BCMB Graduate Admissions

Contact Information BCMB@utk.edu

Admission Requirements

Course requirements for admission. The requirements are specified in the Graduate Catalog and are summarized as follows:
- One year of general biology or the equivalent, a minimum of 8 credit hours beyond introductory biology (biochemistry, chemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and physiology)
- General and organic chemistry (with laboratories)
- One year of calculus
- One year of physics
- At least one semester of biochemistry
Grades. U.S. Degree holders must have earned a 2.7 out of a possible 4.0 GPA or a minimum of 3.0 during the senior year of undergraduate study. Foreign degree holders must have earned a minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or other equivalent to a ‘B’ average.
TOEFL. International applicants must submit official TOEFL scores to the UT Graduate School as part of the application. Requirements for this can be found on the graduate school admission requirements page.

GRE scores are optional.

Application Procedure

Priority consideration for Fall 2026 will be given to applications received by Dec 1st, 2025.

Official Graduate School Application. You must apply online via the Graduate School’s website. If you need a paper copy of the application, please contact UT Graduate Admissions. Once you have completed the application, you must also submit:
- One copy of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Non-refundable $60 application fee.
- A personal statement describing your research experience, career goals, and the reasons why you would like to pursue your graduate degree in our BCMB program at UT. Given that admitted students will participate in rotations during their first year, we also strongly recommend that you include a list of at least 3 faculty whom you would be interested in rotating with. More information about our faculty and their research can be found on the BCMB faculty webpage.
- Optional: GRE Scores
Letters of recommendation. Applicants need to arrange for three (3) letters of recommendation, including the names and email addresses of the persons that are writing the letters. We no longer require the recommendation letters to be submitted to us by mail; after completing your application, your references may submit their letters online, directly to the graduate school.

Other related Information

Financial support. All accepted students receive financial support, either in the form of a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) or a graduate research assistantship (GRA). The department also provides tuition and health insurance.