Frequently Asked Questions

Genetic Counseling Frequently Asked Questions

Applications are submitted through the University of Arizona Graduate College. Applicants do NOT need to wait for all their letters of recommendation to come in to submit their applications. For updated application timelines, please visit our admissions page.

Yes. The non-refundable fee for application to the Graduate College at the University of Arizona is $85 for domestic students and $95 for international students.

No, the UAGCGP discontinued the GRE requirement for applicants. The program no longer requires or reviews GRE scores for applicants.

Three professional letters of recommendation are required for admissions from individuals who can speak to your prior experiences and preparation for a graduate program in genetic counseling. At least one must be from an employer or individual who supervised your work in some capacity. Letters from personal friends or family members are not acceptable. No more than four letters of recommendation will be accepted.

Yes, a CV is required for all applicants. The CV should include details on education, employment, teaching, advocacy, volunteer, counseling, health care and research experiences. In addition, competitive applicants will show a demonstrated interest in the field of genetic counseling. This can include shadowing genetic counselors, participating in genetic counseling internship programs, meeting and speaking with local genetic counselors or attending in-person or virtual meeting/conferences/webinars on the field of genetic counseling. Individuals with experience working in other healthcare or counseling settings will also be considered as strong applicants for the program.

The Statement of Purpose can be a maximum of 500 words. It is a personal statement describing your journey to the field of genetic counseling and your academic and professional goals. Please describe any unique qualifications or experiences, your motivation for pursuing the field of genetic counseling, and your interest in the profession. If there are significant gaps in education or employment history, please describe these in the statement. Please write only one statement and submit it in 500 words or less in a PDF file.

Applications for the UAGCGP are submitted online to the University of Arizona Graduate College. The Graduate College uses the GradApp Graduate Admission Application. You can use this link to submit your application and check your application status. 

Supporting documents can be sent to the Graduate College:

Graduate College
The University of Arizona
Administration 322
PO Box 210066
Tucson, AZ 85721-0066

Express mail (for FedEx, DHL, etc): 

Graduate College
The University of Arizona
1401 E University Blvd, #322
Tucson, AZ 85721

Admitted students can send official electronic transcripts to transcripts@grad.arizona.edu.

Genetic Counseling Graduate programs now utilize a match system for all accredited program applications. In addition to the required application process for each school, applicants must also register in the National Match System. More information can be obtained on the National Match System website or our GC Admissions Match page.

Updated tuition and financial aid information can be found here.

For information about financial aid, please visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page.

Yes, GCGP students enrolled at the University of Arizona must meet expanded immunization requirements as described on the Campus Health website: https://health.arizona.edu/comcopimmunizationuploads

Employment of genetic counselors is projected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations. The most up-to-date job outlook for genetic counselors can be found in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

The UAGCGP typically accepts a maximum of five students per term.

Yes. We would be happy to arrange a meeting or phone contact with our Program Administration. Please contact us for details.

Yes. Many of our fieldwork rotation sites are in Phoenix, which is approximately two hours from Tucson by car.

It depends on your ability to balance school and work. You will be expected to be available Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Any employment will have to be outside of those times.