Fully Funded PhD in Bioengineering at University of Pennsylvania

About PhD Program,

The first doctorate degree in bioengineering in the nation was awarded at Penn in 1953, and since that time, Penn Bioengineering has been an integral academic program linking faculty from the engineering, medical, and arts and sciences schools on a single centrally-located campus. Penn Bioengineering provides students with a flexible curriculum and a world-class research environment. Students are given the opportunity to work and thrive in a collaborative culture that includes  multiple generations of leaders in academia, government, and industry.  Our mission is to train students at the intersection of biomedicine and engineering in both academia and the biotechnology industries. Students should be committed to learning and be passionate for research.  The careful process of matching students with faculty based on their research interests begins with first-year lab rotations, which gives students an opportunity to begin their dissertation research in their first semester.

We value students from diverse personal, educational, and professional backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. We welcome students with undergraduate or Masters in diverse STEM disciplines, including engineering, biophysics, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. We do not have specific course requirements for admittance, but competitive students often have strong quantitative training in mathematics and/or the physical sciences and a biology background obtained through coursework or research.

Penn Bioengineering’s reputation for research excellence lies within its deep and broad strengths across several areas. Learn more about our areas of research.

PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,    

• The successful completion of thecourse requirements, with a grade-point average of at least 3.0.
• Satisfactory performance in the Ph.D. Qualifications Evaluation.
• Successful completion of the Ph.Dissertation Proposal. 
• Annual Dissertation Committee Meeting Progress Report 
• Annual Individual Development Plan (IDP)
• The submission and successful defense of the dissertationaccording to the University Doctoral Dissertation Manual.

It is also required that all Ph.D. students spend at least one year of the program in full-time residency at the University.

PhD Funding Coverage,

If you have been accepted as a Ph.D. student in Bioengineering, you are what is known as “fully funded,” which means that funding will be provided for you that includes tuition, health insurance, and a stipend. Your funding may come from several sources: the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the department of Bioengineering, research grants of the faculty, institutional training grants, industrial sources, as well as funding from direct federal and foundation fellowships to you.

We encourage all students to apply for graduate training fellowships during their graduate studies. Those of you who apply for and win fellowships prior to matriculating to Penn gain tremendous flexibility in choosing a lab for your research.

Any Ph.D. student awarded an extramural individual fellowship may qualify for a one-time $3,000 bonus in addition to the standard stipend.

Below you’ll find some of the most common sources for fellowships and Ph.D. training support. To help you in your fellowship search, the school offers proposal writing workshops annually.

Application Requirement,

• Completion of the School of Engineering & Applied Science’s Bioengineering PhD program application for admission and all stated requirements on theDoctoral Program Admissions page.  Select the Medical Physics Concentration within the application.
• An unofficial transcript in English from each university or college where you earned course credit should be uploaded into the Bioengineering PhD application.  An unofficial transcript must show the applicant name, institution name, names of courses completed, and grades earned.  If an unofficial transcript does not show this information, you must submit an official transcript.  Official transcripts should be emailed to the MPGP Team at MPP-info@uphs.upenn.edudirectly from the issuing institution’s official electronic delivery service.
• The following additional requirementsfor the Medical Physics Concentration are to be completed in the Bioengineering PhD application:
• Threeletters of recommendation, including at least one from a faculty member who is familiar with your scholarly abilities. (Contact information of recommenders required in online application; application system will ask these individuals to upload their letters)
• Personal statement:  In 1000 words or less, please describe your career objectives and reasons for choosing the PhD in Bioengineering – Medical Physics Concentration program at Penn, including any previous experience with the field of medical physics. Also, use this as an opportunity to tell us about yourself and help us get to know you better.  A well-written and thoughtful, though concise, essay is an important part of your application.
• Completion of Intent to Apply to the Medical Physics Concentrationform
• **Additional requirements for applicants with degrees earned outside of the U.S.

It is preferred that applicants:

• Take undergraduate coursework in these subject areas: Differential Equations, calculus (four semesters/courses), chemistry (two semesters/courses), biology (one semester/course)

Application Deadline,

Dec 15, 2024

Application Fee,

Payment of $75 application fee.