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DBBS receives around 1000 applications per year. We interview a little under one third of the applications received. We enroll approximately 80-85 students in our entering class.
DBBS does not have a set number of international students that we accept each year. The admissions committee reviews the applications, evaluates interview comments, and selects the most qualified applicants for our program.
Each year, international students comprise approximately 30% of the entering class. Outcomes are in correlation with the quality of the applicant pool of the application year.
Prospective applicants wanting to visit the campus between June and August should contact our Recruiting Department through email at DBBS-Info@email.wustl.edu. Visits during the admissions season are by invitation only.
We only offer enrollment for the fall semester. To obtain admission to one of the 13 graduate programs in the Division, you must apply to DBBS. Our online application is available starting in early September, and the deadline for applying is December 1st.
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DBBS offers PhD education and interdisciplinary research training across a broad spectrum of scientific areas. Please click here to visit our 12 programs webpage.
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The deadline date is December 1st @ 11:59 PST. We strongly recommend early submission of the application and all supporting documents. Applications are reviewed by our Admission Committee as they become complete.
DBBS application fee:
$20 for applications submitted on or before October 31st.
$45 for applications submitted on or after November 1st.
Fee waivers are granted to applicants from the following programs:
MARC, McNair, RISE, IMSD, LSAMP, BP-ENDURE, PREP, BUILD, PPIA, DACA students, IRT-Insitute for the Recruitment of Teachers, Target Hope, Fulbright Scholars, AmeriCorps, Vista/Peace Corps, Teach for America, Gates Millennium Scholars, Mellon Mays Graduate Initative, Ron Brown Scholars, Vietnam Education Foundation
Fee waivers are also available for:
-Washington University undergraduates
-Participants in Washington University summer bioscience research programs
-Students mentored by a DBBS Alum
-Applicants with financial need
If you think you qualify for a fee waiver, please send an email to DBBSPhDAdmissions@email.wustl.edu.
Applicants complete one application but have the option to select 2 program choices of interest. The first program choice should reflect your main research interest. If you are interested in another program that DBBS offers, please select a second program choice for that area of interest.
You are able to apply to both programs. The programs have two separate admissions processes. You will need to submit all application materials to the appropriate program. Test scores will not be substituted (MCAT required for the MSTP and GRE General required for some of the PhD programs). Neither admissions processes will reflect negatively on the other. Please let both MSTP and PhD know that you are applying to both programs - if invited for an interview, coordination between the programs could be established to make the process more efficient for you. (Click here to access MSTP program)
You can submit your application online as long as the transcript(s) have been uploaded. The other support documents; Recommendation letters and GRE, TOEFL or IELTS score reports (if applicable) can be received after the application has been submitted. No documents should be mailed to DBBS.
We do not offer a paper application.
Once you submit your application to DBBS, you cannot go back and make changes to the application.
Your on-line application will be available for review after it is submitted, however no changes can be made to the application. Supporting documents become the property of Washington University and cannot be borrowed, returned to the applicant, or sent to another institution or campus. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 does give the students, once admitted and enrolled, the right to inspect their records.
Applicant file information is provided only to the applicant.
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All applicants must have a U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General test is not required. It is optional fro some programs. Scores must be from tests taken in the last five years. The Subject test is not required. Applicants are strongly encouraged to schedule the exam early so the official scores will reach DBBS before the December 1st deadline. See “Test Scores” below for additional information.
Proficiency in English is required of all applicants. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency and are required to provide an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Only scores from tests taken within the last two years will be accepted. To be eligible for an automatic (no request needed) TOEFL/IELTS waiver the applicant must have completed a full-time bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. PLEASE NOTE: The US Immigration service may require a TOEFL/IELTS exam score if the entire program of study is less than 3 years in duration.
Some programs have specific course requirements and some do not require the GRE. Please refer to the programs' website for additional information.
GRE:
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General test is no longer required by DBBS Programs, however it is optonal for some. Please refer to the individual program web page (http://www.dbbs.wustl.edu/divprograms/Pages/Division-Programs.aspx) to see if you may submit them optionally. If so, scores must be from tests taken in the last five years. The Subject test is not required. Applicants who wish to submit scores are strongly encouraged to schedule the exam early so the official scores will reach DBBS before the December 1st deadline.
ETS Institution Code - 6929
TOEFL or IELTS:
Proficiency in English is required of all applicants. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency and are required to provide an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Only scores from tests taken within the last two years will be accepted. To be eligible for an automatic (no request needed) TOEFL/IELTS waiver the applicant must have completed a full-time bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. PLEASE NOTE: The US Immigration service may require a TOEFL/IELTS exam score if the entire program of study is less than 3 years in duration.
