Biological Chemistry

Requirements for Admission

The Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry serves the broad mission of Johns Hopkins University (Knowledge for the World) through its specific mission, which is: ‘To teach the next generation of research scientists how to identify and solve important biomedical questions’.

To serve these missions, the Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry seeks a broad pool of talented applicants that have the intellect, motivation, and knowledge required for success in biomedical research. To apply, send us the following:

1. Official college transcript(s)
2. Three Letters of Recommendation
3. Curriculum Vitae
4. Personal statement

(Please note that the GPBC no longer considers GRE scores; if submitted, they will not be considered by the Admissions Committee

• Transcripts from all college and university attended (undergraduate and graduate) are required and must be uploaded to the application. Applicants are expected to have taken the following courses: biology, biochemistry, cell biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and calculus.
  • If you have attended more than one institution, transcripts from each institution must be received for your application to be considered complete.
  • International transcripts must be officially translated into English.
  • If you have not yet completed your Bachelor’s degree, upload a copy of your current transcript, showing in-progress courses. Official transcripts for in-progress courses can be uploaded later.
  • Applicants should also upload a list of any current courses, and courses that will be taken before beginning graduate study that do not appear on their transcripts.
  • Admissions is contingent upon receipt of bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Letters of recommendation should be from faculty mentors or other senior scientists. Letters from experienced, senior scientists with whom you have worked on research projects are particularly valuable, especially if they can comment on your abilities, enthusiasm for research, maturity, professionalism, and respect for others.
• Curriculum vitae should include the following:
  • Contact information
  • Academic history
  • Professional experience
  • Qualifications and skills
  • Awards and honors
  • Publications and presentations
  • Professional & educational associations
  • Licenses and certifications
• Personal Statement should address the following 5 topics:
  1. The personal experiences that have shaped your interest in science (limit = 200 words).
  2. Why you want to pursue a career in biomedical research (limit = 200 words).
  3. Your research experiences and what you’ve learned from them (limit = 600 words). In particular, we want you to describe your most important research experiences, how they fit within the broader context of the advisor’s research program and the field in general, and what they’ve taught you about science and yourself (please do not list specific techniques you may have mastered).
  4. Science is often about overcoming obstacles, so please tell us about personal and/or professional challenges that you’ve had to overcome, and how those experiences have shaped you and your academic/professional life (limit = 200 words).
  5. Why you want to pursue your Ph.D. training in the BC program (limit = 200 words).

   

The personal statement, specifically each individual section should not exceed the word limit. Note that additional text outside the word limits will not be considered and may result in application disqualification.

Financial Support

Each student is provided with a yearly stipend to cover their living expenses at our Baltimore, MD campus ($47,000 as of July 1, 2024), as well as health insurance, and tuition throughout their years in the program.

Application Fee & Waiver Requests

The application fee will be charged upon completion of your first application. For the second and third application, the “Finalize and Pay” button will appear, but there will be no additional charge. Application fee waivers are also available to prospective students who are US Citizens or Permanent Residents of the US and meet additional eligibility criteria.  For more information on PhD programs and fee waivers, click here.

Criminal Background Check

All offers of admission to The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine are conditioned on a satisfactory outcome of criminal background investigations.