Admission Policies

Please see the school catalog for the most up to date listing of admissions policies or contact the school Registrar. Click here to see the AMCH Admissions polices. 

Admission Acceptance

The Admissions Committee will make the final decision regarding the applicant�s admission. Admission decisions may be one of the following:

1. Full Admission

2. Provisional Admission (must meet admission requirements prior to matriculation)

3. Waiting List (to be reviewed by the Admissions Committee)

4. Denial

The Admissions Committee will notify the applicant in writing of the decision. Accepted applicants must provide a non-refundable $200 deposit by the date stipulated in the acceptance letter to hold a place in the program. The deposit is credited towards the first quarter tuition. All application files are the property of AMCH and cannot be returned. The college reserves the right to admit or reject applicants at its discretion during the admissions process.

School Licensure for Online Students

Prospective students living in states that do require licensure will not be considered for admission unless AMCH is currently licensed in that state. Currently AMCH is licensed to offer online programs in Arizona.  For a complete listing of states requiring licensure, please contact the Office of Admissions.  

AMCH is in compliance with State Licensing Boards regarding requirements for offering online programs in their jurisdiction. AMCH is accepting applications from prospective online students from states that do not require licensure.  

Admission Deferral

Applicants who have been offered either full or provisional admission may elect to defer their entrance to the program. This deferral may not exceed one year. A deferral will not be processed until the admission deposit is received. Those deferring admission must meet all the new admission requirements of the new class. Accepted students must defer admission by the end of the first week of the first course in the quarter in which they were accepted. Students who desire deferral must make the request in writing to the enrollment office. A non-refundable deferral fee is required to transfer deposits.

Academic Withdrawal

Any student may withdraw from the school after submitting a written request to the Registrar. See the Tuition and Fee Policies for policies pertaining to refunds.

Re-enrollment

Students denied admission may re-apply by submitting a new application for the following year.

Transfer of Credit Policy

Click here to download a Transfer of Credit Application for the Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine Program. 

Academic Transfer

Applicants who wish to transfer from another homeopathic program must meet all admissions requirements including fees. In addition, there must be a letter of recommendation and transcripts from the Dean of the School from which they are transferring indicating that the student is in good academic standing. This letter must be mailed directly to the Office of Admissions.

Transfer Credit Application

Click here for the AMCH Transfer Credit Application. Applications for transfer credit are also available at the Registrar's Office. Note that transfer credit applications will not be accepted until the prospective student has submitted an application for admission. Click here for the application.

Transfer Credit Policy
The possibility of transfer credit must be determined during the admissions process and prior to the start of the course in question. The transfer credit is determined on an individual basis, depending on homeopathic certification, academic standing, the type of program, degree, equivalency of hours and courses completed. Course work older than ten years may require a challenge examination with the appropriate fees. A neutral grade of �Satisfactory� will be awarded for all transfer credit. Only graduate-level coursework (masters or doctorate) is considered for transfer credit. Only transfer coursework completed prior to matriculation at AMCH may be applied toward transfer credit with the exception of approved coursework taken while dual enrolled at Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture (PIHMA) (see Students Attending PIHMA). Determination of advanced standing status prior to acceptance does not guarantee admission. If an applicant did not accept admission to AMCH and reapplied to enroll at a later date, the student is subject to all fees upon second application.

Transfer Credit for Medical Courses
Courses considered for medical transfer credit must have been completed at institutions with candidacy status or accredited by those bodies recognized by the profession or region as accrediting agencies. Courses used to satisfy admissions prerequisite requirements may not be used for transfer.

There are three pathways to receive transfer credit for medical courses. Licensed physicians (MD�s, DO�s, ND�s, DDS and DC�s) may place out of nearly all of the medical portion of the curriculum by submitting an advanced standing application and copies of their transcripts and medical degree. The second method is through course equivalency (see below). The third method is through challenge examination. Only certain courses can be challenged through an examination process. See the Student Handbook for a listing of courses that can be challenged by examination.

Applicants with a master's level of medical training (NP, PA, LAc, DOM, PT) can apply for advanced standing for some of the medical portion of the curriculum. Applicants should submit an application with a course catalog with course descriptions for all courses to be considered for transfer. Coursework must be completed at an accredited institution. See the Student Handbook for a listing of courses that are applicable.

