Dear Prospective Graduate Student:

Thank you for considering one of our graduate programs in Biology. In order to be admitted to either the MS or Ph.D. programs of study, the following requirements must be met.

1. The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree with a major in biology or an acceptable sub-discipline of biology.

2. The applicant must meet the admission standards of the Department of Biology. These are:

A. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better

B. A composite score of at least 1100 on the General Test Section (verbal + quantitative) of the Graduate Record Examination. An MCAT score of at least 8 on each section or a score of at least 17 on each section of the DAT are acceptable alternatives.

C. For foreign students from non-English speaking countries a TOEFL Examination score of 535 or better on the paper-based exam or 200 or better on the computer-based test is required. Students holding a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the United States are exempt from this requirement.

3. All applicants should review the research specialties of the departmental faculty to ensure that an area compatible with the student’s research interest is available. Applicants for the Ph.D. program must communicate with a member of the Biology faculty prior to admission and receive at least tentative agreement that the member will be willing to serve as major professor (faculty e-mail addresses are provided on the linked department faculty web page. All students (both M.S. and Ph.D.) must have a mentor by the end of their first semester in the program.

Your application will be complete when we have all of the following (final action on your application cannot be taken until all items have been received):

1. Send to the Graduate Admissions Office, 105 Houchens Building, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292:

1. a completed Application form and application fee;
2. one official transcript of all previous undergraduate and graduate work;
3. Graduate Record Examination Scores (General Test Section), MCAT or DAT scores;
4. two or more letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic performance and;
5. for foreign students, results of the TOEFL Examination.

2. Send to the Director of Graduate Studies, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292:

6. a completed Information Form, also linked on the Graduate Program web page.

Deadline for completed applications to be reviewed are: July 15 for Fall admission, December 1 for Spring admission, and April 15 for Summer admission. If these dates fall on a weekend, the deadline is the next working day.

The official notification of admission or denial will come from the Graduate School, and will be based on a recommendation from the Department of Biology. Notification of acceptance to the Department of Biology Graduate program does not carry with it the promise of financial support. However, all students admitted to the program will be considered for one of the following types of financial support, if they qualify.

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships. Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) are awarded by the Graduate Committee of the Department of Biology to meet instructional needs of the Department and enhance the educational progress of the student. A monthly stipend, tuition remission and health insurance are provided.
  All applicants selected for GTA support by the Department will be notified by letter by June 1. It is very likely that you will not receive this type of support if you have not received a letter by that date.
  
• University Graduate Fellowships. Ph.D. applicants with exceptional credentials may be nominated by the Department of Biology for a University Fellowship. University Fellowships are awarded from a pool of candidates submitted by all of the Ph.D. granting Departments in the University. A monthly stipend, tuition remission and health insurance are provided.
  
• Minority Student Assistantships/Scholarships. The Graduate School is committed to providing financial support for the recruitment and retention of qualified, under represented ethnic minority students. An award candidate must be currently enrolled or have been admitted to the degree program (M.S. or Ph.D.) and be nominated by the Department Chair and Dean. These assistantships include a monthly stipend, tuition remission and health insurance.
  
• Graduate Research Assistantships. Another source of financial support may be available from individual faculty members who have extramural or intramural funding that provides support for a graduate student as a Graduate Research Assistant. The faculty member holding a grant selects eligible graduate students to fill GRA positions.
  

If you have questions or need further information, please contact Dr. Joe Steffen, Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292 by mail, phone (502) 852-6771, or by FAX, (502) 852-0725.