How to Apply

Applicants will receive an email confirmation after submission of the application. Once submitted, you may continue logging into your application to submit any remaining supplemental material. Applications will not enter the review process until all material has been received and verified. As supplemental application material is received, the Application Status panel will be updated.

Applications should be fully completed and submitted by the program deadlines listed below. Supplemental material will only be processed within the first 5 business days after the application deadline. Late applications are not accepted unless you receive special permission from the graduate program director.

Applicants may apply to multiple programs by submitting a complete and separate online application, fee, and supplemental material including recommendations. All personal data, academic information, and test report data will populate in the new application.

Important Admissions Dates

Applicants should submit all application material by the appropriate program deadline. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible in order to allow the maximum amount of time for the review process.

Spring 2019

October 1	Application review begins
October 15	Deadline to apply for the MS in Biomedical Science for Pre-health Professions ONLY
November 12	Program Interviews (by invitation only)

Summer 2019

January 15	Deadline to apply for the MS in Biomedical Science for Pre-health Professions ONLY
January 15	Application review begins

Fall 2019

December 6	PhD deadline for consideration of a fully funded fellowship
January 15	PhD Deadline with no guarantee of funding
January 24-25	Interviews for Molecular and Cellular Bioscience PhD Track
January 24-26	Interviews for Neuroscience PhD program
February 1	Offer letters begin going out
February 21-23	Interviews for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology PhD program
February 21-23	Interviews for Biomedical Engineering – VT/WFU SBES Program
March 1	Deadline to apply for Neuroscience Minor (5 year BS/BA-MS program for WFU students only)
April 15	Deadline to reply to an offer of admission for PhD program. If a late offer is made the reply deadline will be noted on the official offer letter.
May 1	Final date for offer letters to be sent
June 1	Deadline to apply for all other master’s programs

Early submission is also strongly encouraged for applicants to master programs to be given full consideration for financial aid.

Submitting an Application

Create a user account and begin your application. If you already have an account, log in using your current username and password. In addition to completing the online application, applicants must submit the following by the application deadline:

Required Documents

All of the following must be submitted through the CollegeNet to be considered:

Completed Online Application
Personal Statement - The statement should be at least one page in length and include information on any area of special interest within the selected program; previous experience while working or volunteering in a related field; and career plans as perceived at present. It is recommended to use font styles similar to Arial, GT Times or Times New Roman. Font size should not be smaller than 10 points, or larger than 12 points. Page margins should be 1″.
Transcript(s) from all schools attended. (unofficial transcripts may be used for the review process)
Three Letters of Recommendation (unless specified by program)
Test Reports (unofficial reports may be used for the review process)
Resume/CV (optional, unless specified by program)
Research Statement (optional) - This statement should include your role in the research, a description of your project and any outcomes. Please include information on any presentations or papers resulting from the project.
Application fee ($100) or fee waiver (qualified programs listed in FAQs).

The application fee is payable by credit card. Payment of the application fee (or approved application fee waiver request) is required in order to submit an application and is required with each application for admission you submit. Payment instructions are located at the end of the application process.

Application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. No fees will be refunded unless the program is cancelled.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check on the status of my application?

Applicants may check on the status of their application by logging into their online account and viewing the “Application Details” panel.

How do I submit the required supplemental material?

The online application process allows applicants to attach all supplemental application documents (i.e. personal statements, resume/CV, test reports, unofficial transcripts, etc.) to their application prior to submission.

Which test scores are required and which institutional code do I use to order test reports?

The GRE (WFU Code: 5920) is required of all applicants with the exception of those that already hold an advanced degree (master’s or higher). The Biomedical Science for Pre-Health Profession program accepts MCAT scores in lieu of GRE scores (details below). GRE scores are entered via the online application. Unofficial test reports should be uploaded into the online application for the review process. If the official test report is no longer available, screenshots of scores from the ETS system may be uploaded. Tests taken after an application has been submitted should be sent to the Graduate School as an email attachment. Official scores will be required prior to orientation if an offer of admission has been made and accepted by the student. All official GRE scores should be received directly from the Educational Testing Service.

Though the WFU Graduate School does not have a minimum test score for the GRE, in order to be competitive a combined score on the Verbal and Quantitative sections should be approximately 1100 for tests taken prior to August 2011, and 300-302 (50th percentile) for tests taken after August 1, 2011.

GRE

The GRE is administered by the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000. Usually the examination is taken in the fall of the applicant’s undergraduate senior year. Information is available on the web at www.gre.org.

TOEFL/IELTS

International students who did not graduate from colleges or universities within the U.S. and whose native language is not English must submit either the TOEFL (WFU Code: 5920) or the IELTS. The minimum total score on the TOEFL is 550 (paper-based test), 213 (computer-based test), or 79-80 (internet-based). The minimum score on the IELTS is 6.5.

Copies of unofficial TOEFL or IELTS test reports may be attached to the online application and used for the review process. If the report is not available, please submit self-reported test scores (by category) on the online application. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores will be required prior to orientation if an offer of admission has been made and accepted by the student. All official test scores should be received directly from the Educational Testing Services (TOEFL) or IELTS.

