Inside the Texas Medical Center, Houston's huge cluster of hospitals and labs, Baylor College of Medicine trains doctors and scientists across Ben Taub, Texas Children's and Baylor St. Luke's. It's a private health sciences university and has been separate from Baylor University in Waco since 1969. Most international students here are PhD students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, where places come with funding. The MD programme considers some non-US applicants, but places are few.
Houston, Texas, United States
Official website: bcm.edu
1900, in Dallas
Texas Medical Center, Houston
Private health sciences university
Separate from Baylor University since 1969
$22,000 – $36,000
MD tuition; PhD students receive tuition and a stipend
$18,000 – $24,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on bcm.edu before you apply.
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
DoctorateDuration
48 Months
Intake
Jul
Exam Score
MCAT required
PhD Neuroscience
DoctorateDuration
60 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers
PhD Genetics and Genomics
DoctorateDuration
60 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers
PhD Quantitative and Computational Biosciences
DoctorateDuration
60 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers
Clinical training across the hospitals of the Texas Medical Center.
PhD programmes that pay tuition and a stipend.
The Human Genome Sequencing Center, one of the original genome project centres.
PhD graduates move into postdoctoral research, biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
MD graduates go on to residencies, many within the Texas Medical Center.
STEM doctoral graduates can use OPT to work in the US after graduating.
Undergrad
No UG intake
Postgrad
MD programme
Undergrad
No UG intake
Postgrad
PhD programmes
The college is in the Medical Center south of downtown, next to Hermann Park and Rice University. The METRORail Red Line runs straight through, which helps in a city built around cars.
Houston is hot and humid for much of the year, but rents are lower than in most big US cities. Many students share apartments in Midtown, the Museum District or close to the Medical Center.
Form I-20 issued by Baylor College of Medicine
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
PhD programmes usually close in early December for entry the following summer or fall, with interviews over the winter. MD applications open the summer before entry through the centralised application service, followed by secondary forms. Check each programme's page for the exact date.
The MD programme starts in summer. PhD students generally begin in summer or fall, depending on the programme.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Baylor College of Medicine after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Biomedical PhDs such as neuroscience, genetics and computational biology draw most international students. They need a science bachelor's degree, research experience and English scores for non-native speakers. The MD needs the MCAT and US course prerequisites, and very few places go to international applicants.
PhD students receive a tuition waiver and a stipend, and that includes international students. MD students can apply for institutional scholarships, but international MD applicants may have to show funding for the whole programme.
