**No Application Fee**
If after reviewing the qualifications for the GPiBS program you are unsure of whether you meet them, please contact gpibs@ouhsc.edu. We are here to help and support you as you pursue a career in the health sciences.
Required Application Materials
- The Application via "Apply OUHSC"
- All Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts
- A Personal Statement
- Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
- Contact information for 3 Letters of Recommendation
- WES or ECE Transcript Evaluation (International Applicants Only)
- TOEFL or IELTS Test Score (Applicable International Applicants Only)
Admissions Requirements
- Undergraduate degree in a relevant major
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours of coursework
Application Deadline
The GPiBS Application will open on August 1, 2024. The application priority deadline is December 1, 2024. *Applications and all materials must be received by December 1st to be guaranteed review. The application deadline is January 19, 2025. Applications will be accepted after the deadline; however, late submissions are not guaranteed to be reviewed. Applicants who are offered acceptance must make a final decision by April 15, 2025, to guarantee admission. Please email us at GPiBS@ouhsc.edu with any questions.
Timeline and Dates for Interviews and Offers
Interviews are scheduled every Friday from January 10th to February 28th, 2025 (typically 8:30am-1:00pm Central, via Zoom). Interview offers will begin in early-mid December, and all decisions will be made by April 15th, 2025.
Application Material Descriptions
The Application: Follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the online application via the 'Apply OUHSC' service via the OUHSC Office of Admissions and Records.
Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts can be submitted via email to GPiBS@ouhsc.edu for pre-review. You must submit a transcript from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended, even if the courses are listed on another transcript. All transcripts must be converted to a 4.0 scale and in English. Should you be admitted, you will need to submit official transcripts to the Office of Admissions and Records at admissions@ouhsc.edu.
Personal Statement: The personal is uploaded directly to the application. The personal statement should include the applicant's reasoning for wanting to pursue a PhD in biomedical research, the rationale for applying to GPiBS specifically, highlights of any research experiences, and highlights of the applicant’s strengths and career goals.
Curriculum Vitae (C.V.): The C.V. should highlight the applicant's academic lineage. Similar to a resume, it will list academic credentials and degrees earned, experiences and proficiencies, awards and honors, as well as work or laboratory experiences. It should clearly list research publications and presentations, if applicable. An example can be found, here: Example C.V.
Letters of Recommendation: The referees' contact information will be input directly into the online application, including an active email address. The referee will be contacted directly by the Office of Admissions and Records for submission of the letter of recommendation. It is strongly encouraged that the referee is a research scientist or professor that knows the applicant and can highly recommend the applicant’s abilities from personal interactions and experiences.
Research Experience: We highly recommend that applicants have research experience that they can discuss in their personal statements. We also recommend at least one letter of recommendation from the mentor of the research project.
WES and ECE: All international students must have all undergraduate transcripts from foreign institutions processed by WES or ECE. Visit the WES website or ECE website for details and instructions. Evaluated transcripts must be sent directly to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Office of Admissions and Records by WES or ECE. Unofficial evaluations will not be accepted.
TOEFL: International Applicants must report TOEFL or IELTS scores to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center using code 6902. TOEFL/IELTS scores may be waived if the applicant has received a 4-year BS Degree or MS Degree from a US Institution, or if the applicant meets certain additional criteria. Please see the TOEFL waiver website for details.
Description of a Strong Applicant:
"A strong applicant has a good GPA and a degree in the hard sciences with high grades in many of our recommended courses. A strong applicant will also have multiple research experiences in the biomedical sciences and a strong understanding of the rationale, experimentation, and findings of their research projects. While not all applicants will have high marks in all these categories, they do have an enthusiastic and motivated attitude towards research. "
Recommended Coursework
- Biochemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Upper-Division Biology
- Cell & Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Microbiology
- Physiology
- Calculus
- Physics