Admission criteria for Molecular Genetics and Microbiology concentration

Research Experience. We prefer, but do not require, prior research experience for admission to our M.S. program.

GPA. The minimum requirements for graduate admission at the University of Florida include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, a minimum grade point average of 3.0 for all upper division (Junior/Senior) undergraduate work.  Please use the “Self-Reported GPA Computation and Worksheet for Graduate Applications” to calculate your junior-senior GPA.  Official transcripts must be received from all colleges or universities attended.  Applicants should have background in general biology and chemistry including biochemistry. Students with mathematics, physics and engineering backgrounds will also be considered. Students without a graded course in biochemistry may be conditionally admitted upon completing biochemistry before matriculation.  Be sure to identify your college major in your personal statement and highlight your knowledge and experience in advanced topics in the life sciences such as genetics, cell biology, and physiology.

Although the university minimum GPA for admission is 3.0, the typical junior-senior GPA of students admitted to our program is 3.5. Postbaccalaureate coursework in a relevant area will be taken into consideration during the review of applications.

International students – International students bring a rich diversity of cultural backgrounds, knowledge, and expertise to our graduate program.  We welcome applications from a diverse pool of qualified applicants.  We simply seek the best students for biomedical science research training.

TOEFL. International students whose native language is not English and who have not studied at an institution in the United States or other English-speaking country for one year or longer must have a score of at least 600 on the written version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 250 on the computer version of the exam, or 100 on the internet-based TOEFL.  The TOEFL exam must have been taken within the past two (2) years.  Exemptions to the TOEFL score requirement are granted per University of Florida policy for English proficiency. The university’s TOFEL code is 5812.

Due to the large number of inquiries we receive, we cannot offer an indication of how competitive your application will be before you apply. 

Applications

We only accept online applications.  No paper applications will be accepted, and the only paper documentation accepted will be transcripts.  Letters of recommendation, c.v.’s, personal statements, and all other materials must be submitted online via the University of Florida application system.

Admissions Procedure

A two-step admissions process is used for applicants of the Masters Program:

Step A: To begin the application process navigate to the UF Graduate School website  https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/ and complete the application to the UF Graduate School. A completed application consists of your online application, Statement of Purpose, Official Transcripts, and three Letters of Recommendation. These documents are then reviewed by the Master’s Admissions Committee. Students meeting the requirements will move on to step B.

Step B: Identifying a faculty research mentor (faculty members seeking master’s students for this year can be found here). This is a research degree, so students are admitted when a research mentor agrees to take the applicant into their research program and provide funding to cover the stipend.  We do not accept qualified self-funded students without a research mentor. Faculty mentors must have College of Medicine graduate faculty status.

Applications are typically accepted beginning the spring prior to the desired fall admission year. Exceptional current undergraduates at the University of Florida may apply off-cycle if they have already identified a research mentor.

U.F. Graduate School – Information & Requirements

For general information about admission to the UF Graduate School and links to the UF Graduate Catalog, please see the Graduate Admissions webpage.