How to get into Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
How to get into Charles R. Drew: the LA health-sciences university where the admit math is almost entirely about pre-health pipeline fit
38.7%
Acceptance rate
$23,000
In-state cost
What makes Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science admissions different
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is a small private health-sciences university (~280 undergrads) in the Watts/Willowbrook neighborhood of South Los Angeles, founded 1966 in the wake of the Watts uprising. CDU is a designated HSI and HBGI (Historically Black Graduate Institution), explicitly mission-focused on training underrepresented health professionals for medically underserved communities. CDU does not use the Common App, requires test scores, and primarily admits transfer students into its small upper-division undergraduate programs. The MD program is the school's most prominent unit; the Physician Assistant, BSN Nursing, Public Health, and Biomedical Sciences pipelines are the undergraduate paths in.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply via the CDU online application (not Common App). Submit your high school transcript and any college transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.
- 2.
Plan for the small-cohort, transfer-friendly undergraduate model. CDU admits limited freshmen — most undergraduate enrollment is transfer-in from community colleges, with the Mervyn M. Dymally College of Nursing's RN-to-BSN and the Biomedical Sciences B.S. as the most common entry points.
- 3.
Maintain a 2.5+ unweighted GPA (the published minimum) but plan for higher in practice for the most selective tracks (Nursing, PA, MD pipeline).
- 4.
Write the personal statement with reference to CDU's mission: training health professionals for underserved communities. The mission is the central admit lens; applicants who don't reflect awareness of it are misreading the file.
- 5.
Plan around the South LA campus and the integrated King-Drew Medical Center clinical experience. CDU's location and clinical partners are core to the educational model.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Applying as a generic undergraduate without health-sciences direction. CDU's undergraduate enrollment is small and pre-professional; applicants without a health-careers focus are not the right fit.
- ✕
Skipping test scores. CDU is test-required in recent cycles and uses scores for admission decisions.
- ✕
Underestimating the transfer-heavy model. Freshman seats are limited and most students enter as transfers from community colleges.
The specifics for Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Application deadlines
- Freshman applicationMarch 1, 2026
- Transfer applicationRollingMost undergraduate enrollment is transfer-in from community colleges
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Mission-driven health-sciences focus ↗
CDU is a designated HSI and HBGI, founded 1966 in the aftermath of the Watts uprising to train health professionals for medically underserved communities. Every undergraduate program is health-careers-aligned.
King-Drew Medical Center partnership
Clinical training integrated with Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center; undergraduate health-sciences students have direct clinical exposure unusual for B.S. programs.
Transfer-heavy undergraduate model
Most undergraduate enrollment enters as transfers from LA-area community colleges; freshman seats are limited and highly mission-aligned.
Notable scholarships at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Cal Grant
California residents who file FAFSA/CADAA by March 2 with qualifying GPA and family income.
Charles R. Drew Pipeline Scholarships
Mission-aligned scholarships for underrepresented students pursuing health careers; awarded through institutional aid office.
What graduates actually do
Charles R. Drew University, founded after the 1965 Watts uprising to address South L.A.'s health-care crisis, is a private HBCU focused on health professions. The university partners with UCLA in the Drew-UCLA Medical Education Program, producing physicians committed to serving underrepresented communities, and its public health, nursing, and PA programs supply much of Los Angeles County's safety-net workforce.
Notable alumni
- David Carlisle — President of Charles R. Drew University
Transfer pathway
CDU's undergraduate health-sciences programs accept transfers from California community colleges and prioritize applicants from medically underserved areas. Health-professions tracks (PA, nursing, public health) require specific science prerequisites. CDU participates in the Saturday Science Academy pipeline and the South L.A. community college consortium.
Articulation partners
Los Angeles Southwest College · Compton College · El Camino College · Long Beach City College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
CDU is a meaningful match for transfer students from Los Angeles community colleges who want a small, mission-focused health-sciences pathway. Freshman applicants face limited seat availability; the friendlier path is to complete prerequisites at a CCC and transfer in.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.