Graduate Program > Admissions
Admissions Procedure
On-line applications are made through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and applications are available through http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/gpo/apply.cfm. Students should indicate "Biomedical Sciences" as the "department applied to" and the preferred "area of interest" is "Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease; MII ." Following an initial screening, competitive applicants are invited to Charlottesville for an interview with the faculty of the MII graduate program. The Department will be pleased to assist with travel expenses.The preferred application deadline for fall admission is February 1. Students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible. The following are general requirements for admission:
- A Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in the biological or physical sciences.
- A strong complement of undergraduate science and math courses.
- Test scores: GRE General test
- Foreign students must provide scores from a recent TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). A score of 250 or higher (or 600 or higher for the paper-based test) is necessary for consideration.
- GRE Subject tests---these are not required, but we are happy to consider these test scores, typically in biochemistry, biology, or chemistry.
- A $60.00 non-refundable application fee, which can be waived in cases of proven financial hardship.
- Two letters of recommendation (or more if desired) addressing undergraduate accomplishments and/or postgraduate research experience.
If you have questions about the required materials, you may contact:
Sandy Weirich
Graduate Admissions
Jordan Hall Box 800734
University of Virginia Health System
Charlottesville, VA 22908-0734
1-434-243-2776
sww6j@virginia.edu
Admission is based on various criteria, including transcripts, GRE score (the general exam is required), prior research experience and letters of recommendation. Applicants whose native language is not English must receive a score of at least 600 on the TOEFL. Candidates may be invited to a personal interview before they are offered a position in the program. Foreign applicants may be interviewed on the telephone. The GRE and TOEFL codes are: Instituion- 5820 and Department- 0212.
Financial Aid: All students in the Department of Microbiology receive a stipend that is competitive with that offered by other institutions and the cost of living in Charlottesville is low. The current minimum stipend of $19400 per year may be supplemented by competitive grants and fellowships. In addition, the Department pays tuition, fees, health insurance, and travel costs to scientific meetings when students present their work. For more information, please contact the department directly.