stanford biology phd students

• Office of Graduate Education

Applicant FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions – Eligibility, Funding, Knight-Hennessy Scholars, etc.

In addition to the most frequently asked Biosciences questions below, please also visit the Graduate Admissions FAQ web page for a more expansive list.

Are there any prerequisites or background coursework required for the 14 Biosciences PhD Programs?

A majority of the Biosciences PhD Programs do not have specific course requirements for admission.  The faculty like to see that you have taken a rigorous course load, but they will be particularly interested in your research experience.  While many of our graduate students have undergraduate preparation in a life sciences curriculum, it is feasible to enter from other programs, including chemistry, computer science, mathematics, psychology, or physics.  The  Biomedical Data Science ,  Biophysics ,  Molecular and Cellular Physiology , and  Structural Biology  programs have prerequisite or background course requirements. We strongly recommend that you reach out to the  programs  to which you plan to apply, to ask for specific course requirements/suggestions.

Can I apply to other graduate programs (e.g. Applied Physics, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, etc.) in addition to the 14 Biosciences PhD Programs?

You may apply to only one graduate program per academic year. The only exception is within the 14 Biosciences PhD Programs, where you may apply for two Biosciences programs within a single application. The 14 Biosciences PhD Programs include:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Data Science
• Cancer Biology
• Chemical and Systems Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular and Cellular Physiology
• Neurosciences
• Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
• Structural Biology

Can I defer my enrollment?

Admitted students are expected to enroll in their Home Program in September of the year they are admitted. Deferral requests will be reviewed by your admitting program’s admissions committee and are approved on a case-by-case basis. The maximum length of an admissions deferral granted by Stanford is one year. Typically, deferral requests are only approved for military, medical, visa, or education-related purposes.

Can recommenders submit their letter via mail, email, fax, or a letter service?

All recommendations must be submitted using the online application system as recommenders are required to respond to specific evaluation questions on the recommendation form. Letters of recommendation cannot be mailed, emailed, faxed, or submitted through a letter service (with the exception of Interfolio). For letters submitted via Interfolio, please remember that letters written specifically for your Stanford graduate program tend to be stronger than letters written for general use purposes.

Do any of the 14 Biosciences PhD Programs offer an MS degree program?

The Biomedical Data Science program is the only Biosciences Program that currently offers an MS degree program.  Information about the program and its application process can be found on its website .

If you are not interested in one of the 14 Biosciences PhD Programs, you can find a list of all the currently offered degrees at Stanford (along with their contact information) on the Graduate Admissions  Explore Programs web page .

Do I need to hold an MS degree to be eligible to apply?

A Master’s degree is only required if you do not meet the following eligibility requirements.  To be eligible for admission to graduate programs at Stanford, applicants must meet  one  of the following conditions:

• Applicants must hold, or expect to hold before enrollment at Stanford, a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association.
• Applicants from institutions outside the U.S. must hold, or expect to hold before enrollment at Stanford, the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing. See the Office of Graduate Admissions for the  minimum level of study required of international applicants .

Do I need to include a department code number when requesting to have my GRE and/or TOEFL scores sent to Stanford?

Applicants should have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send scores electronically to Stanford. Our university code is  4704  and no department code is required. You will either self-report your scores or indicate the date you will take the test(s) in the online application. Self-reported test scores will be used by the relevant admissions committee in their initial review process. Your unofficial test scores will be validated when your official scores are received by the University.

Do I need to secure a Lab/Thesis Supervisor prior to applying?

You will not need to secure a research supervisor prior to applying. Incoming students usually do 2-4 lab rotations during their first year.  Information on the rotation process can be found on the following  website .  If you realize a few weeks into a rotation that the lab is not a good fit for you, then there is no reason for you to stay any longer.

Do I need to submit official transcripts/academic records?

Graduate Admissions only requires admitted applicants who accept the offer of admission to submit official transcripts that shows their degree conferral. More details on this can be found on the following Graduate Admissions  webpage .   Please do not send or have sent any transcripts to us or to your program. 

Do you offer fellowships to international applicants?

We have a limited number of fellowships (which include a yearly stipend, tuition, and health and dental insurance) available to the most highly competitive international applicants. The stipend for the 2023-24 Academic Year is $51,600 ($12,900 per quarter). Admittance to the Biosciences Programs for international applicants varies from year to year depending on funding and available space. We strongly encourage applicants to apply for scholarships/fellowships in their home country that can be used overseas. Some useful websites that include information on external fellowships are:

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• The Fogarty International Center at the NIH
• International Center at the Institute of International Education (IIE)

Applying for scholarships/fellowships generally takes some time to arrange, so plan ahead. You will be able to list any scholarships/fellowships that you have applied for and been awarded in the “Additional Information” section of the online application under “External Funding for Graduate Study”.  For more information about the costs and estimated expenses of attending Stanford, please visit the following  webpage .

Does the Bioengineering PhD program participate in the Biosciences Interview Session?

The Bioengineering PhD program is not one of the 14 Biosciences PhD Programs and has a separate admissions process and Interview Session.

How do I change one of my recommenders?

On the Recommendations page of the application, click on the recommender’s name you wish to replace, then click Exclude at the bottom of the resulting popup window. You then will see the option to add a new recommender. The recommender you exclude will not receive an email notification.

How does the funding work for those admitted to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program and the Biosciences?

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program funding covers the first three years and your admitting Home Program will cover the remaining years.

I previously applied to the Stanford Biosciences Programs and was not admitted. What application materials will I need to submit?

Applicants who wish to reapply follow the same application process as first-time applicants. Reapplicants have the option of using letters of recommendation from their prior submitted Biosciences application or having new ones submitted.  Prior applications from the Autumn 2022, 2023, and 2024 admission cycles have been retained. It is highly recommended that one new letter of recommendation be submitted on your behalf.  When completing the application, you will be required to enter the information for a minimum of three recommenders (including the information for the letter writers that you plan to reuse).

For the letters you plan to reuse, please notify your recommenders in advance that they will receive a recommendation request but should not take any action.  Once you submit your application, please submit an email to the Biosciences Admissions Office indicating which letters you would like to reuse so we can add them to your application.

I’m an applicant whose first language is not English. Is it possible to have the TOEFL Test requirement waived?

Information about the TOEFL Test requirements, exemptions and waivers can be found on the  Graduate Admissions  website. Please note that if you submit a waiver request, it will be routed to Graduate Admissions  after you submit your application . Allow up to 15 business days after submitting your application for a response.

I’ve applied to multiple Home Programs and was wondering what happens if more than one program is interested in interviewing me?

In that case, the admissions representatives confer and attempt to determine which Home Program best fits your interests and should serve as your host. They will use the information you provided in your Statement of Purpose and on the Biosciences Supplemental Form. In most cases the best match is clear, but in rare cases where this is not the case, an admissions committee member will contact you directly to discuss with you which Home Program would be the best to host your visit. You will also have an opportunity to meet with faculty affiliated with other Home Programs during your visit.

If my school does not use a 4.0 GPA grading scale, how should I report this on my application?

You are asked to enter both GPA and GPA scale for each institution you list on the application. Enter your GPA as it appears on your transcript. Do not convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale if it’s reported on a different scale.

Is there a minimum GPA requirement?

There is no minimum GPA requirement to be considered for admission. The application review process is holistic and all aspects of the application (prior coursework, letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, prior research experience, and test scores {if applicable}) are considered by the Admissions Committee when making an admissions decision.

What if my recommenders are not receiving their recommender link emails?

Occasionally, some email servers will send recommender link emails directly to Spam or will not allow the email to reach the primary inbox at all (particularly for email addresses located outside of the United States). Please reach out to Technical Support by submitting a request via the “Request Application Support” button on the “Instructions” page of your application.

What is included in the offer of admission?

The offer of admission for the 2023-24 Academic Year included a stipend of $51,600 ($12,900 per quarter), health and dental insurance, and graduate tuition. The stipend and benefits for the 2025-26 Academic Year will be set sometime in March 2025.  For more information about the costs and estimated expenses of attending Stanford, please visit the following webpage .

What is the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program?

The  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program develops a community of future global leaders to address complex challenges through collaboration and innovation. The program will award up to 100 high-achieving students with three years of funding to pursue a graduate education at Stanford. To be considered, you  must apply to both  the Knight-Hennessy Scholars by Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 1:00 pm (PST) and to one of the Stanford Biosciences PhD programs by Sunday , December 1, 2024, at 11:59:59 pm (PST) .  Information about the program and the application process can be found on the  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program website.

Ph.D. Program

• Ph.D. Students
• Ph.D. Courses
• Ph.D. Resources
• Service Opportunities
• Diversity & Outreach

Upcoming Event

• Ferrell Lab Happy Hour - Friday, August 2, 2024, Discovery Walk!

Advances In Basic Science And Molecular Medicine

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology explores the frontiers of basic science and molecular medicine, particularly at the crossroads of cellular, chemical, and computational biology. We train Ph.D. students to apply genetic, chemical, cell biological, and quantitative methods to decipher the complex regulatory systems associated with normal physiology and disease states.

