{"id":21,"date":"2018-08-07T14:52:18","date_gmt":"2018-08-07T14:52:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medschool.prd.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/graduate-school-admission\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T15:09:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T15:09:48","slug":"graduate-school-admission","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/prospective-students\/graduate-school-admission\/","title":{"rendered":"IGP Admission Procedure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rtejustify\"><strong>Instructions for the <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/prospective-students\/online-application\/\">online application are here<\/a>. The application for Fall 2027 will open August<\/strong><strong> 1, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class='row'><div class='col-lg-6 col-md-offset-3 col-sm-offset-0'>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>IGP Admissions Timeline<\/strong><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"30%\"><strong>August 1\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"70%\"><strong>Online\u00a0<a href=\"\/igp\/online-application\">Application<\/a><\/strong> available online for the following Fall semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>December 1<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Deadline for applications<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>January-March<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>On-campus interviews for selected candidates<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>April 15<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Deadline for candidates to accept offers to the graduate programs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>About application requirements, procedures and deadlines<\/h2>\n<p>To apply to the program, please use the <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/prospective-students\/online-application\/\">online application, which is linked on this page with instructions<\/a>. When you open your application, you have to specify which program within the Graduate School you are applying.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Under <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Area of Study<\/span>, select <strong>&#8220;Biomedical and Biological Sciences&#8221; or &#8220;Interdisciplinary Programs&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>From the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Program Selection<\/span> menu, select the <strong>&#8220;IGP in Biomedical and Biological Sciences&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The application will include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Personal history: education, work, publications<\/li>\n<li>CV<\/li>\n<li>Statement of Purpose<\/li>\n<li>Transcript(s), unofficial is fine.<\/li>\n<li>3 Letters of Recommendation, up to 5 allowed<\/li>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>Application fee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A bachelor\u2019s 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\u2019s degree prior to the beginning of the Fall term are qualified to apply.<\/p>\n<p>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&#8217;s research experience and interest.<\/p>\n<p>Applications are due by <strong>Midnight (Central Time) on December 1<\/strong>. There is no priority deadline. Only submitted and complete applications will be reviewed by the IGP admissions committee.<\/p>\n<p>Application review by the IGP Admissions Committee begins after December 1. With over 1200 applications to review, this process continues for several weeks, into February. As applications are reviewed, invitations to interview for the IGP 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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Candidates who have interviewed and have been offered admission to the IGP 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.<\/p>\n<h2>About the application<\/h2>\n<div class='panel-group VUaccordion' id='accordion' role='tablist' aria-multiselectable='true'>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading1\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item1\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item1\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>When is the application deadline?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>The application deadline is December 1. Applications will begin to be reviewed after that date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading2\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item2\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item2\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Do you accept students for Spring entrance into the program?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>No. IGP only accepts students for Fall Admission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading3\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item3\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item3\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>What is the application fee?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading3\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>Our application fee is $95.<\/p>\n<p>In accordance with the interests of the US congress and its commitment to training well qualified and highly diverse students for careers in the biomedical sciences, <strong><u>fee waivers exist for any applicant who has performed biological or biomedically-oriented research which has been supported by the NIH, the NSF, or any other agency or private foundation within the US<\/u><\/strong>. This waiver applies to US citizens, permanent residents, and international applicants. You will find this waiver on the Experiences page of the IGP application. There is more specific information on application fee waivers on the Online Application page.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading4\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item4\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item4\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>How do I check my application status?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item4\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading4\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>Your application status will not change online. You will be notified if you have been invited to interview for our program. Otherwise, we will contact you when all interview invitations have been extended regarding your application status.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading5\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item5\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item5\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>What if I am an international applicant? Can I apply?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item5\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading5\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>We absolutely accept international applicants, and our international students receive the same package as domestic applicants. Please see <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/qcb\/prospective-students\/international-candidates\/\/\">this page<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading6\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item6\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item6\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Do I need to find a faculty member to work with before applying?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item6\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading6\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>No, you do not need a faculty sponsor to apply to our program. All students rotate through 4 labs before joining what will be their research thesis lab.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>About interviews and admissions offers<\/h2>\n<div class='panel-group VUaccordion' id='accordion' role='tablist' aria-multiselectable='true'>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading7\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item7\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item7\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>When will applicants be notified about interview offers?