Admissions and Financial Support

How to Apply

Specific information about university-wide requirements for graduate admissions at The University of Texas at Austin is available from The Graduate and International Admissions Center.

Apply online using the Texas Common Application. The CMB major code is 615400.

Submit online your Statement of Purpose and enter your Electronic Letters of Recommendation information.

When you complete the "References" portion of the online application for admission, you will give the names and email addresses of those you have asked to recommend you. Be sure that the email address is current and accurate.

You will be asked to inform us if you are going to waive the right to view your letters after they are submitted. Please indicate this by answering the associated question on the application for admission.

We will send an e-mail message to the address you provide and ask your recommender to visit a web site where they can complete a questionnaire. Your recommender will be informed if you have not waived your right to view his/her letter of recommendation. From the status check website you can monitor reference requests, resend a request, add a new recommender, and revise your FERPA waiver. If you have questions, please email gradref@austin.utexas.edu .

Send to the Graduate and International Admissions Center:

1. Official transcripts from every senior college attended
2. Official GRE and TOEFL score reports
   Sent electronically. The Institution code for the University of Texas at Austin for GRE and TOEFL score reports is 6882. No department code is necessary.  The CMB graduate program does not require GRE subject tests.
3. Application fee reports
   Pay online using a credit card or by check or money order.

Applicants should also send a CV directly to the CMB graduate program. The CV should show lab experience and list any publications, preferably with links to the publications. Please do not send actual copies of the publications. You may send the CV by email or by regular mail to:

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

The CMB Graduate Program expects its applicants to have successfully completed at least one semester each of cell biology and molecular biology, and one year each of calculus, organic chemistry and general physics. Genetics and biochemistry are required. Students with any deficiencies in these areas should remedy them before applying to the program.

We only admit students seeking a PhD and only for the Fall Semester.

The priority deadline for both domestic and international applicants is December 1st. Applications received after that date will be considered, but it may not be feasible to complete the review of late applications in time for invitations to recruitment visits. Applicants may check their application status and documents received online.

Application Fee Waiver
The CMB Graduate Program will pay the application fee for qualified applicants. Applicants may apply for an application fee waiver online.

Recruitment Visits
After the admissions committee reviews applications, applicants may be invited to interview during a recruitment visit in January or February. These visits provide a great opportunity to interact with faculty and current graduate students, experience our campus, and tour Austin.

Financial Support
All first year students are fully supported by The Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology. This includes full tuition and fees, a competitive stipend, and health and dental insurance. After the first year, financial support is coordinated with the permanent laboratory and students are employed as graduate research assistants or as teaching assistants.

Commitment to Diversity
The CMB Graduate Program is committed to providing educational opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in the biological sciences. We strongly encourage students of all backgrounds to apply. In addition to the support from our department, the University of Texas at Austin offers a number of fellowships to promote graduate study and diversity. Qualified students are nominated by the CMB Graduate Program for these fellowships.