The University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine is one of the most prestigious and mission-driven medical schools in the world. Founded in 1864, UCSF has no undergraduate program; it is a purely graduate and professional institution entirely devoted to the health sciences. That singular focus has produced a culture of research excellence, clinical innovation, and deep commitment to public service that is unlike any other medical school in the country.
UCSF is consistently ranked among the top medical schools nationally for both research and primary care. Students train at UCSF Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and affiliated sites throughout California gaining exposure to some of the most complex and diverse patient populations in the country. UCSF's mission to advance health worldwide through excellence in education, research, patient care, and public service shapes everything about how the school selects its students.
Getting into UCSF requires outstanding academics and a profile that demonstrates genuine alignment with UCSF's core values of Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence — known as PRIDE.
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Traditional MD Program
UCSF's primary MD program enrolls approximately 150 to 161 students per entering class. The curriculum is built on the Bridges Curriculum, which emphasizes active, case-based, and problem-based learning with early clinical exposure and a required scholarly concentration.
Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
UCSF's combined MD/PhD program trains physician-scientists committed to careers in academic medicine and research. Students complete both their MD and PhD at UCSF, supported by one of the strongest biomedical research communities in the world.
PRIME-US
The Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved is a dual degree program designed to train physicians committed to serving underserved urban communities. Students complete the MD alongside a master's degree, with coursework and clinical training focused on health equity and community-based medicine.
UCSF is one of the most selective medical schools in the country. For the most recent admissions cycle, UCSF received approximately 10,300 applications, invited 5.7% of applicants to interview, and enrolled 161 students. The overall acceptance rate is approximately 1.6%.
UCSF gives significant preference to California residents. Approximately 71% of matriculants are California residents, and in-state acceptance rates are meaningfully higher than out-of-state rates. Out-of-state applicants with strong profiles and close alignment to UCSF's mission are still admitted, but face steeper competition.
The average GPA for UCSF matriculants is 3.89, with a median accepted applicant GPA of 3.93. UCSF does not publish a minimum GPA requirement, but competitive applicants typically present a GPA of 3.7 or higher. Applicants below 3.5 are rarely competitive at UCSF.
UCSF evaluates GPA within context — your institution, major, course rigor, and any explanatory circumstances all factor into the holistic review. Grade trends and performance in upper-level science coursework carry weight.
The average MCAT for UCSF matriculants is 517. In our experience, applicants should have an MCAT of 514 or higher to be competitive for a UCSF interview invitation. Aiming for 518 or above will meaningfully strengthen your application. UCSF does not publish a minimum MCAT requirement, but scores below 513 are rarely competitive.
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UCSF has moved toward competency-based admissions and does not publish rigid course prerequisites. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a four-year U.S. or Canadian institution. Online undergraduate degrees are not accepted. To be competitive, most applicants will have completed coursework demonstrating competency in the following areas:
UCSF values applicants from any undergraduate major. Students with backgrounds in the humanities, social sciences, engineering, and other non-science disciplines are competitive provided their academic record demonstrates the scientific preparation needed for medical training.
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UCSF's Bridges Curriculum is a fully integrated medical education program designed to prepare students for 21st-century medicine. Key features include early clinical exposure beginning in the first year, active and case-based learning throughout, an interprofessional education component that trains students alongside nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry students, and a required scholarly concentration in which every student undertakes an original scholarly project.
UCSF's location in San Francisco gives students access to a uniquely diverse and complex clinical environment. The school's affiliated training sites include UCSF Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and partner sites across California. This network gives students exposure to patient populations and clinical conditions that are difficult to replicate elsewhere.
Research
Research experience is highly valued at UCSF. As one of the top biomedical research institutions in the world, UCSF expects applicants to demonstrate genuine engagement with scientific inquiry. Applicants with publications, presentations, or other tangible research contributions are at a meaningful advantage. Sustained, substantive research matters far more than brief exposure.
Clinical Experience
Meaningful clinical experience is essential. UCSF trains students in some of the country's most complex and diverse clinical environments and expects applicants to have genuine patient contact and a clear understanding of the realities of clinical medicine. Paid clinical work, scribing, EMT experience, and sustained clinical volunteering all contribute to a competitive profile.
Community Service and Health Equity
UCSF places exceptional emphasis on health equity and a commitment to underserved communities. Applicants who have demonstrated sustained involvement in community health, social justice, or service to underserved populations align well with UCSF's mission. Depth of engagement matters; UCSF is not looking for a list of activities but for evidence of genuine commitment.
Advocacy and Public Service
UCSF's mission explicitly includes public service. Applicants who have engaged in health policy, community organizing, or advocacy work related to health equity stand out. UCSF is training physician-citizens who will contribute to the health of communities and populations, not only individual patients.
UCSF follows AMCAS guidelines for letters of recommendation. A committee letter from your undergraduate institution is preferred if available. At a school this focused on mission alignment, letters from research supervisors, clinical mentors, and community service supervisors who can speak with specificity to the depth of your contributions carry particular weight.
Click here to read more about medical school letters of recommendation.
UCSF participates in the centralized AMCAS application and does not require a separate personal statement. The personal statement you write for AMCAS will be sent to UCSF and all other AMCAS schools to which you apply.
For UCSF specifically, your personal statement should demonstrate your commitment to UCSF's values — service, equity, intellectual rigor, and a clear vision of how you will contribute to health at the community and population level. Generic motivation narratives do not stand out at UCSF. Show what kind of physician and public servant you intend to become and what you have already done to begin that journey.
Click here to read more about writing a compelling medical school personal statement.
UCSF does not ask you to submit a CV or resume separately. Instead, UCSF receives your AMCAS work and activities section along with the rest of your primary application.
