Admissions

Thank you for your interest in our program!

Applications for the Ph.D. or Master’s Program for Fall 2013 are now available. Please visit the Rackham Application page to submit your online application.

Please visit our website, or the Rackham Graduate School website, for updated information at that time.

Prospective Ph.D. students interested in quantitative and analytical sciences, as well as prospective Master's students, should apply directly to the Bioinformatics Program through the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan.

Prospective Ph.D. students who are interested in joint experimental and computational emphasis and have prior experience in the biological sciences should enter through the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS). PIBS offers first year graduate students flexibility in exploring opportunities from thirteen graduate programs including our own.

If you have any questions contact the Bioinformatics Graduate Program at dcmb-gradbioinfo@umich.edu.

Do I apply directly to the Bioinformatics Program or PIBS?

The choice is yours! Prospective Ph.D. students who are interested in joint experimental and computational emphasis and have prior experience in the biological sciences can enter through the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS). The Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS) is an umbrella program in which 14 different Ph.D. programs participate, including Bioinformatics.

*Please note that the PIBS application deadline is Dec 1, 2012.

*One of the main advantages of applying to PIBS is that if you are unsure of your academic focus, you have a much larger pool of faculty in whose labs you can rotate before making a final selection as to which program you will join. For example, if you are also interested in the Biophysics or Molecular & Integrative Physiology programs, you may spend a semester in the lab of someone who is a faculty member in those programs. After 10 months in PIBS, you then work with a primary advisor and select which program you will permanently join. Visit the PIBS website for more complete information.

Application Deadlines

Ph.D. applications for Fall 2013 enrollment are due: December 1, 2012

M.S. applications for Fall 2013 enrollment are due: March 1, 2013

The deadlines are for all international and domestic applicants.

Want to know more about applying to the University of Michigan? Rackham Graduate School has a page for prospective students and it provides answers to lots of frequently asked questions to assist you in the application process.

Applications

Rackham Application: The online application is available on the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School website.

All application materials should be submitted electronically when possible.

PIBS Application: Program in Biomedical Sciences Application

Codes for Sending GRE and TOEFL Scores

  • University of Michigan Horace Rackham Graduate School (R1839 for GRE and 1839 for TOEFL)
  • There is no Department Code! (Use "5199" for GRE and "99" for TOEFL) Rackham Application Program Code
  • Bioinformatics PhD Program = 01637
  • Bioinformatics MS Program = 01638

Information for International Students: International Center

Requirements

All applicants must meet Rackham's Minimum Requirements for Admission.

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program also requires the following:

  1. GPA, minimum 3.2/4.0 (exceptions to be made as deemed appropriate)
    Letters of recommendation (3 or more)
  2. NOTE: Submitting only the Rackham Recommendation for Admission form is insufficient; forms must be accompanied by a letter from the recommender.
  3. Statement of Purpose:
    The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives.
  4. Personal Statement:
    The Personal Statement should be a concise, well-written statement about how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. This is not an Academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.
  5. Resume/CV
  6. Transcripts
    Please submit transcripts electronically with your online application.
  7. GRE score from the general exam
  8. If you are taking the TOEFL exam, please note that applicants with a score of less than 100 will not be considered for admission.

Funding Sources

Ph.D. Students

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program will provide tuition, healthcare coverage and a stipend on a 12 month basis. This level of support will be maintained throughout a student's tenure in the Program, provided he or she remains in good academic standing, making reasonable progress toward the degree as determined by the Graduate Affairs Committee. It is expected that the student will be supported directly by the mentor's laboratory, beginning some time in the second year. The expected time to degree is typically 5 years.

Master's Students

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program does not offer funding for master's students. Occasionally master's students are able to find part-time employment inside or outside the University, which will help defray their expenses. The BGP does not guarantee such employment, but it does pass on information on such opportunities as they become available.

Sources of Aid on Campus