Admissions

Now accepting applications for the Fall 25 Cohort. First-time, transfer, and international students welcome.

Requirements

Admissions-related Policies/Guidelines

Everything you need to apply—organized by student type. Choose a tab to view the guidelines. If you’re unsure which list applies to you, contact Admissions and we’ll point you to the right path.

Application and Fee

The standard fee for your application is currently $50.00. If accepted and enrolled, this $50.00 will be placed on your account in the clinic as a credit toward treatments, herbs, or anything else you might spend on in ASAOM’s clinic setting.

Additional Fees

Additional fees for Transfer or International Students are handled through the financial office at school and you must contact ASAOM to pay these fees. Additional fee information is described below, as well as in your online application.

Non-Discrimination

The Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or age.

Minimum Requirements for Application

To meet the minimum requirements for application you must have at least 60 credits of study (approx. 2 years of University/College; 60 credits is an adjustment from 90 credits, targeted to start for the Fall 25 cohort) from an accredited undergraduate program. As the baseline for application, these credits/hours generate your eligibility for enrollment, and cannot be considered toward any form of course credit at ASAOM. If you have previous education that exceeds the 60 credit baseline for eligibility, this education can be reviewed during your transcript evaluation and may be considered for course credit at ASAOM, where applicable.

As an example, if you have 120 credits from a previous accredited academic pursuit and you apply to ASAOM, 60 credits will count toward your eligibility for enrollment and the remaining 60 credits can be evaluated in your transcript review to see if any credit toward ASAOM’s courses is appropriate/possible.

Please note: If your previous education exceeds 60 credits, but is older than 5 years, you will still meet eligibility requirements for application but it is exceedingly likely none of your previous education will be eligible for course credit. Rooted in East Asian medical traditions, ASAOM maintains a clinical-based education under guidelines of the U.S. Department of Education. Courses older than five years will be considered for course credit only if they are relevant to ASAOM’s curriculum and you have utilized the coursework in the practice of your chosen profession within the past 5 years.

One example is for medical professionals who may have graduated from school 10 years ago, but have been using knowledge of anatomy & physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, etc. in the course of their recent work. In some circumstances students may have coursework conferred but if it is older than 5 years, they may be required to audit ASAOM’s relevant courses to ensure their education meets current standards. Please read and be familiar with ASAOM’s Transfer Policy below, know how and when to appropriately handle Course Challenges, and ask your admissions officer any questions you may have through the form below.

GPA Requirements: ASAOM requires satisfactory GPA from candidates and encourages a 2.5 or above GPA in undergraduate (or equivalent) work to meet admissions standards for applicants at ASAOM. Prospective students who do not meet the 2.5 standard for applicants are welcome to contact admissions and speak with a representative regarding your interest in applying to the school.

In certain, rare cases, as determined in conference with the Academic Dean and administration at ASAOM, students can still seek admittance into the school with a sub 2.5 GPA if there is an extenuating circumstance surrounding the score, and so long as the score does not drop below a 2.0. These leniencies are exceedingly rare, and due diligence is followed to ensure the best candidates for our programs are obtained.

Materials Required for Application

If you intend to apply to ASAOM – PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THE INFORMATION BELOW

The beginning part of your application is concise and will be submitted online. You will be submitting –

$50 application fee (non-refundable) – submitted online at the completion of your online application
Collection of Personal Information to be begin generating your profile as a student and so the school can manage communication. Please be sure if you have engaged in a name change through marriage or as a personal choice, that you use your up-to-date, LEGAL name for your application. If you successfully become a student, this will connect to any reporting the school does on your behalf as a nationally accredited institution.
Official transcripts that show you meet the prerequisite requirements for application to ASAOM programs.
Foreign/International Students, and students who attended college outside of the United States, must submit a course-by-course foreign transcript evaluation directly to ASAOM though a credential-evaluation service. Please consult the NACES website to order from a directory list of members: www.naces.org/members. Important: Transfer Students – if you are transferring from an Acupuncture or Traditional Chinese Medicine College outside of the US, please contact our Admissions Department (admissions@asaom.edu) for further information.
Declaration of whether you intend to use Financial Aid for your education and opportunity to download the federal programs informational page to help you get started
Two questions providing insight for your choice to pursue a masters education in acupuncture
Please keep in mind that you are applying to pursue a master’s level education and your Statement of Intent is a writing sample. Your writing should be representative of you, free of typos and grammatical errors, professional, and respectful of the level of education you have come to pursue.
At least two, no more than three people designated to send a letter to the school on your behalf, providing at least one professional and one personal reference
A typed, updated professional resume/cv
If you are an International or Transfer student, you have some extra steps detailed in the application
SUBMIT and get on the radar!

