Prospective Students | Current Students | Main UC Irvine

Prospective Students

Domestic Application Checklist (Print Version) International Application Checklist (Print Version)
Online Application to UCI
UCI Requirements and Regulations
Enrollment Data for Biological Sciences
Enrollment Data for School of Medicine
MBGB & Graduate Programs in Biological Sciences
The Combined Graduate Program in MBG&B

Application Procedure and Admission



Applicants should have basic training in biology, physics, and chemistry. The ideal preparation includes introductory as well as some advanced courses in biology (cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, molecular biology), biochemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, calculus, statistics, and physics. Demonstrated experience in laboratory research is very strongly advised.

Each applicant must complete or provide:

All international students must supply official scores for GRE, IELTS/TOEFL and TSE to be considered for admission.

The UCI institution code for the GRE as well as the TOEFL is 4859. Department codes for the GRE can be any of the following: 0202, 0206, 0210, 0212.
For the TOEFL they are: 32, 34, 49, 56, 74, other biology 30. For admission, the minimum scores for the various tests are as follows:

Test results two years old or older by the first day of school for the IELTS and the TOEFL will not be accepted, as well as GRE scores five years old or older. Also, any institutional administrations of the TOEFL will not be accepted.

Admission decisions are made on the basis of an overall evaluation of an applicant's preparation and potential to complete a rigorous program of advanced study in biology. Particular attention is paid to the applicant's academic experience, motivation and potential for research. The latter should be documented by reference letters from individuals in positions to judge research potential. Evaluations are based on the applicant's academic record, Graduate Record Examination scores, prior laboratory research experience, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a personal interview. Information and application materials may be requested from the MBGB office electronically by email to gp-mbgb@uci.edu or by mail to the address listed below. In addition, application materials may be obtained and applications may be submitted electronically through the Office of Research & Graduate Studies. January 1 is the deadline for receipt of all application materials for Fall quarter admission of the same year. All admissions are for Fall Quarter only. Decisions are completed and applicants will be notified by April 15. Promising applicants are invited to attend one of the “Interview Weekends”, which are scheduled in January or February each year. Prospective students have the opportunity to meet with faculty and students in the program and to tour the campus and research facilities. All travel and housing expenses are paid by the program. Applications and inquiries should be directed to the MBGB program office at the following address:

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, GENETICS, AND BIOCHEMISTRY
4139 NATURAL SCIENCES II
IRVINE, CA 92697-3915

Additional information about the MBGB graduate program may be obtained by email at gp-mbgb@uci.edu or by phone at (949) 824-8145. Students desiring information about specific research interests are encouraged to correspond directly with faculty.

Research Facilities

Research at UCI utilizes state-of-the-art approaches to recombinant DNA technology, gene transfer methodologies, chromosome analysis, microscopy, electrophysiology, biochemical isolation and analysis of proteins and nucleic acids and crystallography. Facilities are available for analysis of biological samples, including electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, optical biology, flow cytometry, and histology. In addition, facilities for cell-oriented studies include monoclonal antibody production, construction of viral vectors, and transgenic mouse generation. Manipulation of cells is central to many research programs and includes such techniques as microinjection and patch clamping for neurophysiology and laser manipulation for cytogenetics. Structural biology research on campus employs x-ray crystallography, NMR, mass spectrometry, and DNA and protein sequence analysis. In addition, oligonucleotide and peptide synthesis services are available on campus, as are facilities for gene-chip and micro-array analyses. There are also facilities for atomic force microscopy. The Beckman Laser Institute is one of the world's premier centers of biomedical laser research and therapy. Campus laboratories are linked to one another and to the worldwide research community by computer networks. A supercomputer and SUN-UNIX workstation on campus are used for data analysis and molecular modeling.

The UCI Science library, which opened its doors in 1995, is an important educational resource for students and faculty. Strategically located between the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Medicine, the UCI Science Library is one of the largest consolidated science and medicine libraries in the nation and the largest in California. The $32 million facility, with capacity for more than 500,000 volumes, has allowed the campus to centralize all of its science and technology collections previously housed in four separate campus libraries. In addition, hundreds of scientific journals are available online to UCI graduate students and faculty.

General Information about the University of California, Irvine

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is among the newest of the ten campuses of the University of California, one of the world' s largest and most prestigious institutions of higher education. All campuses adhere to the same high academic standard, yet each has its own distinct character. UCI is a smaller, science-oriented campus with more than 50 high-quality graduate programs. Since the campus opened in 1965, enrollment has grown to 24,980 including 19,930 undergraduates, 3,770 graduate students, and 1,150 medical students and residents.

