Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Check out the program homepage or Plan a Visit page to view upcoming sessions.

Yes! Our student ambassadors give tours regularly and is dependent on their class schedule. The schedule is posted on our Plan a Visit page. If you can’t make it to campus, check out our Virtual Tour.

The program starts in the fall semester (August) each year.

The program is five semesters completed over 21 months.

Yes, international students are welcome to apply for the entry-level MS in Cardiovascular Perfusion program. International applicants are required to submit a TOEFL score if English is not their first language and they have not studied in the United States. Academic records from foreign institutions must be provided in English and must be certified or validated as true by a university or government official. View more resources for international applicants.

For international applicants that are already practicing perfusionists, The Cardiovascular Perfusion Division offers an online MS in Extracorporeal Science. Note, the online program will not prepare you to practice as a perfusionist in the United States.

No. The entry-level MS in Cardiovascular Perfusion is a full-time residential program. Students accepted into the program will be required to attend classes on the MUSC campus in Charleston, SC and complete clinical rotations at locations across the United States.

The Cardiovascular Perfusion Division offers and online MS in Extracorporeal Science. Note, the online program will not prepare you to practice as a perfusionist in the United States.

In the last application cycle we received more than 200 applications.

We accept approximately 28-30 students each year.

MUSC does not require the vaccine for enrollment into classes. However, due to clinical observations at MUSC Health beginning in the second semester, our students will be required to submit proof of COVID vaccination (among others) or documentation of declination for clinical access compliance. View the MUSC vaccine policy for students.

Yes. You must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. A specific major is not required, but specific prerequisite coursework is required. View the program admissions requirements.

A list of prerequisite course work can be found on our Admissions page. You may also view our Frequently Approved Prerequisites to assist with you in evaluating your coursework.

Yes, the program will accept online or in-person coursework from any regionally accredited institution.

Yes, a minimum of 16 hours must be completed by the application deadline. The remaining 11 hours must be completed by matriculation. For the Fall 2023 application cycle, you will have until December 31, 2022 to submit your final transcripts for any coursework completed in the Fall 2022 semester.

No, there is no time limit for the program to accept completed coursework.

Decisions for admission are made on a competitive basis, with the applicant's undergraduate GPA factoring into the decision. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required for admissions consideration. The average cumulative GPA for the 2020-2021 admissions cycle was 3.48.

No, the program does not require the GRE or any other test for admission.

Yes. View more information about shadowing at MUSC.

The program does not accept applications beyond the deadline. Applications for the next academic year typically open in July.