Following your online submission, the admissions team will confirm you application and get in contact to help facilitate the following:

A scheduled appointment (via telephone or in person) with the Financial Aid department (financialaid@asaom.edu) – Before doing so, review the Direct Loan – What To Do document (located in your online application) and complete the additional steps to ensure the FA officer has all pertinent information prior to your interview

During your required session with the Financial Aid office to cover your plans and setup for managing the cost of your education, the following items will be collected as they are required for federal reporting on your behalf

You will NEED to attain YOUR HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS OR A GED EQUIVALENT as part of your qualification for Financial Aid and admissions.
The school will take an official photo to connect to your application and student profile, reporting, and potential ID

If you so choose, the college can facilitate free appointments in the clinic to collect the following required information – you can also elect to supply this information from your own sources:

A letter from a licensed acupuncturist stating you have had at least two acupuncture treatments
A statement from a physician (this must be a licensed professional, and can be a licensed acupuncturist), stating you are in good health to complete a medical degree and participate in physical activities, such as tuina (Asian Bodywork) and qigong

Your statement of Good Health to pursue your studies should be on letterhead, and should include all pertinent information for the practitioner, such as name, address, contact info, and license number

Finally, you will be required to provide:

Proof of a negative PPD test (Tuberculosis skin test) – recent within 8-10 weeks; this is a simple, quick test; the school can provide recommendations for places you can get this accomplished

What Happens After You Turn In Your Application

The admissions process includes turning in your completed application for review. Upon approval, applicants may receive an invitation to interview. Candidates for admission must demonstrate maturity, academic ability, and sincerity to enter the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Decisions regarding acceptance are made within two-weeks after a candidate’s interview. Candidates for ASAOM’s programs are accepted until a cohort is full. Cohorts are small, and placement is competitive. Some applicants may be placed on a wait-list basis.

What If You Require Financial Aid

Be sure to consult the Direct Loan What To Do document (found in your online application). This document is available from financialaid@asaom.edu. Complete the steps in this document to provide ASAOM’s Financial Aid department with the necessary information to aid in planning your financial setup.

Declaring Status as Transfer Student

Two optional areas to declare your intention as a Transfer Student or International Student are located at the bottom of your online application. They only apply to your application if you are a Transfer Student or an International Student.

Transfer Fee

If you are a Transfer Student (transferring to ASAOM from another Chinese medicine school) you will be subject to the standard $100.00 application fee. ASAOM considers all accredited education you have obtained. Please contact academicdean@asaom.edu if after completing an application, you have any questions regarding your status as a transfer student.

Transfer Policy

Assessment of transfer credit is done on a case-by-case basis. Per national guidelines, no student can receive more than 50% of a curriculum in transfer units. Though there can be extenuating circumstances for applicable credits, general practice is to extend a limit of 20 credits for Eastern Medicine coursework; 24 credits for Western medicine coursework, and 4 credits of “other”. No credit transfer will be awarded for clinic internship. Challenge courses are approved on a case-by-case basis, but no more than three courses may be challenged.

Courses to be challenged must be identified and approved 2 weeks prior to registration deadline for the term in which the applicant intends to matriculate. You may challenge courses after joining the school – If enrolled, subsequent course challenges must be declared at the time of term course registration with the challenge to be completed in the first week of the given term in which the course is taking place. Course challenges are subject to the course challenge policy – please contact the office of the Academic Dean for more information: academicdean@asaom.edu.

Students must submit an official declaration (letter form) of their intent to pursue transfer credits at ASAOM and provide records of previous college credit attained within the last 5 years. These records should include the syllabus for each course a transfer evaluation is being requested for and the syllabus/syllabi provided should be consistent with the period in which a student attended the course/s in question. i.e. If you attended courses in 2015, your syllabi provided should be from that time period unless you are able to provide evidence from the college you attended stating the course content has not changed since your attendance. ASAOM maintains this requirement so credit evaluations are completed accurately and reflect the growth of knowledge within the field of medicine we teach.

