Application Process
At the University of California, San Diego, diversity is a core component of excellence that further enhances our quality and achievement. We seek a diverse graduate student body to ensure that all of our students gain the educational benefits that result from being exposed to a broad spectrum of ideas and perspectives. These include the variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. Such differences include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic region and more. We wish to broaden and deepen both the educational experience and the scholarly environment, as students and faculty learn to interact effectively with each other, preparing them to participate in an increasingly complex and pluralistic society. We also want all of our students to contribute to the campus community in a manner that enhances campus diversity and inclusiveness, consistent with the University of California Principles of Community.
The UC San Diego Graduate Application can be completed on-line.
The Admissions Committee of the program considers all elements of the student's file. Top applicants are usually invited to UCSD to visit the campus and participate in faculty interviews in February and March. Arrangements are made by telephone or e-mail from the program office. It is therefore essential that you provide a correct telephone number (home and work) and email address where you can be reached during the winter and spring months.
We recognize that the graduate school admissions process can be opaque and intimidating. To address this problem, we have established the Biomedical Application Assistance Program (BMAAP), a student-run program that aims to demystify the admissions process for applicants. For more information, please visit the BMAAP Program page.
Requirements
The The Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs at UCSD requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 for admission to graduate school. The Biomedical Sciences Admissions Committee looks specifically at an applicant’s cumulative and science GPAs, and at the types of courses taken. Recommended courses include calculus, biochemistry, organic and physical chemistry, biology, and, preferably, cell and molecular biology and mammalian physiology.
As of 2018, applicants are no longer required to submit scores for either the GRE General or Subject Tests. Applicants can optionally submit scores for the GRE General Test (verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections) and/or an applicable GRE Subject Test. If an applicant wishes to take the GRE tests, it is advised to take the GRE in the fall prior to the fall term for which admission is sought. Applicants may self-report scores at the time of application submission. When ordering your GRE score reports, use UCSD's institution code 4836. No department codes are necessary. GRE score reports are typically received electronically within 5-7 business days from the order date. More information about the GRE may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website.
The UCSD Graduate Application fee is $135 ($155 for international applicants). This fee may be waived for applicants who demonstrate financial hardship, US Military service, or who have participated in certain graduate preparatory programs. Please see this page for more information. For international students requesting a fee waiver, please visit this link.
Preliminary Application (International applicants)
The preliminary application is no longer required. All student applications are given equal consideration in the application review process.
Apply for Fall 2025
Official Graduate Application Opens - September 4, 2024
Official Graduate Application Deadline - November 25, 2024
Interviews and Recruitment (In-Person) Weekends - February 6-9, 2025, and February 27 - March 2, 2025.
Begin Your Application
More Information
Please contact the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program offfice for more information or questions: biomedsci@ucsd.edu.
Statement of Purpose
Focus your Statement of Purpose on the reasons you are interested in attending the UC San Diego Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. The statement has a 1500 word limit and should be well organized, concise, and completely free of grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.
Include responses to the following as part of your statement:
- Summarize the long term goals of research in which you participated.
- Describe one research problem, project or area for graduate study that excites you. Have you thought about what you want to accomplish in graduate school and how is UC San Diego a good match for these goals?
Letters of Recommendation
These are of great value in assessing a student’s qualifications for a career in research. It is advantageous to have letters submitted by well-known faculty who can critically evaluate a student’s academic performance, undergraduate research experience, and potential for a career in biomedical sciences.
Research Experience
Undergraduate and/or post-college research experience is considered an important part of a student’s preparation for graduate work. It gives the student the opportunity to experience laboratory work and thus make a knowledgeable decision to pursue a career in basic biomedical sciences.
Official Application
Screening of applications will begin in late November. It is recommended that applicants submit all parts of the application including recommendation letters before the deadline to be considered for on-campus interviews. Typical causes of delayed consideration include missing letters of recommendation and transcripts.
PLEASE NOTE: To expedite the processing of your application, the Biomedical Sciences Admissions Committee requires that you upload PDF versions of your official or unofficial transcripts directly into the UCSD on-line application system. More information on this process is available in the on-line application system.
Non-discrimination Statement
The University of California, in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or age in any of its policies, procedures, or practices; nor does the university discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, university programs and activities, including but not limited to, academic admission, financial aid, educational services, and student employment.
Inquiries regarding the university's equal opportunity policies may be directed to the campus compliance coordinator, (858) 534-0195.