Specific research areas include cell signaling pathways, cell cycle control, epigenetics, cell fate specification, and genomic stability. The Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program also emphasizes collaborative learning, and our research community includes scientists trained in molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Our Ph.D. program consistently ranks among the top graduate training programs in the world. Most recently the National Research Council named us the top pharmacology-related training program in the United States, based on students’ GRE scores, faculty publications, median time to degree, program requirements, and training resources. The Chemical and Systems Biology graduate program was especially commended for the quality of its research activities.

Why Chemical And Systems Biology?

How do cells achieve directed migration? Why doesn’t a skin cell become a neuron? How do drug-resistant cancers arise and how might they be prevented or overcome? Finding answers to these and other biomedical questions increasingly requires molecular, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approaches.

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology is uniquely focused on understanding cell biology at the molecular and systems levels, and many of its faculty have expertise in biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Developing novel technologies for basic research and translating discoveries into therapeutic strategies are also areas of special interest in the Chemical and Systems Biology community.

Our goal is to train a new generation of scientists with the interdisciplinary skills and creative thinking required to tackle emerging challenges in biomedical research. We invite all interested students to apply to the Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program through the Stanford Biosciences online application form. Applicants whose research interests match well with our scientific mission are encouraged to select Chemical and Systems Biology as their primary home program.

Preview Programs

Main navigation, stanford biology phd preview program.

Stanford Biology PhD Preview Program : Navigating the Biology PhD application process

To facilitate the recruitment of the next generation of excellent scientists , we are offering a Biology PhD preview program. Our program aims to provide workshops to build on the strengths of prospective students and encourage students to apply to Biology PhD programs, as well as help students identify programs that fit their goals and interests. In addition to workshops focusing on leveraging your strengths as a scientist in graduate school, we will cover general aspects of applying to Biology PhD programs. We will also provide insight into the application process for programs ranging from cellular, molecular and organismal biology to ecology and evolution. We especially encourage students who have the potential to enhance the diversity - broadly defined -  in STEM fields to apply.

Stanford Preview

Stanford Preview is a three-day program sponsored by the Stanford Biosciences and the Stanford Black Bioscience Organization. The program is designed to introduce diverse sophomores and juniors to the Stanford University campus and provide guidance in the graduate school admissions process. Eligible applicants should be interested in pursuing a PhD in the Biosciences.

Program participants receive overnight accommodations, meals, travel to and from Stanford, and free access to the full schedule of events.

CANBI-PHD - Cancer Biology (PhD)

Program overview.

The Cancer Biology PhD program was established in 1978 at Stanford University. During the past four decades, the understanding of cancer has increased dramatically with the discovery of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, DNA damage and repair pathways, cell cycle regulation, angiogenesis and responses to hypoxia, and the molecular basis of metastasis, among others. In addition, parallel analysis methods, including genomic and proteomic approaches, have begun to refine and redefine the taxonomy of cancer diagnosis. This explosion of basic and clinical science has, in turn, resulted in the first successful cancer chemotherapies and immunotherapies based on knowledge of specific molecular targets. Stanford presents a unique environment to pursue interdisciplinary cancer research because the School of Medicine, the School of Humanities and Sciences, and the School of Engineering are located on a single campus, all within walking distance of one another.

Our students are not limited to a single department in choosing their research advisors. The Cancer Biology PhD program currently has approximately 65 graduate students in various basic science and clinical departments throughout the School of Medicine and School of Humanities and Sciences. A training grant from the National Cancer Institute, a branch of the United States government, supports many students.

The Cancer Biology PhD program is committed to fostering a diverse community of students. The program welcomes all individuals and strives to support them so they achieve their full potential. It values the diversity of its students because culture, socioeconomic and educational background, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, life experiences, hobbies, and interests allow the program as a group to reach a greater level of innovation in cancer research.

Admissions Information

Learn More about Stanford Biosciences Visit the Biosciences PhD Admissions page for detailed information on the admissions process and requirements.

The online application for Autumn 2023-24 is now open.

Any questions or concerns about the application process should be addressed to: [email protected] 

How To Apply

The Cancer Biology Home Program is one of  fourteen Biosciences PhD programs  at the School of Medicine. We welcome applications from students with various scientific backgrounds and believe that the diversity of previous experiences enriches our multidisciplinary environment.

Qualified applicants will have completed a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences or related fields; applicants with majors in physics, chemistry, or mathematics may be admitted on condition that they complete background training in biology during the first two years of study. Students who wish to pursue a combined MD/PhD degree will be considered for admission into the Cancer Biology Program after they have been admitted to the MD program in the School of Medicine. We invite all interested students, especially those from backgrounds underrepresented in academia, to apply. Underrepresented groups include, but are not limited to, groups constructed based on race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, mental and physical disability, first-generation undergraduate study, and socioeconomic identity. All applicants are considered equally regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual preference, disability, age, or gender.

To check your application status, click here to Visit Your Status Page.

Stanford Cancer Biology PhD Preview Weekend

For Prospective Students

Introduction to the biomedical data science graduate program.

Biomedical Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines ideas from computer science and quantitative disciplines (statistics, data science, decision science) to solving challenging problems in biology and medicine. Applicants enter our program with many different backgrounds, so the program is designed to be flexible. Training in informatics and biocomputation is also available through other departments at Stanford, such as Bioengineering, Computer Science, Statistics, and Genetics. We recommend your explore the various options to find the best fit for you.

Important Dates:

Application Deadlines: December 5th for PhD and Academic MS; other MS applications accepted quarterly.

Mentoring and Info sessions : Faculty Online Information Sessions will be scheduled in the summer for the fall term, 2024. Meet-the-Students Online Panel will be scheduled in the summer for the fall term, 2024. Peer-to-Peer Application Mentoring Program registration deadline will be scheduled in the summer for the fall term, 2024.

What DBDS Offers

• The Academic (Research) MS, with NLM-funded positions for postdoctoral trainees; others may also apply, but are not guaranteed funding from DBDS.
• The Honors Cooperative Program (Professional Masters) MS, a part-time distance education program
• The Coterminal MS for Stanford undergraduates
• Certificate in Bioinformatics
• Individual courses
• Post-doctoral research training (not pursuing a degree)
• Scholarly Concentration and Med Scholars programs for Stanford Medical Students

Why apply here?

Prerequisites, diversity and inclusion, phd + masters of medicine, academic (research) ms, honors cooperative program (hcp) ms, coterminal ms, writing your personal statement, postdoctoral training, clinical informatics fellowship, distance education programs, for stanford medical students, for stanford mstp students, for stanford graduate students, for stanford undergraduates, for international applicants, why apply to this program.

• Reputation . Stanford is ranked #1 for graduate training in Biological Sciences (including  Genetics/Genomics ), Bioinformatics , Computer Science , and  Statistics . You will work with world-renown leaders in these areas.
• Interdisciplinary Research . DBDS is part of the Stanford Biosciences PhD program, and draws on faculty from research and clinical departments located throughout Stanford’s School of Medicine. We have access to the extensive research clinical database and clinical informatics expertise at Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. In addition, we have strong ties to Bioengineering, Computer Science and Statistics. All of these are in close physical proximity on Stanford’s main campus.
• History . Founded in 1982, our program is one of the oldest and most illustrious in the United States. Our graduates have gone on to become distinguished faculty at top universities and medical schools, industry leaders at major corporations and startups, or high-ranking positions in government.
• Curriculum . Our core courses span a wide array of topics, from the analysis of biological sequences and structures, to translational and imaging informatics, the use of clinical data to drive health care, and understanding the principles of developing models and representations of biomedical phenomena. Much of the course material is based on cutting-edge research conducted here at Stanford. Electives come from DBDS, Computer Science, Statistics, and other departments.
• Scientific Communication . We place a very high value on being able to present complex ideas to colleagues, collaborators, and the public in speech and in writing. Students present annually at our research seminar. All students make presentations regularly in their labs.
• Community . DBDS is a small, collegial, friendly program. We have an annual off-campus retreat, and a strong alumni network.
• Location . Stanford University’s campus occupies over 8000 acres, bordering Palo Alto, California. It has an ideal Mediterranean climate, is the heart of Silicon Valley, and provides easy access to the amenities of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Prerequisites for Graduate Degrees in Biomedical Data Science

Our program is quite quantitatively and computationally rigorous, and our students take graduate-level coursework in statistics and computer science at Stanford. Therefore, we expect strong preparation in these areas in order to make reasonable progress through our curriculum. All of our degree programs have the same prerequisites. Note that these are the minimum requirements, and that many applicants exceed them.

• Calculus: at least one year, preferrably the track taught for engineering or physical science. Additional coursework in multivariate calculus is  strongly  recommended
• Probability and statistics: at least one course, and preferably one course in both areas
• Linear algebra
• Computer science: one year, preferably the introductory sequence for CS majors. The focus should be fundamentals of computer science (data structures and algorithms) and software engineering principles (abstraction, modularity, object-oriented programming)
• Biology/Medicine: at least some coursework in this area, preferably the introductory sequence for biology majors

The Department of Biomedical Data Science recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.  

