Frequently Asked Questions
-
1) Why should I apply?
2) What educational background do I need?
3) How do I apply?
4) When is the deadline for submitting applications?
5) What should I send to the UW Graduate School and what should I sent to the Department of Bioengineering?
6) Should I send all my application materials simultaneously?
7) Is an interview required for admission?
8) Am I required to have an MS degree before entering the PhD program?
9) Who receives more consideration: MS or PhD applicants?
10) How competitive is admission to the program?
11) Will I receive any financial support if I'm admitted to the program?
12) When should I take the GRE/TOEFL?
13) How recent must my GRE/TOEFL scores be in order to be accepted?
14) What are the GRE/TOEFL institutional and departmental codes?
15) What are considered official transcripts and test scores?
16) What is the statement of purpose?
17) How do I designate letter of recommendation writers?
18) What if my letter of recommendation writers never received a link to the secure website for online submission?
1) Why should I apply?
THE RESEARCH
The Department of Bioengineering provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary program of research and education. The concepts and techniques of the physical sciences and engineering are applied to challenges in the life sciences and medicine. Likewise, the concepts of biology are applied to problems in engineering.
Areas of research include distributed diagnosis and home healthcare (telemedicine, personal health information systems, biosensors, MEMS/actuators); engineered biomaterials and tissue engineering (healing, biomineralization, surface analysis); molecular bioengineering and nanotechnology (molecular modeling, protein engineering, self-organization, physiological function); medical imaging and image-guided therapy (development of new imaging devices, imaging hardware and software, high-intensity focused ultrasound, ultrasonically directed therapeutic delivery); and computational and integrative bioengineering (microcirculatory analysis and simulation, bioinformatics, endocrine and metabolic kinetics, population kinetics, fractals in biology and medicine).
THE PEOPLE
Our student population is kept low to encourage close collaboration between students and faculty advisors. Multidisciplinary research is encouraged - the department maintains strong ties with both the College of Engineering and the School of Medicine to give students access to numerous faculty and resources.
We are committed to a welcoming environment for all students and encourage applications from students with a diverse background. The department works with GO-MAP (Graduate Opportunities & Minority Achievement Program), BRIDGES4 (Biomedical Research Identification of Graduate Education Successful Student Support Services), and WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering) to provide an inclusive atmosphere that promotes excellence in all students. The department also boasts a very active student chapter of BMES (Biomedical Engineering Society) which coordinates formal and informal activities throughout the year.
THE LOCATION
Seattle is an ideal location to spend your graduate career -- an outstanding combination of nature and city. The area is surrounded by water (including Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and Lake Union) and mountains (Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park). The city is full of life (Pike Place Market, theaters, shopping, and much more).
The UW Bioengineering Fact Sheet is available here.
2) What educational background do I need?
Applicants from a variety of backgrounds can apply to the program. A strong background in the sciences and/or engineering is key. While it is not required to complete an MS degree before beginning the PhD degree, every applicant is expected to have significant knowledge of the following topics:
- Algebra, linear algebra, trigonometry
- Ordinary differential equations
- Signal analysis
- Probability theory and statistics
- Programming
- Electrical engineering and physics
- Chemistry (inorganic, organic, biochemistry)
- Material science
- Rate processes and mathematics
- Cellular biology
Well qualified students may be admitted to the graduate program missing some background knowledge. However, these students will be responsible for learning the topics prior to program entrance.
Please also be aware that the University of Washington Graduate School has its own set of requirements that must be met before it will admit a student.
3) How do I apply?
If you are an international applicant, please go to the following page for information about how to apply to our program: INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT PROCEDURES.
If you are a domestic applicant (includes U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and immigrants), please go to the following page for more information about how to apply to our program: DOMESTIC APPLICANT PROCEDURES.
4) What is the deadline for submitting applications?
The deadline for international applicants is DECEMBER 1, 2008 for Autumn 2009 admission. The deadline for domestic applicants (includes U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and immigrants) is JANUARY 15, 2009 for Autumn 2009 admission.
All application materials must be received (not postmarked) in the appropriate office by the deadline in order to be considered for admission. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. We are unable to make any exceptions to this policy.
Experience tells us that the U.S. Postal Service can take up to two weeks to deliver your application packet if mailed from outside the U.S. Second-day couriers (such as FedEx, DHL, etc) are also generally reliable. Please plan accordingly.
We accept applications for Autumn quarter only.
5) What should I send to the UW Graduate School and what should I send to the Department of Bioengineering?
If you are an international applicant, please go to the following page for information about where to send application materials: INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT PROCEDURES.
If you are a domestic applicant (includes U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and immigrants), please go to the following page for more information about where to send application materials: DOMESTIC APPLICANT PROCEDURES.
