Master of Science in Biological Sciences Admissions

Application

The University of New England participates in the Graduate Centralized Application Service (GradCAS). All applicants are required to apply online through this service.

Degree Requirement

Completion of Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (or another related area) from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, or international equivalent, prior to matriculation.

• All applicants are required to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Official transcripts should be sent directly to GradCAS. Please refer to the GradCAS application for additional information and instructions.

GPA Requirement

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (inclusive of all coursework taken with no forgiveness for retakes).
• All applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements to be considered for admission.

Resume

• A current resume is required and should be uploaded directly to the GradCAS application.

Letters of Reference

Three (3) letters of reference are required – submitted via GradCAS.

• Letters should come from a person of your choice who can speak to your academic and/or professional experience.
• Letters from friends or family members are not acceptable.

International Applicants

International applicants and those with foreign degrees and coursework are required to satisfy the following additional requirements:

• Official credential evaluation by World Education Service (WES), confirming degree and grade equivalency to that of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. The completed credential evaluation should be sent directly to GradCAS. Please refer to the International Admissions section of the UNE website for more information on the type of credential evaluation required for admission review.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate written and spoken fluency through the successful completion of a UNE approved English language proficiency test.
• Applicants should refer to the English Language Proficiency page on the UNE website for specific information on acceptable tests, minimum score requirements, and test score submission instructions.

Other Important Information

• Prior to or early in the application process, applicants are strongly advised to communicate with UNE faculty with whom they would like to work.
• Meeting with faculty during the application process does not in any way negate the need to fully complete the application and proceed through the admissions process.
• Candidates are reviewed by program faculty. Admission is based on academics and experiences that might be the best fit with current open research opportunities.
• Applications completed after the application deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
• Applicants offered admission will be expected to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure a seat in the program.
• The non-refundable deposit is applied toward fees not covered by any assistantships or grants received upon acceptance.
• Should the candidate decide not to matriculate in the program, the deposit will be forfeited.

All materials submitted as part of the application become the property of UNE and will not be returned or released to anyone, including the applicant. This policy includes letters of reference, primary and secondary applications, personal statements, transcripts, and other supporting materials.

POLICY EXCEPTIONS

• Policies have been established to ensure fair and consistent admissions practice for all applicants.
• All criteria presented in this summary are subject to change per professional accreditation requirements, changes in curriculum or other institutional standards, and clinical affiliation requirements.
• Exceptions to existing admission policies are rare and made on a case-by-case basis, only when it is deemed necessary and appropriate to maintain fair and consistent practice for all candidates, individual candidates.

Transfer Credit

• Transfer credits are rarely awarded to students who transfer from another biological science program.
• Transfer credits will be reviewed and awarded on a case-by-case basis.

Advanced standing

No advanced standing available.

Experiential Learning

No credit will be awarded for experiential learning.