The Department of Biomedical Data Science welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review process is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, prior research experience, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field and how they might enrich the learning community at Stanford.

We would like to make applicants aware of the following Stanford programs and resources:

DBDS Peer-to-Peer Application Mentoring Program

The DBDS Peer-to-Peer Application Mentoring Program is a student organized initiative that strives to assist individuals who:

• Identify as part of one or more groups that are historically underrepresented in STEM and
• Are applying to the DBDS PhD or MS program.

Participants may receive one round of feedback on their statements of purpose, up to the limit of our time and resources. Participation does not guarantee nor increase chance of admission.

The Peer-to-Peer application will be available in the fall term, 2024.

Meet the Students Panel

The Biomedical Informatics graduate students panel will be scheduled in the fall term, 2024.

Meet the Faculty Panel

Join our Meet the Faculty Panel will be held in the fall term, 2024.

Other Programs:

• SSRP-Amgen Scholars Program , an eight-week, residential, summer research program for current undergraduates, with a goal of bringing diversity to graduate study in the biomedical sciences, including Biomedical Data Science.
• Stanford’s Biosciences  ADVANCE Summer Institute  to prepare students for a successful graduate career.
• Stanford’s Biosciences Graduate Program  Diversity & Engagement  website.
• Stanford’s Vice Provost for Graduate Education  Diversity in Graduate Education  website.
• Stanford’s  Office of Accessible Education
• Stanford’s  SCRIBE  system to convert documents to Braille and audio formats.

We have admitted students who have previously studied at the following institutions across the world:

All India Institute Medical Sc Amherst College Andhra University Arizona State University Ateneo De Manila University Bar-Ilan University Baylor University Beijing Inst Chem Fiber Engine Bharathidasan University Birla Institute of Tech and Sc Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Brigham Young University Brown University Calif Polytechnic State Univ Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve Univ Central University of the East City College of New York Claremont Graduate School Claremont McKenna College Clark College Clark University Colby College Columbia University Cornell University CUNY Mount Sinai School Me Dartmouth College Davidson College De Anza College Drexel University Duke University Ecole Polytechnique Emory University Florida State University Fudan University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Tech Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Hendrix College Hitotsubashi University Howard University HS Affiliated Renmin Univ Indian Institute of Technology Indiana University Indiana-Purdue University Indi Iowa State University Iran Univ Science & Technology Johns Hopkins University Leeward Community College Lomonosov Moscow State Univ Louisiana State Univ Medical C Loyola University of Chicago Ludwig Maximilian Universitat Marlborough College Massachusetts Inst of Tech McGill University Mesa Community College Monash University Morehouse College Mumbai University National Chiao Tung University National Taiwan University National University Singapore New College of Florida New York Medical College New York University North Harris County College Northwestern University Parkland College Peking Union Medical College Pennsylvania State University Pomona College Portland State University Princeton University Queens University at Kingston Rush University Rutgers University S.U.N.Y. State Univ at Bingham S.U.N.Y. State Univ at Buffalo Saddleback College Saint Andrew’s College Saint Andrew’s Junior College San Diego Miramar College San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose City College Santa Clara University Seoul National University Shanghai Jiaotong University Smith College Solano Community College Southwestern College St John’s College St Marys College Stanford University Swarthmore College Syracuse University Technion Israel Inst of Tech Temple University Tsinghua University Tufts University Tulane University of Louisiana Univ of California Berkeley Univ of California Davis Univ of California Irvine Univ of California Los Angeles Univ of California San Diego Univ of California San Francis Univ of Illinois Urbana-Champa Univ of Michigan Ann Arbor Univ of Southern California Universidad De Los Andes Universidad Del Valle Universidad Nacional Autonoma Universidad Nacional De Rosari University of Akron University of Alabama Tuscaloo University of Alberta University of Baghdad University of Calgary University of Cambridge University of Canterbury University of Chicago University of Cincinnati University of Edinburgh University of Florida University of Georgia University of Guelph University of Hawaii Manoa University of Maryland Balt University of Maryland College University of Massachusetts Bo University of Melbourne University of Miami University of Minnesota Twin C University of Missouri Kansas University of New Mexico University of New South Wales University of Notre Dame University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania University of Phoenix University of Pittsburgh University of Pune University of Rajasthan University of Sydney University of Texas Austin University of Tokyo University of Toronto University of Utah University of Virginia University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario University of Wisconsin Madiso Vellore Institute Technology Virginia Commonwealth Universi Washington State University Washington University Weizmann Institute of Science Wesleyan University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University

The PhD Degree in Biomedical Data Science

The PhD degree allows graduates to lead research in academic, industry, or government positions. All prospective applicants should note that the program in Biomedical Data Science is intellectually rigorous, and emphasizes research in novel computational methods aimed at advancing biology and medicine. You may also want to investigate degree programs from other computational and quantitative graduate programs (Bioengineering, Computer Science, Statistics) and other programs in the Biosciences Programs (such as Genetics, Chemical & Systems Biology, or Structural Biology). In contrast to the other computational/quantitative programs, DBDS focuses more on informatics issues of knowledge representation and reasoning, data mining and analysis, and machine learning, while in contrast to the Biosciences programs, DBDS places greater emphasis on method development and evaluation than on basic science. Faculty from many departments have research projects of a computational nature, and in some cases there is considerable overlap, but our applications committee evaluates the fit of your application to our program, so the choice of a home program is an important one.

Our students come from diverse backgrounds and training experiences. Some enter straight from baccalaureate training, while others have pursued advanced degrees, such as an MS, MPH, or MD, or worked in clinical medicine, bioengineering, biotechnology, or software engineering.

Please see the  prerequisites  page.

Degree Requirements

The curriculum is described on  Stanford ExploreDegrees .

The doctoral program is a full-time, residential, research-oriented program. DBDS does not offer part-time or distance education leading to the PhD. However, some students have applied to the part-time distance education MS program, completed that degree, and then submitted a separate application to the PhD program. There is no guarantee that Masters graduates will be accepted into the PhD program.

PhD students typically start in the fall quarter, but may begin in the preceding summer. They spend an average of about five years at Stanford.

Candidates are encouraged to explore the various research interests of the biomedical informatics core and participating faculty. Lab rotations during the first year expose students to different labs and faculty. Prior to being formally admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree at the end of the second year of study, each student must demonstrate knowledge of informatics fundamentals and a potential for succeeding in research by passing a qualifying examination. Students later complete and defend a doctoral dissertation.

MDs interested in the PhD should contact us early, especially if you are coordinating the DBDS training with further medical residency or fellowship training. It is also important to ensure that sufficient math and computer science prerequisites are completed before applying.

BMI follows the same funding model as other programs in Biosciences: all of our PhD students are fully funded, and, at time of starting graduate school, your funding does not tie you to any particular lab, giving you the freedom to explore your research interests at Stanford. All funding sources cover tuition, a stipend, and health insurance. However, there are some restrictions:

US Citizens and permanent residents are eligible for our National Library of Medicine (NLM) Training Grant. They can also apply for National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships, and other external fellowships; this is encouraged, but not required.

Join dozens of Stanford Medicine students who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).

KHS admits up to 100 applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS’s leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your PhD studies at Stanford.

Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment.

If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 9, 2024. Learn more about KHS admission .

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) . Open to first  or  second year graduate students. Eligibility: No previous graduate training (e.g., masters degree), must be US citizen or permanent resident. Due date: late October.

We do not accept “self-pay” PhD students.

Application Instructions and Deadlines

Applications are due late November/early December each year. See details on the  Graduate Admissions webpage  and on the  Biosciences Application  website.

The Application Deadline: Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:59:59 PM (PST).  

• Note that the Biosciences Program allows you to select two departments/programs from which you will receive simultaneous consideration. Also note that only one PhD application per academic year is allowed, and that Computer Science, Bioengineering, and Statistics are not part of the Biosciences Program.
• Submit scanned (unofficial) transcripts as part of the Biosciences application.  Graduate Admissions  only requires admitted applicants who accept the offer of admission to submit official transcripts that shows their degree conferral. Please do not send or have sent any official transcripts to us at this time.
• See our page about the  Personal Statement .
• Please include an up-to-date version of your CV.

The GRE General Test score is not required and will not be considered if submitted. We do not require any GRE Subject Test scores.

