Dietetic Internship Admission Requirements

UC San Diego Health's Dietetic Internship is a nine-month program that offers experiences in clinical nutrition, food service management and outpatient and community nutrition.

Read our application and selection criteria — including information for international students — and learn how to apply for a dietetic internship.

Dietetic Internship Application Criteria

To be considered for acceptance into the UC San Diego Health Dietetic Internship, candidates must have:

Master's degree: Completion of a minimum of a master's degree before the start date of the internship program.
Verification statement or declaration of intent: Applicants must have completed, or be in the process of completing, an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD).
Minimum GPA: 3.0
Recency of education: Internship applicants must be able to demonstrate completion of coursework in dietetics or advanced nutrition and/or sufficient evidence of clinical practice within the three years before the starting date of the internship. Students who need to improve their knowledge and/or skills will be advised to complete coursework recommended by the Internship Director.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee uses the following criteria when reviewing applications:

Academics: Overall GPA and DPD GPA (minimum 3.0)
Work experience: Paid or voluntary experience. We value employment that demonstrates responsibility, dependability, time management, cooperation, and leadership. Work experience related to all areas of nutrition and dietetics is considered. However, as we are a clinically-focused program, any clinical experience is highly valued.
References: Three letters of recommendation are required. We require one letter of recommendation from a work or volunteer supervisor and one letter of recommendation from an academic reference (professor, academic advisor, DPD Director). The third letter may be from either a supervisor or an academic reference.
Personal statement: Responses to the DICAS Personal Statement prompts and UC San Diego Health Supplemental Application are reviewed. Strong responses will be well-written, address all questions, include concrete examples, and display the skills that will make you a successful dietetic intern.
Extracurricular activities: We will consider involvement in activities that demonstrate an ability to solve problems, collaborate with others, and show leadership.

International Students

Proof of visa status for non-U.S. citizens: Non-U.S. citizens must provide proof of appropriate visa status. A non-U.S. citizen must be approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to complete a dietetic internship. It is the student's responsibility to coordinate the OPT application with their DPD/master's university. The intern must maintain a valid visa status for the duration of the nine-month program. UC San Diego Health is unable to sponsor visas.

International students wishing to apply must follow the procedures set forth by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Please refer to the International Students portion of the ACEND website for more details.

International students whose first language is not English must be certified to have the requisite English-language communication skills through one of the following:

Qualifying speaking score: Meet the required speaking score on TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or DET standardized language exams.
Prior degree exemption: Applicants may be exempt from submitting standardized language exam scores if they earned a prior degree with a GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent, with average grades of B) or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the only language of instruction, or from a foreign college or university where English is the only language of instruction.

Before You Apply

Check the program schedule, costs and completion requirements before applying for UC San Diego Health's Dietetic Internship.

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How to Apply to Our Dietetic Internship

The UC San Diego Health Dietetic Internship participates in the Spring application cycle through Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS). DICAS charges $50 for the first program you apply to and $25 for each additional program.

Completion of our Dietetic Internship Supplemental Internship Application is mandatory, and it must be included with your DICAS application to be considered for our program. The supplemental application should be uploaded to the "Program Materials" section of your DICAS application.

Read our Dietetic Internship Application Checklist, which is a step-by-step guide to the application process. All materials must be submitted by the January deadline. Any application materials submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

All applications must be received no later than Jan. 6, 2027, via the DICAS portal. Top-ranked applicants will be contacted to schedule a virtual interview in February. Applicants will be notified of admissions decisions via email no later than March 1, 2027.

ACEND-accredited programs and applicants to dietetics programs are expected to abide by the traffic rules during the application and selection process.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state law and university policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access, and treatment in university programs and activities.