Transfer Credit for Homeopathic Courses
There are three pathways to receive transfer credit for homeopathic courses. The broadest and most effective method is through national homeopathic certification (see below). The second method is through course equivalency. Applicants who apply for this method must submit a course catalog with course descriptions for all courses to be considered for transfer as part of the transfer credit application. The third method is through challenge examination. Only certain courses can be challenged through an examination process. See the Student Handbook for a listing of courses that can be challenged by examination.

Applicants who are nationally certified in homeopathic medicine through the Council for Homeopathic Certification, American Board of Homeotherapeutics or Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians may receive advanced standing for much of the homeopathic curriculum. Please see the AMCH Student Handbook for further details and a listing of homeopathic courses for which nationally certified students can receive advanced standing.  All applicants wishing to receive advanced standing must complete a transfer of credit application.

Evaluation of Credit
AMCH accepts transfer credits toward completion of its degree programs through evaluation of original transcripts. Courses must be successfully completed and taken at accredited academic institutions prior to admission to AMCH. An academic institution under consideration must have been accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) or have been a candidate for accreditation (this does not apply to homeopathic programs). AMCH reserves the right to require challenge examinations in the judgment of all transfer credits. Courses used to satisfy admissions requirements cannot be used for transfer of credit. Coursework transferred will not be included in GPA calculation.

Transfer Credit Documentation
For evaluation of transfer credit, applicants must provide official transcripts and college/school catalogs containing course descriptions. Some applicants may also be asked to provide course syllabi. Transcripts from foreign countries must be translated into English and evaluated by a credentials evaluation service.

Evaluation Process
The Registrar determines transfer of credit. A course under consideration is evaluated for equivalency to the comparable AMCH course. Factors considered in determining equivalency are as follows:

a. Equivalency of core subject matter.
b. Equivalency of course hours. Transfer credit for courses that contained 90% or more of the course hours of instruction required for the comparable AMCH course may be transferred without additional testing or tutoring. If the course hours were 60% to 89% of the course-hour requirement, the student requesting transfer credit must meet with the Academic Dean to determine whether the student must (1) pass a challenge exam in the subject (see policy below on Challenging Courses by Examination) or (2) participate in a tutorial class or required review to make up the identified deficiency. (At such a meeting, the student may be required to present detailed course descriptions and/or syllabi). Courses, for which less than 60% of the AMCH course-hour requirement has been completed, must be taken for credit at AMCH.
c. Courses under consideration for transfer of credit must have been completed with a minimum grade of "C" (2.0) or "Pass."
d. Courses under consideration for transfer of credit should have been taken within ten (10) years prior to the date of the Application, unless the applicant/student provides evidence of continuous activity within the previous two years in the specific field for which transfer of credit is requested (for example, a physician requests credit transfer for a biomedical Western science course taken more than 10 years prior to his application date).
e. Audited, continuing education and vocational courses are not equivalent, and therefore credit for these courses are generally not transferable.

Evaluation of Coursework from Non-Accredited Colleges
Students who have completed relevant coursework at non-accredited institutions may request to challenge courses at AMCH. See Challenging Courses by Examination.

Transfer of Clinic Hours
Official transcripts, catalogs and/or other official documents will be evaluated to determine whether clinic hours performed at another facility have met AMCH�s guidelines for acceptance.

Transfer Credit Fees
There is a $50 per course fee (not to exceed $300) for this evaluation. Transfer credits are not counted towards the GPA. Forms for transfer credit are available at the Office of Admissions. Courses will not be evaluated until the prospective student has applied for admission.

Transfer From AMCH to Other Institutions
Transfer of credit from AMCH to other institutions is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Credit generally depends on comparability of curricula and may depend on comparability of accreditation. Inquiries need to be directed to the receiving institution to determine the transferability of credits from AMCH.

International Transfer
All foreign coursework must meet standards approved by the National Council on the Evaluation of Foreign Education Credentials. Foreign transcripts, course descriptions and syllabi, must be translated and evaluated by an AMCH approved international transcript evaluation service. The applicant should request a subject analysis transcript evaluation, which must include grades, hours and equivalencies. The applicant is responsible for these fees. Reports should be mailed directly to the Office of Admissions. It is recommended that foreign medical doctors take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Each transcript must bear the official's signature and the school's official seal. Photocopies of educational records and documents are acceptable only if they bear an original certification of authenticity from the issuing school or examination board. The submission of notarized copies of educational records and documents and other exceptions to the above stated foreign academic credentials policy will be considered when recommended by recognized organizations such as AACRAO and NAFSA. AMCH reserves the right to verify the authenticity of applicants' academic records with the issuing institutions.

