Frequently Asked Questions

1. When can I log in to VSAS?
2. When do our students use VSAS?
3. Does my school need to use VSAS?
4. I have an access code, what's next?
5. How do I log in to VSAS?
6. Can Canadian, international and osteopathic students use VSAS?
7. Will all institutions be VSAS host institutions?
8. What is a "home school"?
9. What is a "host institution"?
10. Who pays VSAS fees?
11. Will VSAS host institutions also charge application fees?
12. What is an "authorization"?
13. What if I forgot my password?
14. What if I forgot my username?
15. What is a VSAS Primary Contact?
16. Do you offer online tutorials?
17. Do students enrolled at a VSAS host institution automatically use VSAS?
18. How do I grant access to inactive students in VSAS?
19. Do the host institutions have additional application requirements outside of VSAS?

1. When can I log in to VSAS?

If you are not the VSAS Primary Contact at your institution, you may log in to VSAS once the Primary Contact adds you as a VSAS user. Once added, you will receive the "VSAS: New User Instructions" email which will explain how to access the service.

2. When do our students use VSAS?

Your students ONLY need to use VSAS if they are applying to senior away electives at any of our VSAS host institutions.

3. Does my school need to use VSAS?

U.S. LCME medical schools will only use VSAS if your students apply for senior away electives at any of our host institutions.

4. I have an access code, what's next?

When your school adds you as a VSAS user, you will automatically be sent the "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail which will contain an access code.

Go to the AAMC's registration Web page and submit the access code. If you already have an AAMC Login (the same login you may already use for AMCAS, ERAS, CIM, etc.), please enter that username and password. If you do not have one, follow the instructions to register with AAMC. Before completing this process, you will be asked to choose an AAMC username and password (if you do not have one already).

5. How do I log in to VSAS?

Before you may log in, the VSAS Primary Contact at your school will need to add you as a user. Once that occurs, you will be sent the "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail, which will contain an access code.

Go to the AAMC's registration Web page and submit the access code. If you already have an AAMC Login (the same login you may already use for AMCAS, ERAS, CIM, etc.), please enter that username and password. If you do not have one, follow the instructions to register with AAMC. Before completing this process, you will be asked to choose an AAMC username and password (if you do not have one already).

6. Can Canadian, international and osteopathic students use VSAS?

VSAS is not yet available for international, osteopathic, or students enrolled at Canadian medical schools to use. Please use the Extramural Electives Compendium (EEC) for visiting student application information.

7. Will all medical schools and members of COTH be VSAS host institutions?

Host participation in VSAS will remain optional. Each year, U.S. AAMC-member medical schools and members of the AAMC's Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH) will have the opportunity to sign on as a host institution for the following academic year.

8. What is a home school?

The term "home school" identifies the school from which a student receives their medical degree. Home schools support student applications in VSAS by uploading transcripts, verifying student data, and releasing applications to host schools. Review FAQ #3 to learn when home schools will need to use VSAS.

9. What is a host institution?

The term "host institution" identifies any U.S. AAMC-member medical school or members of the AAMC's Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH) where students take electives as visiting students. VSAS host institutions are institutions that will be accepting visiting student applications through this software. See FAQ #2 for a complete list of participants.

10. Who pays VSAS fees?

Students
Students pay VSAS application fees which are based on the number of institutions they apply to, not the number of electives.

The fee for the first institution applied to is $35, regardless of the number of electives applied for at that institution.
The fee for each additional institution is $15, again, regardless of the number of electives applied for at those institutions.

Home Schools
Home schools will pay an annual flat fee of $500 to be assessed each Fall, beginning Fall 2009. To allow home schools the opportunity to scale up to this flat fee, it will be discounted 50% for the first year (2009), giving an introductory flat fee of $250.

Host Institutions
Host institutions will pay an annual flat fee of $500 to receive visiting student applications through VSAS.

11. Will VSAS host institutions also charge application fees?

The participating host institutions will not be charging students additional application fees. But, the host institution reserves the right to assess a processing fee when they offer an applicant a spot in an elective.

12. What is an "authorization"?

An authorization gives students the ability to log in to VSAS and the amount of authorizations issued determine how many elective applications the student may submit. Issued authorizations can be increased or decreased at any time.

13. What if I forgot my password?

Go to the AAMC's Forgot Password Web page. Enter your username and e-mail address, this will be the e-mail you submitted when you created this username, so you can reset your password.

14. What if I forgot my username?

Please contact VSAS at vsas@aamc.org or 202-478-9878.

15. What is a VSAS Primary Contact?

Each school has designated a VSAS Primary Contact who is the AAMC's contact as well as the institutional contact for other home schools and host institutions.

Please contact VSAS at vsas@aamc.org or 202-478-9878 if you would like to know who your school's contact is.

16. Do you offer online tutorials?

Yes. We offer online tutorials that will walk you through the following VSAS steps.

Setup Tasks

• Create a new role and school user
• Modify an e-mail template

Home School Tasks

• Issue authorizations to a student
• Decrease a student's authorizations
• Upload a transcript
• Verify student data
• Release applications to Host institution(s)
• Run a report

To view these tutorials, and other online resources, see the Resources section.

17. Do students enrolled at a VSAS host institution automatically use VSAS?

No. Students only use VSAS if they are enrolled at a U.S. LCME medical school and are appling for away electives at our participating host institutions.

18. How do I grant access to inactive students in VSAS?

All of the students at your medical school, including those marked inactive, can be accessed through VSAS. To locate these students on the "Issue Authorizations" screen you will need to use the Filter. Choose the "inactive" option from the "Year" drop down menu before clicking the "Filter" button.

19. Do the host institutions have additional application requirements outside of VSAS?

Some host institutions may require additional documentation to supplement the VSAS application. To review each host institution's application requirements, please use your VSAS "Schools" tab.

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