Where is training provided?

We have affiliated hospitals throughout the State of California.  Students who train at hospitals close to campus attend lectures here at San José State University.  Students who train outside of this area participate in lectures live online. For a list of our clinical affiliates, see PDF below. (Not all clinical affiliates participate each cycle.  Some sites take students each cycle, others take  students once a year or once every 18 months.)

When does the program begin?

After an interview process, selected students enroll in the program for 3 continuous semesters.  We take two cohorts a year, one beginning in August/September and one in February/March.  The lecture portion of training begins a few weeks in advance of the clinical rotations.  The laboratory training component of training continues for 52 consecutive weeks to meet State of California Requirements.

What are the minimum program requirements?

• Bachelor's Degree in biology or a related field conferred
• GPA of 2.8 or higher
• Hematology, Immunology and Medical Microbiology completed with B grades or better within 5 years of application to the program 
• Valid CLS Trainee License issued by the State of California Department of Public Health
• In addition to the courses required to be eligible for the CLS Trainee License, our program requires completion of a Genetics course and a Physiology course.

All candidates need to be able to pass a health screen, drug test, and background check and provide proof of current immunizations/immunity to Hepatitis B and other infectious diseases as required by the clinical affiliates. 

All prerequisites must be completed with grades documented (see complete prerequisite list provided in program brochure PDF below). 

Are there additional requirements for applicants with degrees from foreign countries? 

For applicants who have completed prerequisites or a degree in a foreign country, a course-by-course transcript evaluation is required from one of the following agencies.

Foreign students must complete a minimum of 12-semester units of upper-division prerequisite coursework in the United States.

How do I apply?

Begin by ensuring you have a gmail compatible email address as we will be using Google Docs

Send an email to cls-group@sjsu.edu and enter in the subject line:  INTENT TO APPLY - Spring 2021 (or for the following cohort if you don't think you will be ready to apply until that application cycle).

You will be sent a link to a Google folder where you will be able to begin assembling the required documents (Personal Statement, Resume, Transcripts (unofficial OK for this initial screening purpose).  We will not be accepting these documents through postal mail.

You will also be provided with a Google spreadsheet where you provide us with pertinent information including a list all of the schools that we should expect to see transcripts from, License information and a list of your recommenders along with their contact information.  The CLS Program will log in the required Letters of Recommendation on this spreadsheet as they are received (as they are confidential between the CLS Program and the recommender, you will not have access to them).  Some instructions on how to use the Google spreadsheet appear at the top for your convenience.

Please upload PDFs NOT jpg or png (photos or screenshots are not acceptable).

Recommenders should send their recommendation letters via email to:  CLS-group@sjsu.edu  

When all of the required application documents are assembled and accounted for on the shared google doc, you will complete and send your Attestation along with your Application Fee to our office. Mail Attestation and application fee of $100 (check or money order) made payable to SJSU Research Foundation to:

SJSU CLS Training Program

1 Washington Square

San Jose, CA 95192-0100

Our review committee will not look at any of your documents until the application package is complete and we have received your attestation and application fee.

When is the application deadline?    

The application deadline for the Fall Cohort is January 15th.

Monday lecture begins late August. Tuesday - Friday internship begins the first week of September and is one calendar year in length.

Interviews for Fall are usually in mid to late March.

The application deadline for the Spring Cohort is July 15th.

Monday lecture begins mid February. Tuesday - Friday internship begins early March and is one calendar year in length.

Interviews for Spring are usually in late September or early October.

What supporting documents are required?

Applicants are asked to provide three letters of recommendation supporting their application.  A form is supplied below.  Please request letters of support from professors who know you well and/or from people in a supervisory capacity and are familiar with your work. Either paid employment or volunteer work provide good opportunities for letters of recommendation.  We do not accept letters of recommendations from co-workers, friends or peers.  If your professor or supervisor are willing to write a letter in addition to filling out the form, it will be beneficial to your application.

Since your letters of recommendation are confidential between your recommender and the SJSU CLS Training Program, they will be collected via email from your recommender and stored in a folder connected to your application folder where you upload your other supporting documents.

Please provide copies of transcripts supporting all of your prerequisite coursework as well as your bachelors degree.Please note, we do not require official transcripts.  You may scan and upload a copy of your transcripts or a pdf version of your transcripts downloaded from your school's website as long as they are clearly marked by the university with your name.

If prerequisites were taken at a foreign university or your bachelors degree was conferred by a foreign university, we require a copy of your transcript evaluation done by a member of one of the two agencies accepted by Laboratory Field Services (NACES or AICE).  You do not need to provide copies of your foreign transcripts -- only the evaluation.

Your transcripts must be uploaded by you to your Google folder. We will not be accepting them via email or electronic transfer from your university. 

A valid CLS Trainee License granted by the State of California is required at the time of application.

Candidates are also required to sign and upload a copy of the Technical Standards (PDF located at bottom of page), indicating that you have the physical capabilities required for the work of a CLS.

