About PhD Program,
The Neuroscience Graduate Program provides a comprehensive, research-intensive training experience for students seeking a Ph.D. degree in the study of the nervous system. The first year curriculum provides students with a thorough understanding of the fundamental concepts that underlie contemporary neuroscience, from the molecular and cellular to systems level. Active learning is fostered through participation in the Neuroscience Journal Club and Student Seminar and through a series of laboratory rotations with faculty selected by the student.
At the end of the first year, students choose a Ph.D. degree track (Neuroscience or Neurobiology & Anatomy) and thesis advisor. Students spend the majority of their time in subsequent years developing and carrying out their dissertation research, attending seminars, and presenting their research at local, national, and international meetings.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA
Applicants must have earned a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degrees are awarded before they matriculate. Evidence of the earned degree is required prior to matriculation in the form of an official transcript noting degree conferral.
- Cumulative GPA and grades in STEM courses
- Research and other work experiences
- Writing skills
- Reference feedback
- Relevance of coursework
- Alignment of research interests and experience
- Stated commitment to research
- Reference feedback
- Leadership
- Reliability/dependability
- Team work and service
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
PhD Funding Coverage,
Fellowship Package for Full-time Students
- Full tuition scholarship, including all academic fees. Tuition and Fee Schedule
- A competitive stipend for 2025-2026 of $34,333 per year for 12 month programs or $28,611 per year for 10 month programs.
- Single coverage AETNA student health insurance policy.
- Refund Schedule
Application Requirement,
It is expected that all application materials (with the exception of official score reports) be scanned and uploaded to your online application. Please note that the University of Rochester reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all transcripts and test scores, and to require submission of official documentation at any point in the admissions review process.
- Create an SMD Graduate Admissions Application
- Statement of Purpose
Applicants should explain why they want to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Rochester. Applicants should also discuss their prior research experiences and coursework and how they relate to Neuroscience.We employ a holistic admissions approach (details of transparent review here). For each applicant, we evaluate aptitude (likelihood of success in completing the degree program requirements), program fit (demonstrate ambition to pursue a career in Neuroscience), and non-academic personal attributes (including leadership, reliability and dependability, ability to work in teams, service, and commitment to diversity and inclusion). We also consider resilience, assessing whether applicants have demonstrated an ability to handle stressful or changing environments or situations and have shown persistence, even under difficult circumstances.
Please make sure that your personal statement speaks to each of these elements and describes your lived experiences. Please instruct those who are writing letters of recommendations to comment on all of these points to the best of their abilities.
- Uploaded copy of transcript(s) to online application.
Please do not mail a hard copy at this time. - 3 Letters of Recommendation
- GRE Scores will not be used by the admissions committee even if submitted. Note, because we share our admissions system with other programs, currently we are unable to remove the field to collect GRE information. Applicants can disregard this field. If GRE scores are submitted, the committee will not look at it or take it into account when making admissions decisions.
- Official TOEFL (SMD school code: 2948, SOPHAS application code: 5688) or IELTS Scores
For applicants whose native language is not English.
Application Deadline,
Dec 15, 2024
Application Fee,
The fee is $60 and is paid during the online application process.
This fee is automatically waived for PhD applications submitted by November 15.
