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Admissions

Ideal BCB candidates should have an undergraduate degree in a biological, physical, mathematical or computational science.

How to Apply for the PhD Program

To apply for the PhD program, go to the BBSP website. This is a joint recruitment and admissions mechanism that encompasses all biological and biomedical graduate programs at UNC, including BCB.

BBSP ADMISSIONS

 

What you will need to submit to the BBSP

  • Statement of purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
  • TOEFL scores for foreign applicants from the last five years

On-campus interview weekend

Promising candidates will be invited for an on-campus interview and recruitment weekend as part of the BBSP program.  This event allows applicants to interact with current BCB students, learn more about faculty research opportunities, and visit Chapel Hill.  This will involve one-on-one faculty interviews, talks/posters given by current students, and social events where both students and faculty have an opportunity to interact informally with all the prospective students.

Application and Notification Deadlines

Applications are currently being accepted for Fall 2019.  See UNC BBSP website for any important deadlines.

Applicants will be notified in early Spring as to whether their application has been accepted or rejected.  Those that are offered admission will have until April 15 to accept or decline.

How to Apply for the Certificate Program

BCB also offers a certificate in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology to PhD students in affiliated departments. Students interested in obtaining the graduate certificate can apply at any point prior to their fourth academic semester.

Students interested in applying to the certificate program, should submit the following to the Program Administrator:

  • Statement of Purpose indicating interest in the program
  • Resume/CV
  • Letter of support from UNC Faculty mentor explaining how participation in BCB will benefit the student
  • Copy of UNC Graduate School application (obtained from home program student services manager)

Application Dates

Applications will be reviewed in October and April. Funding for certificate students is limited and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Affiliated PhD Program Requirement

To participate in the certificate program, applicants must first be accepted into one of the many PhD programs affiliated with BCB:

School of Medicine

College of Arts and Sciences

School of Public Health

School of Pharmacy

School of Dentistry

Financial Support

All first-year students receive full financial support from BBSP which includes a competitive stipend, health insurance, tuition, and fees. After the first year, students are supported by funds from their thesis advisors.