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Transfer and Advance Standing

Transfer Students

Bastyr University accepts transfer students from naturopathic, medical, osteopathic, and chiropractic schools, and other accredited professional programs, on a space-available basis. For transfer consideration, credits must be earned from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting agency or from an institution accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). Transfer students are considered for admission in accordance with the following general guidelines:

  • Applicants must meet the same entrance requirements as candidates for the first-year class.
  • Applicants who wish to transfer credits from prior coursework must demonstrate satisfactory completion of courses that are equivalent in content and quality to courses given at the University. Satisfactory completion equals a grade of achieved competency, a C or above, or a 2.0 or above.
  • Applicants must provide an official transcript from the college or program from which the transfer is being requested; the transcript should demonstrate that they are leaving in good academic standing. They should be prepared to submit additional documentation to support a thorough evaluation.
  • Transfer applicants must submit a $150 transfer evaluation fee.
  • Transfer applicants from another CNME-approved naturopathic medical program may transfer up to 40 percent of the total number of credits required for graduation from the Bastyr University naturopathic medical program in addition to completing most or all of their clinical work at Bastyr University. 
  • Transfer applicants who can demonstrate passing of the NPLEX-1 exam may be able to transfer all of the first and second year basic science classes at once without providing syllabi.

Advanced Standing Status Based on Prior Medical Education

Applicants who graduated from accredited chiropractic, medical, or osteopathic colleges may be eligible for advanced standing in the Bastyr University naturopathic medicine program. Up to one third of the curriculum may be transferred; students must complete at least two-thirds of the program and do all of their clinical work at Bastyr University. 

In those instances where the maximum number of advanced standing transfer credits is granted, it will take a minimum of three years (11 quarters) to complete the program. Placement depends upon the amount of coursework completed in the original program, similarity of the course content and credits, age of the courses, and performance in these courses. A student must provide documentation showing that the competencies of the Bastyr University course have been met. Course waivers and/or credit transfers are considered only for those courses in which applicants demonstrate a grade of achieved competence, a C or above, or a 2.0 or above. An exam to determine competency may also be required. Advanced standing applicants must complete all of the course and credit requirements in effect at the time of their enrollment in the Bastyr University naturopathic medicine program. Final waiver and/or transfer credit decisions rest with the dean of the school in which the curriculum is taught.

Advanced standing is determined on a case-by-case basis and depends on the type of degree program completed, the courses taken, and the number of years in practice.

Applicants who are eligible for advanced standing must submit a $150 advanced standing evaluation fee after admission to the program.

Applicants who can demonstrate successful completion of the USMLE Step 1 exam, or the equivalent osteopathic exam, within the past seven years may have all the first and second year basic science credits transferred at once, without providing individual course syllabi. However the non-basic science credits are not transferable. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis for those who passed board exams more than seven years ago.

Applicants with coursework taken at an accredited university within the last seven years can apply for transfer credit on a course-by-course basis. Applicants can apply for waiver credit based on their experience. Since students need to pass NPLEX 1, we strongly recommend that they consider the full four-year track. They should start on the four-year track and then petition, course by course, once they are enrolled.