Graduate Admissions FAQ’s - Graduate Application Requirements

What graduate degrees are offered by the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT?
PhD in Biological Engineering with two tracks, Bioengineering and Applied Biosciences. Students in one track or the other may pursue research projects in any area by agreement with their research supervisor.  For more details on research areas, please see Research Areas.

PLEASE NOTE:  We currently do no offer any type of SM degree program.  Our graduate program is designed for a Phd degree only, we do not grant an SM prior to the Phd, only the PhD degree is granted after the completion of all program requirements.

What are the application requirements?
The following items must be submitted to BE before an application will be evaluated:

MIT application form and fee $70 USD

Personal Statement

Transcripts

Three letters of recommendation

GRE General Test score

TOEFL test score, if your first language is not English

The Department of Biological Engineering must receive all application materials no later than December 31st for September matriculation.

When is the application deadline?
The application due date is December 31st for admission the following September. Applications received after December 31st will not be considered; however supplementary materials such as transcripts and recommendations that are received in early January will be added to existing applicant files.

I applied earlier; how may I reapply?
You should fill out a completely new online application. You may indicate that you applied earlier by checking the appropriate box.

Can letters of recommendation be submitted electronically?
Yes, recommendation letters can be submitted through CollegeNet. The Department also still accepts official letters with recommender's signatures which can be sent to the following address:

BE Academic Office
MIT, Room 56-651
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307

Do I need a master's degree before applying for a PhD?
No. All applicants interested in a PhD in Biological Engineering should apply directly to the PhD program whether or not they have a master's degree.  Many of our PhD students do not have a master's degree.

Is a minimum GPA required to apply?
No, since many schools do not calculate GPAs we do not impose a set minimum. Although we do not have a minimum GPA requirement the applicant pool is academically strong and very competitive.

Do you have part-time or evening programs?
No. Our degree programs are for full-time day students. All classes and research must be done on campus.