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How to Apply
Students seeking admission to a graduate degree program must apply formally to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. We encourage prospective students to submit an online application here. For those who prefer to mail in a paper application form, they can be requested here. To streamline our application review process, applicants to our MCO program are asked to select a training track. These tracks are 0955 "Cell, Neuro-, and Developmental Biology," 0957 "Genetics, Genomics, and Evolution," and 0959 "Physical, Chemical, and Molecular Biology." This track identification is only a preliminary indicator of interest, and does not in any way obligate applicants to pursue studies within the selected track. Admitted students are free to select any track that they feel is the best fit to their own research interests at the end of their first semester. EPB applicants should use the 0950 code. Admission Requirements and Deadlines We invite applications for admission from students who have received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution (details). First year graduate studies begin at the start of the Fall term; see the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Calendar for details. Completed applications and all supporting documentation include:
Applications for Fall 2010 admission will be available in late summer of 2009. More specific information about the application process is outlined in the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Application Instructions and Information. For Foreign Applicants Applicants from foreign countries are held to the same admission standards as students from the United States. Students whose native language is not English, and who do not hold a degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction, must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). A minimum score of 550 on the written TOEFL, a 213 on the computer-based exam, or an 80 on the internet-based test is required for admission. Recruitment Visits Applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee in January and invited applicants will be notified of recruitment visits which are scheduled in February. These visits provide a great opportunity to tour the Department and meet with faculty and current graduate students. It also allows you to spend time on campus and experience first-hand what the Boston/Cambridge area has to offer. Financial Support All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for non-Harvard fellowships or scholarships from sources such as the National Science Foundation and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Provided that satisfactory progress is maintained, all students admitted to the program receive full financial support. This includes full tuition and fees, a competitive stipend, and health insurance. Foreign applicants may be eligible for funding from Harvard-related sources based in their home country as well. Foreign applicants should contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences prior to applying to inquire what funding sources might be available to them. Students are expected to complete their graduate work to obtain the degree within five years. Financial support is usually not provided after the sixth year. Additional Information Please feel free to call the Graduate Programs Office at (617) 495-3293 or email us at gradprograms@mcb.harvard.edu if you have any additional questions. |