Admission Requirements

The Graduate Education in bioMedical Sciences program encourages all types of curious, talented, and motivated students to apply for admissions to its PhD program. The GEMS program complies with all State and Federal nondiscrimination and equal opportunity laws and regulations. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, military service, or disability. Indeed, diversity is a strength and is an essential ingredient for program activities that develop leadership, community, and collaboration skills in PhD trainees through interactions between trainees. The Office of Graduate Diversity Programs and Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship support the recruitment and training of students from groups that have been historically underrepresented among areas such as the biomedical sciences.

Applications to GEMS are evaluated for overall strength and for quality in individual categories evaluated from the following parts of an application:

Academic Achievements – Applicants must display academic excellence in coursework in pursuit of bachelors and/or masters degrees. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 (on a scale to 4.0) is required; however, preference is given to applicants with a GPA of 3.0 and higher. Achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics course is emphasized, and it is expected that applicants will have taken courses in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics, and some advanced course in areas such as biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, physiology, calculus.

Personal Statement – Applicants will provide a written statement communicating their interests and aptitudes in biomedical sciences at large and any special interest they may have in becoming part of the GEMS PhD program. The statement should articulate the applicant’s goals as they relate to biomedical research. An applicant’s previous research experience is often an important component, which is given particularly high consideration in the evaluation process. A brief description of those experiences and how they relate to the applicant’s interest in the GEMS PhD program is encourages, if applicable. Combined with the reference letters (below), the personal statement can be important to highlight strengths that may not be apparent by transcripts or test scores.

Reference Letters – Please arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to GEMS.

Standardized Tests – All applicants are allowed to submit scores for the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), preferably prior to submission of the formal application. Evaluation of GRE scores are used only as a complement to other areas of evaluation. Please note that GRE scores are NOT needed for an application to be reviewed. Moreover, an absence of GRE scores will not negatively affect review of the application. Similarly, subject tests are not required but will be considered. For information about the GRE, you may contact Graduate Record Examination, Box 955, Princeton, N.J., or the Minority Graduate Student Locator Service, Box 2615, Princeton N.J. 08541. Applicants from countries in which English is not the principal language must demonstrate proficiency in English by taking the TOEFL Examination.

To apply, please follow instructions here.