2026 application cycle updates

Interested in applying to our program? RSVP for our Virtual Info Session Wednesday November 5th, 2025 at 5PM PST

Our application will open September 1 2025.

Our interview dates are scheduled for February 12, 13, 14,  2026 in Seattle. Updated: 9/16/2025

Apply

Application Deadline: December 1 at Midnight

The deadline for application is for students to begin study the following September.  We begin a new cohort only once per year each Autumn.

Application Fee: $90.00 USD

**Fee waivers are not available through the Department of Biology. However, the UW Graduate School offers application fee waivers to those with financial need. More information can be found here.

Summary of Application:

1. Unofficial Transcripts
2. CV (departmental specific)
3. Short Answer Questions
4. References (3)
5. English Proficiency scores (if applicable)
6. A list of three (3) Biology department faculty members of interest to student - While it is not required, we strongly recommend that you contact several faculty in your areas of interest to inquire further about their research and your potential fit within their lab.

Application Materials

1. Unofficial Transcripts

If you are admitted, you will need to provide official transcripts - unofficial are accepted in the application process.

The minimum GPA required by the Graduate School is 3.0. However, if an applicant is deemed admissible by the admissions committee, a petition may be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School to waive the minimum GPA requirement.

2. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Please provide an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV). A CV is essentially your academic resume and gives you the opportunity to highlight your accomplishments (academic, outreach, etc.). Your CV can include any of the items listed below, and we expect this document to be longer than one page. 

**Note: not all students will have information to put under each category. Instead, we are trying to recognize the breadth of relevant experiences.

• Education
• Research experience and skills
• Publications (including conference abstracts) and professional presentations
• Work experience
• DEI efforts (diversity, equity, and inclusion)
• Outreach activities
• Teaching experience
• Skill building (short courses, internships, quantitative courses, field stations, computational workshops) that you have taken or participated in
• Extracurricular activities
• Languages
• Other relevant experiences

3. UW Biology Holistic Statement

In Biology, we are looking to admit graduate students who are passionate about learning and exploring the biological sciences. We encourage prospective applicants to explore the research opportunities in the department and strongly encourage that you contact faculty members with whom you are interested in working before you submit an application. 

Please answer each of the following questions individually. If you have identified one or more labs that are relevant for your interests, it could be helpful to discuss the connection between your interests and that lab or labs in Question 1 or 2. Your answers will each have word limits listed in the prompts in our application system. Your application and materials are confidential.

1. Why are you seeking a Ph.D. opportunity in Biology at the University of Washington? What knowledge, skills, and experiences do you hope to achieve from the graduate program that will be useful to your long-term career goals? Why we are asking this: The Department of Biology is broadly diverse in the areas of research we collectively pursue, and is collaborative and interdisciplinary. Graduates from our program have gone on in academic science, teaching careers, corporate careers, NGOs, science writing, and careers in policy and government.  We are looking for evidence that you are passionate about your field and also why a research-based Ph.D. in our department will help you to achieve your goals.

2. What research topics are you particularly curious and excited about, and why? What scientific questions do you hope to address as a graduate student, and what are your motivations for choosing this line of inquiry? It would be helpful if you could provide context from your own experiences that led you to these questions. Also, in answering this, note that the Admissions Committee recognizes both that not everyone will know these details when they apply, and that research directions often change once a student enters graduate school. Why we are asking this: It is important for researchers to stay curious and be willing to question their own and others’ work in the pursuit of great science, and also to remain motivated to work hard to answer their research questions even when the going gets tough. It is also vital to be able to explain why the science you are doing is important to a broad audience.

3. Describe an example of how you have shown resilience and/or perseverance in the pursuit of your goals (academic or otherwise) and what of these lessons will be valuable as you pursue a graduate degree. Why we are asking this: The graduate student experience will involve a range of challenges, such as research setbacks, grant or paper rejections, etc. Being able to overcome these difficulties and persevere in the face of challenges is key to being a successful graduate student.

