US Medical School for Canadian Students
Canadian applicants occupy an unusual position in US admissions. LCME accredits medical schools in both the United States and Canada, and many US schools consider Canadian applicants on terms closer to domestic applicants than to other international applicants — but not identical, and not at every school.
Published 2026-02-10 · Updated 2026-09-12 · Last verified 2026-09-12 · Medically reviewed 2026-09-12
Answer in brief
Canadian citizens may apply to US MD and DO programs through AMCAS or AACOMAS, and many schools that exclude other international applicants accept Canadians. Canadians are generally ineligible for US federal student aid and must document funding. A US MD graduate is treated as a North American graduate in Canada's residency system, but returning through CaRMS follows Canadian rules and is not guaranteed.
How US schools treat Canadian applicants
Policies differ school by school. Some public schools restrict entry to state residents and exclude Canadians entirely; others consider Canadian applicants alongside US applicants; a few require prerequisite coursework completed in the United States or Canada, which most Canadian applicants already satisfy. Always confirm the current policy in each school's admission requirements rather than assuming Canadian applicants are covered.
LCME accredits in both countries
Application mechanics
- AMCAS for MD programs and AACOMAS for DO programs, with the same deadlines as US applicants
- MCAT results within each school's accepted validity window
- Canadian undergraduate transcripts, which AMCAS handles differently from US transcripts — follow the current AMCAS instructions for Canadian institutions
- Letters of recommendation in the school's required format
- Documentation of funding where the school requires it
Paying for a US medical degree from Canada
Canadian students are generally ineligible for US federal student loans. Options commonly used include Canadian provincial student aid where the US school is a designated institution, Canadian bank lines of credit for professional students, institutional scholarships, and personal or family funding. Each of these has its own eligibility rules and none should be assumed without confirmation.
Check designated-institution status
Returning to Canada for residency
Graduates of LCME-accredited US medical schools apply to Canadian residency through CaRMS, and provincial rules govern eligibility, examinations and the number of positions open to each applicant category. Matching in Canada is competitive and cannot be guaranteed. Applicants who plan to return should read the current CaRMS eligibility criteria for their intended province early, because some requirements must be satisfied years in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can Canadians apply to US medical schools?
Yes. Many US MD and DO programs accept Canadian applicants, though some public schools admit only state residents. Verify each school's published policy.
Are Canadians treated as international students?
For admissions, some schools place Canadians in a separate category from other international applicants. For US financial aid, Canadians are generally ineligible for federal programs.
Can I return to Canada after a US MD?
Graduates of LCME-accredited US schools apply through CaRMS, subject to current eligibility rules. A position cannot be guaranteed.
Which visa do Canadian medical students use?
Canadian citizens are generally exempt from the visa stamp but still need an F-1 record and Form I-20 from the SEVP-certified school. Confirm current requirements before travelling.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and outcome data change. Check each source for its own publication date.
- 1.Accredited MD programs in the United States — Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
- 2.Applying to medical school with AMCAS — Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
- 3.Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) — Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
- 4.Osteopathic medical colleges and the DO degree — American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
- 5.Canadian faculties of medicine and admission requirements — Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada
- 6.Canadian Resident Matching Service — CaRMS
- 7.SEVP-certified schools and the Form I-20 — US Department of Homeland Security, Study in the States
Authorship and review
Reviewed for factual accuracy against publicly available primary sources. Requirements change; verify directly with the relevant school, accreditor, examination authority or licensing body.
Written by
MBBSinAmerica Editorial Team
Research and editorial desk
The editorial desk compiles US medical education information from accreditor publications, medical school websites, examination authorities and federal data releases, and records a source and verification date for every figure published.
Areas of expertise: LCME accreditation records, AMCAS and MD admissions processes, USMLE and ECFMG requirements, NRMP Match reporting.
Reviewed by
Medical Review Board
MD / MBBS reviewers with US graduate medical education experience · United States
Review panel members check that descriptions of degrees, examinations, accreditation and residency processes reflect the current published requirements of the responsible bodies, and that no page implies a guaranteed admission, examination or Match outcome.
Review date: 2026-09-12
Reviewers receive no payment from medical schools, test preparation providers or recruitment agencies, and review assignments are unrelated to advertising relationships.