Resume

Personal Statement

When is the deadline for supporting documents?

All supporting documents must be uploaded to your folder and Attestation along with $100 application fee postmarked by the application deadline.  

Supporting documents include:

• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts (and transcript evaluation of educated at a foreign university)
• Personal Statement (see prompt and instructions below)
• Resume
• Valid CLS Trainee License
• If you are MLT or CPT1, please provide copy of that license

When should I apply?

You must have a CLS Trainee License granted by the State of California in order to be considered.  

In order to apply for a CLS Trainee License, you must have grades for all prerequisite courses and bachelors degree posted to your transcripts.  It can take a month or more for your training license application to be processed and a license granted.  It is up to you to plan your application accordingly.  (See SJSU CLS Training Program Brochure PDF below for complete list of prerequisites).

In addition to the courses required for your CLS Trainee License, you must have completed and have supporting documents reflecting completion/grades for Human or Mammalian Physiology and Genetics.

Is it beneficial to apply early?

Yes! It is advantageous to begin requesting letters and transcripts well in advance of the application deadline in the event any followup is necessary to ensure your file is complete by the application deadline.

All files are submitted to the selection committee as they are completed.  It is helpful to the process of evaluating the large number of applicants if they all don't arrive at the same time.  

If you are prepared, please proceed with submitting your application as early as possible.

How competitive is the application process?

Each 6-month cycle we receive approximately 140 applications.  The selection committee evaluates candidates and scores them with a rubric.  Those scores are compiled and candidates ranked by score.  The selection committee will then invite the highest ranked 40-44 candidates to tour the participating training hospitals and interview with our education coordinators. Ultimately we match and train approximately 25 students each cohort (see Interview and Matching Process PDF below for more information).

To be a competitive, a candidate must:

• Meet our minimum requirements including at least a 2.8 overall GPA
• Complete and provide grades for all prerequisites (consult program brochure PDF below for a list of prerequisites)
• Earn a B grade or better in the courses that are particularly key to the profession of a CLS (Immunology Hematology and Medical Microbiology)
• Write a compelling personal statement
• Provide strong letters of support
• Provide evidence of relevant lab skills (we highly recommend labs for Hematology and Medical Microbiology)
• Hold a valid CLS Trainee License granted by the State of California, Department of Public Health

Applications are limited to three attempts. Unless a candidate has made significant changes to their application (experience, additional coursework, stronger letters of recommendation, a more compelling personal statement), they will have the same experience with subsequent applications. Re-applicants who may have been invited to interview previously are not guaranteed a subsequent invitation to interview. They must be competitive with the current cohort of applicants. Re-applicants are advised to highlight improvements in their application in their updated personal statement.

Where can I take the prerequisite courses if they are not offered at my university?

Locally, the prerequisites courses are offered by SJSU, SFSU, UC Berkeley Extension, CSU East Bay and CSU Sacramento.  De Anza College offers Hematology, Immunology, Medical Microbiology and Clinical Chemistry through their MLT program on a seat available basis.  

Commonly used online resources include UC Berkeley Extension and University of North Dakota.

We encourage candidates to take the lab component for Hematology and Medical Microbiology as they are particularly key to the profession of a CLS.

Where do I apply for the required CLS Trainee license?

License information can be found at:  https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OSPHLD/LFS/Pages/CLS-Trainee.aspx

Note: Specialist licenses are listed at the top.  You will be applying for the generalist CLS Trainee License and will begin that process at the bottom of that webpage.

What are the steps in the application/acceptance process?

What is the cost of the program?

The cost of the program is spread out over three semesters, with students taking 15 units each semester for a total of 45 units.  Each unit costs $280. Our students are eligible for federal student loans.

Most of our clinical affiliates offer a stipend ranging from $1,000-$3,000 per month or hire the students training at their facility as a minimum-wage benefited employee.  Currently, there are two sites that do not offer this benefit.

Program Outcomes:

Prospective students can be confident that our program will prepare them for a career as a CLS.  We provide a comprehensive program and are proud of our students' successful careers. 

Graduation/Attrition Rates

100% (235/235) of students who started SJSU CLS Training Program from 2013-2018 successfully graduated from the program.

Board of Certification Pass Rate

99.57% (234/235) of graduates from 2013-2018 passed the ASCP Board of Certification examination within one year of graduation.

Job Placement Rates

99.57% (234/235) of graduates from 2013 to 2018 found employment in the field or in a closely-related field and/or continued their education within one year of graduation

Accreditation:.

The SJSU CLS Training Program is approved by Laboratory Field Services, a division of the State of California, Department of Public Health (https://www.cdph.ca.gov).

The program is accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) (http://www.naacls.org), and our graduated students are eligible to take the ASCP national certification exam.  For more information, you can contact NAACLS directly at:  5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018 or by calling 773-714-8880.  You can also reach them on the web by emailing info@naacls.org.

See PDFs below for more information.  Prerequisites are listed within the CLS Training Program brochure.

Questions?