Applicants Whose First Language is Not English
All students whose first language is not English must demonstrate adequate English language proficiency in advance of admission. English language proficiency must be verified in one of the following ways:

1. Applicants may sit for either the International Testing Program or the Special Center Testing Program of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of 550 on the paper-based test (PBT), 213 on the computer test, or 79 on the internet-based test (IBT) is required, with a score of at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English. Information on TOEFL and the TSE is available from the Admissions Office. Test results must be received prior to issuance of full admission.
2. Applicants may submit a properly certified copy of their General Certificate of Education administered by a British Testing Agency showing a grade of A, B, or C in the subject English Language. Recognized equivalent examinations will also be considered.
3. Applicants may submit academic records certifying that they have graduated from a recognized secondary school, college or university where English is the exclusive language of instruction and is located in an English-speaking country.
4. Applicants may demonstrate that they have lived in and / or worked in the United States for more than 10 years.
5. Applicants may submit academic records certifying that they have completed courses, totaling at least 6 semester hours, equivalent to both English
101 (English Composition I) and English 102 (English Composition II) with earned grades of "C" or better at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

Residential Requirements
AMCH requires that all students must complete at least 18 months of study at the college to be eligible for graduation. This means that a maximum of 230 quarter credit hours (out of a total of 367) can be transferred.

Students Attending Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture
Students enrolled in approved coursework at the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture (PIHMA) must sign an acknowledgement form in order to drop the equivalent courses from the AMCH track program. After coursework is completed at PIHMA, an official transcript must be received from PIHMA in order for those courses to be transferred. It is the student's responsibility to inform the Registrar's Office if the student withdraws from courses at PIHMA in order to make necessary changes in the student's schedule. Failure to successfully complete PIHMA courses as scheduled may delay clinical entry and/or graduation. Graduation from AMCH is contingent upon completing all equivalent courses at PIHMA with a grade of C or better.

Challenging for Transfer or Test Credit
Students may ask in writing to take a challenge examination in order to receive credit (transfer or otherwise) for courses that do not meet equivalency requirements. Students who have received informal education and training at sources from which there is no transcript to evaluate, or whose credit policies are different from AMCH, may challenge courses if the subject of the course material is comparable to courses at AMCH. Students can only challenge for credit within the first two weeks of beginning a course.

All students taking challenge examinations are required to:

1. Submit a written notification to the Registrar.
2. Provide written documentation such as certified letters, course materials, certificates, et cetera of the informal education and training, which may include career experience applicable to the course being challenged.
3. Pay a challenge examination fee.

The Registrar will assure that the student is provided with (1) a course syllabus, and/or (2) a list of reading materials required in the course. The Faculty Member and/or the Registrar will schedule the day and time for the test to be taken, assign a proctor, and will make arrangements for the test to be graded. After the exam has been passed (by 80% or higher required), the student will receive credit. The student will receive a Satisfactory on his or her transcript to indicate the award of transfer credit. If the student fails the test (a grade of 79% or lower), he or she must register and pay for the course and successfully complete the course in the classroom setting. The challenge fee is non-refundable. If the student changes his or her mind and decides to not take the test after it has been prepared, the student will not be refunded the challenge fee, and must additionally register and pay full tuition for the course and successfully complete the course in the classroom setting.

Advanced Standing Placement Hours

The following represent possible advance placement hours of applicants.  The actual number of hours can only be determined through the advanced standing application process.  CHC or DHANP national certification represents the maximum number of homeopathic hours that an applicant can place out of.  Applicants falling into categories not listed below need to submit an advanced standing application to determine hours.  

New Student Orientation

A student orientation is conducted for all new students. Attendance is mandatory. For the degree program, this is conducted in a one-week retreat format prior to the beginning of the first class. For the certificate programs, this is conducted on the first day of the first course. The orientation is intended to introduce students to the school community. Staff and faculty review expectations, learning opportunities and policies. 

Veteran's

AMCH was granted approval by the Arizona Department of Veteran's Services, Office of Veterans Education, also known as the State Approving Agency.  For more information please refer to the following website: http://www.gibill.va.gov/  or the State of Arizona Department of Veterans' Services Education Division 3225 North Central Avenue, Suite 316 Phoenix, Arizona 85012 2407 (602) 255 5395.