Admissions Requirements

AOMA leadership uphold the institution's mission to transform lives and communities through graduate education in Chinese medicine.

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MAcCHM/DAcCHM:

An accredited bachelor’s degree is preferred. A minimum of 90 semester hours, with 30 in General Education, from a regionally accredited institution with scholastic achievement at the undergraduate level evidenced by a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in the last 60 hours of study
Official college transcripts sent directly from all college(s) attended.
Copy of Driver's License or Passport.
Current resume or C.V.
Personal statement of no less than 350 words.
Two letters of recommendation sent directly to AOMA from professionals, instructors, and/or employers.
Application and Application fee ($75)

DAcCHM, Completion track:

For students transitioning from our MAcCHM program, or who graduated from a master’s of acupuncture and Oriental medicine from AOMA or other ACACHM accredited school

Graduates or students already enrolled in the master’s program must demonstrate capacity for graduate-level work by maintaining a 3.0 GPA or better in the master’s program.
Copy of Driver's License or Passport (if not already on file).
Complete a course each in chemistry, biology, and psychology from a regionally accredited or ACAHM-accredited institution and provide proof on an official transcript.
Submit a second personal statement of no less than 500 words (DAOM statement).
Provide a copy of current acupuncture license or Oriental Medical Diplomate status from NCCAOM (if available)
Application fee ($35) for AOMA students and graduates; $75 for non-AOMA applicants

DAOM:

A Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Official college transcripts sent directly from all college(s) attended.
Provide a copy of current acupuncture license or Oriental Medical Diplomate status from NCCAOM
Copy of Driver's License or Passport
Current resume or C.V.
Personal statement of no less than 500 words.
Two letters of recommendation sent directly to AOMA from professionals, instructors, and/or employers.
Application and Application fee ($75)

Herbal Certificate:

A Master’s degree in Acupuncture
Official college transcripts sent directly from all college(s) attended.
Copy of Driver's License or Passport
Current resume or C.V.
Personal statement of no less than 350 words.
Two letters of recommendation sent directly to AOMA from professionals, instructors, and/or employers.
Application and Application fee ($75)

Non-Degree Seeking:

An accredited bachelor’s degree is preferred. A minimum of 90 semester hours, with 30 in General Education, from a regionally accredited institution with scholastic achievement at the undergraduate level evidenced by a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in the last 60 hours of study
Official college transcripts sent directly from all college(s) attended.
Application and Application fee ($25)
Copy of Driver’s License or Passport.

Specific Considerations for Admissions Requirements

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

AOMA accepts credit obtained through testing, such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), towards the admissions requirements only if such credits have been previously accepted by a regionally accredited college or university, and documented on the official transcript(s) sent to AOMA. A maximum of 15 semester credits can be accepted in this category.

Undergraduate credit obtained during the completion of a professional certificate, through credit by examination, or through Advanced Placement (AP) may be considered towards satisfying the admission requirements only if such credits have been previously accepted by a regionally accredited college or university, and are documented as equivalent to baccalaureate level coursework on the official transcript(s) sent to AOMA.

Professional Certificates, Credit by Examination (CBE), Advanced Placement (AP)

Military Education Transcripts

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requires institutions to collect and evaluate copies of documents provided from veteran students that will be using Veterans Benefits towards pursuing an approved program. Submission of military credentials for potential transfer credit is optional. It is neither required for admission nor subject to admission deadlines. Military transcripts may be submitted at the same time as other required application materials, or upon acceptance to AOMA. The following items are required for the VA to certify enrollment for students at AOMA:

Copies of unofficial or official military transcripts, if available:
- AARTS Transcript (Army ACE Registry transcript)
- CCAF Transcript (Community College of the Air Force transcript)
- SMART Transcript (Sailor/Marine ACE Registry transcript)

Evaluation of Prior Military Education Credit for Admissions Requirements

Because AOMA is not a bachelor’s degree granting institution, it relies on other regionally accredited undergraduate institutions to determine what Military Occupational Specialties courses are equivalent to baccalaureate level coursework. For this reason, AOMA only accepts Military Occupational Specialties credits towards the admissions requirements if they have been previously reviewed, accepted, and documented as being equivalent to baccalaureate level coursework on the transcripts from another regionally accredited institution.

Evaluation of Prior Military Education Credit for Potential Transfer

AOMA employs the American Council on Education's Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services to assess potential transferability of Military Occupational Specialties. As per this guide, AOMA has determined that there are no equivalencies between Military Occupational Specialties courses and coursework contained within the MAcCHM degree program at AOMA.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants to AOMA who are international (non-immigrant) students from a non-English speaking foreign country, or who are U.S. permanent residents whose previous education was completed in a non-English speaking foreign country, are required to demonstrate English language proficiency.

TOEFL:

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency with the English language through the submission of an original Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL®) score report from Educational Testing Service (ETS®) documenting a score of at least 61 on the internet-based test (IBT) with a minimum of 22 for listening and 26 for speaking.

The paper-based test will no longer be accepted as of Jan. 1, 2019.

IELTS:

As an alternative to submitting an official TOEFL score report, international applicants may instead demonstrate English-language Proficiency by submitting an official score report from IELTS demonstrating a minimum score of 6.0. Effective January 1, 2020 this minimum will be raised to an overall band score of 6.0 (Academic Format) and IELTS spoken band score of 8.0 for MAcCHM and DAOM applicants.

Other acceptable Exams:

In addition to the TOEFL and IELTS the following exams and corresponding scores are now also acceptable

Duolingo English Test Acceptable scores: 90
China Standard of English Language (CSE) Acceptable scores: CSE 6
Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) Acceptable scores: C
Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) Acceptable scores: C
Common European Framework Reference (CEFR) Acceptable scores: B2
Occupational English Test (OET) Acceptable scores: 250, C
Pearson Test of English (PTE), Academic Acceptable scores: Overall 45

English Requirements for DAcCHM:

The program must confirm the required oral and written English competency via one of the following:

Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL® iBT) (paper-based no longer acceptable on or after January 1, 2019)
- Acceptable scores: TOEFL iBT total score—61 and TOEFL iBT speaking score—26; or
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Acceptable scores: IELTS overall band score 6.0 (Academic Format)

Exemption from Examinations:

Alternately, applicants may be exempt from the requirement to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score report if they have demonstrated English language proficiency through the completion of at least two years (60 semester credits/ 90 quarter credits) of baccalaureate-level education at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the United States DOE, or from an equivalent English-language institution in another country.