6) Should I send all my application materials simultaneously?
We recommend, but do not require, that you send all of your application materials together. Early applications are encouraged so we are able to notify you of any missing items.
However, keep in mind that all materials, regardless of when you send them, must be received in our office by the appropriate deadline [DECEMBER 1, 2008 for international students; JANUARY 15, 2009 for domestic students (includes U.S. citizens, permanent residents and immigrants)].
7) Is an interview required for admission?
For international applicants, a telephone interview is required for admission. Selected individuals will be contacted directly to set up a date and time to interview.
For domestic applicants, an in-person interview is required for admission. Selected individuals are invited to visit our department where they will learn more about our graduate curriculum and research opportunities and interview with faculty individually. There will also be opportunities to tour the University of Washington campus and the city of Seattle. Airfare and lodging expenses are provided.
The interviews for Autumn 2009 admission will be during MARCH 25 - 28, 2009. All domestic applicants are asked to keep this time period open. We are unable to interview applicants at any other time.
8) Am I required to have an MS degree before entering the PhD program?
Applicants are not required to have an MS degree before applying to the PhD program.
9) Who receives more consideration: MS or PhD applicants?
A truly outstanding student will be accepted to either the PhD or the MS track. However, in general, PhD applicants receive more serious consideration than MS applicants.
10) How competitive is admission to the program?
Admission to our graduate program is highly competitive. A strong academic and research background in the sciences and/or engineering is key. The graduate admissions committee uses a holistic approach in reviewing each completed application we receive. Below are admissions statistics for Autumn 2008:
- Applications Received: 304
- Number of Students Matriculated: 20
- Average GPA: 3.74
- Average GRE score: 608 (V), 780 (Q), 4.8 (AW)
- Average TOEFL score: 100 (internet based)
11) Will I receive any financial support if I'm admitted to the program?
In general, all of our PhD students are supported by a research or teaching assistantship that provides tuition, health insurance, and a monthly stipend for living expenses. Students who enroll in the PhD program have more opportunity for financial assistance than students seeking an MS degree. It is rare for a student to be admitted without funding. In such cases, these students will be expected to provide their own funding (tuition, health insurance, living expenses, etc.) until they are working with a faculty member in a lab through a research assistantship.
12) When should I take the GRE/TOEFL?
Since Educational Testing Service (ETS) can take up to six weeks to send us your scores, you should plan on taking the GRE/TOEFL well in advance of the application deadline to ensure they arrive by the appropriate deadline.
13) How recent must my GRE/TOEFL scores be in order to be accepted?
The GRE test must be taken within 5 years of the application deadline. The TOEFL test must be taken within 2 years of the application deadline.
14) What are the GRE/TOEFL institutional and department codes?
For the GRE test:
- Use UW institutional code: 4854
- Use GRE department code: 1603
For the TOEFL test:
- Use UW institutional code: 4854
- Use TOEFL department code: 99
An official test score is a score reported directly to the University of Washington from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Please have ETS electronically report your score to the University of Washington using the codes listed above. We are unable to accept paper score reports.
15) What are considered official transcripts and test scores?
Your transcripts are considered official only if we receive them from your school directly OR if you send them to us in an envelope sealed by the school official. Your test scores are official only if we receive them directly from ETS. We are unable to accept photocopies of transcripts and test scores.
16) What is the statement of purpose?
A statement of purpose should clearly and succinctly describe your motivations for the field of bioengineering, your preparation for advanced research, and your reasons for applying to the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington. The statement should be no more than 2 pages. You are able to write your statement in a word processing program then cut and paste it into the University of Washington Graduate School application. Please review the list of our faculty and their research before writing your statement of purpose.
17) How do I designate letter of recommendation writers?
The University of Washington Graduate School Application will ask you to designate the people who will write your letters of recommendation. After you designate your letter of recommendation writers, each will immediately receive an email directing them to a secure website. At that point, they are able to choose the online system or send the letter via postal mail. We strongly recommend the use of the online system.
Letter of recommendation writers who submit letters online will complete an evaluation form as part of the process.
If any of your letter of recommendation writers prefer to use postal mail instead of using the online system, their letters should be sent to the Department of Bioengineering. They should also fill out the paper version of the letter of recommendation evaluation form.
You are able to track the status of your letters of recommendation through your online application.
18) What if my letter of recommendation writers never received a link to the secure website for online submission?
You should go back to the 'designate recommendations' section of the University of Washington Graduate School Application. There is a "Resend Email" link that you should click in order to resend the email.
If after reading the frequented asked questions you still have additional questions about applying to our graduate program, please e-mail us at bioeng@u.washington.edu or call us at (206) 616-2423.