Clinical Laboratory Science

Bachelor’s degree admission and application

Admission

Students must apply for acceptance into the Clinical Laboratory Science program.

Interested students are highly encouraged to make an advising appointment to determine eligibility prior to submitting an application to the program. Undergraduates apply by Nov. 1 during the first semester of their junior year.

Applicants go through an interview process in early December and will be informed if they are accepted into the clinical program before the beginning of the spring semester.

Deadlines

  • Application deadline: Nov. 1
  • Notification of acceptance: early to mid-January
  • Professional phase start: Summer semester

Early admission

High school seniors and first-semester MU freshmen may be eligible to apply for early admission to the Clinical Laboratory Science program.

Admission requirements

The application process is competitive, and meeting minimum criteria does not guarantee admission. A limited number of clinical positions are available each year.

  • A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, in addition to a minimum 2.5 GPA in math/science courses, are required to be considered for acceptance. Working in a healthcare setting within the laboratory and/or shadowing a laboratory professional will help strengthen a student’s application.
  • Prior to the beginning of the summer student lab, those admitted to the program will also be required to successfully complete the same background checks and screens routinely required of hospital employees, as well as provide comprehensive health and immunization records.
  • Applicants must be admitted to the University of Missouri before they can be accepted into the CLS program. Non-MU international students who apply for admission to the fourth-year professional program will need to first be admitted through the MU Office of International Admissions.

A Bachelor of Science degree (or its equivalent) is required to sit for the ASCP Board of Certification Exam, which is taken upon completion of the professional program.

Applicants go through an interview process in December and will be informed if they are accepted into the clinical program before the spring semester begins.

International students

All applicants seeking admission to the Clinical Laboratory Science program must demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language. Applicants for whom English is not their native language may demonstrate proficiency by:

  1. Providing evidence of a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction, or
  2. Providing a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 600 (paper-based test), 250 (computer-based test) or 100 (internet-based test)

For more information

Make appointments to meet with a College of Health Sciences advisor, or Alese Thompson, site program coordinator.

To apply

It is highly advisable to meet with a College of Health Sciences advisor to check your acceptance eligibility prior to submitting an application.

The application and supporting documents are located using the links below. These will not allow you to edit online so you will need to download the application materials to your device.

CDS Undergraduate Application must be completed and submitted with your application materials. Download the file to your device and complete it as instructed. You do not need to complete the other files in this folder.

CLS Program Application Materials. Download all the files to your device.

  1. Read the Application Information Letter
  2. In a separate document, compose a letter of intent meeting the specifications outlined in the Application Information Letter.
  3. Send the Reference Forms to acceptable references with instructions to send these directly to the CLS Application Committee
  4. Complete the Academic Course List with past, current and planned future information
  5. Pay the $40.00 application fee
    • Check or Money Order should be made out to the University of Missouri. Include the applicant’s name and program in the notes.
    • Cash must be exact change. Do not send cash via mail; make an appointment to pay in cash.
    • Debit/credit card: Pay online through Touchnet.
    • We are currently unable to accept student charge
    • If financial circumstances prevent you from being able to pay the $40.00 application fee, please reach out to alesethompson@health.missouri.edu
  6. Email the completed application materials as attachments to umhsshpcls@health.missouri.edu.

Reference the Advising Worksheet for coursework questions.