How to Apply for the M.S. in Diagnostic Cytology

The School of Health Professions at UT MD Anderson offers a Master of Science in Diagnostic Cytology. Students enter the program in August of each year. Admission is on a competitive basis with a minimum undergraduate overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee acceptance.

The Office of the Registrar at UTHealth Houston serves as the Registrar for the School of Health Professions. Although documents related to the admissions process should be sent to UTHealth Houston, students are enrolled at and will graduate from the School of Health Professions.

Fall 2026 Admission Process

• Accepting applications   Sept. 15, 2025
• Application deadline   April 30, 2026
• Admission decisions finalized   May 2026
• Onboarding   Mid-June 2026
• First day of class & Program Orientation   Aug. 24, 2026

Choose three professional references who can evaluate your academic abilities and suitability for a healthcare program. Appropriate references include a college professor, supervisor, counselor, academic advisor, volunteer coordinator, or similar.

After submitting your admissions application, log into your application portal via applyUTH. Navigate to eForms, then click on the Recommendation Form button. You’ll need to complete this Recommendation Form three times, once for each reference, by entering their name and email address.

Each reference will receive an email with instructions to submit an electronic recommendation form on your behalf. They will have 14 days to complete it. You will be notified by email once each form is submitted.

If a reference does not complete the form within 14 days, you will have the option to select a new reference.

The transcript(s) should show a record of all academic work completed and be sent directly from the corresponding college to the Office of the Registrar. To ensure prompt processing, request that your school sends transcripts using “SPEEDE”.  If your school cannot send “SPEEDE” transcripts, colleges may send transcripts in the mail or electronically.

If an email address is required for the submission of the official transcript, please utilize student-admissions@uth.tmc.edu.

Submitted transcripts are considered "official" if the print date is within the previous six months. Visit the Office of the Registrar Academic Transcripts page for more information.

All applicants with foreign college transcripts/mark sheets must have a course by course, and grade by grade evaluation by an approved evaluation agency (PDF).

For all international students whose native language is not English, proof of English language proficiency must be submitted. The School of Health Professions accepts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers. A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the internet-based format or 550 on the paper exam is required.

The TOEFL Designated Institution Code for MD Anderson is 6906.

Applicants meeting any criteria below are exempt from the TOEFL:

• If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, regardless of your native language.
• If you have earned a high school diploma from an accredited U.S. high school.
• If you have earned an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science,  Bachelor's degree or higher level degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.
• If you have obtained a secondary school degree or higher level degree from a country where English is spoken as the native language.
• If you have completed English Composition I (ENGL 1301) and II (ENGL 1302) with a grade of C or better.

Office of the Registrar
UTHealth Houston
P.O. Box 20036
Houston, TX 77225-0036

The Admissions Review Committee will review all applicants that submit a complete application, including required documents, by the priority deadline. Upon review, competitive applicants will be invited for an admissions interview. Applications and documents received after the priority dates will be considered by the Admissions Review Committee only if space is available.