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Admission

Admission to the graduate program in the Department of Biology & Microbiology requires admission to the Graduate School and acceptance into one of the department programs.
Admission to the Graduate School requires:

  • Grade-point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) during the last two academic years of the undergraduate degree program;
  • Submission of GRE-General test scores (GRE scores above the 50th percentile will strengthen the case for admission); and
  • Two letters of recommendation or personal reference forms.
  • For foreign applicants: a TOEFL score of 575 (paper-based), 233 (computer-based) or 90 (internet-based), or a score of 6.5 for the IELTS. Admission requires that a faculty member from the department agrees to serve as the major adviser.

Acceptance to the departmental programs is competitive and limited by resources (i.e., personnel, facilities, and research funding) necessary to provide a quality graduate education for the students.

Application procedure:
Learn more about the admission requirements.

The following documentation must be submitted in hard copy to the SDSU Graduate School:

  1. Application form before semester begins;
    Domestic applicants: June 1 for Fall and October 1 for Spring semester;
    International applicants: April 15 for Fall and August 15 for Spring semester
  2. Application Fee;
  3. Baccalaureate or Masters degree certificates from previous institution(s);
  4. Official University transcripts;
    International Applicants: transcripts need to be certified by WES;
  5. Proof of Immunization;
  6. Two letters of recommendation and Personal Reference Form from University Faculty;
  7. Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (or the equivalent): conditional admission may be granted under special circumstances;
  8. Minimum Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score above the 50th percentile is expected: conditional admission may be granted under special circumstances;
  9. Formal resume (CV);
  10. A personal statement highlighting your area of interest, your relevant experience and your future career goals;
  11. A list of potential research faculty advisers in the Department of Biology and Microbiology
  12. For international students:
    a. Minimum TOEFL score of 90 (iBT), 233 (computer), 575 (paper), or IELTS score of 6.5
    b. Evidence of financial support (e.g. pre-assigned assistantship from the Department (see point 3 under Criteria for acceptance below);
    c. Medical records.

Criteria for acceptance
Acceptance into the graduate program of the Department of Biology and Microbiology is based on two major criteria:

  1. Fulfillment of all the requirements listed above;
  2. Provisional acceptance by a research adviser. The Department only accepts graduate students who have contacted and have been accepted into the program by a particular faculty member/adviser.
  3. In order to qualify for a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA), all international applicants and students whose first language is not English, will have to interview by telephone with the Graduate and Undergraduate coordinator, Dr. Radhey Kaushik, who will evaluate English speaking proficiency.