• Letters of recommendation cannot be mailed, emailed, faxed, or submitted through a letter service (with the exception of Interfolio). For letters submitted via Interfolio, please remember that letters written specifically for your Stanford graduate program tend to be stronger than letters written for general use purposes.
• For materials that are mailed, please use our  Contact Address .
• Please do NOT upload supporting materials, such as published papers, unpublished manuscripts, BS or MS theses, writing samples, posters, or class projects, with your application .
• To check your application status,  click here to Visit Your Status Page . Interview invitations go out in early January, and interviews are in late February or early March. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis starting in March. Finals decisions from admitted candidates are due by April 15.
• The selection of PhD students admitted to DBDS is based on an individualized, holistic review of each application, including the applicant’s academic record, the letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, personal qualities and characteristics, and past accomplishments.
• Deferral of admission: DBDS generally does not allow deferral of admission to the PhD program, and it is better for you to apply when you are ready to begin your graduate study following the normal timeline. However, sometimes one’s circumstances change; please contact us if that happens to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is highly recommended that you review our  Frequently Asked Questions  page.

The PhD with Masters of Medicine

The Masters of Medicine (MOM) is for students also pursuing the PhD. This combined degree program trains graduates who will conduct basic research with relevance to current problems in medicine. Candidates receive shared training with Stanford medical students and through seminars in translational medicine. The MOM program takes at least one additional year. Students interested in the MOM and PhD program must be accepted into the PhD program before they are eligible to apply for the MOM.

The MOM program supports students through a scholarship during their MOM training. The program does not accept candidates who do not qualify for the scholarship. The balance of the PhD training is funded through the usual DBDS mechanisms.

Application Instructions

See  Masters of Medicine  website for application instructions.

Combined MD/PhD

The MD and PhD degrees may be pursued jointly through the  Medical Scientist Training Program .

The PhD Minor in Biomedical Data Science

The PhD minor in Biomedical Data Science is designed for graduate students in allied departments to acquire specialization in biomedical informatics during their graduate studies. The PhD minor is open to Stanford graduate students only, and is not a formal degree. The minor may be of particular interest to those in Bioengineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Biology, or any of the Bioscience Programs. Consider if the minor will advance your research career, and consult with your academic and research advisors in your home department.

Prerequisites depend on the classes you select for the minor but generally you should have completed at least most of what we have listed on our  Prerequisites page . Note that you cannot use any class numbered below 200 to contribute to the 20 units required for the minor.

Requirements

See the section on Biomedical Data Science  PhD Minor  in the Stanford Bulletin, especially the information about  not double counting course units .

The Biomedical Data Science Training Program is unable to fund the PhD minor.

You will need to submit the following three documents:

• The application form from the Registrar’s office. List the courses for your program of study that fulfill the University’s and DBDS program requirements.
• A copy of your unofficial transcript.
• A one-page statement of purpose.

You may submit your application any time during the academic year to our  Contact Address.

Academic MS in Biomedical Data Science

The Academic MS degree is a full-time, on-campus, research-oriented program, and is for candidates with an interest in academic or research positions. The MS requires 45 units taken at Stanford. Most will be taking 10 units per quarter, so this program typically lasts 1.5 to 2 years.

A research project is required for completion of the degree. Trainees are encouraged to participate in one or more research rotations during their first year.

All students are expected to participate fully in the program events including Journal Clubs, research presentations, orientations, retreats, and the National Library of Medicine’s Informatics Training Conference (if funded by NLM).

MDs interested in the Academic MS should contact us as early as possible, especially if you are coordinating the DBDS training with further medical residency or fellowship training. It is also important to ensure that sufficient math and computer science prerequisites are completed before applying. This degree program is not appropriate for those with little to no quantitative or computational skills; you might want to consider Health or Clinical Informatics masters programs elsewhere, or the Clinical Informatics Fellowship .

Clinicians who wish to maintain their clinical activities may do so, but should be aware that the NLM training grant restricts outside employment to eight hours per week. The DBDS program does not arrange appointments to clinical positions or to subspecialty fellowship training.

Our NLM funding for this degree is limited to post-doctoral scholars who are US citizens or permanent residents; others, including predoctoral or international candidates, will have to get external funding or pay themselves. In this context, postdoctoral means those holding one of these degrees: PhD, MD, DDS, DMD, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, Dr PH, DNSc, DPharm, DSW, or PsyD. Post-doctoral scholars are required under the terms of the funding to devote at least 50% time to research and 50% towards classes, and because of the terms of the NLM funding, we would prefer they remain in the program in increments of full years (typically, two). Note that there are limits on the number of years of NIH funding one may receive. The exact rule is: “No individual trainee may receive more than 5 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level and 3 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the postdoctoral level, including any combination of support from Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grants and individual fellowships.” ( National Institute of Health Grants Policy page )

Join dozens of Stanford Medicine students  who receive up to three years of funding and valuable leadership skills as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).

KHS admits up to 100 applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a multidisciplinary and multicultural cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS’s leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your graduate studies at Stanford.

Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS.

Also, if you are currently pursuing a PhD degree (at Stanford, or elsewhere) you may apply for our postdoctoral MS funding. Note that we cannot appoint you to the NLM Training Grant until your PhD has been conferred, so it is important that your estimated graduation date be correct.

For applicants who are not postdoctoral, we do not guarantee funding, and you are responsible for arranging your own support. You can pursue external fellowships (although these are rarely available for MS students). If admitted, you can contact faculty in whose research you have interest, and see if they have research funds to support you. International applicants should read our  webpage .

Applications are due early December each year. Note: Applications should be submitted beginning mid-September and will not be considered before that. See details on the  Graduate Admissions webpage  and on the  Biosciences Application  website.

The Application Deadline: December 3, 2024 (11:59 pm PST)

• Application materials, including letters of recommendation, should be received by the deadline. We do review all applications, including incomplete ones.
• Please do NOT upload supporting materials, such as published or unpublished papers, posters, or class projects, with your application.
• If the application is incomplete, the Biomedical Data Science Admissions Officer will notify the applicant by February. For post-doctoral candidates, there is no special paperwork or application required to apply for NLM funding. There is no in-person interview for the Academic MS program. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis starting in March. Finals decisions from admitted candidates are due by April 15.
• The selection of MS students admitted to DBDS is based on an individualized, holistic review of each application, including (but not limited to) the applicant’s academic record, the letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, personal qualities and characteristics, and past accomplishments.

Distance Education MS in Biomedical Data Science

The Biomedical Data Science program offers a Honors Cooperative Program (HCP), a part-time, distance education Masters program. The HCP MS program is designed for working professionals, generally those employed in biomedical informatics or related fields. Other candidates may also apply. Note that the HCP MS is a regular MS degree awarded by Stanford University.

Students receive course content and interact via the Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD). It is  highly recommended  that candidates start by reviewing the information about this program on the  Stanford Online  website, especially their  HCP student handbook . Applicants are  strongly encouraged to consider starting as a Non-Degree Option student (either a single course, or a three course certificate). Taking at least one of the DBDS core courses before applying is recommended but not required.

Currently all of the curriculum content is available for fully-remote access. HCP MS students are allowed to attend class on campus if that is better for them. Remote access is not fully under DBDS’s control, and might change in the future; however, we would make every reasonable effort to accommodate alternatives if needed.

To learn more about our programs, consider attending the  Meet the Students Panel .

Our graduate curriculum is described  here . Candidates may wish to begin with SCPD Certificate program in Biomedical Data Science, or individual courses through the SCPD’s Non-Degree Option. Up to 18 units of academic credit from relevant Certificate programs may be transferred upon acceptance into the degree program. In addition, you can complete some prerequisite coursework through SCPD, such as a Computer Science Certificate.

Students spend on average of 3.5 years in the program. The program must be completed within five years.

Switching MS Programs

Requests to transfer from part-tIme (HCP) to full-time (Academic MS) are reviewed by the DBDS Executive Committee on a case-by-case basis. Final decisions are at DBDS’s discretion. Please note the following limitations (for students enrolling in the HCP program starting Fall 2020) :

• Students must  complete a minimum of two (2) quarters in the part-time program excluding summer quarter or enrollment as a non-degree option student, before requesting to transfer to full-time. Therefore, the soonest the transfer can be discussed and approved is during the first DBDS Exec meeting of the third quarter of the student in the HCP program
• Students must complete a minimum of 10 units of letter-graded courses that meet requirements for the DBDS MS degree before commencing their first full-time (Academic MS) quarter
• GPA will be considered as part of the request.
• Students can make a maximum of two (2) transfers during the program (e.g. transfer from part-time to full-time and back to part-time).
• Students should consider the availability of courses online before requesting to switch from full-time to part-time, especially if this may interfere with their ability to satisfy the requirements of the degree.

The Stanford Center for Professional Development sets the tuition for all of the Honors Cooperative Programs. There is a three unit minimum enrollment per academic quarter. Check the latest tuition and fees at the  Stanford Center for Professional Development website. The DBDS program does not set rates or policies or collect tuition.

Some employers will support tuition for students enrolled in graduate studies while employed. Check with your Human Resources department for programs and policies. Students in the HCP MS program are not eligible for funding from many US government fellowships and other scholarships due to the required research component of the awards. Many student loan programs require full-time registration status. DBDS does not provide financial aid for this program.

Review the information on the  Bioscience Application  website.