If your college credit extends past 5 years you must demonstrate a consistent use of your knowledge base over the period you have been absent from a structured program of study and may be subject to examinations to prove your knowledge retention. Acceptance of transfer credit does not necessarily affect the overall cost of the program or the length of time to complete the program. Please contact our Admissions Department (admissions@asaom.edu) for more information, or use the form below.

Declaring Status as International Student

English Language Requirement

*English Language Requirement: Effective as of January 1, 2022 -English language competency must be demonstrated by all students seeking admission to the program. The program must confirm required oral and written English competency via one of the following:

1) The applicant must have completed one of the following:

a) four years at a U.S. high school demonstrably delivered in English;

b) at least two-years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate- or graduate-level education in an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education;

c) at least two-years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate- or graduate-level education demonstrably delivered in English;

d) high school or two-years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of undergraduate- or graduate-level education in an institution in one of the following countries or territories: American Samoa; Anguilla; Antigua & Barbuda; Australia; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bermuda; Botswana; British Virgin Islands; Cameroon; Canada (except Quebec); Cayman Islands; Christmas Island; Cook Islands; Dominica; Federated States of Micronesia; Fiji; The Gambia; Ghana; Gibraltar; Grenada; Guam; Guyana; Ireland; Isle of Man; Jamaica; Kenya; Lesotho; Liberia; Malawi; Montserrat; Namibia; New Zealand; Nigeria; Norfolk Island; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Pitcairn Islands; Sierra Leone; Singapore; South Africa; South Sudan; St. Helena; St. Kitts & Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Swaziland; Tanzania; Trinidad and Tobago; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Kingdom; U.S. Virgin Islands; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe.

2) The applicant must have completed one of the following:

a) Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL® iBT) Total: 61

b) International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Academic Format Overall band: 6

c) Duolingo English Test: 90

d) China Standard of English Language (CSE) : CSE 6

e) Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE): C

f) Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) : C

g) Common European Framework Reference (CEFR) : B2

h) Occupational English Test (OET) : 250, C

i) Pearson Test of English (PTE), Academic: Overall: 45

International Applicant Fee

If you are applying as an International Student you will be subject to the $100.00 application fee and will be subject to an additional $300.00 fee for additional requirements considered in your application.

Talk to Admissions

Frequently Asked Questions

Search or browse by topic. Can’t find it? Ask us.

Are there any prerequisite classes necessary for application to ASAOM's programs?

No particular classes are required for application to ASAOM’s programs. A minimum of 90 semester credits (there are plans to adjust this to 60; please contact admission for more information) from an accredited college or university are required, however. As part of the application process, transcripts are required to show the prerequisite credit amount has been met. We will also need your high school transcript or GED equivalent (the HS/GED requirement is necessary for financial aid).

Are there fees for applying to the program?

Can my letter from an acupuncturist be from a chiropractor, physical therapist, or MD who performs acupuncture?

Can I reserve a spot in a future cohort?

Yes, you can, once you have been accepted as a student and already offered a space in a cohort. There is an optional $300 fee to reserve a place in a future cohort in case it fills up in the intervening time. This fee helps us predict cohort numbers and plan academic scheduling with some assurance that students are not going to drop at the last minute. In that the fee represents that intention, it is non-refundable.

What are the costs of attending programs at ASAOM?

What is the difference between the MAc and the MAcCHM programs?

Both programs include full training in the use of acupuncture and tuina manual therapy, as well as introductory courses in herbal medicine. The MAcChM (formally MAcOM) program, however, includes further classes in herbal medicine that prepare students in the use of such and for the herbal medicine board exam. To be licensed as an acupuncturist, after graduation from the MAc program one takes three board exams: Foundations, Acupuncture, and Bio-Medicine. Graduates of the MAcChM program must take an additional board exam: Herbal Medicine. Students have until near the end of the first year to fully commit to which program they would prefer to participate in.

What does the class schedule look like?

Currently, classes are Monday-Friday, with occasional short-term classes on Saturday (e.g. for four Saturdays, say, for a certification). Depending on what term/classes, they may be in the morning or early afternoon. Most of our classes are in-person and few, if any, are managed online. In-person classes–learning how to apply needles, tuina bodywork–but they are done in as socially distanced and safe a way as possible. Later in the program – towards the end of the first year – you will enter into clinic shifts (starting with observation, then co-treating, then treating on your own), which are in the later afternoon and evening.

