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MD · Iowa City, IA · public · applies through AMCAS

University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine

Known as Iowa (Carver)

LCME: FullWebsiteAdmissions pageClass profilecom-admissions@uiowa.edu(319) 335-8052
514MCAT mean · 2026
—GPA
142Class size
64%In-state matriculants (AAMC 2025)
$60Secondary fee
Dec 15, 2026Secondary deadline
$39,313Tuition + fees, in state
$60,712Tuition + fees, out of state

Prerequisite coursework

Verify with the school
AP credit: YesCommunity college: YesOnline courses: YesPass/fail: Yes
CourseStatusHoursLabPass/failAP creditOnlineCommunity collegeNotes from the school
Biochemistry
CHEM
Required—NoYesYesYesYes1 course that includes a comprehensive review of molecular structures and biochemistry of carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins, central metabolic pathways, enzyme functions, and metabolism of carbon based molecules.
Biology
BIOL
Required—YesYesYesYesYes2 semesters of introductory courses with labs, and 1 advanced course. Recommended advanced courses include molecular and cell biology, human physiology, genetics, microbiology.
Chemistry
CHEM
Required—YesYesYesYesYes3 semesters of introductory courses, to include General and Organic with labs.
Composition & Rhetoric
ENGL
Required—NoYesYesYesYes2 courses (composition and literature). If you satisfy the English requirement for your undergraduate degree program, you also satisfy our English requirement.
Mathematics
MATH
Required—NoYesYesYesYes1 advanced mathematics course or statistics course.
Physics
PHYS
Required—YesYesYesYesYes2 semesters of introductory courses with labs
Psychology
BESS
Required—NoYesYesYesYesSocial and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities: 4 courses. Applicants are encouraged to complete coursework that addresses social determinants of health. Recommended courses include behavioral psychology, sociology, ethics, philosophy, foreign language, and other nonscience writing-intensive courses

Community-college pathways

Upward transfer: YesAccelerated: YesSupplemental: Yes

Coursework taken at community colleges is acceptable for introductory/prerequisite coursework. Our admissions committee generally prefers upper level science courses taken at a university level.

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Source: MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Premed Course Requirements 2027 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.

Admission policies, in the school's words

The Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine seeks qualified students who exemplify the interests, commitment to serve, and intellectual and conceptual skills that our college instills in all its faculty, staff, and students. The Admissions Committee values each individual’s unique experiences, strengths, and background. Candidates are reviewed holistically by a 30 member admissions committee comprised of faculty, current students, and one community physician. Our admissions staff understands the stressors of the medical school application process, and thus tries to be as transparent and approachable as possible. We welcome questions from prospective applicants!

Source: MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Admission Policies and Information 2027 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.

Who can apply

Out-of-state applicants
Yes Carver accepts nonresident applications
Canadian applicants
No
International applicants
No
DACA applicants
No
Residency preference (school's page)
Iowa residents are considered separately from nonresidents, with separate resident and nonresident rank-ordered wait lists.

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.

Interview

Traditional / one-on-oneVirtualIn person
Format
Candidates are interviewed individually by two faculty members for 25 minutes. The interview day includes a case-based learning session facilitated by M4 students. Both virtual and in person interview formats are available.
Invitations sent
Mid August
Typical interview day
Carver conducts "closed file" interviews interviewers are faculty volunteers and want to get to know candidates "off of paper" completely! Do not let this scare you candidates often tell us how nervous they were before the interview and feel very positive about it afterwards. We make great efforts to keep nerves low so candidates can perform at their very best on interview day. A previous interviewee wrote this about their Carver interview experience: "I think the interview process was amazing! This was my first in -person interview experience, and it was a lot less stressful than I imagined." We offer both in person and virtual interviews. Admissions committee members will not know the format candidates choose. For more information, see https://md.medicine.uiowa. edu/admissions/application -process/interview-faq
Regional interviews
Regional interviews are not available.
Video interviews
Video interviews are not offered. Virtual interviews are offered.
School's admissions page says
One 25-minute interview conducted by two faculty members with a structured and an unstructured part, offered either virtually or in person.

