How to Apply to Bastyr University

Updated

Bastyr University's application process is built around a four-step admissions sequence: chat with your Admissions Advisor, sign up for a Faculty FAQ session, meet with Financial Aid, and connect with a recent graduate or schedule a campus tour. The university lists Fall cohorts starting September 24, with Fall programs including ND, MSN-DPD, MW, BSH, and DAC Completion. If you are targeting a Fall start, work through these steps early, since each one feeds into the next and some (like Financial Aid) depend on having your program and timeline settled first.

The Four-Step Admissions Sequence

Bastyr lays out the process as a numbered path on its admissions-facing pages:

  1. Chat with your Admissions Advisor — Your first contact point. This is where you confirm which program fits your background and get your questions about prerequisites and cohort timing answered.
  2. Sign up for a Faculty FAQ session — A chance to hear directly from faculty about curriculum and expectations in your intended program.
  3. Meet with Financial Aid — The page lists a contact address, [email protected], and notes that a scheduling link is coming soon. If the link isn't live yet, use the email to start the conversation.
  4. Chat with a recent Bastyr grad or schedule a Campus Tour — The final step before applying, giving you a sense of student experience and the physical campus.

Each step is designed to be completed in order, so treat the sequence as a checklist rather than a menu.

Fall Cohorts and Program Timing

Bastyr's page states that Fall cohorts start September 24. The Fall programs named are:

  • ND — Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
  • MSN-DPD — Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD)
  • MW — Midwifery
  • BSH — Bachelor of Science in Herbal Science
  • DAC Completion — a completion track for the Doctor of Acupuncture

If your intended program appears on this list, the September 24 start date is your target. If it doesn't, check the admissions pages for other cohort intakes before assuming a Fall start applies to you.

Online and Degree-Completion Options

Bastyr also promotes flexible online graduate degrees, which follow the same admissions steps but may have different cohort calendars:

  • Master of Science in Exercise Science — described as a holistic foundation in movement science, preparing graduates to design personalized exercise programs and pursue industry certifications.
  • Master of Science in Integrative Nutrition — covers whole-food nutrition, culinary medicine, counseling skills, and disease prevention in a student-centered online format.
  • Bachelor of Science in Herbal Science — a bachelor degree completion track, positioned as a foundation for the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program.

If you are applying to one of these, confirm with your Admissions Advisor whether the September 24 cohort applies or whether online programs run on a separate schedule.

What to Prepare Before You Start

The page does not list specific application documents, deadlines, or fees, so the practical move is to use Step 1 to get those details directly. Before your advisor chat, have ready:

  • The program you're targeting (ND, MSN-DPD, MW, BSH, DAC Completion, or an online master's)
  • Your prior transcripts or degree completion status, especially for the BSH completion track
  • Your intended start term, so Financial Aid can give you relevant guidance

A Note on the Clinic Move

Bastyr announced that its Bastyr Center for Natural Health has moved to the Kenmore campus as of January 2026, consolidating teaching, learning, and clinical care in one location and reducing travel for faculty and students. If you plan a campus tour as part of Step 4, the Kenmore campus is now the single site for both academics and clinical operations.

Where to Go Next

Start with the admissions contact for your program, then move through the four steps in order. The Financial Aid email ([email protected]) is the one concrete contact point listed; the scheduling link is noted as coming soon, so email if the link isn't available when you need it. For program-specific questions, the Faculty FAQ session in Step 2 is the right venue.