Admission Requirements

  1. Acceptance to Bellarmine University.
  2. Completed a baccalaureate degree or higher in any discipline from an accredited college or university.
  3. Minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
  4. Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 with a grade of C or better in all prerequisite natural science courses.
  5. Applicants who do not have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate GPA will be reviewed for admission if they meet the following requirements:
    • Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher.
    • Grades of B or higher in Anatomy & Physiology I and II, as well as Microbiology.
    • No prerequisite grade below a C.
    • Submit a personal statement which describes experiences which have led you to consider respiratory therapy as a career.
    • The Office of Admission reserves the right to request additional information or a personal interview
    • Submit two completed reference forms from individuals who can speak about your potential as a respiratory therapist. One reference should be from a current or former professor with the other from a current or former employer. References should not come from family members.
  6. If any transcripts or undergraduate degree(s) are from an international institution you must provide an official copy of a third party course by course credential evaluation to Bellarmine University. Information regarding processes and fees is available at: www.aacrao.org/international, www.wes.org and www.ece.org.
  7. 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.

Prerequisite 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:

  • Anatomy and Physiology I and II: 8 credit hours
  • Microbiology: 4 credit hours

Total prerequisite and pre-major credits: 12 hours

International Applicants

International students with a previous non-Respiratory Therapy bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited (or equivalent) college or university are eligible to apply for the MS – RT. International students with a bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Therapy from a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited program are not eligible to apply for the MS – RT.

International applications should complete the items under procedure for admission and submit the following:

Language Proficiency. Bellarmine’s Respiratory Therapy program requires an official TOEFL iBT, IELTS or Duolingo score for verification of language proficiency for applicants: a) who were born outside the US, b) for whom English is a second language, or c) who have a degree or transcripts from a non-US institution. Applicants must earn a total score of 83 or higher and a speaking score of 26 or higher on the TOEFL iBT, earn a total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher on the IELTS or score a 105 or higher on Duolingo to meet the language proficiency requirement. Only official score reports will be accepted. The program reserves the right to require a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo score from any applicant. The official score should be sent to both Allied Health CAS and Bellarmine University. In addition, the program reserves the right to require an in-person or “live” (through distance technology) writing sample from any applicant.

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.

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).