University of Arizona Tucson MD Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Entry cycle: Fall 2027; AMCAS is due December 1, 2026. Timeline
• Secondary screen: minimum 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA, 3.0 BCPM GPA and 498 MCAT. Admissions
• MCAT window: January 2024 through September 12, 2026. Admissions
• Interview stages: two timed video responses in the AMP portal, followed for selected applicants by a virtual MMI and Applicant Visit Day. Admissions
• Interview season: August 2026 through February 2027. Timeline
• International applicants: permanent residency must be obtained before medical school begins; additional U.S. or Canadian study rules apply to foreign degrees. FAQ

Admission requirements

Applicants ordinarily need a bachelor's degree before matriculation and must complete prerequisites at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution. A foreign bachelor's degree requires at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours in the United States or Canada, including at least 30 upper-division semester or 45 upper-division quarter hours. Admissions

For 2026–27, prerequisites are two terms of physiology; two terms of biochemistry, or one biochemistry plus one genetics; one term of social and behavioral science; one term of statistics; one course from two named upper-division science areas; and two terms of English or writing-intensive study. Each prerequisite needs C or better, labs and research cannot satisfy a prerequisite, one course cannot satisfy two requirements, and community-college work is accepted. Admissions

A secondary application requires at least a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA, 3.0 BCPM GPA and 498 MCAT. The accepted MCAT window is January 2024 through September 12, 2026. The school uses the highest eligible MCAT while considering all scores in complete review. Admissions FAQ

Applicants submit three to five recommendations, including a clinical letter, through AMCAS. The current admissions page says letters are due December 15, 2026, while the more specific current timeline says January 2, 2027 or the Monday before the scheduled interview, whichever comes first. Applicants should follow the timeline and confirm their portal deadline. Admissions Timeline

An international applicant may apply while permanent residency is in process but must obtain permanent-resident status before medical school begins. The current pages do not publish a fixed Arizona-resident quota; they say out-of-state applicants receive comparable consideration after interview while initial screening has differed. FAQ

Important dates

AMCAS opened May 1, 2026, submissions began May 28, and the traditional MD primary deadline is December 1, 2026. A secondary application and fee are due within 14 days of invitation or by January 2, 2027, whichever comes first. The first-round video interview has the same 14-day or January 2 deadline. Timeline

The last accepted MCAT administration is September 12, 2026. Interview season runs August 2026 through February 2027, decisions are announced October 2026 through May 2027, Second Look is April 8–9, 2027, and matriculation is in July 2027. Admissions Timeline FAQ

The current FAQ gives Fall 2027 enrollment milestones: Plan to Enroll opens February 19, applicants should narrow to three offers by April 15, Commit to Enroll opens April 30, and Tucson's Commit to Enroll deadline is June 24, 2027. FAQ

How selection works

Applicants designate Tucson separately from Phoenix in AMCAS. Tucson reviews primary applications for secondary eligibility from July through December; published thresholds are 3.0 overall and BCPM GPAs and a 498 MCAT. Applicants receiving the secondary pay $95 unless an AAMC Fee Assistance exemption applies. Admissions

After the secondary, invited applicants complete two timed video responses. The school then selects candidates for a virtual MMI and Applicant Visit Day. After interview, the Admissions Committee reviews the complete application and makes semi-rolling decisions approximately twice monthly, with acceptance, wait-list or no-position outcomes. Admissions

The school describes holistic review of experiences, attributes and metrics. Its FAQ names metrics, secondary responses, personal statement, recommendations and interview scores as reviewed elements. It does not publish numerical weights, how first-round video responses affect the MMI invitation, MMI scoring, committee voting or wait-list ordering. FAQ

Interview details

Confirmed

The first round is asynchronous and virtual in the AMP portal. It contains two prompts and two recorded video responses. For each prompt, the applicant has four minutes total to read, prepare and record. An invitation must be completed within its two-week window. The school says this stage assesses perspective, experience, communication, clear organization and thoughtful reflection rather than scientific knowledge. Admissions

Selected applicants attend a virtual Applicant Visit Day with an MMI lasting about 60 minutes. At each timed station, an applicant receives a question, scenario or task and has two minutes to prepare. Published assessed areas include critical thinking, communication and ethical decision-making; the MMI does not assess scientific or clinical knowledge. Admissions

Not published

The current pages do not publish the MMI station count, response time after the two-minute preparation period, interviewer roles, application-file access, scoring anchors, numerical weight of either interview stage, virtual platform for the MMI, committee-vote method or wait-list ranking. Invitation-specific logistics control where the public page is silent.

Who this program may suit

Tucson is a distinct College of Medicine, not a campus choice inside the Phoenix admissions process. The official admissions page requires applicants to designate Tucson or Phoenix separately in AMCAS. Tucson's mission highlights compassionate care, physician-scientists, clinical leadership, medical education and public health, and its admissions language values altruism, academic excellence, leadership and lifelong learning. Admissions

Applicants can connect a specific service, clinical, research or leadership experience to one of those roles and explain why Tucson's setting and mission support their goals. That reasoning should stay grounded in demonstrated experience rather than a generic preference for Arizona.

Practice and next step

Start with the confirmed first-round format. Record one response with a four-minute total window to read, organize and answer a motivation or experience-based prompt. Review whether the opening answers the prompt, the example is specific and the reflection explains what you learned.

Choose one weakness, record the response again under the same time limit, and compare both attempts for clarity, authenticity and structure. Then practise an MMI scenario with two minutes to prepare and a concise response that identifies the issue, considers affected people and explains a defensible action.

Frequently asked questions

Are Tucson and Phoenix one MD application?

No. The University of Arizona has two colleges of medicine, and applicants designate Tucson or Phoenix separately in AMCAS. Admissions

What minimums are needed for a Tucson secondary?

Applicants need at least a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA, 3.0 BCPM GPA and 498 MCAT to receive a secondary. Admissions

What is the Fall 2027 interview format?

The first stage is two timed video responses, with four minutes total per prompt. Selected applicants then attend a virtual MMI and Applicant Visit Day. Admissions

When is the traditional MD application due?

AMCAS is due December 1, 2026. The secondary and first-round video response are due within 14 days of invitation or January 2, 2027, whichever comes first. Timeline

Sources

Verified August 11, 2026. Current official sources used:

• MD admissions — separate Tucson identity, MCAT window, prerequisites, secondary thresholds, recommendations, two-stage interview and decisions.
• 2026–27 timelines — AMCAS, secondary, video-interview, recommendation, interview-season and decision dates.
• Admissions FAQ — international applicants, MCAT treatment, holistic review, residency treatment and Fall 2027 enrollment milestones.