Prospective Graduate Students

The University of ColoradoÌýBoulder Biochemistry Ph.D. Program seeks students who are bright, motivated, and excited about pursuing scientific research. Our goal is to train the next generation of thoughtful Ph.D. graduates that leave our institution with analytical problem-solving skills, independence, and a passion for science.

Alumni of the Ph.D. program have gone on to a wide variety of careers, including positions in academia, biotech & pharma industries, regulatory & government, and many more.

Ìý ​ See more alumni stories

The graduate programs at the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØ, including Biochemistry, are dedicated to recruiting and supporting diverse, talented students, employing holistic application review processes and supporting students when they arrive on campus.Ìý

Ìý FindÌýmore information aboutÌýourÌýPh.D. program

Ìý

  1. August

    Applications Open

    The Graduate School'sÌýonline application portal becomes available to prospective Ph.D. students.

    ÌýÌý Apply Here

  2. Nov 15th

    Application Deadline

    All applications and associated materials (including recommendationÌýletters) are due to the Graduate School.

  3. ±·´Ç±¹â€“D±ð³¦

    Application Review

    Applications are reviewed by the faculty Ph.D. Admissions Committee starting November 16th. Selected applicants are then invited toÌýinterview. Invitations are extended on a rolling basis and continue into January.

  4. ´³²¹²Ô–A±è°ù¾±±ô

    Offers of Admission

    Offers of admission to the Biochemistry Ph.D. program are extended to interviewees. Only a limited number of positions are available, therefore offers are made on a rolling basis.

  5. April 15th

    Deadline for Matriculation

    Prospective students who have been admitted to the Biochemistry Ph.D. program have until April 15th to accept the offer. Students accept the offer byÌýpaying a small deposit to secure their spot.ÌýAccepting an offer to enroll is referred to as matriculation.

  6. August

    New Student Orientation

    Incoming Ph.D. students attend a variety of orientations, including:

    • Biochemistry Department orientation
    • Graduate School orientation
    • TA Training

Application Process and Requirements

All required materials are uploaded through the online application system.

The following documents are required to apply to theÌýÂ鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØ Biochemistry Ph.D program:

  • A C.V. or resume
  • A personal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation. Letters are confidential and letter writers will need to upload their letter to the online application system separately
  • Unofficial transcripts from every domestic post-secondary institution attended
    • This includesÌýcommunity colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs.Ìý While credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of a second institution, unofficial transcripts must be submitted from each institution, regardless of the length of attendance, and whether or not courses were completed.ÌýÌýFailure to list andÌýsubmit transcripts from all institutions previously attended may delay the application review process
  • English proficiency test results if your native language is not english
  • DetailedÌýGraduate School admissions requirements can be found atÌý/graduateschool/admissions/
  • For international applicants, please review additional requirements atÌý/graduateschool/admissions/where-begin/international-students

Additional notes:

  • The minimum undergraduate G.P.A.Ìýfor graduate studies in Biochemistry is 3.0
  • GRE scores areÌýnotÌýrequired
  • The deadline for application isÌýNovember 15th

An application fee is required by the Graduate School. However, the Graduate School and Biochemistry offer a variety of fee waivers.

Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for fee waivers. Eligible prospective students must qualify for a fee waiver through one of the options listed below.

Program participants:

If you are affiliated with one of the programs listed below, please send proof of your affiliation toÌýgradadm@colorado.eduÌýafterÌýyou have started an application butÌýbeforeÌýyou submit your application.ÌýThe Graduate School will process a fee waiver for you.

  • AmeriCorps (currently serving)
  • Black in AI (BAI)
  • Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Initiative
  • Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)
  • Gates Millennium Scholars
  • Leadership Alliance
  • Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP)
  • Louis-Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
  • Math Alliance Scholars
  • McNair Scholars Program
  • Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program
  • Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Scholars Program
  • Peace Corps (currently serving)
  • Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)
  • SMART
  • Society of Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
  • Teach for America
  • The Women+ of ColorÌýProject (W+OCP)

U.S. military:

If you are in the U.S. military you will receive a fee waiver automatically as a thank you for your service (active duty, veteran, previously served, and active reserve are all eligible for this automatic fee waiver).

Expected Family Contribution:

The Department of BiochemistryÌýoffers application fee waivers for U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, or DACA recipients with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) less than or equal to $5,500. To be considered for this waiver, please send proof of the FAFSA EFC score toÌýbchmgrad@colorado.eduÌýbeforeÌýyou submit your application.Ìý

For questions about theÌýfee waiver or process, please email the Graduate Program Manager atÌýbchmgrad@colorado.edu.

The phases of the application process are described in the timeline above. Successful applicants will be contacted by email and provided with detailed information about each phase of the admissions process. We strongly advise applicants to make sure their application is complete and associated materials received by the deadline for efficient processing and timely communication. Please note, we cannot offerÌýprovide conditional admission – all applicants must complete and submit an application for review.

For tips on preparing a competitive application, see What do you look for in a statement of purpose and how long should it be?