Complete the  Biosciences Application  (same as PhD) online. Applications are accepted most of the year, and students can start any quarter except Summer. The deadlines for HCP applications are specific to this degree program, and are listed  here .

Applications are accepted for admission each quarter except summer. The application deadlines are shown here:

Coterminal MS in Biomedical Data Science

The Biomedical Data Science program offers a coterminal Masters program for Stanford undergraduates.

Policies and Degree Requirements

The Registrar’s webpage on Coterminal Degree Programs is  here . Graduate Education website on coterminal degrees is  here .

The MS curriculum is described  here . Coterminal Masters students are not required to perform research rotations or submit a research project, although they are welcome to do so.

Please see the  prerequisites page. In addition, we recommend (but do not require) that you take at least one DBDS core course before applying.

We accept applications to the coterminal Masters program quarterly.  These application instructions are for the Coterminal Masters only.  The deadlines to submit your applications are listed in the table below. Letters of recommendation are required by the deadline.

If you lose your undergraduate status prior to the completion of the application for the coterminal MS, you must apply as a regular candidate to the DBDS program.

Application Procedure

Fill out the  Coterm on-line application . The application will ask you for:

• A Stanford Transcript
• GREs: Applicants to DBDS’s Coterminal MS program are not required to submit GRE scores.
• TOEFL:  The TOEFL is not required.
• Personal Statement (1-2 pages):  See  here .
• Enriching the Learning Community: Stanford University welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of experiences, interests, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. We invite you to share the lived experiences, demonstrated values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a scholar and would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford University.
• Your Curriculum Vitae:  If you listed Awards and Publications on your CV, then you can skip the Awards and Publications question on the application.
• Two Letters of Recommendation:  You may submit more if you feel this enhances your chances of admission. The letters should come from faculty or others who are familiar with your academic/research activity.
• Prerequisites: We expect strong preparation of our prerequisites in order to make reasonable progress through our curriculum. Otherwise, please clearly indicate what your plan is to complete them, preferably prior to enrolling in DBDS. They will be reviewed on a case by case basis. The Registrar’s package contains the Preliminary Program Proposal Form; it is better to list all the proposed courses on the DBDS  Flow Sheet , and then just write “see flow sheet (attached)” on the Proposal Form. Please make sure you have a clear set of classes and schedule that will complete your prerequisites, your undergraduate degree requirements and graduate degree requirements. If you are uncertain, make your best estimate.  These instructions  (for current students) are also likely to be of use when applying.
• Additional Materials:  If you are submitting any additional materials, send them directly to the DBDS program at our Contact Address .
• Other:  Supplemental or additional department application requirements.

Decisions and Acceptance

In general, you will be notified by the end of the month in which you apply. If offered admission, you should reply by email to the offer.

Getting an Advisor

Upon acceptance into the program, you will be assigned a course advisor. You will revise your Program Proposal at this time. Please contact the DBDS program office if you need advice about coterminal status between acceptance and your first appointment with your course advisor.

Funding Sources

Access to financial aid and other options is very different for coterminal students and depends on the number of units and quarters as a registered student at Stanford.

Coterminal students have full access to undergraduate sources of financial aid until their twelfth quarter or four years of study. Coterminal students who have completed 180 units of are eligible for University fellowships and assistantships. However, many federal and private fellowships and assistantships are awarded only to students who have received the bachelors degree. Even after the conferral of the bachelors, there is no guarantee that a coterminal student will be awarded financial support via a RAship, TAship or fellowship.

Upon completion of the requirements for the bachelors, coterms may choose to obtain their bachelors degree early. However, all classes after conferral of the degree may only be counted towards the graduate degree. Please note, part of the strategy which allows coterms maximal flexibility in their course of study is their dual status as both undergraduates and graduate students.

You should definitely look at  our page for current coterm students . Also, it is highly recommended that you review our  Frequently Asked Questions  page

Personal Statement for applying in Biomedical Data Science

Instructions for writing your personal statement (statement of purpose).

You are required to submit a Personal Statement (Statement of Purpose) as part of the Graduate Application for either the MS or PhD degree.

Please note that the DBDS program focuses on the development  of novel computational and quantitative methods that can advance biomedicine. If your primary interest lies in the  application of such methods to pursue problems in a particular domain of biomedicine, then other Biosciences home programs are likely a better choice. The Admissions Committee will read your Personal Statement carefully to determine how well your aspirations align with the mission of the DBDS Training Program.

In your Personal Statement, please tell us how your schooling, work, research, and life experiences prepare you for study at DBDS, describe your current research interests and career goals, and explain how our training program will enable you to achieve them.

The Personal Statement should be 1-2 pages. Please do not append class projects, research proposals, draft manuscripts, published papers, posters, or other ancilliary materials.

Postdoctoral Training in Biomedical Data Science

Postdoctoral training is for those who already possess a doctoral level research degree (PhD, DSc), or professional degree (MD, DO, DDS).

• If you are interested in postdoctoral training which leads to an MS degree, then apply to our  Academic MS  program. (You could also apply to the PhD program if for some reason you wanted a second PhD, but we do not recommend this.)
• If you are looking for a postdoctoral research position without required classwork, then you should apply directly to the relevant faculty, generally in response to posted listings of postdoctoral positions. See the  general information  about postdoctoral training at Stanford. Also, see our  Resources for Postdocs page and our Faculty page.

Stanford offers an ACGME-approved fellowship in Clinical Informatics for board-eligible MDs. For more information, see the  main page for that fellowship .

Note that although there is some overlap in name, content, and personnel, the CI fellowship and DBDS graduate program are organizationally separate and serve different career goals. You may only apply to one of the two programs . The CI fellowship is for clinicians seeking further training in the broad area of applied clinical informatics; the DBDS program is for those seeking research training in quantitative and computational methods. Please review the materials for both programs and contact either program if you have questions.

Distance Education Programs in Biomedical Data Science including Certificate Program

In addition to the  distance education MS degree , DBDS offers a non-degree option of obtaining a certificate (three classes) or for taking individual classes. Students receive course content and interact via the Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD). All of the coursework is on-line; no time at Stanford is required. It is highly recommended that you start by reviewing the information on the SCPD  website, especially their  handbook  for non-degree option students. Information about any course can be found in Stanford’s  Explore Courses .

Certificate Program Eligibility and Prerequisites

The following are required for entry into the Certificate Program. Note that these prerequisite courses do not count towards the Certificate, even if taken at Stanford.

• A bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 (B) grade point average or better.
• One year of computer programming/software engineering coursework or equivalent experience. We recommend that students take the equivalent of Stanford’s CS 106A and CS 106B prior to entering the Certificate Program.
• One year of college biology.
• One year of calculus is required for some classes.
• Classwork in probability and statistics is a prerequisite for some classes.
• Some BIOMEDIN courses may have additional prerequisites. These are listed in Stanford’s catalog,  Explore Courses .

You need to achieve at least a B (3.0) in each Certificate class to continue in the program.

Student with good reasons may request waiver of these requirements through DBDS program staff.

Certificate in Biomedical Data Science: Data, Modeling and Analysis

Three courses are required for the Biomedical Data Science  Certificate . These courses are chosen from the following DBDS core courses.

• BIOMEDIN 210: Modeling Biomedical Systems: Ontology, Terminology, Problem Solving (Win quarter)
• BIOMEDIN 214: Representations and Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology (Aut quarter)
• BIOMEDIN 215: Data Driven Medicine (Aut quarter)
• BIOMEDIN 217: Translational Bioinformatics (Win quarter)
• BIOMEDIN 260: Computational Methods for Biomedical Image Analysis (Spr quarter)

Individual Courses (Non-degree Option)

You can enroll in individual courses without pursuing a degree or certificate. You can use up to 18 Stanford units towards a degree (including those from a certificate) if you are later accepted into one of our degree programs.

You should apply directly through  SCPD , not DBDS or Biosciences.

See  here .

Biomedical Data Science for Stanford Medical Students

There several ways that Stanford medical students can be involved in DBDS-related activities. Some of these are integrated into the medical curriculum. Others involve applying to DBDS degree programs.

Scholarly Concentration

The Stanford medical curriculum provides medical training and an intellectual foundation to support future medical investigation through the required  Scholarly Concentrations . Stanford medical students interested in Biomedical Data Science can choose the Informatics and Data-Driven Medicine  concentration, one of the Foundation areas. These students take several classes in this area, including  BIOMEDIN 205 , where leading researchers from Stanford and the Bay Area present overviews of their work.

Medical Scholars

Medical students who want a more in-depth research experience are invited to participate in the  Medical Scholars  research program.

Graduate Programs (MS or PhD)

Medical students can apply to our MS or PhD programs. Follow  these procedures  for normal graduate applications and  these procedures  for MSTP students or applicants.

Postdoctoral Programs

Medical students can also apply to pursue either the MS or PhD degree after receiving their MD.

Biomedical Data Science for Stanford MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) students

For those already in the mstp program.

