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Ph.D. Application Information

Ph.D. Degree Entrance Requirements

The deadline for all materials is January 15th.

  • A bachelor's degree or a MS in a relevant field
  • Official University application
  • Official transcripts
  • At least a 60th percentile rank on the GRE
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A faculty sponsor
  • A statement of interest

University Graduate Admissions requirements

Please submit the following materials directly to The University Graduate Admissions Office:

  • Common application
  • Official transcripts
  • Official GRE Scores
  • Official TOEFL scores (if applicable)
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Statement of interest

Most materials may be submitted electronically through the common application upon applying. The University Graduate School mailing address is:

Florida International University
Modesto A. Maidique Campus
Graduate Admissions Office, PC 231
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199

Department of Biology requirements

Please submit the following materials directly to The Department of Biology:

  • CV/resume
  • TA application (if applicable)
  • Three letters of Recommendation
  • Statement of Interest

International Applicant Requirements

FIU Application

Applicants must complete the University-wide application before any other materials will be processed.

A Bachelor's Degree

B.A.B.S.Master in a relevant discipline such, as Biology, Botany, Zoology Microbiology, Genetics or Chemistry.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts need to be provided from each college or university attended. Transcripts in a language other than English must be accompanied by an official English translation.

At least a 60th percentile rank on the GRE general exam

At least a 60th percentile rank for both verbal and quantitative scores on the GRE is required. Our institution code is 5206. A department code is not required.

Minimum GPA of 3.0

A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale during upper division courses is required.

Three Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required.

A Faculty Sponsor

A faculty sponsor, who must be a tenure-earning or tenured member of the Department of Biological Sciences to serve as major professor must be identified in advance. The major professor will direct the student's research in consultation with the supervisory committee. Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty with similar research interests and inquire about their availability to serve as major professor. Faculty members must submit a letter of support to the applicant's file.

Faculty members from other departments who hold secondary appointments with the Department of Biological Sciences may also serve as major advisors. Current faculty members with secondary appointments are:

COM

  • Dr. Rene Herrera
  • Dr. Kalai Mathee
  • Dr. Rita Mukhopadhyay
  • Dr. Barry Rosen

Earth and Environment

  • Dr. Jennifer Rehage
  • Dr. Michael Ross
  • Dr. Keqi Zhang,
  • Dr. Krishnaswamy (Jay) Jayachandran
  • Dr. Hong Liu
  • Dr. Joeseph Boyer

A Statement of Interest

A Statement of Interest detailing area(s) of research you will be pursuing towards your degree. This should be a 1 or 2 page summary of your research interests and any research history and/or experience. Please include a resume and/or a curriculum vitae (CV) along with your statement in order to help the graduate committee assess your qualifications. You may wish to address any weaknesses you perceive in your application (relatively low GPA and / or GRE) in this document.

A minimum of 80 on the ibt TOEFL

Certification of financial ability

Must complete a declaration and certification of financial ability to support themselves while a student (contact the FIU International Students Office for further information).