B.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences Admission Information

The Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) is a competitive four-semester program. We accept qualified applicants based on comprehensive admission profiles which include grades on prerequisite courses and GPA.

There are two application deadlines: February 1 and May 1. You are encouraged to apply by Feb. 1. Additional applications may be considered after the May 1 deadline based upon space availability.

Freshman Applicants

If you have fewer than 24 college semester hours before February, you will apply as a freshman.

1. Apply to NIU; indicate Medical Laboratory Sciences as your intended major
2. After admission to NIU, and successful completion of prerequisite courses, you may apply to the MLS program (PDF) in a separate application, which includes a goals statement and a request for two references (Typically after four semesters).

Transfer Applicants

If you have more than 24 college semester hours and/or are transferring from another university or college:

1. Apply to NIU; indicate MLS as your intended major.
2. Check to see what courses transfer.
3. Once admitted to NIU, apply to the MLS program (PDF) in a separate application, which includes a goals statement and a request for two references.

You must have completed 11 of the MLS prerequisite courses with a 2.5 GPA in those courses and 2.5 GPA or better overall by the MLS application deadline.

Current NIU Students

Current NIU students must submit an application to the MLS program (PDF), which includes a goals statement and a request for two references.

You must have completed 11 of the MLS prerequisite courses with a 2.5 GPA in those courses and 2.5 GPA or better overall by the MLS application deadline.

Admission is competitive and will be based primarily on the GPA in the prerequisite courses and secondarily on the overall GPA, letters of recommendation and personal goal statement. Transfer students are encouraged to contact a program advisor before enrolling to determine whether prior course work satisfies prerequisites. For applicants with prerequisite courses in progress, admission is provisional with the expectation that students selected for admission must have completed all of the following prerequisite courses with a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.00 scale.

MLT to MLS Degree Completion Program Admission Information

To be considered for admission to the Medical Laboratory Technician to Medical Laboratory Science Bachelor of Science Degree Completion program you must:

• Be admitted to NIU as a regular degree-seeking student.
• Have an associate of applied science degree (A.A.S.) or an associate of science degree (A.S.) with the prerequisites completed before starting the program.
• Have appropriate certification as granted by the ASCP Board of Certification or equivalent national organization with a minimum of one year of experience working full-time as a CLT/MLT within the last five years.
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 in prerequisite courses and a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
• Submit an application to the MLS program, which includes a goals statement and a request for two references if eligible.