National University of Natural Medicine

About National University of Natural Medicine

NUNM is a specialized health-sciences university rather than a comprehensive institution. Its mission centers on education, healthcare, and research in natural medicine, and its academic identity is closely tied to naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, and integrative approaches to health. This focused scope may suit students who already have a defined interest in these areas, but applicants seeking a broad selection of conventional liberal arts, engineering, or business majors should compare other institutions. The university began in Portland in 1956 as the National College of Naturopathic Medicine. It became the National College of Natural Medicine in 2006 and adopted the National University of Natural Medicine name in June 2016, reflecting the addition of undergraduate programs. These changes represent the continued development of one institution, not a closure or merger. NWCCU identifies NUNM as a private, not-for-profit, four-year institution operating on a quarter calendar. Its current status is Accredited, with baccalaureate, master’s, and doctorate levels approved by the accreditor. Accreditation at the institutional level should not be confused with eligibility for professional licensure: students considering clinical programs must separately investigate programmatic accreditation, examinations, and the laws of every jurisdiction where they may want to practice. NUNM’s setting near central Portland supports access to clinical education and community-based opportunities. Several programs also offer online study or a first-year online option, although availability varies by degree and does not mean an entire clinical program can necessarily be completed remotely.

Admission is program-specific. NUNM requires a complete online application and the supporting items associated with the selected program; incomplete files are not reviewed. The university states that applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but applicants should not interpret this as unlimited availability. For Fall 2026, the published general application due date was July 1, 2026, with late cases directed to Admissions, while the massage-therapy cohort had an August 17 deadline. Applicants for later cohorts should obtain the new cycle’s dates directly from NUNM rather than reuse these expired deadlines. Requirements differ across the ND, Chinese medicine and acupuncture, research, global health, nutrition, bachelor’s, certificate, transfer, and accelerated pathways. Applicants generally need official transcripts, while prerequisites and supplemental materials depend on the program. NUNM also states that it does not enroll first-time college students, including applicants whose prior college credit was earned before high-school graduation. The bachelor’s pathways therefore should not be assumed to operate like traditional four-year freshman-entry programs. The university describes its review as holistic, considering qualities such as service, communication, critical thinking, self-discipline, and sense of purpose. Admitted Fall 2026 students were required to respond to their offer and pay a non-refundable $200 tuition deposit within the stated response period. Because prerequisite, interview, international-document, and enrollment requirements vary, candidates should use the checklist for their exact program and entry term.

NUNM’s current academic portfolio spans professional doctorates, master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, certificates, and selected online formats. Its academics page lists the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and doctoral and master’s study in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Other listed fields include nutrition, global health, clinical research, integrative health sciences, massage therapy, and exercise science. Students should rely on the individual program page for the exact award title, curriculum, modality, and entry requirements. Bachelor’s offerings listed by the university include nutrition, integrative health sciences, massage therapy, and exercise science. Master’s options include nutrition, global health, clinical research, and Chinese medicine or acupuncture pathways. The site also identifies online formats for some nutrition, global health, clinical research, and integrative health sciences programs, plus first-year online options in naturopathic and Chinese medicine. Because delivery arrangements may change by cohort, applicants should confirm how much in-person attendance, laboratory work, and clinical training their chosen pathway requires. The professionally oriented programs combine classroom study with practical preparation. NUNM highlights clinical education in its health centers and community clinics, while its clinical research program offers a different route for students interested in research design and evidence generation. Postdoctoral residency opportunities are also advertised, but residency admission is separate from earning a degree. Program choice has significant regulatory consequences. The ND and acupuncture or Chinese medicine pathways lead toward occupations governed by jurisdiction-specific rules. Before enrolling, students should confirm the applicable programmatic accreditation, board examinations, residency expectations, and legal scope of practice in the state or country where they intend to work.

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit, four-year institution accredited by NWCCU
• Founded in Portland in 1956 and renamed National University of Natural Medicine in 2016
• Specialized primarily in natural, integrative, and whole-person health education
• Uses a quarter-based academic calendar

Student Life & Environment

Student life at NUNM reflects its small, specialized health-education community. The university’s Office of Student Life supports counseling access, health-insurance information, lockers, academic-status processes, grievances, student clubs, and student government. Student Services also connects students with registration information, financial aid, scholarships, the library, academic policies, and career development. Clubs and organizations tend to align with students’ academic and professional interests. The university lists examples involving herbal knowledge, homeopathy, movement, mental health, oncology, gynecology, geriatrics, and business development, alongside affinity and recreational groups. NUNM cautions that active clubs change from year to year, so the published examples should be treated as potential rather than guaranteed opportunities for 2026–2027. Students can also participate in student government and campus events. NUNM does not provide on-campus housing. Students arrange accommodation in Portland’s rental market, and the university maintains housing notices and points admitted students toward external search resources. This makes commuting, neighborhood selection, and rent part of the enrollment decision. Prospective students should budget for deposits and transportation and begin searching early, especially if they want to live near the downtown campus.

Location & Surroundings

NUNM is located in Portland, Oregon, near the city’s central area and the Willamette River. The university describes its campus as just south of downtown’s central core, with access from major interstate routes, city streets, bicycle routes, buses, and MAX light-rail lines. Applicants should verify the location of their particular classes or clinical assignments because university and health-center activities may use more than one site. The urban location gives students access to Portland’s healthcare organizations, cultural amenities, food scene, parks, and regional outdoor recreation. It also creates practical tradeoffs. NUNM has no residence halls, and students must choose among central neighborhoods, more distant Portland districts, and suburbs. Housing closer to downtown can reduce travel time but may cost more, while lower-cost options farther away can mean a longer commute. Students planning to drive should not assume that parking will always be convenient or included. Public transportation and cycling may be realistic alternatives for reaching campus. When comparing housing, applicants should evaluate the full trip to campus and any clinical placement sites rather than considering rent alone.

Costs & Career Outcomes

NUNM publishes program-by-program cost tables, and costs vary substantially by award, enrollment load, and delivery format. Its tuition page states that the displayed 2026–2027 figures are estimates based on 2025–2026 tuition and fees and anticipated 2026–2027 rates; they remain subject to change. Applicants should therefore request a current individualized estimate and distinguish tuition from mandatory fees, books, clinical equipment, transportation, living expenses, and professional examinations. For the 2026–2027 award year, NUNM’s cost-of-attendance assumptions include $1,750 per month for rent, $450 per month for food and utilities, $316 per month for transportation, and $400 per month for personal expenses. Books and supplies are estimated at $235 per term. These are budgeting allowances, not charges paid to NUNM, and actual Portland living costs will depend on housing and lifestyle. No on-campus room-and-board package is available. Financial support may include federal or state aid for eligible students and institutional scholarships. The Fall 2026 incoming-student scholarship priority deadline was March 2, 2026 and has passed; future applicants should wait for the applicable cycle’s materials. Career planning must be program-specific. NUNM’s Center for Career Development offers current students and alumni advising, résumé and CV review, interview preparation, networking guidance, and job or internship search support. Clinical-program applicants should investigate licensure before committing: legal recognition and scope of practice for naturopathic physicians and acupuncture professionals vary by jurisdiction, and graduation alone does not authorize practice everywhere.