Is it possible to work while in the program?

It is possible to work throughout the program, though it can be a bit of a challenge. To give a few examples from previous cohorts: An RN who worked in the ICU on the weekends, though he was able to audit some classes via his previous training. An aesthetician was able to work part time on the weekends as well, with much shorter shifts than the nurse, of course. Another student began school as a pastry chef, but reduced her work to more part time in the evening as a host at a restaurant once clinic shifts began. In any case, working is notably easier in the beginning of the program, but can take a little more effort or creativity as clinic shifts are added near the end of the first year.

What if I'm sensitive to acupuncture? Do students practice acupuncture on each other?

Students do practice with each other, at first (under close supervision on campus), though they are also encouraged to practice on themselves as much as they are comfortable with, which is one way to get used to the needling sensation. As a student, it is understood that you will not practice acupuncture outside of the classroom and campus clinic settings, until you have attained your license. In our learning settings, instructors aid with techniques for working with needle sensitivity, and it is helpful as a budding practitioner to nurture empathy for a patient’s needle sensitivity in turn. Practicing on oneself and fellow students, under supervision and on campus, is a great way to get feedback that speeds the learning process of applying needles skillfully, and prepares students for their later work in the clinic when they do acupuncture on the college clinic patients.

Are there Qi Gong and energy work classes in the program?

Chinese medicine, from ancient tradition, deals with the flow of energy and its impact on and within the body, and thus Qi Gong is an important part of our program. Our Qi Gong classes include clearing energy, and teach a myriad of other applications of using breath and meditation in that regard. As an aspect of the practice of Chinese medicine, energy flow is central in understanding how needling along and within the body’s meridians opens and facilitates the flow and healing capacity of one’s physiology. But a deeper understanding of energy does not stop there and it can have a great impact on our lives, and the lives of those we treat. We are accountable for the energy we bring into our practice, as well as for the energy we take away from it. For this reason, mindfulness and healthy energy practices are central to Chinese medicine philosophy, even as it merges with science.

Visit Us

We welcome you to visit our college, take a tour, sit in on classes, and get a treatment in the student intern clinic to become more familiar with ASAOM and our programs. Let us know you’re coming!

2856 E. Fort Lowell Rd. / Tucson AZ / 85716

Reservation & Housing

Visiting Tucson or moving for the cohort? Use the resources below to find short-stay or long-term housing—and, once admitted, reserve your seat in the next cohort.

Reserve Your Spot

If you have been accepted into the incoming cohorts and would like to ensure your placement, contact Admissions for more information or follow the link below to reserve your position.

If you experience difficulties using the link provided, Admissions can be contacted at: admissions@asaom.edu. You may also reserve your spot through a payment over the phone. Admissions can provide guidance and alert the proper individuals at campus to manage your payment.

Reserve my spot →

Housing Assistance

As a small school, we are not able to provide direct assistance for housing accommodations. However, Tucson is replete with rentals. If you are planning to attend and are interested in looking for housing, there are several agencies within Tucson you can utilize to begin a housing search.

If you are traveling in to visit the school and need a place to stay, prospective students have found success using Airbnb.

If you are looking for something more permanent, we recommend you look sooner rather than later and contact some firms in Tucson.

Airbnb →

Contact Admissions

We’re here to answer your questions and talk through your options. Any information you share is used only to respond to you.

How we use this form

Your message goes directly to our small Admissions team.
It helps us understand what you’re interested in and how we can help.
We’ll get back to you by email or phone—just note your preference in the form.
We’re not a sales team; reach out because you’re curious about joining our community.

Your privacy, simply put

We do not share or sell your information.
We don’t place automated or robo calls.
Your details are stored in our internal database only so we can follow up with you.

Prefer to reach us directly?

Email: admissions@asaom.edu
Phone: (520) 795-0787 #2

Policy / Terms
Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ASAOM) does not share your information with third-party services, vendors, or other service providers. For more information, email admissions@asaom.edu or call (520) 795-0787 #2.

SMS opt-in (optional)By opting in to SMS, you agree to receive informational and conversational messages from ASAOM. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. For help, reply HELP or call (520) 795-0787 #2. You can opt out anytime by replying STOP.

Apply for January’s Extended Pace Cohort (2 days/week) or August’s Full-Time Program (4 days/week). Limited slots available.

Limited Slots: Jan Extended Pace or Aug Full-Time Program