Admission to Our Ph.D. Program
If you’re driven to discover new biomedical breakthroughs and engage in thorough research alongside some of the brightest minds in science, we encourage you to submit an application. While you should be eager to advance biomedical knowledge and pursue complex study and research, you don’t need prior graduate work to be considered. As long as you have a strong foundation in math and science and scientific research experience, we look forward to hearing from you. Whether you’re a NYMC M.S. graduate, or entering our school for the first time, we have an academic path for you.
You may apply online to only one GSBMS program at a time. If you’re not quite ready to apply and would like to learn more, you can contact us to request information.
Ph.D. Admission Paths
There are three ways to enter the Ph.D. program:
Integrated Ph.D. Program (IPP)
The Integrated Ph.D. path is open to graduates of colleges and universities who have not previously studied at NYMC. As an IPP student, you will complete the program in approximately five to six years. No GRE, advanced degree or prior coursework is required, but you should have significant research experience and a strong foundation in the sciences. As you’ll rotate through different labs early on in the program and explore your interests in biomedical science, you don’t need specialized knowledge in one specific discipline to be admitted as a Ph.D. candidate. Visit our Integrated Ph.D. Program page for more program info or see our admission requirements below.
Advanced Standing
If you have earned an M.S. degree in the GSBMS at NYMC, and found an advisor to continue your research, you can then pursue your Ph.D. By entering with advanced standing, you can finish the Ph.D. program in approximately four years. In order to be accepted into the program, you must submit a formal application with all of the same materials as the IPP program. With advanced standing, the majority of your didactic credits will already be fulfilled, you’ll be able to start dedicated lab research much sooner and you will earn your Ph.D. in a shorter time.
M.D.-Ph.D. Program
Application to this joint program is only open to current NYMC School of Medicine (SOM) students. If you’re interested in this program, it’s best to begin discussions early on with the M.D.-Ph.D. program director and the program director in the academic departments you’re most interested in. Formal application takes place in the fall of the student’s second year of medical school in the SOM, with a complete application due in the GSBMS Office of Admissions office by November 1. Visit the M.D.-Ph.D. program page on the School of Medicine site for detailed program and admissions info.
Admissions Requirements
You will need a baccalaureate degree, or higher, from an accredited institution before the start of the term for which you are admitted. An advanced degree is not required to apply to our Ph.D. program, but we do expect you to have significant research experience. For some Ph.D. tracks there are specific prerequisites, which you can find on each individual track page. Evidence of appropriate motivation and character are also considered in the admissions decision.
Two personal statements
One must address your decision to pursue graduate study and your long-term career goals; a second describe the type of research you are most interested in pursuing as a graduate student at NYMC.
Three professional or academic letters of recommendation
Each Ph.D. application must be supported by three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to their research skills and/or commitment to research.
The letters must be signed, dated, and written (in English) on the letterhead of the writer’s institution. These letters must be sent directly by the writers to the GSBMS Office of Admissions in sealed envelopes, via Interfolio, or our online application system. The official recommendation form should be completed by each recommender. It includes a place for the applicant to waive his or her right to see the recommendation.
Two letters from outside New York Medical College are required. Additional letters, including those from NYMC faculty, will also be accepted. Letters from friends or relatives will not be reviewed.
Current NYMC GSBMS Master’s students seeking entry into a Ph.D. program must submit three letters of recommendation:
- from the student's NYMC principal investigator (PI) showing support of the choice to pursue a Ph.D. as well as agreeing to provide financial support during the Ph.D. career (the PI must be a member of the graduate faculty with mentor status);
- from the student's current M.S. program director; and
- from an individual outside NYMC (preferable) or from an NYMC faculty member outside the laboratory the student intends to join for doctoral research.
Official transcripts from prior institutions
Official transcripts must be sent directly to GSBMS from the issuing college or university. They may be sent electronically to gsbms_apply@nymc.edu or via postal mail. They must bear the official seal or stamp of the university, and must indicate the date and name of any degree(s) awarded. Official, but non-final, transcripts are acceptable during the application process, if the applicant is still enrolled in the undergraduate or graduate institution. A final transcript showing the degree awarded must be submitted to the GSBMS before the student’s initial enrollment. Failure to submit such a final transcript may prevent the student’s enrollment. If the student is allowed to enroll on a provisional basis pending the receipt of the required document(s), a registration hold will be placed on their account until these documents are received. Transcripts must be submitted from all post-secondary schools attended, even if the applicant was not a matriculated student or even if only a single course was taken.
