Frequently Asked Questions

The application period opens in September and closes December 2nd, 11:59 PM PT for the beginning of the program in the Fall quarter of the following year.

We aim to build cohorts of about six PhD students, with 35-40 PhD students in the program at any given time. Admissions statistics may be viewed on the Graduate Division PhD Program Statistics page.

No, the PhD program is an in-person four- to five-year course of study.

Our admissions criteria are outlined on the admissions page. Candidates without a master's degree may want to consider our Master’s Degree in Clinical and Epidemiological Research. We encourage those who successfully complete our master's program to apply to our PhD program.

If you completed coursework/degrees outside of the United States, you must submit transcripts translated into English. Additionally, if your university does not issue grades in a 4.0 grade point scale, you will need to convert your grades for the application.

International applicants from non-English speaking countries must also demonstrate proficiency in English. There are several ways to demonstrate proficiency which the Graduate Division outlines.

Applicants are welcome to individually reach out to potential faculty mentors to determine whether they are taking new students. Applicants invited to interview during the admissions process will also have an opportunity to meet with prospective mentors. The Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics (DEB) faculty directory allows one to find faculty by name, key word, or research area.

It is possible to select faculty mentors from other departments. In these cases, we'll also identify a DEB co-mentor.

Students admitted to the Epidemiology and Translational Science PhD program are offered a funding package to cover tuition and fees, and a stipend for living expenses.

We utilize a mix of funding via work as a graduate student researcher (no more than 20 hours/week) on faculty grants, training grants, fellowships, and independent grants. Our goal is to foster as much independent funding as possible. We expect students to work with the program to identify opportunities and pursue grants appropriate for their training and interests. We also nominate students for any appropriate competitive fellowships.