Admissions and Application Information
The Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida provides programs leading to either a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree. We welcome applications for graduate study from students who hold a Bachelor of Science degree in any of the sub-disciplines in biological sciences or chemistry or students who have acquired a Master's degree and desire to continue their education in our Doctor of Philosophy program.
The University of Florida Graduate School requirements for admission include an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and a combined score of 1000 (verbal and quantitative) on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Due to a large number of qualified applicants and the limited number of graduate student positions available, admission to our program is highly competitive. Prospective applicants should be aware that the majority of the students accepted into our program maintained undergraduate GPA's of 3.3-4.0. In addition, the department requires a minimum score of 1100 on the GRE. Again, however, the majority of the students accepted into our program have achieved a score on the GRE in excess of 1200. Fulfillment of the minimum requirements does not guarantee an applicant's acceptance into the program. In evaluating each applicant, the department's Graduate Committee members include in their consideration a thorough review of the transcript, letters of recommendation provided, statement of purpose, area of research interest, etc.
A recent estimate of the cost of graduate study for the 2006-2007 calendar year at the University of Florida is $18,917 for students with Florida residency status. Non-Florida residence cost (affecting primarily out-of-state tuition costs) is estimated to be $34,041. This figure reflects consideration of the costs for tuition, lodging, food, books and personal expenses (it does not include travel expenses). Funds for Research or Teaching Assistantship stipends are available to financially assist graduate students. The amount of the stipends for the 2006-2007 is $21,000 for all students accepted into the graduate program. United States citizens who are offered assistantships receive a tuition waiver which increases the value of the assistantship by $6234 per year for Florida residents and about $21,359 per year for non-Florida residents. In addition to the Research or Teaching Assistantships, highly prestigious Graduate Fellowship awards are available from the University and the College of Agriculture to support outstanding students who intend to pursue a Ph.D degree (see below). Application must be completed early, January 15, to be eligible for the Graduate Fellowships.
Most of the information about the Department, the graduate program, the University and financial assistance is also available on web pages that can be accessed through links on the Graduate Studies page.
Electronic application for admission may be prepared and submitted online. You are urged to apply early to meet deadlines of fellowship nominations.
How to apply for admission to graduate school
Admission into the graduate program of the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science requires that an applicant be accepted both by the Graduate School at the University of Florida and by the Department. To complete the application process, apply online via the Graduate School admissions web site.
Office of Admission University of Florida P.O. Box 2946 Gainesville, FL 32602-2946 |
Graduate Coordinator Department of Microbiology and Cell Science University of Florida P.O. Box 110700 Gainesville, FL 32611-0700 |
- Each applicant must send a $30.00 application fee (non-refundable) to the Office of Admission. No application will be processed by the Office of Admission until the application fee is received.
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Before applying for admission, international students should read the requirements for application and admission described on the web page for international student applicants .
Application Materials
U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens
Submit to Graduate School:
$30 application fee
Application for Admission+
Official GRE scores
Official Transcript
Submit to the Department:
Assistantship Application+
Three Letters of Recommendation+
Statement of Intent
International Applicants
Submit to Graduate School:
$30 application fee
Application for International Student Admission+
Official GRE scores
Official Transcript
TOEFL score
Submit to the Department:
Assistantship Application+
Three Letters of Recommendation+Statement of Intent
- Three letters of evaluations should be sent to the Department. The evaluation letters should be written by academic individuals who are familiar with your academic abilities and mailed directly to the Department. Three recommendations must be submitted whether or not an Assistantship Application will be submitted.
- Applicants are requested to submit a statement of intent, a brief essay describing their research experience (if any), career goals and area of research interest to the Department.
Graduate Fellowships
Highly prestigious Graduate Fellowship awards are available from the University and the College of Agriculture to support outstanding students who intend to pursue a Ph.D degree. To be nominated for the Graduate Fellowship awards, applicants must have completed applications submitted to both the Office of Admission and to the Department before January 15.
The Department awards Research and Teaching Assistantships to candidates for the Ph.D. degree. Applicants must submit to the Department an Assistantship Application. Early application is strongly encouraged.
Additional information and instructions about the application process and requirements may be obtained from the University's Graduate School and Graduate Admissions Web Pages. International students should review the information provided by the Department . If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the graduate coordinator. Electronic mail is usually the fastest and most convenient method of contact.