Ph.D. in Bioengineering

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The Bioengineering Ph.D. program, one of the most innovative graduate programs at The Grainger College of Engineering, prepares future bioengineering leaders in academia, industry and government. This program has a proven track record of providing students with educational and research training and experiences that integrate the sciences of biology and medicine with the practices and principles of engineering. Students have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge research with a range of Graduate Program Faculty who represent numerous disciplines from across campus.

Five-Year Ph.D. Funding Guarantee

Bioengineering Ph.D. students are funded through a combination of fellowships, research assistantships and teaching assistantships.  Grainger Engineering Ph.D. students in their first five years of enrollment are guaranteed a funded appointment for fall and spring that includes a full tuition waiver, a partial fee waiver, and a stipend.. Students must remain in Good Academic Standing and successfully perform the duties of their assistantships. Students are also eligible for summer support.

Academic Preparation

The bioengineering department's graduate classes integrate the science of biology with the practice of engineering and therefore require a solid foundation in both fields. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the following classes during their undergraduate years.

Expected	Highly recommended	Other recommendations
General Chemistry (2 yrs)	Circuits and Systems	Organic Chemistry & Lab
Physics (calculus-based)	Signal Processing	Biochemistry
Differential Equations	Thermodynamics	Probability
Multivariate Calculus	Mechanics of Materials	Genetics
Linear Algebra	Fluid Mechanics	Molecular Biology Lab
Statistics	Molecular & Cellular Biology	Cells & Tissues
Introductory Computing	Human Systems Physiology

Application Deadline

Students are admitted for the fall term only. Applications open on August 1 each year for the following fall admission.  Complete applications (including all 3 reference letters are due by December 1.  Late applications will not be considered.

Application Materials

• Resume/CV
• [Optional] GRE
• Academic Statement (answering the following 4 questions; 1,000 words maximum):

• • How has your academic and professional background, including any professional training, prepared you for graduate study?
  • What are your intellectual interests, and what scholarly questions are you interested in exploring in graduate study?
  • Are there any specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own with whom you would like to work?
  • How will our program help you achieve your academic and professional goals?

• Personal Statements (250 words maximum per question):
  • Please describe pivotal experiences, opportunities, and/or challenges (including any financial or access to education barriers) that have influenced your educational and professional development. 
  • At Illinois, we value a student’s ability to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where our graduate students can learn and collaborate productively and positively. Please provide an example of how you contributed to or engaged with a community of students or colleagues with different perspectives, abilities, and experiences to achieve a positive outcome, and reflect on what you learned from this experience. 
  • [Optional] If you believe that your academic record does not demonstrate your true capabilities, please explain why. You may also discuss any gaps in your academic and professional experience. 
  • [Optional] If there is something that you would like to share with the admissions committee that you have yet to discuss in other areas of the application, please do so here. If needed, you may also use this space to expand upon the topics discussed in the above essays. 
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Copies of transcripts (unofficial are encouraged here)
• [International Applicants Only] Copy of passport
• [International Applicants Only] English proficiency scores, if not exempt. Minimum score and waiver requirements are listed on the Graduate College website here.
• $90 application fee

Admission Criteria

Successful applicants typically have GPAs above 3.5 (on a scale for which 4.0 = A). The university's Graduate College enforces a minimum GPA of 3.0 for graduate applicants.  GRE scores are optional.

The admissions committee takes a holistic approach in reviewing applications in their entirety, not only focusing on grades or test scores. They would like to see well-written academic and personal statements, relevant research background, as well as solid letters of recommendation. The department seeks students with strong analytical skills, demonstrated motivation, and experimental research experience or volunteer experience in bioengineering. 

Although not required, competitive applicants are encouraged to review the research websites and publications of those  bioengineering graduate program faculty they are most interested in working with. 

Students interested in being considered for both the Ph.D and M.S. degrees must submit separate applications for each program.

Application Fee Waiver

A limited number of bioengineering departmental application fee waivers are available to outstanding applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents pursuing a PhD in Bioengineering and who have the experiences and skills to contribute to the department efforts to foster a collegial and supportive academic and research environment. In their personal statement, doctoral applicants who seek a fee waiver must address their previous experiences and skills to support the goals of the department in this area. 

Qualifying applicants must request the waiver by following these instructions: 

• In the Application Fee Waiver section, answer “Yes” that they are eligible for a fee waiver.
• The next question asks for the affiliated agency - please enter "departmental fee waiver requested". 

Applicants will be informed within approximately 7-10 days whether their application fee waiver request is approved by the department or if the applicant will be responsible for paying the application fee. Priority will be given to applications submitted by November 15.