ETS Institution Code - 6929
Subject tests in biology, chemistry or another area related to the proposed study are optional for the programs that require the general exam. Please note that the University will consider only scores from tests taken within the last five years.
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Students currently in a graduate program wishing to transfer to Washington University must submit transcripts from the current graduate institution and a letter of recommendation from the current Research Mentor. You must begin a new application with DBBS.
You must submit a new application and mark Re-Apply on the application when prompted.
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Yes. We encourage early submission of official GRE general exam for the programs that require it, and TOEFL or IELTS (if applicable) scores. It is better to have the official scores sent to us as soon as possible, but no later than the December 1 deadline date.
You may verify the status of all supporting materials on-line within your application by logging back into your ApplyWeb account and clicking on your "Activity Log". The status of supporting documents is generally updated on a daily basis.
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If applicable GRE general and the TOEFL or IELTS test are the only required tests.
GRE General - if applicable
Institution Code - 6929
GRE-ETS P.O. Box 6000 Princeton, NJ 08541-6000 Website: www.gre.orgPhone: 1-866-473-4373
TOEFL - if applicable
Institution Code - 6929
Educational Testing Services P.O. Box 6151 Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 Website : www.toefl.orgPhone: 1-800-468-6335
It is strongly recommended that you complete all testing (if applicable) within four to six weeks before you begin your application. It takes approximately 15 days to receive the test scores on the computer based tests, and about six weeks to receive scores on the paper based testing.
For the GRE general testing, the University will only consider scores from test taken within the last five (5) years.
For the TOEFL test, the University will only consider scores from test taken within the last two (2) years.
The Subject test is not required.
To be eligible for an automatic (no request needed) TOEFL/IELTS waiver the applicant must have completed a full-time bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. PLEASE NOTE: The US Immigration service may require a TOEFL/IELTS exam score if the entire program of study is less than 3 years in duration.
When required the most successful applicants typically score at or above the 75th percentile in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test. Successful international applicants tend to score 100 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Examination or 7.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). However, outstanding recommendations and higher quality research experience may make up for lower test scores, so do not let lower scores discourage you from applying.
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Yes, we do accept translations of transcripts by services. Please be aware that translations alone are not acceptable and the translations must bear an original ink signature and seal. The original transcript in the original language and the English translation must also be uploaded as one document in the application. Put the English translation first, followed by the transcript in the original language.
EducationUSA centers are the U.S. State Department‘s network of over 400 advising centers in 170 countries designed to assist local students find the appropriate college or university in the United States. We encourage you to visit your local center for information on selecting the U.S. college or university that meets your needs, understanding and preparing for the required admissions tests, assistance in the admission process, advice on finding financial aid for your studies, preparation for the student visa process, and pre-departure orientations.
Click on the Education USA logo for more information.
You only need to upload a transcript from the EAP school abroad if your home institution did not include your courses and grades on the transcript.
- Prior to submitting your application, you are required to upload one copy of your scanned transcript from each institution you have attended.
- The transcript must be issued by the Registrar’s Office (a copy issued to the student is fine).
- The process of uploading transcripts is intended to eliminate the need for you to mail your transcripts, as DBBS will review your application based on your uploaded transcripts.
- Scan the transcript at high resolution and verify each page can be read before uploading it. Upload the transcript from each institution as a single document. Each individual university transcript must be uploaded as one file and not page by page.
- Official transcripts are not required for the review process. If you are offered admission and accept the offer you are then required to submit an official sealed transcript from each university you have attended. We ask that you not send us any material in the mail unless asked to do so.
- Transcripts must be in English, or be accompanied by notarized translations.
- All matriculating students will be requested to send an official final transcript to DBBS before matriculation to:
Washington University
Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences
Attn: Ph.D. Admissions
Campus Box 8226
660 S. Euclid Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
- DBBS reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission if discrepancies are found between your uploaded transcript and the official transcript.
You will need to convert the GPA a 4.0 scale. To convert:
GPA/max. score X 4 = reported score to us (rounded to the nearest 0.1)
For example:
On a 100 point scale: 92/100 = .92 X 4 = 3.7
On a 5 point scale: 3.9/5 = 0.78 X 4 = 3.1
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DBBS requires that the applicant answer the specific essay questions listed. The Admissions Committee evaluates a number of characteristics in order to assess a candidate's ability to benefit from and contribute to their selected program. These include academic ability, research experience, leadership, teamwork, communication skills, and other personal qualities. The essays are an opportunity to help the Committee relate to the applicant's distinctive values, motivation, and perspectives and obtain as much information as possible about their previous research experience. DBBS requests that you do not include additional materials like CVs, publications, or certificates with the application.
