Admission FAQ

We don’t have specific pre-req courses, and you do not need a Master’s degree. We expect that you’ve taken (and done well in) various STEM classes. More importantly, we evaluate your research experience and aptitude – this comes across in your personal statement and in the comments provided by your references.

It is not necessary to have contact with M3D faculty before applying, but we strongly suggest looking into faculty you are interested in on the M3D website.

Yes, application waivers are available when you apply through the application. There is a box you check at the end to apply and the Grad School will request the information they need regarding your eligibility for the waiver. Please visit the link below for more detailed information regarding application waivers.

The only individuals that do not qualify based on immigration/residency status are those on F or J visas. This is due to federal requirements tied to eligibility for these visas. All other applicants, including other visa holders and undocumented immigrants are encouraged to apply.

UW Graduate School Application Waiver Policy

Interviews are held in early February, for which invitations are sent by early January. We make admission offers between February and April.

GRE scores are not required for admission to the M3D PhD program.

Yes, the UW Graduate School is now accepting IELTS scores for international applicants. Please visit the link below for more information regarding English proficiency requirements.

UW Graduate School English Language Proficiency Policy

You are not required to take the TOEFL or IELTS if you earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institution in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, or the United Kingdom and where English is the medium of instruction. Please submit your transcript with your application as documentation. Please visit the link below for more information regarding options to demonstrate your English proficiency.

UW Graduate School English Language Proficiency Policy

Students enrolled in Bioscience PhD programs in the US are supported by stipends. The amount of stipends varies by program and university. In addition, your tuition and benefits will be covered while in a PhD program. The funding comes from a mixture of sources – funds provided by the department/program, research funds to the lab that you ultimately join, and independent fellowships students compete for.

M3D 2023-2024 salary is $45,000.00 ($3750/mo).

M3D students are fully supported the first three quarters of a student’s first year and then join a lab the summer of their first year where their PI then takes over their financial support. The funding comes from a mixture of sources – funds provided by the department/program, research funds to the lab that you ultimately join, and independent fellowships students compete for.

The M3D 2023-2024 salary is $45,000.00 ($3750/mo).

International students: Like domestic students, the three quarters are paid fully by the program, and your second year (starting the summer of your first year) and beyond you are funded by your PI. This means that it’s important to have discussions with potential PIs to ensure they have funding that an international student is eligible to receive. There are certain internal funding streams that are typically only available to domestic students. NSF GRFP’s and Training grant awards are examples of these funding streams. 

You can find more information regarding fellowships HERE.