The on-line application will only allow applicants to enter internet based test scores. Please use the ETS TOEFL Conversion chart to find internet score equivalents if you took the paper based or computer based test.

The TOEFL bulletin of information and registration form can be obtained at American embassies and consulates, offices of the United States Information Service, United States educational commissions and foundations abroad, and at bi-national centers. Students unable to obtain a bulletin from one of the above should write to: Test of English as a Foreign Language, P.O. Box 6155, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6155, USA or contact the website, www.toefl.org. Administrations of TOEFL are coordinated with the GRE and are available in most countries. Correspondence should be initiated at least three months before the testing date.

IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP:IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. The IELTS is available at 270 test centers worldwide. To obtain information regarding this test and the centers, please visit www.ielts.org.

MCAT

The MCAT (WFU Code: 3168) may replace the GRE test for applicants to the master’s program in Biomedical Science for Pre-Health Professions. Applications will be reviewed holistically, but competitive applications have an MCAT of 23 or higher for tests taken prior to April 2015; and minimum total scores of 40% or higher for tests taken since April 2015. Applicants with an MCAT older than 3 years will be expected to repeat the MCAT if applying to medical school.

The MCAT is administered by the Educational Testing Service (www.aamc.org).

USMLE/ECFMG

The USMLE or ECFMG may be used to replace the GRE requirement for an international applicant as long as all three of the following conditions are met:

Applicant to the Clinical and Population Translational Science (CPTS) master’s program
Applicant holds a medical degree from a foreign university
Applicant is a current full-time employee of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (faculty, medical intern, research fellow)

May I apply for more than one program of study?

Yes, however a complete application is required for each program including the payment of the application fee.

How do I apply for a dual degree program?

Yes, learn more about Joint Degree opportunities at Wake Forest

Do you have an interview weekend?

Yes, an interview weekend is hosted for all Biomedical PhD Programs. Please see the application timeline for this year’s dates. Invitations will be emailed to selected applicants beginning in mid-December.

Although not required of all students, personal interviews are encouraged and may be required for some academic programs.

May I visit the university and meet with faculty in my program of interest?

All applicants are welcome to visit for an individual campus tour (offered Monday through Friday at 10:00am and 2:00pm by appointment only) or during one of our Open House events. Complete the Graduate School Request Form to schedule an individual visit or RSVP for an upcoming Open House events. Faculty meetings are usually arranged for program applicants by request.

How do I apply for financial assistance?

PhD applicants are automatically considered for a full tuition scholarship and stipend for living expenses (if application is received by the full funding deadline). Master’s applicants are automatically considered for partial scholarship support.

Does Wake Forest offer Tuition Concession for employees?

If you or your spouse are employed by WFU, please contact your Human Resources department for more information. Please notify the Graduate School at the time of application if you qualify for the tuition concession benefit.

Does Wake Forest offer application fee waivers?

Yes, application fee waivers are awarded based on financial need and program participation. The application fee waiver selection is located in the payment section of the online application.

If an applicant is able to demonstrate significant financial need (recipient of Federal Pell Grant or NC Education Lottery Scholarship), an application fee waiver may be granted. Contact the financial aid officer or the university registrar of your previous school to request a letter verifying your financial need or a copy of your financial award letter. The letter may be sent via email or hard copy from the authorizing official to the Graduate School office.

If an applicant has participated in one of the programs below within the last two years, an application fee waiver may be granted:

AmeriCorps
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minorities Students (ABRCMS)
Careers Opportunity Research/NIMH (COR/NIHM)
Currently enrolled graduate students in the WFU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (current degree requirements must be completed prior to re-entry into the Graduate School)
Currently enrolled undergraduate students at WFU in the Neuroscience Minor
Gates Millennium Scholar
Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)
Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program
Mellon Minority Undergraduate Fellows Program
Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC)
Minority Biomedical Research Support Program (RISE)
National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP)
National College Advising Corps (NCAC)
Organization of American States (OAS)
Peace Corps
Ronald McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Teach for America
WFU Graduate School Summer Research Participants (EICS, TSI, WFIRM, Spelman)
U.S. Military Veterans or Currently Serving in the U.S. Military
Contact your director/coordinator to request a letter verifying your participation in the program and the dates of your participation. The letter may be sent via email or hard copy from the authorizing official to the Graduate School office.

Transfer Students

Transfer applicants for master’s programs who have completed a portion of their graduate training at another institution are eligible for admission but may not transfer more than six semester hours of coursework. The minimum grade allowed for transferring courses is “B.” Transfer applicants for PhD programs require an official release letter from the applicant’s current institution. In addition, one of the three required recommendations must be from the students’ advisor or mentor who has knowledge of the applicant’s academic performance and supports the applicant’s request for transfer. The applicant should also outline the reason for the transfer in the personal statement. In addition, it is recommended that the applicant contact the director of their intended program of study to discuss the circumstances of the transfer.

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