Clinical Laboratory Scientist Certificate

Applicants whose overall GPA falls below the 2.8 minimum may complete additional coursework to improve their academic record. Coursework used for GPA remediation must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be completed at a regionally accredited college or university.

• Be taken at the undergraduate, graduate, or post-baccalaureate level.

• Consist of upper-division coursework relevant to the Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) or Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientist (CGMBS) professions, such as advanced biology, genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, or related laboratory sciences. General education/non-science courses will not be counted toward GPA remediation.

• Be completed for a letter grade.

• Continuing education, extension, professional development, certificate, and non-credit courses will not be accepted for GPA remediation purposes.

• The Admissions Committee reserves the right to determine whether coursework is appropriate for GPA remediation and sufficiently relevant to clinical laboratory science, molecular diagnostics, or related biomedical sciences.

Applicants who earned a degree or completed prerequisite coursework outside the United States must obtain a course-by-course transcript evaluation from one of the following approved agencies:

• World Education Services (WES) - This is SJSU's preferred agency.

• National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)

• Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc (AICE)

• Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

• TEC/Spantran (The Evaluation Company) 

Note: Foreign students must also complete a minimum of 12-semester units of upper-division prerequisite course work in the United States. If accepted into the program, your bachelor's degree, TOEFL score, and official foreign transcripts must also be deemed acceptable by San José State University Admissions Department. 

• Application opens early March; deadline of May 14 for Spring admission.

  • Final day to request an application folder:  April 30. No new application folders will be created after this date.

  • Virtual SJSU interviews: mid–to late August.

  • Affiliate interviews: early September through early October

  • Offers extended: mid-October

• Application opens August 17; deadline of November 13 for Fall admission.

  • Final day to request an application folder: October 30. No new application folders will be created after this date.

  • Virtual SJSU interviews: mid-to late January

  • Affiliate interviews: mid-February through early March.

  • Offers extended: mid-March

Confirm Eligibility and Readiness

• Hold a valid CLS Trainee License issued by the California Department of Public Health – Laboratory Field Services (LFS). Applicants with a pending trainee license application will not be considered, as a pending application is not an approved license. Requirements and application instructions are available on the LFS website.

• Complete all general and program-specific admission requirements.

Complete the CLS Application Readiness Assessment

• Complete the CLS Application Readiness Assessment and review your score carefully.

• Responses to the readiness questionnaire are reviewed prior to the creation of an application folder. Applicants whose responses indicate potential deficiencies in academic preparation, eligibility, or program readiness may be asked to provide additional information before proceeding with the application process. Submission of a readiness assessment does not guarantee that an application folder will be issued.

Submit Intent to Apply

• Send an email to cls-group@sjsu.edu with the following:

  • Subject line: INTENT TO APPLY-Spring 2027- Your Last Name, First Name

  • Attach: A PDF copy of your valid CLS Trainee License

  • Re-applicants: Please indicate that you are a re-applicant in your email.

  • If you have previously requested an application folder or applied to the SJSU CLS or CGMBS Program, please indicate that you are a reapplicant in your email.

  • Please also specify the most recent cohort for which you applied or requested an application folder, even if your application was not completed or ultimately submitted. This information helps program staff process your request more efficiently.

Application Workspace Setup

• After your Intent to Apply is received and verified:

  • SJSU will provide a shared Google Drive folder for document submission.

  • SJSU will also provide a shared Google Sheet where you will enter:

    • Schools attended

    • License information

    • Contact information for recommenders

    • Application information, including education and course work

• Note: All official communication from you relevant to this application occurs through your shared Google Sheet.

Recommendations

• Enter the names of your recommenders on your shared Google Sheet before requesting recommendations. (Three letters min/max required)

• Send each recommender the newly revised Confidential Recommendation Form.

• Recommenders must return the completed form directly to: cls-group@sjsu.edu

• Important:

  • Failure to follow the instructions below may result in deductions to your application score.

    • Do not request letters of recommendation until after you have received your application folder and completed the recommender information section of your application sheet. Letters received before this step is completed may result in point deductions.

