We will soon recruit graduate students for entry in Fall 2024. To apply to our programs, please clickHERE, select FALL 2024 FOR ADMISSION, and create your account. Next, search for our program as ‘DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (FALL 2024)’ and select it to add us to your applications. Keep in mind that the system will not be updated to accept applications for Fall 2024 until mid-September 2023. Applications will be due on 4 December 2023 by 11:59pm Eastern Time.
Please have a look at theApplication FAQ, which will be updated throughout the recruitment season.
The Department of Biological Sciences (Pitt BioSci) trains graduate students under two distinct Ph.D.-granting Programs:Ecology and Evolution (EE)andMolecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB). Ph.D. students receive full support and stipend for at least five years and typically work under the mentorship ofone or two tenured or tenure-stream faculty in the department. Please seeFinancial SupportandFellowshipsfor additional information about funding provided upon admission to the program.
The application process outlined below is nearly identical for both Programs, but see theApplication FAQfor Program specific details. Importantly, if you are interested in the Ecology and Evolution Program, you would typicallyapply through a specific mentor, while if you are interested in the MCDB program, you would typically choose your mentor after doing laboratory rotations in your first year – however, you are of course welcome to contact faculty whose research you are excited about at any time during or after the application process!
Applications are due by 11:59PM Eastern time, 4 December 2023
All Applicantswill need to complete the online application by the application deadline, which includes the following required components. Additional guidance forDomestic Applicants,International Applicants, and applicants interested inAdvanced-level Entryare also below:
- ChooseBiological Sciencesas the “Department” and eitherEcology and EvolutionorMolecular, Cell and Developmental Biologyas the “Program”
- A briefpersonal statement, which should communicate to us how your motivations and experiences have led you to apply for a Ph.D. at Pitt BioSci, uploaded in the “Additional Information” section of the application under “Career/Research Statement.” Please refer toApplication FAQfor how you might want to structure your statement
- A Curriculum Vitae (CV)that lists your research and work experiences and accomplishments, uploaded in the “Additional Information” section of the application
- A list of fourtenured or tenure-stream facultyranked in order of preferencewith whom you would be interested in pursuing Ph.D. research. These faculty should have a primary appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences. Both EE and MCDB applicants should include four faculty, even if you are applying through a potential mentor
- Copies of your transcriptsfor all college-level institutions you’ve attended, uploaded in the “Additional Information” section of the application under the relevant category (Undergraduate, Graduate, Other). These may be unofficial transcripts, as long as they arelegible. Certified (official) transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate study accompanied by any applicable supporting documentation (e.g., grade point conversions or course equivalencies) will be required upon enrollment
- Three letters of recommendation, which should be submitted online by the recommender after you initiate the application
- Graduate Record Examination scores ARE NOT REQUIREDfor application or admission to the Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Program. Please donotsubmit scores as we will not use them in our evaluation. (Note that this may not be the case for other Ph.D. programs at the University of Pittsburgh)
- An application feeof $75 applies to domestic applications (all US citizens and current US residents) or international applications.
- In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offersapplication fee waivers (https://www.asgraduate.pitt.edu/admissions/application-fee-waivers). Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted. All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST.To be considered for a fee waiver, please complete the following fee waiver survey for review:https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cD38CmmjcOT3Tvw.Faculty reviewing your application will be unaware of whether or not you have requested a waiver.
-
We are dedicated to recruiting and supporting a diverse graduate student population that represents a broad spectrum of social identities, including different races, ethnicities, genders, ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, religions, nationalities, and socioeconomic statuses.
International Applicants:If you are not a US citizen or current US resident, English language proficiency demonstrated by including one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences requires a minimum TOEFL score of 90, with a minimum score of 22 in each section
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Minimum score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each section
- Duolingo English Test: Minimum score of 120
Advanced Level Entry Applicants:If you have a Masters degree or a Masters level equivalent, you can optionally choose to apply for Advanced Level Entry (ALE). To do this, you should have already identified a PhD mentor who has agreed to support you if you are admitted to the program. For this route, you would follow the normal application procedure above, though ALE applications are accepted throughout the year. As is the case for other means of entry into our PhD program, GRE scores areNOTrequired for ALE applications.
All application materials should be submitted online. If you are having issues with any part of your on-line application for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, please reach out to theGradCas Applicant Help center. If you cannot find the answer to your question(s), you can also contact them by phone 857-304-2086 or email:gradcasinfo@liaisoncas.com. For the quickest response, it is best to contact them via the Live Chat option on the Applicant Help center page.