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Application and Admission, USC Biology Graduate Program

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Application Process

Applications will be reviewed on February 20, 2006, and students will be notified soon after. Not all students accept our offer; students not offered positions in the first round will be reconsidered on March 20, 2006 (all graduate programs have limited space and must make hard choices, overlooking many highly promissing students). Late applications can only be considered as space allows (contact Dr. Vogt if you have any concerns or questions). Applications should be complete by February 1, and the Graduate Directory should be notified that an application has been submitted. We want you! Help us make it possible to select you by getting your materials to us.

SUBMISSION: Applications should be submitted on line, directly to the Graduate School: CLICK HERE.
The web site seems pretty clear, but contact us if you have any questions.

Your application will include:

We do not require the Subject GRE, but it is a lot of fun to take and thus also encouraged.

English Language. If you are from a non-English speaking country, you must TOEFL scores, and complete the visa application and financial certification forms. You should anticipate the normal delays in reporting of GRE and TOEFL scores by completing the exams at least six weeks before the application deadline.

Contact potential mentors. We strongly encourage you to directly contact appropriate faculty with whom you might have interest in studying. Most faculty are flattered by the contact, and those actively interested in graduate students welcome it. Don't be shy!

Let us know. You are also strongly encouraged to contact the Graduate Director (Dr. Vogt, above address, mail or email), indicating that an application is forthcoming. It would be helpful to include a copy of your application in this communication. Because things get lost, it is also strongly recommended that you contact Pat Early, our Graduate Program Coordinator, to confirm that your application has arrived and is complete. Pat's email is: pe@biol.sc.edu

Admission

We are looking for students who have a strong promise of success, and we believe that the students we accept will be successful. Acceptance decisions are based on an overall evaluation of your academic record and GRE scores, your academic background and experience, letters of support, and not least, your motivation for graduate work. In general, students should have a strong and diverse background in Biology with solid knowledge of math, chemistry (including organic) and physics. Previous undergraduate or Masters research experience is enormously beneficial. For those whose primary language is not English, an English language test is required; a TOEFL score of at least 600 (computer-based score of 250) or an IELTS score of at least 7 is expected.

The Department of Biological Sciences invites inquiries and visits from prospective students and is able to fund visits for a limited number of applicants. We encourage you to communicate directly with potential mentors regarding their research programs; review faculty research interests by clicking HERE. We encourage you to visit the department in order to meet and talk with the faculty and graduate students about graduate study and research. Informing us of your plans ahead of time will allow us to a more enriching and informative visit. You are welcome any weekday, or on weekends by arrangement.

Applications will be reviewed February 20, 2006 for Fall 2006 matriculation; admission for other semesters is limited but is considered.

Graduate students are selected without regard to sex, color, creed, national origin, or geographical locale. We are committed to maintaining a very diverse student body; all are welcome.

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In accordance with USC Policy ACAF 7.04 the following information is included:
Department: Biological Sciences; Website Maintainer: Richard Vogt vogt@biol.sc.edu
Copyright 2008 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina.
This is <URL:http://www.biol.sc.edu/graduate/appl.html> last modified 22 November 2005