Huck Program Specific Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Bioinformatics and Genomics graduate program at Penn State, prospective students must have:

• An appropriate academic background, typically including a Grade Point Average of 3.0 and above (on a 4.0 scale) during the last two years (junior/senior) of a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university.
• Proficiency in the English language.
• Research experience is desirable.

To be considered for admission to the Ecology graduate program at Penn State, prospective students must have:

• An undergraduate degree in ecology, biology, fisheries, wildlife, forestry, or natural resources; however, applicants with other backgrounds are welcome to apply
• Ideally, you should have taken at least three undergraduate classes in the biological sciences (e.g., biology, ecology, physiology) as well as a minimum of five undergraduate courses in the physical sciences and mathematics with at least one course each in chemistry, physics, calculus. However, a limited number of course deficiencies in these subjects may be remedied by taking undergraduate courses while a graduate student. Deficiencies must be made up in the first few semesters after admission.

Commitment from a Faculty Member

• It is not necessary for students to confirm a commitment from a faculty advisor prior to submitting an application. However, students are encouraged to contact specific Ecology faculty members of interest throughout the application process to discuss the potential to conduct research in their lab. Final admission will be directly into the lab of a faculty advisor.

To be considered for admission to the Integrative and Biomedical Physiology graduate program at Penn State, prospective students must have:

• An appropriate academic background
• Ideally, you will have taken the following courses at undergraduate level: biochemistry, a basic cell and molecular biology course, and a mammalian physiology course (with a practical, laboratory component). Deficiencies in chemistry, biological science, mathematics, and physics must be made up early in the graduate program.

Please note, MCIBS does not admit applicants for the terminal master's degree program.

Applicants will need to provide:

• college transcript
• contact information for three references
• statements about research experience and motivation for graduate study: the place we primarily look for information about your research is from your written answer to the question about your past research experiences. It is important to include the big picture for your project(s), the specific question you were addressing, what you did and what your results meant in the context of the field. If you only write a couple of sentences here we just will not have enough to go on! So please write a complete description here.
• international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL or IELTS
• GRE scores are optional. If you have taken the test they can be helpful for us, particularly if: you are an international student, you did very well on the GRE, or your GPA is low. It will not count against you if you do not submit scores! So it is really up to you- if you think it will help you, submit them; if not, then don't

Successful applicants will typically have:

• Independent research experience (this is usually the most important part of the application)
• Coursework in biochemistry, molecular and/or cell biology, physics, chemistry, and calculus
• International applicants: TOEFL scores of 100 or more, with 23 on the speaking section for the internet-based test pre-2026 version, or 4.5 with 3.5 or greater on the speaking section on the 2026 and later test, or IELTS above 7
• These are general guidelines; if you are weak in one area, but strong in another, MCIBS takes that into account
• The program values research experience and motivation to be trained as an independent scientist!

To be considered for admission to the Neuroscience graduate program at Penn State, prospective students must have:

• A degree in a biological, physical, or behavioral science, and courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Neuroscience courses are desirable but not essential.
• Research experience is an advantage.

To be considered for admission to the Plant Biology graduate program at Penn State, prospective students must 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.
• Proficiency in the English language.
• GRE scores are not required. Self-reporting or sending official GRE scores is done at the applicant's discretion and will not positively or negatively impact chance of acceptance.