• You do rotations during the first two years (M1-2). When you join the DBDS PhD program during the Autumn quarter of your 3rd year, file a Graduate Authorization Petition (via Axess) by the second week of the quarter.
• You should request that the MSTP office send us a copy of your MSTP application.
• A unofficial copy of your Stanford transcript
• An up-to-date copy of your CV
• Your  personal statement (specifically for DBDS)
• One letter of recommendation from Stanford faculty
• The DBDS supplemental application form
• Note that GREs are not required, and there is no personal interview.

For current medical students applying to the MSTP program

• You can apply to the internal track of the MSTP and you also apply to DBDS through the standard Biosciences PhD procedure .
• MCATs can be supplied in place of the GREs (but strong performance on GRE could increase chance of acceptance in some cases).
• In-person interviews are typically early March.
• If you are not chosen by MSTP for funding, DBDS will consider you in the normal application pool with training grant funding through DBDS.

These instructions are for those currently enrolled in graduate study at Stanford (including medical students) who want to add our MS degree. However, if you are applying to DBDS for a degree to start after your current degree has been conferred, or if you are applying to DBDS to the PhD degree or the postdoctoral MS degree, then skip this page and follow the normal application instructions for the desired degree; note that generally you will have to apply in the Autumn to start in the following Autumn (or Summer).

You should submit  directly to us :

• A Graduate Authorization Petition (via Axess)
• Two letters of recommendation (have recommender send directly to us, or submit in sealed, signed envelope)
• An unofficial copy of your Stanford transcript and of any previous transcripts
• A 1-2 page  personal statement
• The DBDS  supplemental application form
• a DBDS  course flowsheet  with your proposed plan of study

Applications are accepted throughout the year. The deadlines to submit your applications are listed in the table below.

Biomedical Data Science for Stanford Undergraduates

The Biomedical Data Science Program does not offer an undergraduate major.

For students interested in an undergraduate major with an option to specialize in the area of Biomedical Data Science, see the Biomedical Computation  major.

Stanford undergraduates may choose to combine their major with the coterminal Masters degree. The Biomedical Data Science coterminal MS may be combined with many undergraduate majors; Computer Science, Biomedical Computation, Mathematical and Computational Science, Bioengineering, or any of the biological science programs offer the most efficient combination of the two degrees. See our webpage on the coterminal degree , and  the University rules .

Information for International Applicants

We welcome applications from international applicants. International applicants follow the same application process as other applicants, with additional rules and requirements listed here .

Required Academic Credentials

You need to hold a four-year bachelors degree in order to apply. The exact requirements vary by country and are listed on the Office of Graduate Admissions  International Applicants page .

Scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English. Note that if  all  instruction for your bachelors or master degree program was in English, then the TOEFL is not required. See the  Biosciences Admissions page  for more details. Note that Stanford only accepts the TOEFL, not other tests of English.

We do not advise applicants about visas. The  Bechtel International Center  has information about how to maintain visas for international students. The US State Department has information about student and exchange visitor visas.

Please look at the webpage for the degree program (PhD or MS) to which you are applying. Unfortunately, funding for international students is quite limited, and you are encouraged to seek external funding. You should consider applying for Stanford’s  Knight-Hennessy Scholars program . Your home country may have programs to support study overseas. The  Fulbright program  funds international scholars. The Fogarty International Center maintains a  Directory of Funding Opportunities . The  Institute of International Education  has a search engine which will help you locate programs which fund international study.

For MS applicants: We have very occasionally had self-funded international MS students. You need to show funds equivalent to one year of tuition and board to meet the visa requirements.

The Undergraduate Major in Biology

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The major begins with a variety of introductory courses related to the different fields of Biology. Students will begin taking these courses, exploratory lab courses, and a selection of additional breadth courses in Chemistry, Math, Physics, and Statistics during their first two years. Advanced elective courses will be taken in the remaining two years. Although not required for any field of study, most Biology undergraduates choose to engage in at least one quarter of research in a lab on campus. Many go on to complete independent research that culminates in an Honors thesis and presentation. More information about the requirements for the B.S. Biology are included here.

In the next step of the curriculum, students engage with fundamental areas of Biology through Bio Foundations courses, which cover key foundational disciplines of Biology. Students will take anywhere from 2-4 Bio Foundations courses depending on their subplan within the major. These courses will delve into these fundamental areas of Biology and further build students’ skills in critical scientific thinking, reading the literature, and scientific communication.

Each Bio Foundations course is offered for 4 units:

• BIO 81 – Ecology 
• BIO 82 – Genetics
• BIO 83 – Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• BIO 84 – Physiology
• BIO 85 – Evolutionary Biology
• BIO 86 – Cell Biology

The general Biology major allows students to choose any four out of the six Bio Foundation courses. Specialized fields of study will require specific Bio Foundations courses, please review each subplan for the specific number and 80-series courses required. 

The 80-level Bio Foundations courses must be taken for a letter grade. 

These courses provide hands-on exposure to scientific methodology and experimental design. They are inquiry-based and allow students to hone their scientific thinking and lab skills by conducting real biology research. Lab courses are designed to give a grounding in both lab research and field research. Please review each subplan for the specific number and list of required lab requirements.

Some lab courses include:

• BIO 43, Introduction to Laboratory Research in Neuronal Cell Biology
• BIO 45, Introduction to Laboratory Research in Cell and Molecular Biology
• BIO 46: Introduction to Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (WIM course)
• BIO 47: Introduction to Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (WIM course)

Courses in Chemistry, Math, Physics, and Statistics will be required. Although specific requirements will vary by subplan , students can expect to take the following courses:

• 1-6 courses in Chemistry
• 1-3 courses in Math
• 2-4 courses in Physics
• 1 course in Statistics

Only one course from Chemistry, Math, Physics, and Statistics requirement may be taken credit/no credit.

Upper-level courses are offered in more specialized areas of Biology, many of them are seminar-style courses that provide opportunities to explore in depth the scientific literature and develop ideas for novel areas of research. Students have the option of pursuing a General Biology major or fulfilling specific requirements to pursue a specialized field of study. The specific number of elective requirements will vary by subplan.

General Biology and students who choose a subplan will take a unique combination of course requirements as outlined in their specific area. The fields of study are:

• General Biology
• Biochemistry/Biophysics
• Cellular, Molecular, and Organismal Biology
• Computational and Systems Biology
• Ecology, Evolution, and Environment
• Microbial Sciences
• Neurosciences

All students may take one elective course credit/no credit. 

Elective courses can include additional Biofoundations, foundational lab, and 100-level Bio courses. Also included are out-of-department STEM courses from an approved out-of-department electives list , which will include most 100-level courses in STEM subjects as well as some lower-level courses. Capstone units : a maximum of 7 units of BIO 196-199/X may be counted towards the electives.

Important note: All undergraduates matriculating as first-year students in 2021-22 or later and graduating in AY 2024-25 or later must complete a capstone. Transfer students who enter AY 2022-23 or AY 2023-24 and plan to graduate in AY 2024-2025 or later will also be required to complete a capstone.  

The capstone requirement in Biology may be fulfilled via one of four options. 

Option #1 - Honors in Biology

To pursue honors, students must submit an honors petition in the fall of senior year, complete at least 10 units of BIO 199/X or BIOHOPK 199H(Undergraduate Research), have a GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of graduation, and present their honors thesis at the departmental Achauer Honors Research Symposium and through the Biology Virtual Showcase website.

Option #2 -  The Senior Reflection in Biology

Students interested in expressing their personal interests in biology via creative or artistic forms (such as writing, music, fine arts, performing arts, photography, film, or new media) may enroll in The Senior Reflection (BIO 196A, B, and C; all three courses are required for this track). A written proposal on the creative process and scientific significance of the selected topic is generated in the fall (BIO 196A). During the winter quarter in Bio 196B, weekly workshops support the development, production, and refinement of each project. In spring (BIO 196C), projects are finalized and curated for an exhibition, which is held at the end of the quarter. Students are also required to write a final reflection essay.

Option #3 - Independent Capstone in Biology

Students who wish to conduct an independent, individually-designed capstone project may enroll in the Senior Synthesis. Such individually-designed projects might involve research internships, business internships, travel-based study, teaching, or other forms of community service. Examples of possible products of these individually-designed capstones include the production of a teaching or business plan, a film or podcast, or a public education campaign. Students in this track will take three courses: BIO 199A, BIO 199B, and BIO 199C.

Option #4 - Approved Out-of-Department Capstone

Students may also fulfill their capstone requirement via other approved capstone programs or honors programs, provided that the student’s specific program or project contains a substantial amount of biological relevance or content. Students who wish to use this track must submit a petition to the Biology Undergraduate Studies Committee prior to the spring quarter of their junior year.

Students are required to take one of the  Biology university-approved WIM courses . WIM courses can overlap with other requirements.

Students can choose from the following options:

2024-2025- Checklist of Requirements by Subplan

• Biochemistry & Biophysics
• Computational and Systems Biology

2023-2024- Checklist of Requirements by Subplan

2022-2023-checklist of requirements by subplan.

