How to Apply
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Admission information
Before you apply to the Radiation Therapy Program at Mayo Clinic, please review the full list of prerequisite information, technical standards (nonacademic criteria), and complete admission requirements. The infographic details the possible pathways. Discover what comes next on your path to becoming a radiation therapist.
Prerequisites and admissions requirements
Learn more about general prerequisites, technical standards, and admissions policies.
To be eligible for the Radiation Therapy Program, you must:
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Document observation experience in radiation oncology
- Complete the following college coursework (with a grade of a C or higher) prior to the start of the program:
| Subject | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| English | One semester of college-level English composition |
| Mathematics | One semester of college algebra; a higher-level math course also satisfies this requirement |
| Anatomy and physiology | Two semesters of college-level anatomy and physiology (with lab preferred); this can be fulfilled by completing either Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II or Human Anatomy and Human Physiology courses |
| Speech or interpersonal communications | One semester of college-level speech or interpersonal communications |
Students will be most competitive if they have prior healthcare experience.
Technical standards
In addition to these general standards, the Radiation Therapy Program has additional specific standards, as the duties of a radiation therapist are physically demanding. In order to perform regular duties, you must be able to:
- Routinely lift 20 pounds over your head (treatment cones and other treatment devices)
- Stand on your feet for more than 50% of the time
- Push and pull, bend and stoop, and kneel or squat routinely
- Push standard wheelchairs or carts, and assist in transferring patients onto and off treatment tables
- Visually align patients and equipment while in dim lighting
- Distinguish colors on computer screens and patient markings
- Monitor patients during treatment visually and via audio monitors
- Hear and identify various equipment and background sounds during equipment operations
- Input patient treatment data into treatment consoles and computers using keyboards
- Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with patients and staff members
- Work effectively in a team setting
- Read and apply patient setup instructions as stated in treatment charts
- Organize and accurately perform the individual steps in a simulation or treatment procedure in the proper sequence
- Interact with immunosuppressed patients and patients who may have a communicable disease
Radiation therapists may be exposed to low levels of ionizing radiation during their careers.
Enrollment options
Applicants have three options to enter the program:
Post-radiography certificate pathway
Earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited radiography program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be a certified Radiographer R.T (R) by Sept. 1, prior to the start of the program.
Affiliated bachelor’s degree
Students seeking a bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply to the Radiation Therapy Program at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences after completing the required coursework at the University of Minnesota Rochester.
Students who pursue this pathway must complete all prerequisite coursework at UMR prior to the start of the Radiation Therapy Program at Mayo Clinic. Upon appointment to the program, applicants will enroll and successfully complete five bridge prerequisite courses at Mayo Clinic starting in June, with a grade of C or better prior to starting the Radiation Therapy Program in September.
See our affiliation agreement for more details.
Post-baccalaureate certificate pathway
If you have already completed a bachelor’s degree and the prerequisites before the start of the program, you may be eligible to apply for the Radiation Therapy Program.
Your degree must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by ARRT.
Upon appointment to the program, applicants will enroll and successfully complete five bridge prerequisite courses at Mayo Clinic starting in June, with a grade of C or better prior to starting the Radiation Therapy Program in September.
Admission policies
Learn more and find complete details regarding Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences admissions policy information.
Transfer students
The Radiation Therapy Program does not accept transfer students from other radiation therapy programs.
Non-U.S. citizen applicants
Admission to Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is open to U.S. workers in the four categories below. Therefore, visa sponsorship is not available.
- U.S. citizens
- U.S. nationals
- Lawful permanent residents
- Asylees and refugees
Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT). Scores from the speaking portion of the exam are given particular consideration in admission decisions. Learn more about the exam and register online at the Educational Testing Service.
The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences code for the TOEFL iBT is 5784.
Educational transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must be translated (if they are not already in English) and evaluated for U.S. equivalence by an accredited credential evaluation service company prior to submission. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services for a list of qualified companies. The applicant pays for the examination and credential-evaluation services.
Application process
Positions and class size
For the upcoming admission cycle, two to three students will be chosen from the non-radiography pathways, and 12-13 students from the radiography pathway. Bridge prerequisite courses for non-radiographers will begin in early June. The Radiation Therapy program will begin in early September.
Application timeline
Application reviews are based on previous education, work experience, essay, recommendations, and interview.
| Application window | Program start date | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1-Feb. 1 | Early September | Online application |
The program begins in early September.
Application instructions
Complete the following steps to apply:
- Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission
- Select - Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
- Select - Radiation Therapy Program
- Complete each section of the application and submit
- After submission, view the required Supplemental Items and Documents
- Upload each required item in the Supplemental Items section
- Complete the Recommendation Request section
Additional required items
- Complete the essay questions and upload them to the Supplemental Items section.
- Three letters of recommendation are required and must be completed in the Recommendation Request section. Each recommender will receive an email with a link to complete a rating form and upload a letter. Recommendations from friends or family are not accepted.
- For radiographers, recommendations must include:
- Program director: Radiography program director
- Clinical experience: Clinical preceptor/clinical instructor, or if employed as a radiographer, your current supervisor
- Professional: Work reference
- For non-radiographer applicants, recommendations must include:
- Academic: Choose a person familiar with your educational qualifications and your potential for success in radiation therapy; references may include current or former teachers or professors
- Two professionals: Choose two individuals familiar with your professional qualifications and your potential for success in radiation therapy; references may include employers or supervisors
- For radiographers, recommendations must include:
- Complete and upload the Prerequisites and Observation Experiences document in the Supplemental Items section.
- Upload unofficial college transcripts from all institutions attended including radiography program (university affiliate and hospital/clinical site), PSEO or AP coursework, if applicable, in the Supplemental Items section of the application. If accepted to the program, official transcripts must be mailed from each institution directly to:
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
Radiation Therapy Program
Jacobson Building, LO_136
200 First St. SW
Rochester, MN 55905
Interview process
Interviews will be conducted 100 percent virtually for the upcoming admissions cycle. Only the top-ranked applicants are invited for an interview.
Acceptance
Letters will be emailed approximately April 1. Your reply is requested within seven days of receiving your acceptance letter.
Acceptance is contingent upon successful completion of the occupational health review and background checks (federal and Minnesota). Students are responsible for the associated fee required to complete these requirements.
Enrolled students are required to be covered in a medical insurance plan throughout their educational program at Mayo Clinic. Students who do not have health care coverage should purchase a policy from an agency or company of their choice. Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences does not endorse any particular plan or provider.
Background checks
All students must complete a state and national background check when accepted. All acceptances are contingent upon satisfactory clearance of the background checks. Mayo Clinic will investigate any discrepancy between the background check and the learner’s application and reserves the right to withdraw the learner’s acceptance based on negative findings. Students are not responsible for the cost of these background checks.
Equal opportunity
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences upholds all federal and state laws that preclude discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities, or veteran status. For more information, visit the Education Office of Belonging.