ADMISSIONS

Admissions Philosophy and Process

Our program seeks to invest in students with high potential to thrive in a stimulating, research-oriented, Immunology graduate training program. Students will require scholarly skills and rely on their educational background upon entering Graduate School. They will require a positive mindset, maturity, motivation, and grit to fully navigate the Training Program. Immunology students should be committed to furthering Immunology-related research and have a strong desire to develop skills that will make them competitive and successful in a career in academic, government, or private sectors.

The goal of our recruitment process is to find motivated, enthusiastic students with diverse points of view, who have the potential to become successful critical thinkers and independent scientists.

We are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities (e.g., mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical) who meet the technical standards of the program, with or without reasonable accommodations.

If you are an applicant with a disability who would like to engage in a confidential consultation about disability access at CU Anschutz, or who requires accommodations to complete the application or interview process, please contact The Office of Disability, Access & Inclusion. 

Who should apply? | Applicants with proven scientific ability, indicated through performance in a college level science program and in a research laboratory. Prior laboratory research experience ensures that students have basic skills and are familiar with the laboratory research environment. We strongly encourage applications from qualified candidates from all backgrounds, including those coming from underrepresented populations. The Program and members of our training faculty have a strong commitment to inclusivity and a solid history of success training students from populations that have been underrepresented in biomedical research.

Application Evaluation | Admission is based on an evaluation by a Graduate Admissions Committee comprised of Immunology Program faculty. Review begins in early December. The Admissions Committee weighs many factors when choosing candidates who will move forward to our interview process. These include, but are not limited to prior experience and performance in laboratory research including depth of understanding, evidence of project ownership, and independence; academic achievement; honors, publications, and/or scientific presentations; evidence of resilience and perseverance; leadership experience and/or community involvement; unique perspectives and life experiences; interest in Immunology; and clear interest in our program and alignment of goals with our training opportunities. To assess these qualifications, the Admissions committee will evaluate all parts of the candidate’s application through a holistic review process. GRE scores are not required.

Interviews | Top candidates will be selected for a brief virtual pre-interview in mid-December, with members of the Admissions committee. A subset of pre-interviewed candidates will be selected for an in-person interview, which will occur in February. In-person interviews will last three days, with out-of-state applicants arriving in Denver by the early afternoon of the first day and leaving in the evening of the third day. The Program covers travel and accommodation expenses. During the interview process, candidates will learn about the Immunology PhD Program, student life, the research environment, training faculty, and research projects at the University of Colorado Anschutz. Candidates will meet with a number of faculty, who will ask questions about research experience, qualifications, and interest in Immunology. Candidates will also have lots of opportunities to interact with and get to know current graduate students. 

Admissions | After interviews, the Admissions committee will convene to discuss the interviewed candidates and make recommendations regarding offers of admission to the Office of Research Education. Decisions for offers of admission will weigh factors described above under “Application Evaluation”, input from faculty who interviewed and evaluated the candidate, input from current graduate students, and any other available information.

How to Apply

There are 3 ways to enter the Immunology Program:

• Apply directly to the Immunology Graduate Program.
• Apply to the Biomedical Sciences Umbrella Program and join the Immunology Graduate Program after your 1st year.
• Those interested in pursuing an MD/PhD with research interests in Immunology may apply to the Medical Scientist Training Program and complete their PhD portion through Immunology. Note: the MSTP follows a separate application process with different deadlines. Please visit the MSTP website for more information.

Applications will open September 1, and all application and supplemental materials are due no later than December 1. Applications received after December 1 may not be considered.

To apply for admission applicants must submit the following:

• Online Graduate School application
• A $50.00 domestic and $75.00 international non-refundable application fee.
• One (1) official transcript of all academic work completed to date. To be considered "official", the transcripts must come directly from the issuing institution.
  

Electronic Transcripts should be sent to: graduate.school@cuanschutz.edu

If sending a physical transcript, please mail to:

Graduate School
Mail Stop C296
Fitzsimons Building, W5107
13001 E. 17th Place
Aurora, CO 80045

• Three to five (3-5) letters of recommendation. Letters should be from individuals such as college professors, faculty research mentors, or senior level industry scientists who are directly familiar with your research and laboratory work, scientific thought, critical thinking and/or academic achievements. Letters that can address the qualifications listed above under “Application Evaluation”, and the applicant’s research aptitude, critical thinking, and commitment to completing an Immunology PhD program are the most valuable to the admissions committee. Such letters should be submitted electronically through the on-line application. 
• GRE scores are no longer required for admission.

International Applicants only: Candidates with transcripts from Universities outside the United States must provide an international credential evaluation report from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or World Education Services (WES). Students whose native language is not English or who have completed their studies at an institution where English was not the language of instruction, must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or its equivalent. Visit International Admissions for more information.

Questions should be directed to:

IMMU@cuanschutz.edu

International Applicants

PRIORITY DEADLINE FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS IS NOVEMBER 1.

Visit International Admissions for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions