Graduate Admissions
text
Students apply for admission to graduate programs in bioengineering and bioinformatics through the UIC Graduate College. Applications are considered individually by the admissions committee for graduate programs.
Successful applicants to graduate study at UIC will have studied physical or life sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, biology, or pre-medicine as undergraduates. Upon entry into any graduate program in the Department of Bioengineering, students must have completed Calculus 1 through 3 (or equivalent), Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra.
Application Requirements for MS and PhD Students
Applicants must meet the requirements of the Graduate College and the requirements of the bioengineering department. In general, applicants should be prepared with:
- Admissions application completed online
- Transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work, indicating a minimum GPA of 3.0 (assuming a system in which A = 4.0) for the final 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of undergraduate study
- GRE general test scores demonstrating quantitative reasoning percentile rank above 50% (note: the GRE may be waived for applicants to the MS Bioengineering program only). No GRE subject tests are required.
- English competency test. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take an English competency test. Minimum required scores are: iBT Internet-based TOEFL of 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21; New Paper-Based TOEFL (after August 2018) of 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21; Institutional Testing Paper-Based TOEFL (prior to August 2018) of 550; IELTS of 6.5, with all four subscores of at least 6.0; or PTE-Academic of 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
- Letters of recommendation (3)
- Personal statement
Additional Information for PhD Applicants
-
Direct admission
Most PhD applicants already have earned (or are about to complete) an MS in bioengineering. However, exceptional applicants who seek to start the PhD with only an undergraduate degree may be considered for what is called “direct admission.” Students who are admitted to the PhD program with only a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering or a related field must complete at least 48 hours of coursework for the PhD, of which 24 semester hours must be bioengineering courses and of which at least 20 hours must be at the 500 level, excluding BIOE 595, BIOE 596, and BIOE 599. A maximum of 4 hours of BIOE 590 may be applied toward the degree.
-
MD/PhD track supported by NIH
UIC bioengineering also participates in the prestigious NIH-supported Medical Scientist Training Program, a competitive MD/PhD track providing seven years of funding support in collaboration with the UIC College of Medicine, home of the largest medical school in the United States. Visit the program website for full information on this dual-degree program.
Deadlines
- December 1: Recommended deadline for PhD students and for scholarship/financial aid consideration
- January 15: Final deadline for MS and PhD applications
More information about application deadlines is available on the Graduate College’s admissions deadlines page at http://grad.uic.edu/deadlines