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item7\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading7\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>Application review begins after the application deadline. Interview offers are sent on a rolling basis. If an applicant has not received an invitation by March 15th, they are not being considered for an interview with the IGP program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading8\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item8\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item8\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>How do you contact applicants you are inviting to interview?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item8\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading8\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>Typically we will send an email with a link to a survey that asks about preferences for interview dates, faculty of interest, and other details. However, if you do not quickly respond to this email, we will send a follow up message. Please be sure to check your spam folder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading9\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item9\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item9\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Is admissions to IGP rolling?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item9\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading9\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>The IGP committee meets over several weeks, and reviews approximately 100 applications per week. After each meeting, invitations to interview are issued, so that will occur into February. Once all the applications have been reviewed, applicants will be informed of their status.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading10\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item10\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item10\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Do I have to pay to come to an interview in Nashville?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading10\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>You will make your own travel arrangements, and we will reimburse you for the cost of your travel. If your travel cost exceeds our allotted cost, reach out for pre-approval for the extra cost and the approximate amount. While here for the interview, we will pay for your hotel and meals on the interview day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading11\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item11\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item11\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>If I am accepted, how soon should I reply with my decision?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item11\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading11\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>You have until April 15th to make a final decision. However, once you have made a final decision (either way) we would be grateful if you share those plans with us; it helps us consider other candidates on our waitlist. If you have anything else you would like to know during your decision making process, please don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to us!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>About the program and degree<\/h2>\n<div class='panel-group VUaccordion' id='accordion' role='tablist' aria-multiselectable='true'>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading12\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item12\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item12\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Does the IGP offer a Master\u2019s degree?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item12\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading12\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>No, the IGP is a Ph.D.-track program that feeds into the eleven basic science departments and programs in the School of Medicine as well as the Dept of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts &amp; Science. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading13\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item13\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item13\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Does the Vanderbilt IGP program provide any Career Development services?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item13\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading13\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>Yes! We prepare students for any career trajectory they are interested in. Please check out the website of our <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/career-development\/\">ASPIRE Office of Career Development<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>About the numbers<\/h2>\n<div class='panel-group VUaccordion' id='accordion' role='tablist' aria-multiselectable='true'>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading14\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item14\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item14\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>How many spots are open in umbrella programs at Vanderbilt this year?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item14\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading14\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>We always shoot for a range, this year the range is ~50 for both the combined IGP and QCB programs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading15\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item15\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item15\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>How many applicants do you have each year?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item15\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading15\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>The number has been increasing for some time, but currently we have approximately 1,400 submitted applications between the IGP and QCB programs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>About funding<\/h2>\n<div class='panel-group VUaccordion' id='accordion' role='tablist' aria-multiselectable='true'>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\">\n<div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading16\">\n<h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item16\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item16\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Do students in the IGP receive any funding?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"item16\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading16\">\n<div class=\"panel-body\">\n<p>Yes, the IGP offers full financial support and covers all tuition, fees, and student health insurance, including dental insurance and a yearly eye exam. In addition, students receive a stipend. First year compensation for 2025-26 is $39,000 plus a relocation bonus of $2,000 to be used for upfront costs associated with relocating to Nashville. You can see comparative cost of living between Nashville and other cities under <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/prospective-students\/financial-support\/\">Financial Support<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Instructions for the online application are here. The application for Fall 2027 will open August 1, 2026. IGP Admissions Timeline August 1\u00a0 Online\u00a0Application available online for the following Fall semester December 1 Deadline for applications January-March On-campus interviews for selected candidates April 15 Deadline for candidates to accept offers to the graduate programs &nbsp; About&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":20,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4533,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21\/revisions\/4533"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/igp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}