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Application materials and information about our faculty and programs may be obtained by contacting the Student and Program Coordinator (Biology@unt.edu, 940-565-3627) or the Environmental Science Program at 940-565-2694.

Prospective applicants meeting our admission criteria are encouraged to become familiar with the research and degree programs within the department and to seek opportunities by contacting individual faculty members.

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Application Deadlines

Applications for admission to graduate programs in the Department of Biological Sciences are reviewed on a continuous basis once they are complete. Application and acceptance is a multi-step process, and steps may vary based on the applicant's situation. Application for financial support is a separate process and requires a completed departmental application for consideration. Applicants should include the Teaching Assistantship/Scholarship Application and the Teaching Assistantship Information Form as attachments with the departmental application, if applicable. There is not a formal deadline for consideration, but applicants are encouraged to have their application complete at least six months in advance of the desired semester.

We strongly suggest making your application several months in advance of this six-month guideline if you are interested in financial support opportunities, scholarships, or fellowships. International Applicants have much earlier separate deadlines maintained by International Admissions. International Applicants must meet those deadlines rather than those from the Department of Biological Sciences.

How to Apply

STEP 1: SECURE A MAJOR PROFESSOR (Biology M.S., Ph.D.; Environmental Science M.S., Ph.D.; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology M.S., Ph.D.) or SUBMIT A PRE-APPLICATION PACKET FOR RESEARCH ROTATIONS (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. only)

Applicants must find a faculty member within the Department of Biological Sciences who is willing to serve as their major professor. Research descriptions for each faculty member can be found on the Department's web pages. Please contact faculty whose research matches your goals. The faculty member must send a statement of intent to serve via email to the Student and Program Coordinator. Although securing a major professor does not guarantee admission, not having a major professor will result in admission denial by the Department.

Applicants pursuing a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have the option to identify a major professor or, alternatively, pursue research rotations during the first year of the program. Potential applicants interested in rotations should prepare a pre-application packet consisting of a CV/resume and a 2-page (maximum) research statement highlighting research interests, prior research experience, and rationale for pursuing graduate training. The statement should also identify three departmental faculty members and describe how the applicant's interests align with their ongoing faculty research programs. Pre-applications should be submitted as a single pdf to the Student and Program Coordinator (biology@unt.edu) by December 1st. Pre-applicants for the research rotation option with exceptional qualifications will be encouraged to follow the application procedures below. Discouraged applicants will still have the option to secure a major professor to apply to the program.

STEP 2: APPLY TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Applicants must first apply and be admitted to UNT's Toulouse Graduate School to be considered for admission to a degree program in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or Environmental Science.

Apply through ApplyTexas (Spring 2025) or GradCAS (Summer 2025 and later).

Learn more about applying to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

STEP 3: APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT

Prepare and submit an application for graduate studies in the Department of Biological Sciences by following this link:

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**When applying to the Department, students must secure a major professor or receive encouragement to enter research rotations from the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology research rotation coordinator. The faculty member or rotation coordinator must send a statement of intent to serve via email to the student and program coordinator.

**All of our programs currently encourage students to submit their general GRE scores. Applications for financial support through the Department of Biological Sciences, such as teaching assistantship positions, currently require GRE scores. Applications for admission or support may not be considered if GRE scores, or any other part of the application package, are missing.

Applicants interested in a teaching assistantship position should submit the following as an attachment with the departmental application.

International Applicants ONLY

Please check with UNT International Affairs regarding special requirements and information for international applicants. Also, for qualification for Teaching Assistantship positions, you may schedule a Diagnostic Oral English Language Screening ITA/TF/RA Evaluation by contacting Jill Harold at
Faculty and International Teaching Assistant Program Coordinator
Intensive English Language Institute
International Affairs | University of North Texas
Marquis Hall 233| 1155 Union Circle #311067, Denton, TX 76203-4255 USA
+1 940-565-2003

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