Frequently Asked Questions
No, the QCB is a Ph.D.-track program that feeds into the 13 basic science departments and programs in the School of Medicine and in the College of Arts & Science.
Compensation for 2023-24 will be $36,500 plus a relocation bonus of $2,000 to be used for upfront costs associated with relocating to Nashville. Your award package also covers 100% of University tuition, all student fees, and health insurance, including dental and vision coverage.
Our stipend is comparable to the amount given at similar institutions when adjusted for the cost of living.
| City | Amount needed to match $36,500 in Nashville |
| Atlanta, GA | $39,680 |
| Baltimore, MD | $43,450 |
| Chapel Hill, NC | $37,000 |
| New Haven, CT | $39,300 |
| San Francisco, CA | $77,000 |
| Madison, WI | $37,680 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $38,600 |
You may apply for the program and find more information about the admission timeline at this link . Admission to the QCB is granted for the fall semester only- there is not an option to begin in the spring.
Starting with Fall 2018 applications, our application fee will be $95. For more information, please check here.
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, fee waivers can be obtained for any student 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.
Please see our application page for more information on fee waivers.
December 1st is the admission deadline for the QCB program. You may apply for the program and find more information about the admission timeline by clicking here. This date is when applications will begin to be reviewed. Applications that are not complete by this date may not be considered, or will not be as competitive.
Admission is conducted on a rolling basis. Applicants will find out no later than March 15th if they will receive an invitation to interview.
Your application status will not change online. You will be notified if you have been invited to interview for our program.
The general GRE exam, which includes the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytic sections, is not required for admission into the QCB program. An unofficial score report may be submitted if you would like, but is optional. The GRE Institution Code is 1871. The GRE Department Code for this program is 0202 (No department code is necessary, but you may use 0202 if you are required to enter one).
No, we do not require the subject exams for admission into the QCB program.
No, there are no minimum GPA or GRE score requirements (we do not require the GRE on your application).
Yes, TOEFL scores are required for most international applicants. There is not a minimum TOEFL score requirement; however, the TOEFL scores were generally near or above 100 total (iBT) for incoming students this fall. The requirement can be waived if you have received a degree where the primary language of the country is English-speaking or if you attended a University where English was the language of instruction.
All of your materials are submitted/uploaded online. We DO NOT need copies of your official transcripts at the time of your application. We will request these when we need them.
No, the QCB only accepts students for fall admission.
If you have additional questions about the QCB, you may contact:
Stephanie Richards, Ph.D.
Assistant Director of Recruitment
stephanie.richards@vanderbilt.edu
(615) 343-6111