Despite being little more than 40 years old, UCI is among the leading research universities in the United States. During fiscal year 1999-2000, UCI received $194 million in grants from federal, state, and private agencies, organizations and corporations. Within the School of Biological Sciences and the departments in the School of Medicine in the MBGB program, total grant funding for fiscal year 1999-2000 equaled $46,304,235. This high level of research activity is a critical component of the educational process, particularly at the graduate level, and many UCI faculty members have achieved national and international recognition for their work. A portion of campus land is undeveloped, thus allowing for future growth and expansion. A significant amount of recent growth on campus has been devoted to the sciences. This is evidenced by the recent completion of a 240,000 sq. ft. Biological Sciences research facility, a new Science Library and the Gillespie Neurosciences Institute in the Center for the Health Sciences in the School of Medicine. Sprague Hall and Hewett Hall in the School of Medicine which house the Institute for Cancer and Genetic Diseases, the Center for Immunology, the Center for Molecular and Mitochondrial Medicine and Genetics, and the Pacific Southwest Regional Center of Excellence. Natural Sciences Buildings I & II in the School of Biological Sciences. Ongoing growth and expansion augment state-of-the-art research technologies that are available to all members of the scientific community at UCI. Biological Sciences Building III is currently under construction and is slated for completion in February of 2008, an addition that will provide 146,000 square feet of new research and teaching facilities to the School of Biological Sciences.

The campus occupies 1,500 acres located approximately four miles from the Pacific Ocean and approximately 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 70 miles north of San Diego. This picturesque Southern California location positions UCI close to six other major universities and dozens of innovative biotechnology companies.

Strength in Diversity

The UCI community is composed of a culturally and ethnically diverse population of students and faculty. This is evidenced by a wide range of unique cultural activities, clubs, and organizations. We are committed to maintaining this international atmosphere, and we encourage applications from minorities and women.

Financial Aid

All students admitted to the program receive an annual stipend to cover living expenses, and University fees and tuition costs.

Guaranteed Housing

All MBGB graduate students recieve guaranteed housing when they arrive. A wide variety of affordable housing is available in the UCI area. Many of our graduate students choose to live in Verano Place or Palo Verde, convenient and popular on-campus communities of apartments. The apartments range in size from one to three bedrooms. UCI maintains 863 apartments in Verano Place and 204 additional apartments in Palo Verde for full-time registered graduate students. All have carpeting, draperies, a stove, and refrigerator. Quenya residence hall houses 60 primarily first-year graduate students in single rooms. Early application for all types of campus housing is strongly advised.

Many entering and continuing graduate students choose to live off campus in Irvine or in the nearby communities of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, or Santa Ana. Rents are comparable to those in other urban areas. The average commute from these areas is about 20-30 minutes by car. Public transportation between the UCI campus and major housing areas, shopping centers, and beaches is available, and both the campus and the surrounding communities are designed to encourage bicycle traffic with bike trails connecting UCI to many housing areas and to the waterfront areas of Newport Beach. The Off-Campus Student Services Office can assist students in locating and obtaining housing. Further information about housing, applications for on campus housing, and listings for off-campus housing can be obtained from the Housing Administrative Services, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697.

Living on the Southern California Coast

UCI's location offers the cultural, recreational, and economic resources of a major urban area while providing direct access to some of the most scenic parts of Southern California. Located four miles from the Pacific Ocean and 50 miles south of Los Angeles, the University is nestled in 1,500 acres of coastal foothills near Newport Beach. Campus buildings encircle a 21-acre central park, and the campus itself is an arboretum planted with trees and shrubs from all over the world. The campus is flanked on the South and East by beautiful coastal rangeland and is adjacent to the San Joaquin Freshwater Marsh Reserve, which is home to a variety of wildlife. These surroundings give the campus an open, almost rural feeling even though it lies midway between Los Angeles and San Diego in a dynamic, rapidly growing, high technology area. Within a few miles of campus are major department stores, an assortment of specialty shops retailing everything from clothing to sporting goods, and dozens of restaurants for every appetite. Major hotels and the Orange County Airport, which is ten minutes from campus; offer convenient and efficient service to travelers. Local cultural opportunities include repertory theaters, orchestras, two opera companies, choral groups, dance companies, art galleries, and museums. Professional athletic attractions are available in nearby Anaheim, home of the California Angels and the Mighty Ducks. Los Angeles and San Diego also offer a wide variety of metropolitan attractions.

The proximity of the ocean to the campus provides readily accessible swimming, snorkeling, diving, surfing, sailing, fishing, and tide pooling at some of the most scenic beaches in Southern California. Boating enthusiasts can cruise Newport Bay in sailboats or canoes or on windsurfers, all of which are available from the UCI Sailing Club. The temperate Mediterranean climate stimulates such activities year-round. The abundance of bike trails in the area makes biking another popular year-round activity. Mountain and desert recreational opportunities, including hiking, rock climbing, skiing, and backpacking, are within a two-hour drive of campus, and the UCI Cooperative Outdoor Program schedules outings and seminars covering a wide range of activities.
For problems with this site, please contact the webmaster. Last modified: 10/2007