How to Apply

Degree Information

BMCDB accepts applications for the Ph.D. program only. Our Ph.D. students are eligible to earn a M.S. degree as part of their studies, but we do not offer admission to students seeking a M.S. degree.

The BMCDB Graduate Group is designed for students who wish to pursue a PhD in biochemistry, molecular, cellular and developmental biology. Prospective applicants should have an interest in studying fundamental biological problems at the organismal, cellular, and molecular levels. It is a respected program that prides itself in rigor, interdisciplinary training and a high degree of faculty-student interaction. As a BMCDB Graduate Group student, you will make scholarly contributions to the field and after completing the program, be prepared and competitive for the diverse opportunities in a career in life sciences.

Entering into graduate studies is a big commitment financially, socially and emotionally. This website is developed to help students better understand the application process.

Application Deadline

The Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (BMCDB) Graduate Group accepts applications for fall quarter admission only. BMCDB accepts applications for the Ph.D. program only. Our PhD students are eligible to earn a MS degree as part of their studies, but we do not offer admission to students seeking a MS degree. Program application deadline is December 1. 

  • An in person, zoom or phone interview is required for admission. Recruitment Interview event anticipated to be held on February 6th - 7th, 2023.
  • Program application deadline is midnight December 1 (PST). All supporting materials (transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation) must be received by this date.  Incomplete applications as of this date will not be considered.

Apply here

How do I begin?

The Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group is a large umbrella program that spans 35 departments and multiple colleges. Research in the group reflects traditional disciplinary strengths in biochemistry, molecular biology, cell and developmental biology, as well as interdisciplinary approaches that combine biology, genetics, chemistry, physics, engineering, math and/or computational approaches.

What interests you? Fascination with a particular topic may occur in the classroom, a childhood experience, an assigned project, and inspirational seminar or Professor. You may be subject-, technology- or career-driven to attend graduate school. The most important decision you will make is in the selection of your potential mentor.

The BMCDB Graduate Group offers you the opportunity to rotate through 4 different labs in your first year to ‘try out’ potential advisors, mentoring styles, and labs. Finding a good match is made easier because of the large number of faculty within our group. You will have access to over 150 faculty members.

  • Explore the BMCDB faculty webpage, to see the scope of research conducted in the group.
  • Get to know the research of the faculty. For faculty that interest you, read one or two of their papers on the topic that you find interesting. Which of the faculty best fits with your interests and career goals?
  • Think about questions you would ask the faculty that intrigue you. What is their mentoring philosophy? What is the culture of their lab? The possible career options ahead? These are questions you can ask directly once you have interacted with them.
  • Contact the professor. Most professors like to hear from enthusiastic students who are interested in their field of study! But also be aware that faculty tend to be very busy, so be direct and concise with your communications. If you choose to email them, it should be professional, simple, and honest, and convey your passion and ideals. It should also be pragmatic – what can you contribute to the research program of the faculty member?
  • Introduce yourself. State why you are interested in their lab. Highlight areas of overlap between the science in the faculty member’s lab and research you are conducting or interested in. Mention papers you have read and what you found interesting about them. Conclude by asking if they are currently taking students and by saying that you would like to discuss the possibility of working in their lab by telephone, skype etc. What next? Some Faculty members may take a long time to reply due to multiple commitments. Follow up with another email after a week elapses.

Admission Prerequisites

The following prerequisite courses are recommended for students applying for graduate study in BMCDB, as students who are admitted into our program have generally taken these courses. Students requiring more than two courses to remedy a deficiency in these recommendations will not normally be admitted.

  • Biology: One year of General Biology or equivalent content
  • Biochemistry: Introductory Biochemistry, two quarters or four semester hours or equivalent content, with laboratory
  • Chemistry: One year General Chemistry or equivalent content, with laboratory
  • Organic Chemistry: Two quarters or one semester or equivalent content, with laboratory
  • Physics: One year General Physics or equivalent content, with laboratory
  • Statistics: One course of Introduction to Statistics or equivalent content

Application Elements

Your application will not be considered complete until BMCDB receives all of the following items. The Admissions Committee starts reviewing applications immediately after the December 1st application deadline. It is to your benefit if all items are received by the deadline or as close to the deadline as possible.

