Biomathematics Student Application Process and FAQ
Please note: Application to the Biomathematics Graduate Program (PhD or Masters in Biomathematics) is separate from applications to the applied mathematics, mathematics, statistics or bioinformatics programs. Please check that you select “Biomathematics” as your major subject. Contact us if you think you might have mistakenly applied to the wrong program!
Admissions Questions?
Answers to many commonly-asked questions about admissions procedures (e.g. submitting scores, TOEFL requirements, and many others) can be found via the Graduate School’s online help system. (For example, type “GRE” or “TOEFL” in the question box on that page.) We also have a Frequently Asked Questions about admissions below. If your question isn’t answered there, please feel free to email us.
Biomathematics Admission Requirements
Applicants to the program are expected to have either a bachelor’s degree in biology with evidence of aptitude and interest in mathematics, or a bachelor’s degree in a mathematical area with evidence of aptitude and interest in biology. Well-prepared applicants will have taken advanced (multivariate) calculus, linear algebra, and general biology with good grades. Some of these courses can be taken while enrolled in the program, but this may mean spending an additional semester in residence.
Biomathematics Application Procedures
All applications must be made online, at http://www.ncsu.edu/applygrad.
All applications must include the following:
| Application fee (application fee cannot be waived)A transcript from each previously attended institution (beyond high school) must be uploaded as part of the online application process. You may use an electronic copy of a web-based transcript or academic record from your current institution and/or scanned copies of transcripts. See Graduate School FAQ page for more details on uploading your transcripts.You only need to have official transcripts mailed to NC State if and when you are recommended for admission.Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Note for Spring/Fall 2023 applicants: GRE scores are optionalA narrative statement (1-2 pages) of the applicant’s goals and reasons for interest in the Biomathematics Graduate ProgramThree letters of recommendationOptional, but highly recommended: A sample of written work (e.g. project write-up, term paper, manuscript draft). If this work is co-authored, please include a statement that explains your contribution to the work, including your role in writing.TOEFL scores for foreign students whose native language is not English |
Supporting Documentation
Ideally, all supporting documentation should be sent electronically to the NC State Graduate School via the online application system. Following admission, official copies of transcripts should be sent to the NC State Graduate School, at the following address:
Graduate School, Admissions Office
North Carolina State University
1000 Main Campus Drive
Room 2300A
Campus Box 7102
Raleigh, NC 27695-7102
USA.
Application Deadlines
A completed application for admission automatically serves as an application for financial aid.
To receive full consideration for financial aid, the completed application and all supporting documents should be returned no later than January 15 for Fall semester admission, and no later than September 15 for Spring semester admission. Applications received after these deadlines will be continue to be accepted but may be given lower priority for financial aid.
Applications for admission without financial aid must be received no later than June 25 for fall, November 25 for spring, March 25 for the first summer session and May 10 for the second summer session, for US citizens. The application deadlines for foreign students are detailed in the Graduate School’s webpages. For non US citizens, we only recommend applying for Fall semester.
Application fees cannot be waived.
Biomathematics FAQ
Answers to many commonly-asked questions about our Graduate School’s admissions procedures (e.g. submitting scores, TOEFL requirements, and many others) can be found via the Graduate School’s online help system. (For example, type “GRE” or “TOEFL” in the question box on that page.)
Many program-specific admissions questions are answered below. If your question isn’t answered there, please feel free to email us.
Note for Spring/Fall 2024 applicants: GRE scores are optional
What are your minimum requirements for GRE and GPA scores?
We do not have minimum requirements for GPA and GRE. Particularly because our curriculum is interdisciplinary, we look at the entire application package. Different members of our admissions committee put different weights on different aspects of the application: for some, letters of recommendation and personal statements are the most important component, for others, test scores are key.
Our most competitive applicants have a reasonably high quantitative score (>75%), a good verbal score (>50%), and a gpa above 3.3 or so. We do sometimes make offers to students with lower scores, but they would need to have some compelling point in their favor.
How do I report my GRE scores? What is the departmental code for biomath?
You can visit the Education Testing Service (ETS) at www.ets.org and submit a request to have your GRE score report sent to NC State. The institutional code number for North Carolina State University is 5496. There is no need to provide a departmental code on the request form. ETS will report the scores to NCSU electronically. Please note that it can take a little while for the scores to arrive and to be matched to your application.
What are your requirements for TOEFL or IELTS scores for non-US citizens?
The Graduate School’s English proficiency requirements, which apply to all non-US citizens are explained in detail on the Graduate Program page for admissions for non citizens (you will need to scroll down to find the relevant part of the page).
Note that students who have successfully completed one year or more of full-time study in a degree program at a four-year US college or university, or who are a citizen of a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction in higher education, do not need to take TOEFL or IELTS language tests.
If the admissions committee has any concerns over an applicant’s language skills, we may choose to explore this further. This would usually take the form of a phone interview.
Do I need to submit transcripts from every institution that I have attended?
We do not need to see official transcripts at the application stage, but we would like to see (at least) unofficial transcripts from each institution attended. (Uploads of a printout of a web-based transcript are fine.)
We might consider making an exception if one transcript would be difficult to get hold of and if that transcript would be relatively uninformative for us (for instance, a summer school course in a subject not directly related to bio or math). But we need to see grades in all relevant coursework.
What is the timeline of your admissions process?
We have a two-step process: we first make admissions decisions (i.e. an offer of a place in our program) and then make funding decisions (i.e. an offer of financial support). We begin reviewing applications in mid to late January and our first admissions decisions are made in early to mid February.
We invite a group of applicants to visit campus, typically in late February or early March. We provide travel support for this visit. Initial funding decisions will be made shortly after this event. Space constraints mean we can only invite a small group to visit—fewer than we would like. It should be kept in mind that we often make offers of funded places to students beyond this group.
Can I visit the program and the NC State campus?
Yes! As mentioned above, we have a visitation event for a group of applicants. Space on that day is, however, limited to a smaller group than we would like. We can arrange to meet, in a less formal manner, other applicants or prospective students. We are usually able to arrange meetings with one or more faculty members and current graduate students.