Admission Requirements

  • Complete an application on our website: https://application.bellarmine.edu/apply/
  • Candidates must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
  • Grade of C or higher in all pre-requisite natural science and math courses
  • Grade of C or higher in all other pre-requisite courses
  • Applicants who do not have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate GPA will be reviewed for admission if they meet the following requirements:
    - Pre-requisite GPA of 3.0 or higher.
    - Grades of B or higher in Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Chemistry, and Physics
    - No pre-requisite grade below a C.
  • Final official transcript(s) from each college or university attended must be submitted directly from the previous institution.
  • If any transcript(s) or undergraduate degree(s) is from an international institution, the transcripts must be evaluated by a third-party credential agency. Submit a final, official course-by-course evaluation from World Education Services at www.wes.org. Students must use WES for the evaluation.
  • A personal interview, if requested, by the Respiratory Therapy Admission Committee.
  • Submit a personal statement which describes experiences which have led you to consider respiratory therapy as a career.
  • Submit two references. The references should be from individuals who can speak about your potential as a respiratory therapist. One reference should be from a current or former professor and the other should be from a current or former employer. References should not come from family members.
  • In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported healthcare facilities across the United States are increasingly requiring healthcare workers be vaccinated for vaccine-preventable diseases to reduce disease outbreaks. Therefore, those who choose not to be vaccinated for personal, religious, or medical reasons are not eligible for admission to the Respiratory Therapy Program.

Transcript Review

We can provide fast feedback about your transcript(s) and pre-requisite coursework. Simply complete the form below by attaching unofficial copies of your transcript(s).

International Applicants

Please complete the items under Procedure for Admission and submit the following:

Language Proficiency.
The Master of Health Science Respiratory Therapy requires an official TOEFL iBT (Test of English as Foreign Language internet-based test), IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or Duolingo English Test score for verification of language proficiency for applicants who possess any of these criteria:
a) Born outside the US
b) English is not primary language
c) Obtained a degree or required admission pre-requisites from a non-US institution
For consideration of admission, the Department requires the following evidence of language proficiency:

  • TOEFL-iBT total score of 83 or higher AND a speaking score of 26 or higher OR
  • IELTS total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher OR
  • Duolingo score of 105 or higher.
    Only official score reports will be accepted, and score reports must be sent directly to Bellarmine University Admissions. The Program reserves the right to require a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo score from any applicant. Alternatively, students may petition to use one of the following requirements to document English-language proficiency:
  • Degree completion from a TOEFL exempt country OR
  • Successful completion of Language training at an approved center
    Bellarmine University recognizes the following standards and centers. The MHS Admission Committee may use discretion and approve other centers.
  • English Language Services level 112 (http://www.els.edu/en)
  • Interlink Level 5 (http://interlink.edu)
  • Intensive English Program at Indiana University Level 6 (http://iep.indiana.edu)

Financial Affidavit. All applicants must provide credible evidence (e.g. a bank statement, letter on bank stationary attesting to the availability of funds, etc.) of the ability to fund the cost of attending Bellarmine University for one academic year. If funds are provided by another person on behalf of the student, an affidavit must accompany the financial information.

Proof of Passport. Scan of passport ID page must show validity for 6 months post completion of the program.

Prerequisite and/or Pre-Major Courses

The following are pre-major courses and will typically be completed prior to admission to the program; however, upon approval from the department chair, some of these courses may be taken concurrently with the major courses. Courses from this list, if taken after admission to the program, would be considered graduation requirements:

  • 8 hours of Anatomy and Physiology I and II
  • 4 hours of Microbiology
  • 4 hours of General College Chemistry
  • 3-4 hours of Physics
  • 3 hours of General Psychology
  • 3-4 hours of Pathophysiology
  • 3-4 hours of Statistics

Total prerequisite and pre-major credits: 28-30 hours