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How to Apply

We will soon recruit graduate students for entry in Fall 2025. To apply to our programs, please click HERE, select FALL 2025 FOR ADMISSION, and create your account. Next, search for our program as  ‘DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (FALL 2025)’ and select it to add us to your applications. Please keep in mind that the system will not be updated to accept applications for Fall 2025 until mid-September 2024. Applications will be due on Friday 15 November 2024 by 11:59pm Eastern Time.

Please have a look at the Application FAQ, which will be updated throughout the recruitment season.

The Department of Biological Sciences (Pitt BioSci) trains graduate students under two distinct Ph.D.-granting Programs: Ecology and Evolution (EE) and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB). Ph.D. students receive full support and stipend for at least five years and typically work under the mentorship of one or two tenured or tenure-stream faculty in the department. Please see Financial Support and Fellowships for additional information about funding provided upon admission to the program.

The application process outlined below is nearly identical for both Programs, but see the Application FAQ for Program specific details. Importantly, if you are interested in the Ecology and Evolution Program, you would typically apply through a specific mentor, while if you are interested in the MCDB program, you would typically choose your mentor after doing laboratory rotations in your first year – however, you are of course welcome to contact faculty whose research you are excited about at any time during or after the application process!

Applications are due by 11:59PM Eastern time, Friday 15 November 2024

 

All Applicants will need to complete the online application by the application deadline, which includes the following required components. Additional guidance for Domestic Applicants, International Applicants, and applicants interested in Advanced-level Entry are also below:

  • Choose Biological Sciences as the “Department” and either Ecology and Evolution or Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology as the “Program”
  • A brief personal statement (less than 3 pages), which should contain the following sections
    • Motivation: A brief section communicating your motivation for graduate studies and articulating your career goals as a Ph.D student and beyond.
    • Scientific Experiences: A section highlighting your scientific experiences (research, professional, coursework, and/or teaching) that form the foundation of your pursuit of a Ph.D. in biology.
    • Research Goals: A brief statement of your intended research goals and the connection between those goals and faculty within our Department.
    • Building a diverse BioSci Community: Describe an experience, observation, or background that will help you contribute to a culture of inclusion within our Department.
  • A Curriculum Vitae (CV) that lists your research and work experiences and accomplishments, uploaded in the “Documents” section of the application
  • A list of four tenured or tenure-stream faculty members ranked in order of preference with whom you would be interested in pursuing Ph.D. research. These faculty should have a primary appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences. Both EE and MCDB applicants should include four faculty, even if you are applying through a potential mentor
  • Copies of your transcripts for all college-level institutions you’ve attended, uploaded in the “Documents” section of the application under the relevant category (Undergraduate, Graduate, Other). These may be unofficial transcripts, as long as they are legible.
  • Three letters of recommendation, which should be submitted online by the recommender after you initiate the application.  We employ a holistic admission evaluation that considers several different aspects of you as a candidate:
    • Aptitude for scientific research
    • Background knowledge in science, being well positioned to learn more
    • Community fostering (volunteering, outreach, teaching, advocacy)
    • Dedication, industriousness, perseverance
    • Enthusiasm and motivation to do research and pursue scientific questions It is thus important to convey strengths in as many of these criteria as possible through your personal statement, CV, and letters of recommendation.
  • Graduate Record Examination scores ARE NOT REQUIRED for application or admission to the Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Program. Please do not submit scores as we will not use them in our evaluation. (Note that this may not be the case for other Ph.D. programs at the University of Pittsburgh)
  • An application fee of $75 applies to domestic applications (all US citizens and current US residents) or international applications.
  • In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers application fee waivers ( https://www.asgraduate.pitt.edu/admissions/application-fee-waivers ). Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted.  All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST.  To be considered for a fee waiver, please complete the following fee waiver survey for review:https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cD38CmmjcOT3Tvw. Faculty reviewing your application will be unaware of whether or not you have requested a waiver. 
  • We are dedicated to recruiting and supporting a diverse graduate student population that represents a broad spectrum of social identities, including different races, ethnicities, genders, ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, religions, nationalities, and socioeconomic statuses.


International Applicants: If you are not a US citizen or current US resident, English language proficiency demonstrated by including one of the following:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences requires a minimum TOEFL score of 90, with a minimum score of 22 in each section
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Minimum score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each section
  • Duolingo English Test: Minimum score of 120
     

Advanced Level Entry Applicants: If you have a Masters degree or a Masters level equivalent, you can optionally choose to apply for Advanced Level Entry (ALE). To do this, you should have already identified a PhD mentor who has agreed to support you if you are admitted to the program. For this route, you would follow the normal application procedure above, though ALE applications are accepted throughout the year. As is the case for other means of entry into our PhD program, GRE scores are NOT required for ALE applications.

 

All application materials should be submitted online. If you are having issues with any part of your on-line application for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, please reach out to the GradCas Applicant Help center. If you cannot find the answer to your question(s), you can also contact them by phone 857-304-2086 or email: gradcasinfo@liaisoncas.com. For the quickest response, it is best to contact them via the Live Chat option on the Applicant Help center page.