  • Application fee
  • The application fee may be paid by credit card or e-check. The appropriate fee must be paid before the application will be considered complete, and a fee must be paid for each application submitted.

  • Letters of Recommendation

  • Three letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically through the online application. Please do not have recommenders send letters in hard copy.

    • Seek these out early. Give your letter writer at least 6 week’s notice (no later than mid-October) and follow up 3, 2, and 1 week before the deadline. Your letter writer should be academically familiar with you and should be able to speak to your ability to complete a Ph.D. Cultivate a relationship with potential references early in your career.

      Aim to have all of your letters written by scientists willing to write strong letters; failing that, at least two of them should be. Ask him/her if they need pointers for the letter i.e. dates you interacted, quarter and year of the class you took, and your grade. For your internship advisor, you may include the specific dates you worked, duties, and accomplishments.

  • Transcripts

  • UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended.  You will be instructed to upload scanned copies of your transcripts after you have submitted your online application.  For more details visit https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/submit-transcripts.
  • GRE scores
  • As of May 2022, GRE test scores are no longer required to apply for the Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group.
  • TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (for non-native English speakers)
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students. Due to the lack of availability of English language testing opportunities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, UC Davis is currently accepting the IELTS Indicator examination and the Duolingo English Test as an alternative to the TOEFL iBT and the IELTS Academic examination. Institution code: 4834.

    UC Davis Graduate Studies is registered to receive IELTS Academic scores using the IELTS Results Service E-Delivery, so please send your scores to: University of California, Davis Graduate Studies
  • Personal History and Statement of Purpose

  • Each section of your SOP and personal history should be seamlessly interconnected to form a continuous narrative. Invest a significant amount of time writing each, developing it through several iterations. Ask your professors for feedback on your writing. Some elements of the SOP may overlap with the personal history; for example, both may include obstacles to academic progress such as illness, working full-time, etc.

    Two important pieces of advice: (i) Be honest: do not try to reinvent yourself or inflate the importance of your accomplishments. (ii) Be specific: avoid platitudes and give examples. Show how you have turned a negative into a positive or how it now becomes a driving force for you to be a scientist.

    Drafting your Statement of Purpose

    This allows you to tell the Admissions Committee directly, why you should be admitted to the program. It should be concise (500-1000 words; max 4000 characters), informative and well-organized, and present yourself as someone who can successfully complete the graduate program. Give yourself ample time to write your SOP. The Admissions committee can easily spot hurried and poorly thought out writing and this will have a negative effect on your evaluation. Secondly, your statement should be specific to BMCDB. Generic letters used to apply to multiple institutions where faculty or school names are simply interchanged can be detected. There are several online resources available to help you, but here are few tips:

    • Be clear on why are you applying to the BMCDB Graduate Group
    • Provide a context for your personal motivation i.e. state how you became interested in a particular topic and why you wish to pursue this question in the BMCDB Graduate Group. This should be brief but well thought-through.
    • Describe your past academic and research experiences
    • State succinctly, the importance of the research question, the specific objective of your project, your general approach, and the significance of your results.
    • Discuss your current research interests
    • Describe how your classwork and research experience (described above) converge to make you a good candidate for your field of study in BMCDB. Some students wish to continue in the same research vein, while others, may wish to switch fields, or approaches. It is suggested that you identify multiple faculty members you would like to work with including a clear justification for such. In this segment, the Admissions Committee will be able to assess your depth of understanding of the field.
    • Map out your potential career plan
    • Where do you see yourself as a Researcher in the next 5 – 10 years? There should be a logical flow of your past and current experiences and how the expertise within BMCDB and UC Davis would permit you to continue your development as a scientist
    Drafting Your Personal History and Diversity Statement

    This should provide the reader with a clear perspective of the circumstances that shaped you, how it is interconnected with your academic pursuits, and how it prepares you for success in the BMCDB Graduate Group. It is a chance for self-introspection: what are the specific driving forces or the single transformative event that propelled you to this point, where pursuing graduate studies in the BMCDB Graduate Group is the next logical step in your development as a scientist. More information on this statement can be found on the Office of Graduate Studies website. 