Each transcript should be accompanied by an explanation of the credit hour and grading system. This is particularly true for foreign institutions or if a grading system other than the traditional American 4-point system (4.0) is used. Applicants should ask their Registrars to provide such an explanation if it is not already included on the official transcript. All submitted transcripts, diplomas and certificates of completion must be in English or must be accompanied by a complete, verified translation into English.
In the event that official transcripts cannot be provided by the applicant’s previously attended institutions – such as because of political prohibitions or the destruction of the institution’s records – the applicant should submit an official letter from an official of the institution or the country’s Ministry of Education that explains the situation. In these extreme cases, the GSBMS may allow the submission of authenticated copies of the required documents. Any and all such exceptions must be authorized by the GSBMS Office of Admissions, which retains final authority in this matter.
Standardized Test Scores (optional)
Standardized test scores are not required as part of your application. The GRE can be submitted as an optional supplement to your Ph.D. application.
Should you choose to submit test scores, they must be received by the GSBMS by the deadline date. GRE scores should be mailed directly to the GSBMS Office of Admissions by ETS. The ETS institution code is 2553. We accept GRE scores taken within the last 5 years.
Application Fee
The application should be submitted electronically with the $100.00 non-refundable application fee, which is paid by credit card. Application fee waivers will only be granted to those applicants using Touro’s Online Application System for the following situations (note - we are unable to offer fee waivers to international applicants):
- Applicants with a demonstrated financial hardship, supported by appropriate documentation.
- McNair scholars.
CV/Resume
Please include your CV and/or resume in your application.
How to Apply
You may apply to only one GSBMS program per application cycle. Apply online using Touro's Online Application System. If you have been denied admission, or have been placed on a wait list, you can declare interest in another program in writing. No additional application fee will be charged within a single academic year. Only one such change will be allowed per application cycle.
You must complete all sections of the application and the application must be ‘signed’ electronically. We expect that the applicant will reply truthfully to all information requested on the application. Any false statements or withholding of information that is requested may result in the College revoking any offer of admission or in the student’s subsequent dismissal from GSBMS.
An application is considered “complete” when the GSBMS Office of Admissions has received the application, personal statement(s), application fee, transcripts, standardized test scores (if required), and letters of recommendation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation are submitted to GSBMS by the appropriate institutions or individuals in a timely manner.
If selected for consideration, you’ll be invited in for an interview.
Supporting Documents
All supporting documents should be sent to:
Office of Admissions
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Basic Sciences Building #A41
New York Medical College
40 Sunshine Cottage Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Tuition Scholarships for Ph.D. Candidates
Incoming Ph.D. students (both U.S. and international) receive a scholarship package that includes a full waiver of tuition, an annual stipend, hospitalization and medical insurance, and a waiver of the Student Health Services fee. This offer is based on merit. Only students who plan to pursue the Ph.D. degree on a full-time basis are eligible for this scholarship. Be advised, due to funding limitations and budgetary restraints for international travel, the GSBMS will only accept applications to the Ph.D. program from international students if they are currently undergraduate or graduate students in the U.S. with an F1 visa.
Deadlines
Applications for admission and all supporting documents must be received by the GSBMS by the deadline date listed below (11:59 p.m. EST). Since offers of admission are made on a rolling basis, it’s important to submit applications and support documentation as early as possible.
Timely receipt of application materials is particularly important for international applicants because of the extra time needed to obtain an entry visa.
Stipend Award Deadlines
Stipend awards, which are offered only to Ph.D. students, must be accepted by April 15 or two weeks after the date of the offer letter—whichever is later. After April 15, acceptance of Ph.D. admission offers with stipend and fellowship by applicants is considered binding. That is, an applicant should not accept any other offer without first obtaining release from the already accepted NYMC offer.
International Students
Due to funding limitations and budgetary restraints for international travel, the GSBMS will only accept applications to the Ph.D. program from international students who are currently undergraduate or graduate students in the U.S. with an F1 visa. International applicants can speak with our international students advisors.
Visiting Campus
We enjoy meeting prospective students at visits to our suburban Valhalla campus. If you’re applying to the GSBMS and want to visit our campus, call ahead to schedule your visit and we will be ready to greet you, answer your questions and acquaint you with our offerings.
We ask that all visitors to the campus check in at the Office of Public Safety upon arrival. The office is located at the entrance to the Basic Sciences Building at 15 Dana Road. A public safety officer will provide you with a campus map, advise you where to park your vehicle and register you for the day. We look forward to seeing you.
Contact Us
If you have questions, want to schedule a visit, or would like to speak to an admissions representative, call GSBMS Office of Admissions at (914) 594-4110 or fill out the request information form. We’ll do our best to answer your questions or set up an appointment that accommodates your schedule.
