Application Information

PhD Admissions Rodriguez
Welcome!

We are delighted with your interest in our Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences at Florida State University in the College of Medicine.

Admission is granted only in the Fall term. Applications that are completed by December 1 will receive full consideration for admission. Students applying by this deadline will be considered for a limited number of highly prestigious University Fellowships.

Admission will be based on an evaluation by a departmental committee. The Admissions Committee will weigh many factors including the applicant's scholastic record, prior performance in laboratory research, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, GRE scores (unless waived), and, in many instances, personal interviews.

Biomedical Sciences PhD Program Requirements

The application process consists of the University application with supporting materials.

You will be required to submit the following to Office of Admission using their electronic application:

  • University application
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae
  • Statement of Purpose to include:
    • Research Statement
    • Research Experience
    • Teaching experience
    • Faculty of Interest 
    • Any other information not found on the Curriculum Vitae
  • GRE Scores (or approved waiver) 
  • Transcripts from all previous institutions
  • 3 letters of recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts and Score Report

Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose is an important part of our application process. In addition to providing information about yourself that highlights your qualification and skills, it gives you an opportunity to provide details about your training, academic background, and educational trajectory that may not be fully reflected in your CV. Some elements that should be in your Statement of Purpose include:

Research Experience and Interests:

It is very important to us that there is a good fit between the research interests of our faculty and those of the graduate students in our program. For this reason, all applicants should include in their Statement of Purpose information about their past research experiences, how these and other experiences have shaped their current research interests and longer-term goals. Please be specific by describing such things as the aims of the work, types of data you collected and analyzed, research outcomes, research presentations or publications, techniques you utilized and learned, length of time you participated in the research, and names and institutions where you conducted research.

Faculty of Interest: 

New students are required to perform at least three laboratory rotations in the first year. These rotations are meant to provide students with scientific training and opportunities to become familiar with faculty research projects, new techniques, specific lab environments, and lab personnel. Students match to their thesis lab after the final rotation.

Your Statement of Purpose should therefore include the names of at least three faculty with whom you would be interested in working and specific information about why you are interested in their work. This information does not mean that your research interests cannot change as you rotate through labs, but describing your current interests in the context of our departmental foci is important.

Teaching Experience: Applicants with teaching experience are encouraged to discuss their experience, training, and the degree to which teaching, training, or outreach is part of their career goals.

Diversity: The Florida State University Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences is committed to supporting the diversity of the graduate student body and promoting equal opportunity in higher education. Because our graduate students contribute to the global strength of future scholars and scientific leaders, we have a strong commitment to providing and environment that promotes a variety of ideas and perspectives essential to advancing a robust intellectual exchange that is essential to scientific training. If an applicant feels that they would enrich the academic or cultural diversity of our program, they are welcome to highlight this in their Statement of Purpose.

Test Scores and Transcripts

GRE and TOEFL score reports must be sent directly to the University's Office of Admissions (FSU's code for these examinations is 5219), as well as the required application fee. An OFFICIAL copy of transcripts from all previous universities/colleges attended must be submitted to the following address:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 S. Copeland St.

Westcott Building Room 314

Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required for those seeking admission to the Doctoral Program in Biomedical Sciences. Ideally, these letters will be from faculty who can assess your scholarly potential. These letters will be submitted electronically through the University application. You must enter the names and email addresses of each letter writer in the appropriate place in the University application.

Unofficial Transcripts and Score Reports

To expedite the admissions process, upload a copy of your Unofficial Transcripts and Score Reports.

Publications

Obtain the Pubmed ID of any publications on which you are an author. The Pubmed ID will allow the admissions committee to rapidly identify and obtain these publications. Any publications in press or in preparation should be included in an additional document uploaded with your application in a standard format including the title. 

English Language Competency

The Department values the enrichment provided by international students in the program and understands when international students are not fluent in English upon their arrival at FSU. However, as English language proficiency is essential for the student’s full participation and ultimate success, those accepting admission must be willing, if necessary, to undertake the additional expense and effort required to achieve a sufficient level of competence. There are various resources available at FSU for improving English language proficiency. Classes taken to improve English competency cannot be counted toward degree requirements. Spoken English proficiency is required for funded students beyond the first year and they may be asked to demonstrate their abilities in that area.

For more information on the tests and scores accepted by the university for English language proficiency, please see here: https://admissions.fsu.edu/international/english-proficiency.