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Online Application

All successful applicants to the graduate program are provided financial aid through Graduate Assistantships and fellowships.

Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty directly (see Research Areas) for more information about individual laboratories.

Qualifications
 Applications must include scores from the general test of the GRE, transcripts of all previous college work, and three letters of recommendation.  Submit two sets of official transcripts (with English translations).  One set of transcripts should be sent to the Graduate School Admissions Office and the other set should be sent to the Department of Biological Sciences.  The subject test of the GRE is not required.  International students must also submit TOEFL scores (79-80 minimum internet-based tests, 213 minimum for computer-based tests, and 550 minimum for paper-based tests).  Applicants should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 point scale) and a GRE combined (verbal + quantitative) scores of 1000 or higher.  GRE and TOEFL scores should be sent to institution code 5859.  Please see the Graduate School web page for Frequently Asked Questions.

Deadlines
To compete for financial aid, applications for fall admission must be completed by December 31.  Applications are accepted after this date but the opportunities for financial aid are diminished.  Most graduate teaching assistantships are awarded by April 1.  We do not accept applications for spring semester.

Commonwealth Campus Students
Applicants who want to improve their credentials for graduate school (or other professional schools) can register as commonwealth campus students, who may take graduate classes in Biological Sciences.  If a commonwealth campus student later wishes to pursue a degree in Biological Sciences, he/she must apply for admission to regular degree status.  Courses completed during the commonwealth campus phase can be applied towards an M.S. or Ph.D., if approval is given by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate School (www.grads.vt.edu/academics/programs/non_degree.html).

Correspondence and Information:              

Sue Rasmussen (BiologyGrad@vt.edu)                                                               
Department of Biological Sciences (0406)                    
2095B Derring Hall                                                            
VPI & SU                                                                              
Blacksburg, VA  24061      

 

Last Update 2 December 2008