Admission to the Graduate School

Overview

To pursue admission to the graduate program in Integrative Physiology, you will need to:

  1. Complete the undergraduate academic preparation that is prerequisite for admission
  2. Secure a research mentor in the department (unless you are applying for a coursework-only MS)
  3. Submit application materials to formally apply for admission

To begin study in the fall semester of a given academic year, the deadline for submission of graduate applications is December 1st for both domestic and international applicants. All application materials must be received by December 1 for your application to be considered complete.

Prerequisite Academic Preparation

Entering graduate students must have an undergraduate preparation equivalent to the basic core course requirements in Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado, or departmental approval of their academic preparation for graduate study. The basic core requirements are:

  1. An introductory statistics or research design course
  2. Human physiology or comparative animal physiology/lecture and lab.

The MS degree is not required for admission to the PhD program.  For additional admissions requirements of the Graduate School, please visit the Graduate School application page.  GRE scores are no longer required for admission.

Securing a Research Mentor

Most applicants will need to be matched to a suitable research mentor among the graduate faculty in the department.  Visit our research page to learn more about the laboratories that are taking new graduate students. Before contacting a potential mentor, spend some time on their website to learn about their research activities to decide whether it might be a good fit for your interests.

Applicants for admission to the doctoral program are required to secure a potential mentor from the Department's graduate faculty prior to completing the formal application process; this is also strongly recommended, but not required, for applicants to the research track of the master's program.

If you are interested in being mentored by an IPHY faculty member in the interdepartmental PhD program in Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, you must be admitted to the IPHY PhD program and your mentor needs to be part of the interdepartmental PhD program.

If you are applying to the coursework-only master’s program, you do not need to identify a mentor, but you should be sure to indicate in your application that you are applying to the coursework-only program.

If you are applying to the Bachelor’s-Accelerated Master’s (BAM) program, you must already be an IPHY undergraduate, and you will also need to acquire the support of a research mentor before applying to the BAM program.

Application Process

All masters and doctoral applicants should submit the following material:

  • Online graduate application available at the Graduate School application page.
  • One unofficial transcript for each institution attended (undergraduate and graduate);
  • Three completed recommendation forms/letters (you will be asked to supply the names of your recommenders as well as their email addresses within the application);
  • A personal statement identifying possible faculty mentors and detailing the applicant's reasons for pursuing a graduate degree;
  • The department recommends that you include the following information in your personal statement:
    • areas of science you are interested in conducting research (if applicable)
    • that you have spoken with specific faculty mentors about the possibility of joining their lab (if applicable)
    • indicate what IPHY courses you could serve as a Teaching Assistant for if you were admitted
  • An-up-to-date Curriculum Vitae that highlights your:
    • Education
    • Research experience
    • Professional work experience
    • Teaching experience
    • Awards & honors
  • A $60.00 ($80.00 for international students), non-refundable processing fee. Domestic and international applications due on December 1st.
    • In order to receive an application fee waiver, a faculty member must agree to cover the cost of  your application fee. If they choose to do so, they will contact Graduate Program Advisor  and they will perform the necessary actions. You can find a list of faculty members that have active graduate student training programs and their contact information listed on the research page.
    • You may also qualify for an application fee waiver through the graduate school. See Graduate Application FAQs for criteria.
  • International students will need to provide proof of English profieciency. 

Domestic Applicants:

All parts of your application, transcripts, supporting credentials, and correspondence in reference to your application (and not previously submitted online) should be sent directly to:

Graduate Admissions
University of Colorado Boulder
553 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0553

For overnight or express mail send to:

Graduate Admissions
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine St., Bldg. RL3
Ste. A122
Boulder, CO 80303-1058
(303) 492-6301

All International Applicants:

All parts of your application, transcripts, supporting credentials, and correspondence in reference to your application (and not previously submitted online) should be sent directly to:

Overnight/Express Mailing Address (DHL, UPS, Fedex)

Office of Admissions/International
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine Street - 65 UCB
BLDG RL3 Suite A122
Boulder, CO 80303-1058 USA

For standard international mail or mail within the US, including USPS Priority and Express:

Office of Admissions/International
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine St Suite A122
65 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0065 USA