• General Major
• Computational Biology
• Ecology and Evolution
• Marine Biology
• Microbes and Immunity
• Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
• Neurobiology
• Approved Out of Department Electives  (applies to the general major and all fields of study)

Older Catalog Degree Requirements

2021-2022 checklist of requirements.

• All 2021-2022 Checklist folder

2020-2021 Checklist Requirements

• All 2020-2021 Checklist folder

format_list_bulleted Topic Overview

Paying students (graduate and undergraduate).

Students can accept employment at Stanford to meet academic year earning expectations for financial aid packages and/or to perform services related to their course of graduate study. This overview outlines information about paying student workers and various methods of funding graduate students.

In rare occasions, if a student (not employed by Stanford) participates or contributes to a special Stanford activity or event, they may be paid through an  honorarium .

Roles and Responsibilities

Faculty members often supervise student employees on hourly-paid jobs and graduate students on assistantships and fellowships. Administrators within the departments are responsible for setting up employee records and pay instructions with Payroll, and assisting faculty with their supervisory tasks, such as approving rates of pay and, in the case of hourly employees, approving hours worked. Administrators are responsible for entering all graduate payments in the Graduate Financial Support (GFS) system.

Paying Student Workers

When undergraduate or graduate students are performing a service for Stanford, treat them as employees with the requisite paperwork and, if they are working in an hourly position, keep an accurate record of hours worked.

Hourly-Paid Students

Students working in hourly-paid positions are hired as employees, with job records in PeopleSoft.

• For PeopleSoft entry deadlines for each pay period, refer to Resource: Payroll Schedules and Deadlines .
• For employment guidelines, including pay scales and work-hour limitations, refer to Administrative Guide Policy 10.1.1: Undergraduate Student Employment on Campus  and Administrative Guide Policy 10.2.2: Graduate Student Hourly Employment .
• To enroll in direct deposit, refer to How to: Enroll/Update/Cancel Direct Deposit .

Hourly-paid students must record actual hours worked in Axess Timecard each pay period. Refer to Topic Overview: Time and Leave Reporting  for more information.

I-9 Collection and Reverification

To comply with U.S. law, Stanford administrators must verify the eligibility for employment for all new employees, including student employees. However, students who are continuously enrolled, except during normal school break periods, do not need to submit a new I-9 Form when moving between jobs. They need to present renewal documents before current documents expire to avoid any disruptions in pay. Refer to How to: Verify Employment Eligibility (I-9)  for more information.

Taxation of Student Pay

Student-employee pay is subject to federal and state income tax withholdings and is reported on Form W-2. Work performed in California is subject to withholding and reporting to California, regardless of residency status of the student. Registered degree-seeking students do not pay FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes or California Voluntary Disability Insurance for the quarters that they are enrolled in classes.

Students can refer to the Student Financial Services Taxes websites for information on tax considerations for:

• U.S. Citizen and Resident non-U.S. Citizen Students
• Non-Resident non-U.S. Citizen Students

Paying Non-Registered Students

Students who are working, but are not enrolled for a given quarter, are treated as temporary employees. Terminate the student job record, and rehire the student as a temporary employee. The wages paid during this period are subject to FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes and California Voluntary Disability Insurance. Refer to Termination Process (PeopleSoft HRMS Job Aids) for more information.

Taxation of Student Awards

Award payments to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and residents for tax purposes are taxable to the recipient, but not reported by Stanford on a tax document. Stanford does not withhold tax from these payments. Recipients may need to make quarterly tax payments to the IRS and State of California using Form 1040-ES  at the IRS website and 540-ES at the State of California Franchise Tax Board website. A letter summarizing payments greater than $600 is mailed to the recipient each January for year-end tax reporting.

Scholarships and fellowships that qualify under Section 117 of the Internal Revenue Code are excludable from the recipient’s gross income. To qualify for the Section 117 exclusion:

• An award must be a qualified scholarship (the award is only applicable to tuition and mandatory fees).
• The recipient must be a candidate for a degree.
• The award must be for the purpose of studying or conducting research at an educational organization.

Refer to the IRS discussion of these exclusions . 

Award payments to nonresidents of the U.S. are subject to a 30% federal tax withholding and are reported on Tax Form 1042-S . Form 1042-S is mailed annually by March 15.

Federal Work Study

Students who are awarded Federal Work Study (FWS) funds may use these funds to seek employment at Stanford. For graduate students, FWS positions are sometimes structured in the form of a research or teaching assistantship with a corresponding tuition allowance.

FWS is funded primarily by the federal government with matching contributions from Stanford, and, for off-campus employment in Community Service, the hiring organization.

Upon the hiring of a work-study student, the department manager must complete the FWS Authorization Request to confirm the employment and to receive instructions on the Oracle Labor Distribution allocation for the student. The student is responsible for monitoring hour limits. Additional hours worked are funded by the hiring department. Refer to Financial Aid Federal Work Study for more information.

Since FWS jobs are structured in different ways by the various departments and schools, students should contact their academic department or school office for information about FWS opportunities. Undergraduate students interested in Community Service FWS should contact the Haas Center for Public Service . All students who wish to receive FWS funding must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . FWS awards are based on computed financial need and available funds. Additional information may be available from the Financial Aid Office .

SU-21 Fellowship/Award Form

The SU-21 Fellowship/Award Form  is used to request an award check  to be presented during a ceremony to a Stanford graduate student and for reimbursement for conference and training fees, travel expenses, and purchases of  computers, books and supplies for medical residents and clinical fellows (SHC or LPCH employees).

The SU-21 Form is also used to request fellowship payments (subsistence payments and travel grants) for visitors. Refer to How to: Request Subsistence Payment and Travel Grant for Visitors .

The SU-21 Form is not for use for payment for services, nor for fellowship payments to Stanford students.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate student assistantships enable students to earn compensation for their research or teaching activities while continuing their academic and professional development. Graduate assistantships are controlled and/or administered by academic departments. The department administrators decide who receives these forms of financial support, and at what level a graduate student is supported. 

Assistantship salaries are set up by assigned administrative personnel within schools and departments, and paid through (Graduate Financial Support) GFS. Faculty who supervise graduate students on assistantships are assigned to approve quarterly payments for their students.

For GFS entry deadlines for each pay period, administrators can refer to Resource: Payroll Schedules and Deadlines . For policy guidelines, including pay scales and work-hour limitations, refer to the GFS Policy Manual .

Graduate students may opt to have tuition and fees deducted from their pay. Refer to Paying Tuition and Other Fees via Payroll Deduction on the Student Financial Services website for more information.

Graduate assistantships are paid on the following standard appointment periods:

• Autumn Quarter: Oct. 1 - Dec. 31
• Winter Quarter: Jan. 1 - March 31
• Spring Quarter: April 1 - June 30
• Summer Quarter: July 1 - Sept. 30

Graduate Financial Aid

Graduate financial aid is administered by Stanford University’s Financial Aid Office, the Schools of Medicine Financial Aid Office, the Law School Financial Aid Office and the Graduate School of Business Financial Aid Office. Refer to the Financial Aid Offices for links to specific aid offices.

Federal and non-federal student loans are available to graduate students enrolled at least half-time in a degree program. Student loans are administered by the various Financial Aid Offices on campus. To apply for federal student loans, students need to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . Students should contact their Financial Aid Office for information and application instructions.

Emergency Grant-in-Aid Funds

Emergency Grant-in-Aid Funds assist graduate students who experience a financial emergency or an unanticipated expense (e.g., medical, dental or legal), causing financial hardship. This program is designed to assist those who cannot reasonably resolve their financial difficulty through fellowships or loans. For more detailed information and the application procedures, refer to the Emergency Grant-In-Aid (PDF) instructions and application form .

Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships from Stanford-based funds generally are controlled by the school and administered by the university department. The department administrators determine the requirements and restrictions for fellowships, as well as the level of support given, ranging from funds to cover partial tuition to full tuition and a living stipend.

Processing Fellowship Support in GFS

Fellowship tuition and stipend payments are entered in the GFS by department personnel and are processed by the Student Financial Services Department. Fellowship tuition support is credited against tuition charges on the student’s university bill. Stipends are not paid in cash, nor are they convertible to cash. The default for disbursement of stipends is “standard charges,” i.e., after other university charges, such as room and board, have been deducted, the remaining fellowship stipend is paid as a refund check to the student. If students prefer to receive the fellowship check for the entire amount and pay the other charges with personal funds, the students must request their home department to issue the stipend as a "check only - no deductions" (use "Stipend" charge priority). Refer to the Graduate Financial Support Policy Manual  for more information on Fellowships.

Credit Balances

Credit balances on student accounts may result from aid awards that exceed charges and/or aid awards intended to be disbursed entirely to the student (not for the payment of tuition or fee charges). Some student aid has restrictions placed on it by the donor or sponsor that preclude the aid from paying specific types of charges. Therefore, students may receive credit balance checks that include excess aid and/or stipend. Also, students who have unpaid charges on their account that aid is not eligible to pay, may receive a credit balance check from their student account. To prevent this, refer to the Financial Aid and Student Permissions section on the University Bill Payment Methods .

