Visiting Students from Schools Abroad

1. To participate in an Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai elective you must be officially registered as a student at your home school.
2. Eligible visiting students are in their MD programs’ final year. Most international medical schools' MD degree programs range from four to six years. By comparison, in the U.S., 4th year students are considered to be in their final year of medical school. International Visiting Student applicants are encouraged to consult their Academic Advisors to determine when their final years' are. 
   
3. If you already have an MD degree or equivalent, you are not eligible to apply.
4. All submitted documents MUST be in English or accompanied by an English translation that is a literal and complete version of the original document

Before applying, refer to the Elective Availability Section below for electives that are open to international students. To find the descriptions of each elective you can search for the elective in the elective catalog. The catalog for each academic year is updated by March of the previous academic year. Electives run for a four-week period, beginning on a Monday and ending on a Friday. Icahn students have priority in elective scheduling. The next priority is domestic visiting students, followed by international visiting students. You should not reach out to elective directors or coordinators before applying. 

• The list of electives available to international students can be found below. To find the descriptions of each elective you can search for the elective in the elective catalog. Select "Fall 2025" or "Spring 2026" as the term. (Note: Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 will not be available to view until the beginning of March 2025 - You may view the descriptions in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 as a reference.)  Please only look at the description of the elective in the catalog - the information regarding availability is only for Sinai students. 
  
  • Electives run for a four-week period, beginning on a Monday and ending on a Friday. 
  • Students accepted for an elective are expected to complete all four weeks. 
  • Electives cannot be repeated.
• Your submitted application will serve as pre-clearance for the elective. Please do not contact the elective coordinator or faculty members for pre-clearance, this will result in disqualification from the program.
• Most of the electives list prerequisites, which normally apply to Mount Sinai students. As part of your International Visiting Student Application, reviewers will use your submitted transcript information to determine if you have satisfied similar prerequisites at your home school.
• Please be aware that if you are applying for MED electives these are the most requested departments by domestic and international visiting students and there is limited availability per block. 
• Students cannot complete an elective during the month of July.   

Electives Available to ALL International Students (2025-2026 Academic Year):

Electives Open to ONLY Students from Exchange Programs (2025-2026 Academic Year):

Below is a list of all requirements.

An acceptance or rejection letter will be sent by the Student Notification Date listed in the table above. Please note that applications submitted after the specified deadline for each Quarter will not be considered. If accepted, students will be asked to confirm their acceptance within one week of receiving the notification. If confirmation is not received within this time frame, the application will be considered withdrawn.

1. 1. Official Transcript: Must be an official school transcript listing all courses you have completed so far in medical school. If the original document is not in English, it must be officially translated to English
   2. Letter of Good Standing: Must be on the school’s letterhead with a signature of a school official. The letter must state that you are in good standing and must include your expected graduation date.
   3. Letter of Recommendation: At least one required, only two will be accepted. These recommendations should be from faculty members who have directly observed your clinical skills and abilities from an inpatient setting. Letter of Recommendation must be on official letterhead.
   4. Curriculum Vitae: A summary of your qualifications and experience. This must be translated to English if not already. 
   5. Copy of Biographical Passport Page
   6. TOEFL IBT Score: The minimum test result to meet the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai requirements is 22-30 in each category. Students may submit MyBest Scores.  A TOEFL score is required if you are from a non-English-speaking country and if your institution does not teach in English. We only accept TOEFL scores; we do not accept any other English language exam scores. If you are from an English speaking country and/or go to a medical school that teaches in English, an official letter from the Dean of your school confirming your English Language Proficiency should be submitted instead.
   7. Payment: A non-refundable application fee of $500 is required to process your application. Please note that your application will not be reviewed until payment has been received. If you have trouble completing payment online we also accept Bank Draft, Money Order, Cashier's Check or Traveler's Check which can be sent to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

1. Personal Statement of Intent: Detail your motivations and goal objectives succinctly
2. USMLE Step 1: Submit a copy of your Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) score if you have taken the exam.

Upon acceptance into an elective, participants must confirm their acceptance and submit additional documents before starting. Students who confirm their acceptance are confirming that they will complete all four (or eight) weeks of the elective(s) they've been accepted for. If a student cannot make this commitment they should decline the offer.