Tags are derived from the text above by keyword; read the text before relying on a tag.

Source: MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Interview Procedures 2027 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.

Situational-judgment tests and MCAT dates

Casper
Not on official list source
AAMC PREview
Not used "We are not using PREview scores in the admissions process" source
Latest MCAT considered
September 30, 2026
Oldest MCAT considered
January 2023

Casper status comes from the school's own admissions page where it states one, otherwise from published requirement lists; PREview from the school's page or the AAMC PREview policies report. Both change between cycles. Verify with the school.

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Secondary application

Required
Yes
Fee
$60
Fee waiver available
Yes
Deadline
Dec 15, 2026 December 15, 2026 Secondary application submission deadline (Oct 15 is strongly encouraged)
Who receives it
Overall and BCPM GPA 3.0. If not 3.0, 20 hours science post bacc or graduate work at 3.5 or higher. MCAT score must be 500 or higher to receive a secondary (all subcategories at least 123).

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.

Letters of evaluation

Committee letter
Accepted
Letter packet
Accepted
Individual letters
Accepted

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.

Waitlist and deposit

Typical waitlist positions
50 Residents; 100 Nonresidents
Offers made from the waitlist
48
Procedure
Applicants are notified of alternate list position number and updated on secondary.
Deposit required
No

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Cost of attendance and debt

In stateOut of state
Tuition and fees$39,313$60,712
Health insurance$0$0
Total cost of attendance, year 1$71,215$92,614

88% of students receive aid. Average indebtedness of indebted graduates: $179,719.

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Official AAMC counts, 2025-2026

Applications
4,527 (6.5% in-state)
Matriculants
153 (64.1% in-state, 35.9% out-of-state; 54.9% women)
Applications per seat
30

Source: AAMC FACTS Table A-1: Applications and Matriculants by School, State of Legal Residence, and Gender, 2025-2026 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Entering class 2026

Applicants
3,902
Matriculated
142
MCAT (mean)
514
In-state
80%
Women
48%

Source: the school's published class profile (page), retrieved 2026-10-13. Statistics describe one entering class and are not cutoffs.

Transfer applications

No

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Mission statement

The Admissions Committee for the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine admits students who have a genuine interest in the study and practice of medicine; show a desire and commitment to serve the public in matters of health; and who have the personal, professional and intellectual skills and characteristics required to become and competent and caring physician. Personal qualities considered by the Admissions Committee include high moral character, independent thinking, the ability to communicate and interact with others in a sensitive and caring way, the ability to maintain professionalism in stressful situations, and dedication to the idea of service. Understanding the importance of the educational benefits resulting from a diverse student population and the interest by the medical profession in serving the healthcare needs of a changing American population, the Admissions Committee values each applicant’s unique strengths, experiences and background. To execute our mission, the committee utilizes a holistic review of all candidates. Our committee values each candidates' different experiences and personal stories and takes into consideration: first generation college students, rural backgrounds and experiences, socioeconomic status, and any other impactful experiences students describe in their application that will make them a compassionate and excellent physician. Please read our sections about Campus Life to learn more about how Carver's mission informs our culture of collaboration and other initiatives.

Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).

Notes

2026 MD Entering Class Profile lists 3,902 applications, class size 142, 68 women / 74 men, mean MCAT 514, 114 Iowa residents and 26 rural students; no GPA figures appear on the page (pct_in_state and pct_women computed from counts). Minimum MCAT 500 to apply; overall and science GPA 3.0 or higher (or 20+ hours of post-bacc/graduate science at 3.5+).

Sources for this page

AAMC report data may be reproduced and distributed with attribution for individual, educational and noncommercial purposes. This page is free and carries no advertising.