Refund/Stipend Checks

Refund/ Stipend checks distributed from student accounts are sent via Direct Deposit . Students are strongly encouraged to use Direct Deposit, because it is the fastest way for students to receive their funds, and it ensures receipt of funds regardless of address changes.

For students who are not enrolled in Direct Deposit, live checks are mailed by the Student Financial Services Office directly to the mailing address on file in Axess . Live checks are mailed on the next business day after they are printed. 

Students may review refund/stipend disbursement data in Axess by selecting View Refund Stipend Check  the Finances drop-down menu in the Student tab.

Leaves of Absence After Fellowships Are Paid

If students withdraw during a quarter, the department/school administrators determine whether a prorated amount of stipend must be repaid. To have the charges reduced, and thus be able to recapture any non-applicable tuition from the fellowship, students should file a request for a Leave of Absence as soon as they know it will be needed.

External Fellowships Paid Directly to Students

In some cases, an external agency may award a fellowship directly to students, and the funding is not processed in any way through Stanford. In this case, the students are billed for tuition and fees in the same manner as other students, and they pay those expenses directly. The students’ home department should enter this support in GFS as “Info Only” to allow coordination of all aid the students may receive.

Graduate students with a fellowship award paid directly to them may be eligible for a Cardinal Care health insurance subsidy. Entering an “Info Only” aid line in GFS will trigger the subsidy, if appropriate.

Department administrators should keep a copy of appropriate documentation defining such fellowship awards before making an “Info Only” entry in GFS.

See the Graduate Financial Support Policy Manual  for more information on Fellowships.

Announcement Jul 22, 2024 Year-End Close: 2024 Reminders and Deadlines

Announcement Feb 22, 2024 Continuous Improvements to Fingate

Announcement Dec 07, 2023 Tax Reminders and Resources

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Cailin Collins, MD PhD

Fellow in medicine - med/hematology.

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Received her undergraduate degree from Williams College, after which she spent one year conducting research at the NIH National Cancer Institute. She then attended medical school at the University of Michigan, where she also completed a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pathology as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program. She completed residency at UCSF prior to starting Hematology and Oncology fellowship training at Stanford. Her prior research has focused on the transcription factor biology and deregulated signaling pathways in hematologic malignancies. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Ravi Majeti's lab studying clonal hematopoiesis and preleukemic stem cells.

Clinical Focus

• Malignant Hematology
• Clonal Hematopoiesis

All Publications

Publications (9).

• All Publications (9)
• Journal Articles (4)
• Conference Proceedings (5)

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Ash A. Alizadeh, MD/PhD

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Vice dean of the school of medicine and stanley mccormick memorial professor.

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Km mulberry professor, professor of developmental biology, of medicine (endocrinology) and, by courtesy, of pediatrics (endocrinology), publication topics for this person.

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Blotting, Western
• Bone Marrow Cells
• CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha
• Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
• Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p15
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• Enhancer Elements, Genetic
• Epigenomics
• Gene Expression Profiling
• Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic
• Hematopoiesis
• Homeodomain Proteins
• Leukemia, Experimental
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• Myeloid Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 1 Protein
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• Protein Binding
• RNA, Messenger
• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Bali Pulendran is new director of Institute for Immunology, Transplantation and Infection

The institute’s purpose is to understand the human immune system at multiple levels — molecular, genetic and cellular — and to harness this understanding to prevent and treat disease.

August 1, 2024 - By Bruce Goldman

Bali Pulendran

Bali Pulendran, PhD, professor of pathology and of microbiology and immunology, has been appointed director of Stanford Medicine’s Institute for Immunology, Transplantation and Infection.

Pulendran , the Violetta L. Horton Professor II, assumed the directorship on Aug. 1. He succeeds Mark Davis , PhD, founding director of the institute, who is stepping down from the post after 20 years to concentrate on advancing the work in his laboratory.

“Mark is a true visionary whose discoveries in immunology are legendary,” Pulendran said. “He’s had a transformative impact on human immunology and spawned a whole generation of scientists who are today’s leaders in this exciting field.”

The institute, known as ITI , is a collaborative effort of interdisciplinary teams composed of immunologists, infectious-disease experts, computational scientists, clinical scientists and clinicians, driven by a common goal of understanding the human immune system at the molecular level and translating this understanding into better vaccines and therapeutics. Insights into systems immunology are attained by gauging widespread activities and interactions of multiple molecules, genes and cells in blood and tissue samples from people responding to infections or receiving vaccinations.

“Bali Pulendran has the experience, skills and knowledge to lead ITI into the future,” said Lloyd Minor , MD, dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford University. “A collaborative and multidisciplinary scientist, Bali has made significant strides in advancing global health by creating greater understanding of how vaccines interact with our bodies and using that knowledge to make them even more effective. His insights and leadership will only further the ability of ITI scientists to pioneer the field of systems immunology.”

Pulendran runs a roughly 50-person lab with a research interest in learning how the evolutionarily ancient innate immune system regulates the workings of its relatively recent partner, the adaptive immune system, and how to harness that new understanding to designing improved and novel vaccines. He has co-authored nearly 300 peer-reviewed journal articles, many in front-line publications such as Nature , Science and Cell , and has trained more than 50 postdoctoral scholars and graduate students.

“Bali has just been a ball of fire in using the latest technologies to understand human vaccine response,” Davis said. “He has done more than anyone in the world to understand how vaccines work.”

Pulendran came to Stanford Medicine in 2017, leaving his positions as a chaired professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and director of the innate immunity program at Emory University in Atlanta.

Davis recruited Pulendran, whom he has known since 2008, to Stanford Medicine. “He was doing the first really inspiring work on using the systems-immunology approach,” said Davis, the Burt and Marion Avery Family Professor and a professor of microbiology and immunology. “I had independently come to realize that this was the way forward because conventional approaches weren’t working. This has become the standard approach now.”

Pulendran, born in Sri Lanka, obtained a bachelor’s degree at Cambridge University’s Queens College. He attended graduate school at the University of Melbourne, Australia, receiving his PhD in 1995. After serving as a postdoctoral scholar at Immunex Corp. in Seattle, then holding assistant and associate professorships at the Baylor Institute for Immunology Research in Dallas, he joined Emory’s faculty as an associate professor in 2002. Promoted to full professor in 2004, he became director of Emory’s innate immunity program in 2008, receiving a chaired professorship that same year.

“I hope to see the ITI soar along its innovative trajectory of discovering fundamental new biology about our human system and collaborating with partners to translate these discoveries into novel medicines and vaccines,” Pulendran said.

About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu .

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Jul 30, 2024

HGSAC Co-Chairs Awarded for Service

Outgoing graduate advisers avery sicher and jessica walnut recognized by huck institutes for their leadership efforts during the 2023-2024 academic year.

University Park, PA ­– Jessica Walnut and Avery Sicher, outgoing co-chairs of the Huck Graduate Student Advisory Committee (HGSAC), ended the academic year on a high note, receiving awards for their service to the student advocacy organization.

The mission of HGSAC is to represent students enrolled in Huck graduate programs by promoting their interests and advocating on important issues. The student-led organization is also known for orchestrating the annual Life Sciences Symposium, which continues to boast record numbers of abstracts and attendees from across the university.

During their tenure, Walnut, a doctoral student in the Plant Biology program, and Sicher, a doctoral student in the Neuroscience program, shared leadership duties. The two planned social and professional events and represented Huck students at regular meetings of the Huck Graduate Education Committee.

Both Walnut and Sicher were thanked by Huck leadership and presented with plaques in honor of their service to the graduate student community.

“HGSAC plays an important role in guiding the education and professional development of graduate students at Penn State,” said Patrick Drew, interim director of the Huck Institutes and professor of Neurosurgery, Biology, and Biomedical Engineering. “We are very happy that Avery Sicher and Jessica Walnut stepped up to the task of chairing HGSAC. We greatly appreciate their hard work, organization, and leadership that enriched the experiences of the life science graduate students. The strong turnout from the community for the Life Sciences Symposium and other HGSAC events shows their colleagues do, too.”

The outgoing co-chairs reflected on their experience during their term.

“Serving as HGSAC co-chair for the last year has been a very rewarding experience,” Sicher said. “I am most proud that we put on another successful Life Sciences Symposium. I love seeing how the event has grown over the years I have been a part of HGSAC. This year's LSS featured more career development opportunities for Huck trainees and continued to grow and reach more graduate students at Penn State.”

“My time as HGSAC co-chair proved to be an excellent experience in team leadership and event coordination,” Walnut said. “Coordinating this year’s symposium is the accomplishment I am most proud of. It was exciting to watch the event come together, and it provided opportunities to connect with wonderful people across Penn State and members of industry. I will continue to utilize the skills I obtained during my tenure as co-chair as I move forward in my career.”