At UCSF, use the most meaningful activities section to demonstrate depth of commitment to the experiences that most closely align with UCSF's mission. Describe what you contributed, what you learned, and how your experiences have shaped the physician and public servant you intend to become.
Click here to read our complete guide to the AMCAS Work and Activities Section with examples.
UCSF screens applications before sending secondaries, so not every applicant who submits a primary will receive a secondary invitation. UCSF notes that it may take 8 to 12 weeks after receiving your verified primary application before you hear from the school. The secondary application deadline is October 15. The secondary fee is $85 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and $100 for international students, with a fee assistance waiver available.
UCSF's secondary is notably shorter than most top medical schools. The 2025–2026 prompts are as follows:
Prompt 1 (Optional)
If you wish to update or expand upon your activities, you may provide additional information below. (500 words)
Prompt 2 (Conditional — 2024 or earlier graduates)
Please use the space below to tell us what you have done since completing your undergraduate degree. (350 words)
Prompt 3 (Required)
UCSF PRIDE values serve as a guiding light for institutional life and activities. Briefly describe how you will contribute to and support our PRIDE values consistent with your goals or life experience. (500 words)
PRIDE stands for Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence.
Because UCSF sends secondaries on a rolling basis over an 8 to 12 week window and the secondary is short, begin preparing your PRIDE essay early so you can submit promptly upon receiving the invitation. A late secondary at UCSF can cost you an interview.
Note: UCSF prompts change from cycle to cycle. Always verify current prompts on the official UCSF admissions website before writing your essays.
May/June 2026
Submit your AMCAS application as early as possible. UCSF uses rolling admissions and reviews applications as they arrive. Earlier submission gives you a better chance of an earlier secondary invitation and interview.
July–October 2026
UCSF sends secondary invitations to screened applicants on a rolling basis. Expect a delay of 8 to 12 weeks from primary submission to secondary invitation. Complete your secondary as soon as you receive it.
October–mid-February 2027
Interviews are conducted by invitation only via Zoom. Interview invitations go out on a rolling basis throughout this window.
October 15, 2026
AMCAS application deadline and secondary application deadline.
March–April 2027
Admissions decisions are released on a rolling basis.
April 30, 2027
Students holding multiple acceptances must select one medical school to attend.
UCSF conducts interviews by invitation only. For the 2025–2026 cycle, all interviews were conducted via Zoom. Interviews are scheduled from October through mid-February. Based on our students' experiences, UCSF interviews are conversational and focused on your background, motivations, commitment to UCSF's mission, and how your experiences align with the school's PRIDE values. Your interviewers will have reviewed your application in advance.
UCSF tuition differs for California residents and out-of-state students.
UCSF provides generous need-based financial aid and is committed to reducing the debt burden for its students. The secondary application fee waiver is available for eligible applicants through the AAMC's Fee Assistance Program.
UCSF is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the United States by U.S. News and World Report for both research and primary care — one of the few schools that regularly appears near the top of both lists. As a purely graduate and professional health sciences institution, every resource at UCSF is focused exclusively on biomedical research, clinical training, and health sciences education. UCSF also receives among the highest levels of NIH research funding of any medical school in the country.
The average GPA for UCSF matriculants is 3.89, with a median accepted applicant GPA of 3.93. UCSF does not publish a minimum GPA requirement. Competitive applicants typically have a GPA of 3.7 or higher. Applicants below 3.5 are rarely competitive at UCSF.
The average MCAT for UCSF matriculants is 517. Competitive applicants typically have a 514 or higher. Aiming for 518 or above will meaningfully strengthen your application. UCSF does not publish a minimum MCAT requirement, but scores below 513 are rarely competitive.
Yes. Approximately 71% of UCSF matriculants are California residents, and in-state acceptance rates are meaningfully higher than out-of-state rates. Out-of-state applicants with strong profiles and genuine alignment with UCSF's mission are still admitted, but face steeper competition.
Yes. UCSF screens applications before sending secondary invitations. Not every applicant who submits a primary will receive a secondary. UCSF notes it may take 8 to 12 weeks after receiving your verified primary before sending a secondary invitation. This delay is normal — do not interpret it as a rejection.
The Bridges Curriculum is UCSF's active, integrated MD curriculum. It emphasizes early clinical exposure beginning in the first year, case-based and problem-based learning, interprofessional education alongside nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry students, and a required scholarly concentration resulting in an original scholarly project.
UCSF's PRIDE values are Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence. These values guide institutional life, the curriculum, and the admissions process. The secondary application includes a required essay asking applicants to describe how they will contribute to and support PRIDE values. Applicants who cannot speak authentically to these values are at a disadvantage at UCSF.
UCSF conducts interviews by invitation only via Zoom. Interviews are scheduled from October through mid-February. Interviews are conversational and focused on background, motivations, and alignment with UCSF's mission and PRIDE values.
Yes. UCSF is one of the few top research medical schools that also ranks near the top nationally for primary care. The school's commitment to underserved communities, its PRIME-US program, and its diverse clinical training network make it an exceptional choice for students interested in primary care, community medicine, and health equity alongside those pursuing research and specialty medicine.
UCSF School of Medicine is one of the finest and most distinctive medical schools in the world. With an acceptance rate of approximately 1.6% and an average MCAT of 517, getting in requires outstanding academics combined with a profile that demonstrates genuine alignment with UCSF's commitment to health equity, public service, and research excellence. California residents have a meaningful advantage, but strong out-of-state applicants are admitted every year. If your GPA is 3.7 or above, your MCAT is 514 or higher, and you can articulate clearly how your experiences and values align with UCSF PRIDE, this school belongs on your list. Apply early, prepare your secondary essays before you receive the invitation, and be specific and authentic about how your goals align with UCSF's mission to advance health worldwide.