    • Applicants must submit a minimum of three and a maximum of three letters of recommendation. Additional letters received beyond the required three will not be accepted and will negatively impact your application.

    • Preferred recommenders include:

      • Supervisors, managers, work leads

      • Instructors, particularly those who taught relevant coursework

    • Unacceptable recommenders include:

      • Coworkers

      • Peers

      • Friends

      • Family members

• Tracking Recommendation Letter Status

  • SJSU CLS staff update your shared application sheet as recommendation letters are received. Please allow up to one business day for processing after a letter is submitted.

  • Do not email CLS staff or add comments to your application sheet requesting recommendation status updates.

  • Once all required letters have been received, your application sheet will be updated and you will be notified through your application folder.

  • You may submit your application as complete even if recommendation letters are still pending.

  • Applicants are responsible for ensuring that recommendation letters are submitted on time. The program cannot contact recommenders or grant exceptions for late submissions.

  • Recommendation letters may be received up to two weeks after the application deadline and will be included in the applicant's application folder.

  • Applicants are responsible for ensuring that recommendation letters are submitted within this timeframe. Letters received after the two-week grace period will be retained by the program but will not be included in the completed application folder reviewed by the Selection Committee.

Required Documents

Upload PDF versions of the following into your shared Google Drive folder:

• Technical Standards Acknowledgment

  • Completed Technical Standards Acknowledgment Form.

• Personal Statement

  • Follow the instructions on the Personal Statement Form.

  • Answer the assigned essay prompts.

  • Personal Statements may be reviewed by the Application Review Committee and participating clinical affiliates.

• Transcripts

  • Include every college or university attended.

  • Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at this stage (Unofficial transcripts include copies in your possession, either scanned or printed from a student portal).

  • Official transcripts will be required only if selected for official admission to SJSU following the interview and matching stage.

  • For extension coursework, the grade report is acceptable for this stage.

• Resume

  • Must be clearly formatted and free of errors.

  • Must include month and year for all employment dates.

  • Must clearly designate volunteer or part-time positions.

  • SJSU and clinical affiliates reserve the right to verify all information.

• Licenses and Certificates (if applicable).
  Examples include:

  • MLT license

  • CPT-1 license

  • MLS certificates

• International Course Work

  • Applicants with coursework completed outside the U.S. or U.S. Territories must provide a course-by-course transcript evaluation. See admission requirements page for more information.

    
    

    • Upload the evaluation only at this stage

    • Do not upload foreign transcripts

    • You must meet the admissions requirements of Graduate Studies

Final Application Tasks

• • Address all remaining items listed on your shared Google Sheet.

  • Pay the $110 application fee following the instructions provided on your shared Google Sheet. This application fee is separate from the later Cal State Apply Fee required if admitted to the program.

  • Upload a PDF copy of your payment receipt to your shared Google Drive folder.

Submit for Committee Review

• • When all required materials are uploaded and complete, send an email to cls-group@sjsu.edu. 

  • Subject line: FOLDER COMPLETE – TERM YEAR - Last Name, First Name

    (Example: FOLDER COMPLETE – Fall 2027 - Doe, John)

    Applications with all applicant-submitted materials complete will be forwarded according to the program's review process; recommendation letters may remain pending during the stated grace period.

Common Reasons Why Applications Are Deemed Ineligible

Applications may be deemed ineligible and removed from further review for reasons including, but not limited to, the following:

• Failure to meet the minimum GPA requirement without documentation of acceptable GPA remediation.

• Grades below the required “B” minimum in prerequisites without evidence of successful remediation.

• Failure to complete the Technical Standards Acknowledgement.

• Incomplete application materials or missing required documentation.

Failure to follow application instructions, submission procedures, and other required application processes will result in points deduction during the Selection Committee’s scoring phase.

Applicants must maintain a valid trainee license throughout the application and selection process. Applicants with an expired license are not eligible to continue through the application process. This could result in not being invited to interviews or not being available to be matched with a training site.  Do not allow your trainee license to expire.

Applicants are required to complete the Application Readiness Assessment and carefully review these requirements before proceeding.