Applying to Our Graduate Programs

There is a non-refundable application fee of $95. You can review your program status or pay for your program(s) by selecting the “Manage My Programs” tab when logged into BU-GMS CAS.  You will also receive email updates as you move through the process regarding submission of materials,  recommendation letters, application status and decisions.

Once all of the required materials are received, your application will be thoroughly reviewed by the individual program, or a faculty committee, who will make a final recommendation to the GMS Admissions Office. Once this is completed, we will notify you of the final decision by mail and/or email. Due to privacy regulations we cannot give decisions over the phone.

While many of our programs offer rolling admissions, be sure to review our final application deadlines.

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All Applicants must submit:

• An UNOFFICIAL, English transcript of each college or university attended at the time of application. This should be uploaded to complete your application  in the section “Supporting Information > Documents.”  If you have multiple unofficial transcripts from the same college or university, combine them into one upload.
  • GMS DOES NOT require official transcript (or WES evaluation) until you are admitted. Once admitted, Official Transcripts need to be sent directly from the previous institution where you graduated to our transcript department address below or emailed to gmscrpt@bu.edu. We do not accept transcripts directly from students or from third parties.
    
• Upon matriculation into the program, you must submit an official, final transcript to:
  Graduate Medical Sciences ATTN: Admissions
• Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  72 East Concord St., Suite L-317
  Boston, MA 02118
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty members, research advisors – or similar – in your proposed field. The software does not accept letter packets or Interfolio records. There is a section to provide the recommender’s name, email, personal note of request and deadline for submission which will be electronically sent to him/her with further instructions. No paper letters accepted. You can submit your application with pending letter submissions.
  • Recommendation Letter Instructions
• A Personal Statement, minimum 200 words, that describes your qualifications and the objectives of your intended educational program.
• CV/Resume. Please note that the “Experiences” section is optional, since it may be redundant to your resume.
• General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  We no longer require GREs for some doctoral and masters programs.  Please check  here and/or your program’s website for specific admissions requirements pertaining to testing.
  • Testing Requirements
  • If your program of interest does NOT require the GREs please check the box indicating “I will not be submitting any standardized test scores” in the testing section of your application.
  • If your program requires the GREs please send the official results using BU Institution Code: 3087
  • For Oral Health Sciences applicants, the DAT is required (not the GRE)
  • Note: Some program accept the MCATS. PiBS and PA programs do not accept English proficiency test Duolingo.

You may also access a live Help Desk agent via the chat bubble, between those same hours. When logging on to your application, click on the chat bubble, once the chat box opens, type in “live help” and the wait for the “contact support” oval to appear click on that, and then another chat box will open, and that is where you can communicate with a live Help Desk agent. You must have your application ID ready.

International Student Admissions FAQs

Tips to Prepare for a Virtual Interview with a GMS PhD Program

You have only a short time during your interview to show us what makes you an exceptional candidate for a PhD program in  Graduate Medical Sciences.  Show us your passion for science, your personality and your commitment to a rigorous graduate program.   Here are some tips to get you started:

1.     Test your technology at least 15 minutes before the interview.  Tell your contact person if there are problems and you need to re-schedule.  This will not impact your application review because we all know problems come up unexpectedly.

2.     Choose a quiet, well-lit place and minimize distractions.  Let the contact person know well in advance if this will be a challenge.

3.     Be prepared; refer to notes and prepare questions in advance.

• Review your research experience and be prepared to discuss it.  Be ready to answer questions about hypothesis, experimental design, what went wrong and how you dealt with it.
• Review your academic and leadership experience and be prepared to discuss them.
• Look up the faculty who will interview you and know the program. You might ask about their research interests, specific aspects of the program or university.

4.     How has Covid-19 impacted you?  If you couldn’t do research due to Covid-19, what did you do instead?

5.     Anticipate standard interview questions. This is where you show us your strengths and interest in the doctoral program.

6.     Dress professionally.

7.     Practice.

8.     Be yourself, comfortable and confident.

The different PhD programs in GMS will likely have different interview formats.  Some may be one-on-one, in front of a panel, or a mixture of both approaches.  If you’ve been invited for an interview, that means the admissions committee considers you to be a potentially qualified PhD candidate.  GMS doctoral programs use a holistic review approach, taking into account the many aspects of an applicant that could make for a successful scientist.  This is your time to show your strengths, interests and why this program is a good fit for you.  A doctoral program takes a considerable commitment from the student and a significant financial investment from the university.   So think about how you’ll discuss your motivation for pursuing a PhD degree and how it will help you toward career goals.

Best wishes and good luck!

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Graduate Medical Sciences
GMS Admissions at gmsadmsn@bu.edu
Phone: 617-358-9518

For application technical issues:
gms-support.bu@liaisoncas.com
Phone: 857-304-2005

For general GMS program questions please email askgms@bu.edu