    The personal history section can be used to:

    • Fill in the gaps about inconsistencies in your application, such as low grades.
    • Highlight how you were able to persevere and excel academically in spite of any economic or social challenges you have faced.
    • Give examples of leadership, service, teaching and tutoring during your academic career.
    • List any successes you achieved and what you learned from them.

  • Curriculum Vitae/Resume

  • Please upload your current curriculum vitae or resume when prompted to do so by the online application.

Application Review

Your application will be evaluated by a committee of faculty from the BMCDB Graduate Group.  The Admissions Committee evaluates applicants using a Holistic review, here are a few things that the Admissions Committee consider when assessing your application:

  • Your undergraduate and graduate GPA
  • Rarely will you be accepted into BMCDB with a GPA of less than 3.0, and the average is higher than this. Good grades in upper division courses and subjects related to the graduate program of interest are more important than those in other subjects. Extenuating circumstances that affected your overall GPA can be outlined in your Personal History.
  • Research experience
  • Almost all successful applicants have laboratory experience prior to applying to graduate school. Working independently on a discrete research question is ideal. You should be knowledgeable about the research you conducted, the hypothesis tested and the rationale for the approach taken. This is better than simply being familiar with lab techniques.
  • Recommendations made by your references
  • Seek individuals who can comment on your research such as a Research supervisor (preferred) and academic ability e.g. a course Professor, in the letter of recommendation (LOR). 
  • Evidence of publication and presentation of your research data
  • This would enhance your application but will not be a decisive factor in acceptance. If you are currently in the final year of your undergraduate degree, look for all opportunities to present and publish your work.
  • Your academic and professional goals
  • This can sometimes indicate if you have the ‘right’ motivation for graduate school, are realistic in what can be accomplished, and if the BMCDB Graduate Group is the right fit for you.
  • Evidence of active participation in lab meetings and graduate level seminar courses
  • This may be highlighted in your statement of purpose, or by your Professor in one of the LOR.
  • Your ability to write
  • Your statement of purpose and personal history may convey this, but comments from your Recommender may also be helpful.

Good academic grades and solid research experience are the most important, as they may indicate your scholastic aptitude and potential for scientific research, but the BMCDB Admissions Committee will consider all the parts of your application in making a decision.

Scores on standardized tests are not definitive: do not obsess over your scores. Your personal statement and the letters of recommendations are extremely important to the Admissions Committee, as they communicate who you are as a potential student, so pay attention to these.

In exceptional cases, lower grades and scores may be offset with extensive research experience especially in an area that a faculty member may value. Still, research experience is not an automatic substitute for poor grades.  The BMCDB program of study is broad and rigorous. We need evidence that you will be able to thrive in that environment.

If there are weaknesses in your undergraduate preparation or you have concerns about the commitment required for a Ph.D., it may be wise to apply for a Master’s program and use that as a launch pad for a Ph.D. later. If you have questions please email Kassandra Ori-Mckenney at kmorimckenney@ucdavis.edu.

Additional Information

Underrepresented students and diversity

The BMCDB Graduate Group welcomes applications from academically strong individuals who are first-generation college students, are underrepresented minorities, are disabled, or belong to socially or economically disadvantaged groups. Students trained through the McNair’s, BUSP, UC LEADS, UC-HBCU Initiatives, or similar programs at your undergraduate institute are especially welcomed

International Students

For international students, being the recipient of a fellowship or full scholarship from your home country can indicate that you are a good candidate. You will also need to be proficient in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of 550 for the paper test and 80 for the internet-based test is required. For the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a score of 7 or higher is essential. For the Duolingo English Test, a score of at least 115 is required. Please note applicants should only submit a Duolingo English Test score if none of the other exams are available. We typically look for TOEFL scores of 100 and above.