The PhD program practices a rolling admissions policy, meaning we do not hold to a specific deadline by which you must apply. Applicants are considered for and informed of admission on a first-come, first-served basis. In most cases, admissions for the Fall term are completed by March 31; however, we will continue to accept applications and admit students until the class is full (up to a few weeks before the beginning of the term). Keep in mind that this is a competitive program with limited openings, so interested students should apply early!
Minimum requirements for admission to the PhD program include a Bachelor's degree in an appropriate field of study such as chemistry, biochemistry, neurobiology, pharmacy, biology, molecular biology or other related fields, and a QPA of 3.0/4.0. Applicants must also provide a personal statement, 3 letters of reference, and official GRE scores (the ETS code for the University of Pittsburgh is 2927). Applications must be submitted using the online application. Letters of reference must be submitted using the online application.
Only fully complete admission applications are evaluated by the Admissions Committee. Emphasis is placed not only on academic performance, but also on research experience, letters of reference, and fit with the research interests of the graduate faculty and the strategic goals of the program. Students are strongly encouraged to contact faculty to discuss their research interests and to explore possible research projects. Students with a faculty sponsor (i.e., a faculty member who expresses interest in recruiting the student to their laboratory) are given priority.
After evaluation of completed applications, the admissions committee further assesses top candidates by either an on-site or telephone interview.
Students applying to the PhD Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences must have the following:
- a Bachelor of Arts or Sciences in a science curriculum;
- the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) ;
*International applicants who are citizens of a country whose official language is not English and who have not completed a degree program at a regionally accredited institution in the United States of America must complete either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL; www.toeflgoanywhere.org) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS; www.ielts.org). A minimum score of 80 on the iBT (Internet-based test), 550 on the PBT (Paper based test), or 213 on the CBT (Computer-based test) of the TOEFL, OR a minimum score of Band 6.5 on the IELTS, is required for admission.
