Eligibility

• Am I am eligible for the program?
  Judgments about the suitability/eligibility of candidates for the program are made by the Admissions Committee. No assessment of candidate qualifications can be made prior to admissions decisions. Recommended courses are listed here.
• Is a previous research background in a bioinformatics-related field necessary for successful enrollment?
  No. Previous research and associated publications are often considered favorably by the Admissions Committee. However, these are not requirements.
• Am I eligible for the program if I do not have any professional computer skills?
  In addition to computer science, we admit students from physical sciences, biological sciences, mathematics, statistics and engineering, who may not have professional computer skills. If necessary we may recommend you to take extra coursework in Programming, Fundamental Data Structures, or Algorithms.
• I am intending to take a course in one of the programming languages (Java, C++ etc.), but the course will not be completed at the time I wish to apply. Will the course still help to make my application strong?
  You can include a list of courses that you are currently taking or planning to take with your application for consideration by the Admissions Committee.
• Will a prior MS in bioinformatics or computational biology have a great impact on my admission to the joint PhD program?
  No. We consider each application separately on the basis of many criteria, including research statement, undergraduate (and if applicable graduate) coursework performance, GRE scores, letters of recommendations, etc. The fraction of our current students who have an MS degree in bioinformatics or computational biology is only 16%. Although about 35% of our current students had a prior MS when they entered our program, such students were admitted because they had good research experience.
• Will the program continue to consider applications after the deadline? If so, when are the last dates?
  Under special circumstances, applications submitted after the deadline may be considered. If you would like to request special permission to submit a late application, please contact one of the program directors.

TOEFL Scores

• What are the TOEFL requirements for international students?
  If your native language is not English, then you must submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All students need to submit a TOEFL. No exceptions. A minimum score of 250 (600 paper, 100 iBT) on the computer TOEFL or a minimum of 7.0 on the IELTS is required for admission to the program. Scores must be less than two years old.

• I am an international student, and will receive my Master’s degree at a university in an English-speaking country. Do I need to submit a TOEFL score?

  If you are currently working on or have received a bachelor’s and/or a master’s degree in the U.S. and your native language is not English, the TOEFL is still required. However, you may submit an expired test score up to five years old.

• Do you accept IELTS score or Duolingoscore instead of TOEFL?
  Yes. A minimum of 7.0 on the IELTS, and a minimum of 120 Duolingo score is required for admission to the program.  We prefer that you take the TOEFL, but we will accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The same restrictions of expiration dates apply with an IELTS. Please understand that equitable review of all applicants depends on having comparable sets of data in their applications.  We therefore strongly encourage all applicants to provide TOEFL or IELTS scores.  However, we understand that in some cases that it may not be possible for an applicant to test for TOEFL or IELTS.  If you are not a native English speaker, and despite your best efforts are unable to test for TOEFL or IELTS, you may take the Duolingo English proficiency test.

Research Projects

• What are the specific areas in which projects will be available?
  The best way to see what research projects are available is to look at the websites of our training faculty. Upon admission you will participate in our annual off-site retreat, at the end of orientation week, during which you will have the opportunity to interact with faculty members and learn about their research projects.
• The program website says to “read about the research interests of the training faculty and identify at least three faculty with whom you would be interested in doing thesis research.” Do I need to/may I approach and contact individual professors?
  You are welcome to approach and contact individual professors, if you’d like more information about their research interests. However, you are not required to contact them. Since admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee, faculty cannot make prior commitments to accept particular students.

Core Courses and Electives

• Can I get credit for core courses or electives based on past graduate courses taken at other universities?
  Decisions on courses to be taken by each student are made by the Advising Committee after enrollment. That committee reviews prior coursework and can waive specific core requirements. Elective requirements are not waived.

International Students

• When entering the program, who can help me with the immigration process?
  For students accepted through the University of Pittsburgh, contact the Office of International Services.