Students accepted will receive an acceptance email with the post acceptance form and requirements. Below is a list of what will be required. 

• Upload a copy of your medical insurance you will have while completing your elective(s)
• Upload a copy of your valid Visa
• Upload a valid BLS (Basic Life Support) certificate completed within the past two years
• Infection Control Course: MyMedCerts | New York State Infection Control
• HIPAA Training: HIPAA Training Online $10 | Become HIPAA Compliant (blxtraining.com)
• New York State Department of Education Letter of Eligibility: Students can access the form online to complete the application, upload supporting documents and pay the fee by credit card: https://eservices.nysed.gov/professions/wf/clinical-clerkship The following documents will be requested: Fee of $30, Letter of Good Standing from medical school, Letter (email) of acceptance from hospital where clinical rotation will be done 
• Health Clearance
  • Physical Exam (within one year before rotation start date)
  • Tuberculosis screening (within one year before rotation start date)
    • PPD or IGRA test
    • If history of positive TB test: provide chest X-ray results
  • Required immunizations
    • Measles (Rubeola), Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
    • Varicella (Chickenpox)
    • Hepatitis B
    • COVID-19 - fully vaccinated and booster
    • Tdap
  • Strongly recommended immunization
    • Polio
• Tuition Fee: For the 2025-2026 academic year, the tuition fee for one elective is $3150. The tuition fee for two electives is $6150. 

Accepted students must go to I94 - Official Website (dhs.gov) once they have arrived to the United States to obtain an I-94. This is an International Personnel requirement and must be emailed to visiting-students@mssm.edu by the first day of the elective. 

*If accepted for 2 electives, each 4-week course is $3000 USD

How to I take an elective at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as an international visiting student?

Interested students whose medical school is outside of the United States can apply for participation in the International Visiting Student Program. Students apply by reviewing resource information first then completing an online application form. Please refer to the Admission Qualifications section above to get started.

Students may not apply by contacting the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai doctors, faculty, or program coordinators. Any documents sent outside the application process will not be processed and result in disqualification from the program.

Do all international student applicants get into their desired elective?

There are a limited number of students who are accepted into each elective. Availability is subject to change for each block based on multiple factors, such as the number of available spots, number of Icahn students enrolled, number of domestic visiting students enrolled. Each elective has a different number of available spots which can change frequently and an available spot does not guarantee acceptance. Questions via email about the number of available spots will not be responded to. 

Can I take a core clerkship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai?

No, core clerkships must be completed at your home school before coming to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as a visiting student. International students can only participate in specific electives.

I'm a U.S. citizen. What’s the criteria for being considered an international vs domestic visiting student?

The elective program is based on your home school’s location, not your citizenship. If your home medical school is located outside of the United States, you are considered an international visiting student.

What type of visa do I need?

Visa requirements are determined by the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs.  You may be qualified for the Visa Waiver Program (state.gov). It is the student's sole responsibility to understand their individual travel requirements when considering applying for participation in an elective.

I want to observe/shadow rather than take an elective, is that possible?

Observers fall under volunteer services and students can email observers@mountsinai.org with any questions. If you are interested in the observer program or research opportunities, please contact the department you're interested in directly. Learn more about our Departments and Divisions here. 

What happens to my application after I’ve submitted all the required documents?

After required documents are submitted, the applications are reviewed for completion and departments are sent applications for review. Acceptances are communicated with the Electives Manager and Coordinator and available electives are scheduled after Icahn students and domestic visiting students.

Is housing offered to international visiting students?

Housing at the Icahn School of Medicine is extremely limited. Accepted students will receive information about housing options, but housing is not guaranteed. 

I'm not in my final year of medical school. Can I still apply?

You must be in your final year of medical school by the time you take your elective. For example, if you are a 5th year student applying for an elective that will take place during your 6th and final year, this is acceptable. However, you cannot take the elective in your 5th year. 

What kind of health insurance do I need?

We do not have requirements on the type of health insurance you purchase, we just require that you have some form of coverage while you are completing your elective at ISMMS.