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CDB admission requirements
Criteria you need to meet to be considered for the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Developmental Biology at Penn State.
To be considered for admission, you need to have:
- An appropriate academic background, including a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) during the last two years (junior/senior) of a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university. Research experience is desirable.
- Recent general Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Aptitude Test scores. (Penn State's Institution code is R2660 and the Department code is 5199)
- Proficiency in the English language. With some exceptions (noted below), international candidates are required to take the TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and submit the results of the test with application for admission. Minimum acceptable TOEFL scores are: 550 on the paper test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 points on the internet-based test with a minimum of 20 points on the speaking portion. (Penn State's Institution code is 2660 and the Department code is 30). The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5. International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have received a baccalaureate or a masters degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States and Wales.
You must also complete the forms and send us the materials outlined in the instructions on how to apply.