4. Describe experiences that have given you life skills that prepare you for graduate school, or how your experiences (academic or otherwise) would enhance our departmental environment. Why we are asking this: Graduate school requires not only academic preparation but also experiences that hone and strengthen your life skills. Your examples could include non-academic work/volunteer experiences, for example, those that demonstrate commitment, a strong work ethic, leadership ability, teamwork, ability to work independently, etc. You could also use this section to describe non-research skills that might be relevant to your planned graduate work.

5. Optional: Please include anything that puts your application in a broader context of your lived experience (you can use an additional ~250 words or ~½ page if you choose to respond to this prompt). Why we are asking this: We are actively working to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in our department. People who apply for advanced degrees come from a diversity of backgrounds and world experiences. You may have already discussed your experiences in the answers above, but if you have anything that you would like to add you are welcome to include it here.

4. List of Three (3) Biology Faculty

Please list three faculty members with whom you share research interests. This should include core faculty members in Biology who are accepting graduate students. For more information about faculty members and their labs see our department website where core faculty are listed first, and adjunct and affiliated faculty are listed further down.  You should not list only three adjunct or affiliated faculty. It is common in our field that you contact faculty of interest prior to applying, however some faculty may choose to wait until applications are submitted to engage in a conversation.

Why we are asking this: These names are used to direct your application to those faculty with primary appointments in Biology whose research programs most closely align with your interests. In the first year of our program students participate in rotations and tutorials with three (or more) faculty members at UW, so these may be people with whom you would be interested in interacting through these experiences or who could eventually serve on your committee.

5. Names and Contact Information for Three (3) References

Three letters of recommendation that speak to your potential for academic success. These letters are strongest when from individuals who have worked with or supervised you in research (field or lab) settings, employment opportunities, or class, because they can provide candid evaluations of your aptitude for research, training, motivation, scholarly promise, teaching talent, and ability to express yourself orally and in writing. Detailed comments are much more useful to the Admissions Committee than broad generalizations, and this means that you should focus on asking recommenders with whom you have interacted closely. If you have had prior research experience it is useful to hear from the people who have supervised you directly (ie. a graduate student or postdoc) perhaps in combination with the PI of the lab.

Professors or other academic supervisors who know you are generally a good choice, because they have experience writing letters for graduate school positions and usually already have an idea of what type of information Admissions Committees are looking for. . You will be asked to enter contact information into the online system; recommenders will then be notified by email about how to submit their letters directly to the university. Applicants also have the option to waive their right to read the submissions. Letters of recommendation are due by the application deadline, December 1st.

6. English Language Proficiency scores (if applicable)

Visit the Graduate School's website for more information on English language requirements. Official scores must be received by the December 1 deadline.

For International Applicants

• English Language Proficiency:  Visit the Graduate School's website for more information on English language requirements and which tests are acceptable.
• Transcripts: Documents that are in a language other than English must be supplemented with an official English translation. The translation may be supplied from a university, government organization, or a certified translation service such as American Translators Association.
• Undocumented students are eligible for admission at the University of Washington and we welcome your application! Please reach out to the Graduate Program Manager directly with questions or concers.

Should you apply?

Typically, entering students have completed undergraduate biology or related program that includes college-level courses in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The Department also welcomes applications from promising students with less traditional backgrounds. Most entering students have substantial prior research experience and a record of high academic achievement.

We strongly recommend that you contact several faculty in your areas of interest to inquire further about their research and your potential fit within their lab. This process demonstrates your interest in the program, in addition to helping you assess whether UW Biology is a good choice for you before applying. 

Non-Discrimination Policy

The University's admission policy provides for a selective admission process with the objective of attracting students who demonstrate the strongest prospects for high quality academic work. This selective admission process shall assure that the University's educational opportunities shall be open to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status. The process of admission shall be mindful of the need for diversity in the student body and for highly-trained individuals from all segments of the population. This policy can be read in full here.