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Admission Information

Admission Requirements

You can apply via our online application. Most students apply before December, and those applying before December 1 will be given priority status. The final application deadline is March 1. Applications are reviewed as received, and our top domestic candidates are supported for travel to campus for interviews beginning in January.

It is important that you complete the application and send all required materials as soon as possible. You can apply online, and it is free and easy. Most of the options on the Application Checklist are self-explanatory, but under Planned Course of Study, choose the Biomedical Sciences-PhD option. Then, select up to three tracks of interest using the drop down menus associated with the concentration options. We will assume that the first concentration you select is your preferred research track.

General requirements are a bachelor's degree with a grade-point average of at least 3.0 from an accredited college or university, previous research experience, a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation. The GRE is optional. For students whose native language is not English, a score of at least 79 on the TOEFL or 6.5 on the IELTS is required.

US Applicants

For US applicants, official transcripts and official test scores should be sent directly from the contributing source and not by the student. Three recommendation letters are required. Names and contact information of three referees will be entered on the application and the system will contact them with instruction on how to submit their recommendation.

Non-US Applicants

For non-US applicants, official test scores should be sent directly from the contributing source and not by the student. Official transcripts and three recommendation letters are required.

Transcripts from any non-US institution must be verified and certified to generate a grade point average (GPA) based on a 4.0 scale. Verification must be completed before matriculation. Service agencies include, but are not limited to, Educational Credit Evaluation (ECE) and World Education Services (WES). A document-by-document certification is not acceptable. These agencies charge a fee for their service.

Admission Instructions

  • Go to Apply Now in the UTHSC Liaison CAS portal.
  • Create account and start application
  • Under College of Graduate Health Sciences choose Biomedical Sciences Program and continue to application
  • The dashboard has 4 main sections that need to be completed before the application can be submitted. They are - Personal information, Academic History, Supporting Information and Program Materials. Most of these sections are self-explanatory.
  • Under Academic History there are three subsections, one of which is ”Colleges Attended”. List ALL colleges or universities that you have attended regardless of whether you received a degree from them.
  • Program materials – this will bring you to the Biomedical Sciences (PhD) program page. The Documents section will allow you to upload your CV or publications. It is important in your personal statement to include your research interests and faculty members whose research interests you the most.
  • Once all sections are complete you can submit application. There are no fees for applying.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I send my transcripts? Can I send them directly to the University/program director/track director?

Please have all your transcripts (or evaluated transcripts) sent to CAS at the UTHSC Transcript processing Center P.O Box 9141, Watertown, MA 02471, as directed in the online application.

Do not send transcripts or other required material to UTHSC or the program or track directors; they will not be accepted by the admissions office. 

Where do I send my GRE / TOEFL scores – can I send them to UTHSC or the program director?
The GRE is now optional. Please have ETS send your official report to institution code 1850. We do not have a department code. This ensures that the report gets to the appropriate office in UTHSC and will be available for the program to review. Do not send scores to track directors, the program director or UTHSC directly.
When will my application be reviewed?
We review applications on a rolling basis at the time the application is submitted to UTHSC. Students that complete their application by the priority deadline (December 1) are given priority review; however, we continue to review applications up to the March 1 deadline.
International students: Do I really need to send course-by-course evaluation reports?
Yes. There are no exceptions to that requirement. If you are accepted into our program you will not be allowed to matriculate or register until UTHSC has received a course-by-course evaluation of your international transcript(s) from a NACES-member agency.
Are students required to have a Master's degree before they can apply to the program?
No, but they should have at least a bachelor's degree with a documented grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution.
Does the program offer graduate assistantships?
Yes, there are graduate research assistantships; see the Future Students page under Stipends and Scholarships.
Oct 31, 2023