The Department of Biochemistry is committed to promoting a culture of support for all students, staff, and faculty. We seek to foster a vibrant community of people with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, serving as the foundation for teaching and learning. Our vision is supported by Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder’s broad initiatives aimed at fostering a caring university of students, staff, and educators.

The graduate programs at the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØ are further dedicated to recruiting and supporting talented students, employing holistic application review processes, and supporting students when they arrive on campus. Important programs to help make progress on these goals are:

  • Graduate Application Fee Waivers:ÌýIn order to make the application process as accessible to as many prospective students as possible, please review the types of application fee waivers available from the Graduate School and the Biochemistry Department, listed underÌýApplication Fee and WaiversÌýon this page.
  • Colorado Advantage Program Opportunity for Underrepresented Students:ÌýThe Colorado Advantage Graduate PreviewÌýWeekend provides an opportunity for underrepresented students to visit campus and preview doctoral programs in science, math, and engineering departments at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder.Ìý

ÌýÌýMore on Opportunity, Community, and Success

In general, all Biochemistry Ph.D. students recieve a stipend and have their tuition paid for the duration of their studies. In the first year, studentsÌýreceive support as teaching assistants (TA's). In the remainingÌýyears, students typically recieve support from their research group asÌýresearch assistantsÌý(funding dependent on research group). Tuition is typically paid by the Department, research group, or through teaching assistantships.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes!ÌýSee the Funding section of this page for more details.

No! The Biochemistry Ph.D. program no longer requires applicants to submit GRE scores.

Yes! SeeÌýApplication Fee and WaiversÌýabove for eligibility.ÌýÌýUnfortunately, international students are not eligible.

The statement of purpose should be succinct, however, long enough to answer the following questions:

  • Why are you seeking a Ph.D.? Why Biochemistry?
  • What prior research or other experience is motivating you?
  • What topics or fields are you interested in studying?
  • What kind of research do you want to do and how is that research represented in ourÌýprogram?
  • Are their any specific faculty member's labs you are interested in?
  • Is there any information you would like us to know that is not represented in your other application documents?

There are no formal requirements for undergraduate coursework. However, it is suggested thatÌýincoming students have gained a foundation in undergraduate level biochemistry before entering the graduate program. It is also recommended for prospective students to have takenÌýtwo semesters of undergraduate biochemistry (or the equivalent for universities using the quarter system),Ìýone semester of physical chemistry, one semester of organic chemistry, one semester of cell biology,Ìýand one semester ofÌýmolecular biology.

Keep in mind, these are just suggestions.ÌýWe have accepted students who have undergraduate majors in Biology, Chemistry, Genomics, MCD Biology, Bioinformatics, Chemical Engineering and many other majors. Lab research is also highly considered for admission and this research can be paid or unpaid.

Ìý

No.ÌýApplicants do not need to secure a position in a lab before applying. 1st year Biochemistry graduate students participate in four 8-week lab rotations starting in the fall semester. Students are allowed to rotate in labs outside of the Biochemistry Department starting in their second rotation and beyond provided they contactÌýthose professors, secure a rotationÌýin their lab, and communicate this decision to the Graduate Program Manager.

Students may qualify to transfer up to ten credit hours for their Ph.D. graduate studies. These credit hours cannot have been used toward their undergraduate degree. The transfer credits will be evaluated after the student has been with the department for one semester, and the student must be in good standing.

Alumni from the Biochemistry Ph.D. program go on to work in a broad spectrum of jobs. The majority go into either academia and industry, where they continue pursuing scientific research. Many others have also gone into consultanting, patent law, business, and pharmacology.ÌýÌýÌý​See more alumni stories.

No. Currently the Department of Biochemistry does not have a Master’s degree program.

Save the Date!

For Prospective Graduate Students:

  • November 15th, 2025–Applications and associated materials are due.

For New Biochemistry Graduate Students:

  • Dates for Fall 2025 will be posted when available. See 2024 dates below for reference
    • August 19, 2024–ISSS Orientation (main campus) & Departmental Orientation #1 (JSCBB-east campus)
    • August 20, 2024–Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØGraduate School Orientation (main campus) & Departmental Orientation #2 (JSCBB-east campus)
    • August 21-23, 2024–TA Training at Ekeley Building (main campus) and JSCBB (east campus)

Need Help?

For questions about the graduate program, contact:

Why Boulder?

Boulder isÌýone of theÌýhappiestÌý(),ÌýhealthiestÌý(), andÌýsmartestÌý() cities in America. Just ~25 milesÌýfrom Denver and at the foot of Colorado's picturesque Front Range mountains, the location cannot be beat. Boulder boasts one of theÌýhighest densities forÌýhigh-tech startupÌýcompanies (), including a vibrant and growing hub forÌýbiotech. What makes Boulder so special? Come find out!

Ìý ÌýTake a virtual tour

Why Biochemistry?

The Biochemistry Department is focused onÌýtraining. As a member of ourÌýcommunity, Ph.D. students have access to world-class core facilities and a large number of well-funded research labs. We are proud of our campus-wide collaborative research environment. Our graduates go on to succeed in a wide variety of careers and belong to a growing network ofÌýsuccessful alumni.

Ìý Apply now