Prospective MCB Graduate Students
Candidates interested in one or more of the departmental programs in MCB (Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Microbiology, or Molecular and Integrative Physiology) should apply directly to the School of MCB. Admission to the MCB Ph.D. program requires a bachelor's degree in biological or physical sciences. Students are only admitted for the fall semester. International students seeking admission into our Ph.D. program MUST first submit a pre-application.
MCB is also affiliated with three robust interdisciplinary graduate-degree programs, in the Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, the Neuroscience Program, and the Medical Scholars Program (MSP). The MSP leads to an M.D./Ph.D. through the most degree-diverse program in the nation. All three programs have significant MCB faculty participation—two are currently directed by MCB faculty members. Prospective students should apply directly to these programs, some of which offer training grant funding.
Apply to MCB
Application fee: $60 for domestic applicants, $75 for international applicants
Admission Procedure
- Apply Online—The Graduate College Apply Yourself Online Network takes you through each step of the application.
Important Note: For "Proposed Program," under "Application Type," make sure you select "Molecular and Cellular Biology" from the pull-down menu and enter the departmental program (Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Microbiology, or Molecular and Integrative Physiology) that interests you in the "Fields of Specialization." Your response to "Field of Specialization" is not a commitment—many students rotate through labs in different MCB departments before selecting one for thesis research. - Request that Transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions be sent directly to our department (address below).
- Obtain three Letters of Recommendation. Forms and instructions are available at the Apply Yourself Web site. Please note that recommendation letters not submitted electronically will take longer to process and may be mailed to the address below.
- Request that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send your official GRE Test Scores to the Office of Admissions and Records, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, using campus institutional code 1836 and program code 0206.
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores will be accepted in lieu of GRE scores for applicants to the Medical Scholars Program.
The subject GRE is NOT required.
In addition for International Students
International students must first submit a pre-application form. Should you pass our pre-application requirements, we will need the following to process your official application. Pre-application deadline is December 1.
- Request that Degree Certifications from previous undergraduate and graduate institutions be sent directly to our department (address below).
- Request that ETS send your official TOEFL Scores to the Office of Admissions and Records at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, using institutional code 1836 and program code 74.
A minimum score of 590 (paper-based test), 243 (computer-based test), or 96 (Internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of applicants from countries where English is not the primary language.
- International students, you only need to declare your finances IF you are admitted into our program.
Application Deadline
To ensure full consideration, please submit your application and all materials by January 15.
International pre-application deadline is December 1.
Scores and Transcripts
For reporting GRE and TOEFL scores to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, use the following codes:
Institution code: 1836
GRE department code: 0206
TOEFL department code: 74
These materials along with any additional questions or concerns regarding the admission process should be mailed to the following address:
MCB Graduate Program
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
B103 CLSL
601 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801-3709
Tel: (217) 333-1737
Fax: (217) 244-6697
gradinfo@mcb.uiuc.edu