Diploma in Tropical Medicine Admissions

The Diploma in Tropical Medicine program courses are designed for physicians, physician assistant or those in training and are therefore limited to:

• Third- and fourth-year medical students.
• Physician assistants and students in the physician assistant programs.
• Healthcare professionals such as registered nurses and nurse practitioners with clinical experience.
• Those holding an M.D. or D.O. degree including physicians, residents, fellows, and postdoc fellows.
• Note: Non-clinical students could take module 3 (Tropical Medicine in Practice)

• Non-BCM/TMC students: $2,561 (or $687 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• Non-BCM/TMC-affiliated House Staff (e.g residents and fellows): $3,800 (or $1,100 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• Non-BCM/TMC Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners: $4,500 (or $1,333 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• Non-BCM/TMC Physicians: $8,100 (or $2,534 per module plus $500 lab fees)

Notes:

• International learners: $500 Visa processing fee
• Non-BCM/TMC learners who choose fully online option do not pay lab fees
• If there are changes in status, job title, or place of employment, the fees charged for the specific modules will be adjusted to reflect the new status.
• For financial assistance visit the scholarship page.

Students at Baylor College of Medicine may take the Diploma in Tropical Medicine course with no additional charges beyond their tuition. Discounts are available for others at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Medical Center affiliated institutions:

• Baylor College of Medicine students: No charge
• Baylor House Staff (e.g., residents, fellows): $2,680 (or $727 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• Baylor physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners: $3,080 (or $860 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• Baylor physicians: $5,400 (or $1,633 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• TMC-affiliated students: $2,100 (or $533 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• TMC-affiliated House Staff (e.g residents and fellows): $3,000 (or $833 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• TMC-affiliated Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners: $3,480 (or $993 per module plus $500 lab fees)
• TMC Physicians: $6,100 (or $1,867 per module plus $500 lab fees)

Note: If there are changes in status, job title, or place of employment, the fees charged for the specific modules will be adjusted to reflect new status. For financial assistance, visit the scholarship webpage.

Each module is charged separately but learners are required to pay for all modules a month before the 1st modules begins. The refund policy applies to each module independently.

• Withdraws ten business days before classes begin - 100 percent
• Withdraws on the first day of class - 60 percent
• Withdraws on the second day of class - 40 percent
• Withdraws on the third day of class - 20 percent
• Withdraws after the third day of class - 0 percent

Note: For a one-week course, students will receive a refund of 50 percent only after dropping on the first day of class.

There is no fee for this application. Tuition will be due after acceptance to the Diploma of Tropical Medicine program.

We begin accepting applications for the 2027 Diploma in Tropical Medicine program on June 1, 2026. The deadline for the 2027 session is 11:59 p.m. on Sep. 1, 2026 for domestic and international applicants. The online application and all supporting documentation (e.g. transcripts, letters of recommendation) must be submitted by the due date.

Online Application (Please use Chrome on a Windows-based PC): Applicants need to complete the online application for the Diploma in Tropical Medicine. The online application may be completed in multiple sessions. The applicants will be asked to provide information related to academic qualifications, research and work experience, honors, awards, scholarships, and publications. In addition, the applicants need to provide (a) a personal statement explaining the reason for pursuing a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and (b) an international experience essay describing relevant prior experience within developing countries or the anticipated relevance of this program if the applicants have no prior international experience.

Note: Arrangements for asynchronous lectures for modules 2 and 3 must be approved by the course director at the time of application.

Transcripts:

• Baylor students - No transcripts required
• Non-Baylor students – Official transcripts required
• Healthcare professionals - Medical diploma or medical license required. Note: medical license information will be verified.

Letters of Recommendation:

• Baylor School of Medicine, Health Professions students and Infectious Disease fellows do not need to provide letters of recommendations.
• Baylor Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences students need to provide a letter of support from the school.
• Baylor employees need to provide two letters of recommendation.
• Non-Baylor applicants need to provide three letters of recommendation.

English Proficiency Requirement (for foreign applicants): Applicants whose native language is not English are required to score a minimum TOEFL score of 90 on the internet-based test (ibt) or 6.5 on IELTS exams taken within the last two years. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived for individuals who have received a degree from a U.S. university. For foreign medical graduates, ECFMG certification can be used to fulfill the English proficiency requirement. 

A foreign applicant may request to waive TOEFL requirement if one of the following conditions is met:

1. The applicant will have attended a school for at least four years where English is the primary language of instruction.
2. The applicant will have lived for at least four years in a country where English is the primary language.

The course director will make the final determination based on overall work experience, education, and verbal/written communication.

Note: Once admitted, students do not need to reapply again to enroll in a different session.

Applicants will be notified of their admission status by the end of October.

Submit documents to:

Academic Coordinator
National School of Tropical Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza - BCM 113
Houston, Texas, 77030