Doctoral Program Admissions
The BE PhD program is designed to train students for careers in academia, government, or industry where research is fundamental. The curriculum prepares students for the field’s rapidly-changing character by developing the intellectual capacities necessary for research excellence.
Please note that GRE scores are no longer evaluated as part of the admissions process and are not required.
How to Apply
All PhD applications must be submitted electronically. For more information about the application process, please visit our Graduate Admissions Website
Please note that GRE scores are not evaluated as part of the admissions process and are not required. For information on fee waivers, please review the policy on the admissions website.
Applicant-Support Program
The department and university are strongly committed to equity, and inclusion. The Applicant-Support Program will offer assistance to applicants from under-served or under-resourced communities in the admissions process. The program will connect each applicant with a current PhD student who will serve as a buddy/mentor to help navigate the process, give feedback on the resume and personal statement, and provide any other reasonable assistance necessary. To participate students are asked to apply to participate no later than November 10th for each application cycle using the link below:
Applicant Support Program Application
When To Apply
Applications must be submitted by December 15th admission the following year. For full consideration for fellowships and other awards, all materials must be received by this date.
Prerequisite Requirements
Academic prerequisite requirements for the degree are an undergraduate degree in an engineering subject or an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a physical science, natural science or math major.
Standardized Test Requirements
If you are an international applicant or a non-US citizen or permanent resident and English is not your native language, you must submit official scores for (1) the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), (2) the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or (3) Duolingo English Test (DET).
- The institution code for the TOEFL exam is 2888.
- Test results must be valid when you submit your application.
- You must take the exam by the application deadline.
- Test scores from at-home administration of the GRE and TOEFL exams are accepted.
- Please send your IELTS score report electronically to “University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science.”
- Please send your DET score report electronically to “ University of Pennsylvania – School of Engineering and Applied Science – Graduate.”
The GRE is not required.
The TOEFL: test with a score above 600 written test) or 250 (computer-based test) or 100 (internet-based test).
*To have this requirement waived, the applicant must, by the time of matriculation:
- Graduated from a program in the United States or,
- Attended school in a country in which English is recognized as the official language or,
- Be from an institution where the medium of instruction is English and this is indicated on the official transcript
For more information go to: https://gradadm.seas.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/
You will find additional information on these tests from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Test score reporting should be completed only through ETS, as only official scores received from ETS will be considered.
Fellowships and Support
The Department encourages all students to apply for graduate training fellowships during their graduate studies. Students who apply for and receive fellowships prior to matriculating to Penn gain tremendous flexibility in choosing a lab for research. Fellowships are available from several sources and can allow student s to focus on a specific cross-disciplinary area, such as the NIBIB-HHMI Interfaces Program at Penn geared toward Ph.D. training in Biomedical Imaging or a Medical Physics concentration geared toward Ph.D. training in Medical Physics. More information on fellowships and support can be found here.
Application Evaluation Process
How we evaluate applications:
A Bioengineering faculty committee reviews each application for merit. When a completed application is received, it is evaluated promptly by our Bioengineering faculty committee. Admittance is based on an estimate of the applicant’s ability to successfully complete our graduate program and on the compatibility of student interests with our programs and research. When an admissions decision is reached, the applicant will be notified directly through the online application system. Please note that admission decisions cannot be revealed over the telephone.
What we look at:
We consider the whole student, including undergraduate and graduate transcripts, program of study, recommendation letters, research experiences, and the candidate’s personal statement.
Standards:
Admission is competitive, and we are proud of the diverse academic, cultural, and national backgrounds of each incoming class.
Recommendations:
Because this is an engineering research-oriented program, we suggest students submit letters of recommendation from research and independent-study supervisors, if possible, especially in engineering or applied science-related areas.
Fellowship and assistantship awards:
Awards are announced by the respective chairman of the graduate group for Ph.D. candidates after on-campus interviews with prospective mentors. These interviews are by invitation only, after careful evaluation of the student’s application.
After You Apply
Tracking Your Application
Track your application through the admissions portal.
We cannot respond to individual inquiries. We will contact you if materials are missing.
Campus Interviews
After reviewing applications, we invite about 15 percent of applicants to campus in February and March. If you are invited for an interview, you will be notified via email in January.
Campus Visit
By invitation only, selected candidates will be scheduled for a three-day visit, occurring on a Thursday through a Saturday, usually in early winter. This visit is arranged by the department, and includes travel to and from Philadelphia, lodging, and meals.
Financial Support and Awards
For the 2022-2023 academic year new students received a $40,500 stipend, full tuition, and healthcare coverage. We expect full funding to continue throughout your doctoral training.
For additional information, please visit our fellowships and awards page.
Doctoral Program:
- Our Students
- Admissions
- Fellowships + Support
- New Students
- Transfer Credits
- Degree Requirements
- Combined Degrees
- Certificate Programs
- Timeline
- Advising
Your BE Contact:
Kathleen Venit
Associate Director, Graduate Programs
240 Skirkanich Hall
Graduate Student Groups:
Graduate Association of Bioengineers
Graduate Student Engineering Group