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The Admissions Committee will not review more than 3 letters of recommendation. If we receive more than 3 letters of recommendation, only those listed on your application will be reviewed.
The recommendation forms are electronic and sent directly to your recommenders email address through our on-line application system. After you have entered your recommenders information, they will receive an email inviting them to submit their letter of recommendation.
The most common issue is that the email from our on-line application system is being stopped by a SPAM filter or filters that your school or recommenders are running. Please ask your recommenders to check the mailbox that contains SPAM. If your recommender uses a SPAM blocking tool, please be sure to have them add our email address to their known/safe addresses. Also please verify that the email address you submitted to us is the correct email address for your recommender. If the email address needs to be corrected, please login to your application and make the necessary changes.
Please submit as soon as you finish the application. The Recommendation letters can be received after the application has been submitted.
We strongly encourage all applicants to ask their recommenders to submit their letters of recommendation on-line, as it expedites the review process. If your recommenders are unable to do so the recommender needs to contact us at DBBSPhDAdmissions@email.wustl.edu.
We do not accept letters of recommendation that are sent to us via Fax, Email or any attachment within the email. If your recommender is having problems with the on-line system, please have your recommender contact the CollegeNet Applyweb group.
You may make changes to your recommenders by logging into your ApplyWeb account.
Infomration regarding resending the recommendation letter request can be found by logging into your ApplyWeb account.
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You may verify the status of all supporting materials on-line within your application by logging back into your ApplyWeb account and clicking on your "Activity Log". The status of supporting documents is generally updated on a daily basis.
Your on-line application will be available for review after it is submitted however no changes can be made to the application. Supporting documents become the property of Washington University and cannot be borrowed, returned to applicant, or sent to another institution or campus. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 does give students once admitted and enrolled the right to inspect their records.
Applicant file information is provided only to the applicant.
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Prospective applicants wanting to visit the campus between June and October should contact the DBBS Recruitment Group via email at DBBS-Recruitment@email.wustl.edu. Visits during December through March are by invitation only.
A formal notice of the admission decision is sent to each applicant as soon as possible after the application and completed records are received and the Admissions Committee has made its recommendations. Most invitations for interviews are made between January and mid February. Those applicants that were interviewed will be notified of a final decision around mid-March.
DBBS receives many strong applications and not all can be offered an interview. Admissions decisions are based on the quality of the applicant's academic degrees and record, essay questions, letters of recommendation from professors or others who are familiar with the applicant's academic work, performance in aptitude and achievement tests, relevant work experience, preparation in proposed field of study, and on the appropriateness of the applicant's goals to the graduate program and of the applicants research interest to those of its faculty.
All applicants are evaluated on a complex set of factors including their academic background, research experience, letters of recommendation, maturity, and potential as a scientist. Because the decision for admission is based on such a complex weighing of factors we cannot provide you with a specific reason or a detailed explanation regarding why you were not accepted for admittance to DBBS. The fact is that we cannot admit all the qualified applicants and we have to make difficult choices each year.
Many of the programs within the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences conduct Skype interviews for applicants residing outside the US and Canada.
An applicant admitted to the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences may request to defer admission for one year. Admitted candidates should submit a letter or e-mail to request the deferral. The letter should provide a general statement regarding the reason for the deferral (i.e. year in Peace Corps, personal reasons, etc.). Deferred applicants are expected to contact the Division in early January to confirm their admittance for the following fall.
DBBS has also partnered with Teach for America. Those who are admitted to DBBS and choose to join Teach For America are granted a two-year deferral.
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For more information about the current stipend and different financial opportunities DBBS offers, please click here.
For more information on the different types of fellowships offered, please click here.
For more information on our Special Emphasis Pathways, please click here.
The procedures you must follow to apply for your visa and the length of time required to process the application vary from Consulate to Consulate. You should contact the nearest U.S. Consulate as soon as possible to request information about visa application procedures and requirements. Applicants are required to pay for travel costs but may receive reimbursement for portion of costs if you have the appropriate Visa. You will need to bring your original passport, visa (You will need a business visa (B1) or a waiver of visa for business (WB)) and I-94 for documentation for reimbursement. You will NOT be reimbursed for your airfare if you have a different type of visa per the United States Tax Department.
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