Common Questions

How long is the program?
The program is three academic quarters or approximately 10 months of study (August through May).

If I do well in the BMS program, do I automatically gain admission to other RFU programs like the medical school?
There are no guarantees of admission to any RFU programs. BMS students must apply to other RFU programs in the same manner as all other applicants. However, students who are actively enrolled in BMS coursework and meet the requirements of other RFU programs will be granted an interview providing they remain actively enrolled in BMS at the time of the interview. Admission to another school or program at Rosalind Franklin University is independent of a student’s performance in or completion of the BMS program. Applicants should contact the RFU program that they are interested in before applying to BMS to assure that the applicant meets any program-specific requirements.

What does the timeline from BMS to the Chicago Medical School look like?
You would be applying for the Masters in Biomedical sciences (BMS) and the program begins in August and ends in May. The minute you accept our offer of admission, an advisor from the BMS program will reach out to you to have an initial conversation with you and also get you started on your AMCAS application for Fall 2025. By the time you come to campus for orientation, you would have already worked with the advisor and submitted your AMCAS application.

Is there an interview for the BMS program?
No, the admissions committee selects students based on their academics, test scores, letters of recommendation, personal statements and experiences.

What careers will the BMS program prepare me for?
Graduates of this program should be well prepared to continue their graduate education in a variety of healthcare professions, including allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, pharmacy, and physician assistant studies. Typically, the majority of graduates from the BMS program gain acceptance into one of the aforementioned health professions upon graduation.

Will I be able to interact with students enrolled in other health professions programs?
The vibrant interprofessional culture at RFU will afford you the opportunity to interact with students from the various health profession programs at RFU. This happens in some of the coursework, but largely in the extracurricular and campus activities. You will learn about the various professions throughout the curriculum. The BMS program serves as a great introduction to interprofessional health professions education.

How do I submit an MCAT score?
Official MCAT scores are submitted electronically to RFUCAS directly from AAMC. Paper copies are not accepted.

How do I submit a GRE score?
Official GRE scores must be submitted through ETS to Rosalind Franklin University at Institution Code: 1117.

How do I submit a PCAT score?
You may upload a scanned copy of your PCAT exam results with your RFUCAS application. Be sure that the exam results show your name as it appears on your application, the date of the examination, and an Examinee ID number.

I’m taking the April MCAT. Is that okay? What about the GRE?
In general, taking the MCAT or GRE in April or early May should allow sufficient time for the results to be received before the application deadline of June 30. Please consult the individual exams for score release dates to ensure enough time. We will not begin the review process on your application until we have received your examination result.

Is financial aid available for the BMS program?
Yes, financial aid is available through several government-sponsored and private student loan programs. For further information about financial aid opportunities, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services at 847-578-3217.

How do I use Interfolio to send my letters of recommendation?
Please follow these instructions on how to upload letters from Interfolio to an online application system. Once you proceed to Step 5 in this Interfolio process, you will want to select the option of “You enter your recommenders’ email addresses” which will generate a unique email address for each recommender. You will be able to enter any Interfolio generated e-mail addresses as you complete the “Submit a Request” process in RFUCAS.

May international applicants be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (BMS) program?
Yes. International applicants (non-US citizens or non-US permanent residents) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students may apply to and gain admission to the Biomedical Sciences program.

However, one of the benefits of joining the Biomedical Sciences program is the opportunity to interview for admission to other degree programs at Rosalind Franklin University.

Because the Allopathic Medicine program in the Chicago Medical School will only consider applications from U.S. citizens, U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, this BMS student benefit to interview with the Chicago Medical School would not apply to international students.

International students interested in applying to any other Rosalind Franklin University programs (e.g. Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, MS in Physician Assistant Studies, or Doctor of Pharmacy programs) while in the Biomedical Sciences program may be considered for an interview and admission, assuming the candidate meets the program’s requirements.

How will I know if I need more service/healthcare hours?
As part of our admissions process, the BMS Admissions Committee often provides recommendations that help strengthen a candidate’s application after accepting the offer of admission. These recommendations are made to help the candidate present a stronger application in the future. The recommendations made on the applicant’s behalf take into account two of the core competencies: Service orientation and/or Healthcare/clinical experiences. 

If the core competencies are found to be lacking or weak by the committee we will often recommend that the applicant pursue additional experiences that demonstrate these attributes.

How can I get in touch with the Admissions Office?
Email us: grad.admissions@rosalindfranklin.edu 
Call us: 847-578-3204 
Our mailing address: 

Rosalind Franklin University
Office of Admissions and Enrollment
Attn: BMS
3333 Green Bay Road
North Chicago, IL 60064