Application Overview

U.S. citizen and permanent resident applicants must:

• Select two Ph.D. program/department choices, in rank order. On the 'Program Selection' page of the application, click on 'Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS)' and select your primary program. You will have an opportunity to select your second program choice on the 'Program-Specific Information' page. These choices are not binding and will only be used for the assignment of your application for review. You should only submit one application. If you submit more than one application, only the first application we receive will be considered. No application fee refunds will be issued for subsequent applications.
• Provide a Statement of Purpose that describes your research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. A detailed description of your research experience is strongly recommended. Please limit your Statement of Purpose to two pages.
• Submit a Personal Statement that describes how your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. Describe any major obstacles that you had to overcome to achieve your goals. Please limit your Personal Statement to 500 words.
• Solicit three letters of recommendation from research mentors or professors who can evaluate your academic and scientific potential. These letters must be sent electronically by the December 1 deadline. As you complete the Rackham Graduate School application, you will have the opportunity to electronically send invitations to professors/mentors to submit letters of recommendation. It is highly recommended that you use the online recommender system. If your recommenders are unable to use this system, you should contact PIBS ([email protected]) immediately for further instructions.
• GRE scores are not required.
• Are you attending or have you graduated from a U.S. Institution? Upload a scanned copy of your official transcript(s) to ApplyWeb for each Bachelor’s Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress. A downloaded transcript from your university student account is not an official transcript. You are not required to send official transcripts to Rackham Graduate School at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• Are you attending or have you graduated from a Non-U.S. Institution? Upload a scanned copy of your official transcript(s), front and back page, to ApplyWeb from each institution attended, including in-progress and/or non-degree coursework. A downloaded transcript from your university student account is not an official transcript. For any additional document requirements, please review the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for requirements on what to submit by country. You are not required to send official transcripts to Rackham Graduate School at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• Are you attending or have you graduated from both a U.S. and Non-U.S. Institution? Upload a scanned copy of your official transcript(s), front and back page, to ApplyWeb from each institution attended, including in-progress and/or non-degree coursework. A downloaded transcript from your university student account is not an official transcript. For any additional document requirements, please review the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for requirements on what to submit by country. You are not required to send official transcripts to Rackham Graduate School at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• If you are unable to upload a copy of your official e-transcript due to security settings, print a copy of your e-transcript, scan the printed copy, and upload it.

NOTE: PIBS does not accept hard copies of any application materials. All materials must be submitted electronically.

Language Requirements

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency and may need to take an exam such as the TOEFL. Rackham Graduate School offers a full explanation of this requirement.

Application Fees

$75 per application. 
Some applicants may be eligible for a waiver. Please visit the Rackham Graduate School website for more information on fee waivers and grants.

The University of Michigan is a member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance FreeApp. To receive a BTAA fee waiver, students must meet the following criteria:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Participation in a Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) at a BTAA university with a 3.0 or higher GPA.

For more information and to request a graduate application fee waiver, please visit their website.

Please note: Admission to PIBS is extremely competitive. PIBS accepts only 5% or less of the international applications received each year. In addition, not all programs accept international students.

The following programs utilize federal training grants to fund students; students appointed to these grants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Therefore, these programs do not accept international applicants through PIBS:

• Cancer Biology
• Cellular & Molecular Biology
• Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology

Due to funding limitations and budgetary restraints for international travel, Microbiology & Immunology will only accept applications from international students if they are currently undergraduate or graduate students in the U.S. with an F1 visa.

International / non-U.S. citizen applicants must:

• Select two Ph.D. program/department choices in rank order (please note restrictions above on programs not accepting international applications). On the 'Program Selection' page of the application, click on 'Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS)' and select your primary program. You will have an opportunity to select your second program choice on the 'Program-Specific Information' page. These choices are not binding but will be used to determine which programs review your application. You should only submit one application. If you submit more than one application, only the first application we receive will be considered. No application fee refunds will be issued for subsequent applications.
• Provide a Statement of Purpose that describes your research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. A detailed description of your research experience is strongly recommended. Please limit your Statement of Purpose to two pages.
• Submit a Personal Statement that describes how your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. Describe any major obstacles that you had to overcome to achieve your goals. Please limit your Personal Statement to 500 words.
• Solicit three letters of recommendation from research mentors or professors who can evaluate your academic and scientific potential. These letters must be sent electronically by the December 1 deadline. As you complete the Rackham Graduate School application, you will have the opportunity to send electronic invitations to professors/mentors to submit letters of recommendation. It is highly recommended that you use the online recommender system. If your recommenders are unable to use this system, you should contact PIBS ([email protected]) immediately for further instructions.
• GRE scores are not required.
• Are you attending or have you graduated from a U.S. Institution? Upload a scanned copy of your official transcript(s) to ApplyWeb for each Bachelor’s Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress. A downloaded transcript from your university student account is not an official transcript. You are not required to send official transcripts to Rackham Graduate School at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• Are you attending or have you graduated from a Non-U.S. Institution? Upload a scanned copy of your official transcript(s), front and back page, to ApplyWeb from each institution attended, including in-progress and/or non-degree coursework. A downloaded transcript from your university student account is not an official transcript. For any additional document requirements, please review the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for requirements on what to submit by country. You are not required to send official transcripts to Rackham Graduate School at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• Are you attending or have you graduated from both a U.S. and Non-U.S. Institution? Upload a scanned copy of your official transcript(s), front and back page, to ApplyWeb from each institution attended, including in-progress and/or non-degree coursework. A downloaded transcript from your university student account is not an official transcript. For any additional document requirements, please review the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for requirements on what to submit by country. You are not required to send official transcripts to Rackham Graduate School at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• If you are unable to upload a copy of your official e-transcript due to security settings, print a copy of your e-transcript, scan the printed copy, and upload.

NOTE: PIBS does not accept hard copies of your materials. All materials must be submitted electronically.

Language Requirements

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency via the TOEFL exam. Rackham Graduate School offers a full explanation of this requirement, including exemption criteria. Please contact Rackham directly ([email protected]) with questions regarding the TOEFL.

Application Fees

$90 per application.

We also welcome applicants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. Visit Rackham Graduate School's website for specific instructions on how to fill out your application.

Students with DACA should contact [email protected] for questions regarding primary and/or secondary program selection on the PIBS application.