About application requirements, procedures and deadlines

To apply to the program, please use the online application, which is linked on this page with instructions. When you open your application, you have to specify which program within the Graduate School you are applying.

• Under Area of Study, select “Biomedical and Biological Sciences” or “Interdisciplinary Programs”.
• From the Program Selection menu, select the “IGP in Biomedical and Biological Sciences”.

The application will include:

• Personal history: education, work, publications
• CV
• Statement of Purpose
• Transcript(s), unofficial is fine.
• 3 Letters of Recommendation, up to 5 allowed
• Official TOEFL, IELTS or Duo-Lingo test scores if English is not your native language or if the international applicant graduated from non-English degree granting institution.
• Application fee

A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution in the United States or equivalent training at a foreign university is required. Students who will graduate and obtain their bachelor’s degree prior to the beginning of the Fall term are qualified to apply.

We do holistic review of our applications. Successful applicants have extensive independent, hypothesis-driven laboratory research experience, strong grades in their STEM courses, and strong recommendation letters that speak to the applicant’s research experience and interest.

Applications are due by Midnight (Central Time) on December 1. We have a Priority Deadline on November 15 for applicants who are especially interested in Vanderbilt. Only submitted and complete applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee.

Application review by the Admissions Committee begins after December 1. With over 1400 applications to review, this process continues for several weeks, into February. As applications are reviewed, invitations to interview will be issued via email. You will not see a change in your application status in the application portal. Email invitations to interview will contain instructions on selecting an interview date.

Once all applications have been reviewed, applicants will be notified if they have not been invited to interview. This typically will occur by the end of February.

Candidates who have interviewed and have been offered admission to the IGP or QCB have until April 15 to make their decision. Instructions to accept or decline admission are in the offer of admission letter from the Graduate School.