-transferable to future Match cycles and cannot be transferred by the recipient to another prospective student. Prospective students who are granted fee waivers must register for the Match by January 1, 2024. Any waiver not used by January 1, 2024 will be rescinded and may be granted by AGCPD to a different prospective student.

Prospective students who are applying for a Match fee waiver will be required to write a short essay and to upload at least one of the following documents demonstrating financial need:

• A copy of a letter verifying unemployment benefits received within the past two years
• A copy of a letter on official letterhead from a government agency verifying that you or your family have qualified for public assistance based on low income criteria anytime within the past 5 years
• A copy of your financial aid award letter from another / previous institution dated within 5 the past years
• A copy of your approved GRE fee waiver (for tests taken within 5 years of the application deadline)
• A copy of your federal Student Aid Report (SAR) that verifies you qualified for financial aid within the past 5 years based on a family contribution of:
  • Not more than $1,500 if the student is a dependent student
  • Not more than $1,900 if the student is an independent student

A limited number of fee waivers are available on a first come, first serve basis. Fee waivers are available for:

• Washington University undergraduates
• Participants in Washington University summer bioscience research programs
• Applicants with financial need

If you think you qualify for a fee waiver, please contact us at geneticcounseling@wustl.edu. Please share in the email your reason for qualifying for the fee waiver.