Prospective

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in a relevant discipline (e.g., Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computational Biology, Neuroscience, and Psychology). Consideration will be given to exceptional students from a variety of backgrounds if their undergraduate coursework and/or professional and research experiences provide the appropriate background for graduate-level study in neuroscience.
• A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) is required. All undergraduate and graduate transcripts must be provided (with English translation). Outstanding research experience may offset a GPA below 3.2.
• Three letters of recommendation from previous instructors qualified to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications to engage in neuroscience graduate studies. At least one recommendation should be written by a previous research mentor and demonstrate research experience.
• A research statement that demonstrates the applicant's experience commitment to a career in neuroscience, no more than two pages.
• A short diversity statement (why is it important that equity, inclusion, and diversity be a larger part of the conversation in higher education?).  Additionally, please indicate how could you contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture if you joined our program within the School of Neuroscience at Virginia Tech.
• Students from non-U.S. institutions will be required to report TOEFL or IELTS scores.  Minimum TOEFL scores include: 

Internet-Based Test: 90 points total, a minimum score of 20 on the Listening, Reading, and Writing subsections, and a minimum score of 25 on the Speaking subsection

Minimum IELTS scores include: A total score of 6.5

*TOEFL score can be waived if you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a university where courses were held in English. More information here. Please e-mail us in case of doubt.

At the discretion of the Graduate Program Committee, up to nine credits of previously completed coursework may be transferred from another Virginia Tech program or from an outside institution and applied toward the proposed Ph.D. in Neuroscience degree program.

1. Create an application account online
2. Once your account is created, complete Section 1 – Profile, and Section 2 – Academic History.
3. To select the Neuroscience PHD  program, in Section 3 under “Please select a Program”, choose “Neuroscience”. Degree Type will be PhD, and campus will be Blacksburg.
4. Once all selections are complete, click the “Submit” button in Section 3. You will be prompted to pay the $75 application fee. Once the application is submitted, you will receive an e-mail confirmation.

1. Do students in the program receive financial assistance?

• Yes, students receive a yearly stipend of $37,683.43 per year.
• The cost of tuition and all fees are covered by the program. In addition, the majority of individual   health insurance  is also covered by the program. Current students pay ~ $28/per pay period for health insurance. Additional information regarding student health insurance benefits can be found at the Graduate School Website here.

2. Does your program require the GRE for admission?

• No, like many programs across the nation, the GRE is not an admission requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program in Neuroscience at Virginia Tech.

3. What is the average GPA of students admitted into the program.

• The average GPA of admitted students is 3.5.
  
• GPA’s range from 2.8 – 4.0

4. What type of Bachelor degrees do incoming students have?

• Our students have diverse undergraduate backgrounds, that include neuroscience, genetics, biology, psychology and pharmacology.

5. Where do your successful Ph.D. students go after graduation?

• Our program is too new to have students that have completed their PhD.  We will be sure to update this question when we get data!
  

6. Does the VT Neuroscience program offer a Master's degree?

• No- not yet, but it is in the works. 

7. Do I need to contact faculty before applying?

• Our program requires two research laboratory rotations during the first semester in the program to facilitate laboratory selection. These rotations can be organized following acceptance into the program or when students arrive on campus during orientation week. 
  

8. Can I apply to more than one graduate program at VT?

• Yes, you will be required to cover the cost of application fees for each program unless you obtain a admission fee waiver.  More information about tuition fee waivers can be found here.

9. As an international student, do I need to submit TOEFL scores?

• Students from non-U.S. institutions will be required to report TOEFL or IELTS scores.  Minimum TOEFL scores include: 
  
• Internet-Based Test: 90 points total, a minimum score of 20 on the Listening, Reading, and Writing subsections, and a minimum score of 25 on the Speaking subsection
• Minimum IELTS scores include: A total score of 6.5
• *TOEFL score can be waived if you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a university where courses were held in English. More information here. Please e-mail us in case of doubt.
• A 1-2  paragraph diversity statement (why is it important that equity, inclusion and diversity be a larger part of the conversation in higher education?)

10. How does funding work for international students? Do I need to secure my own funding in order to enroll? 

• Funding for international students is the same as for domestic students. Yes, students receive a yearly stipend of $37,68343 per year. The cost of tuition and all fees are covered by the program.

11. What factors are important or considered for admission into the program?

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in a relevant discipline (e.g., Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computational Biology, Neuroscience, and Psychology). Consideration will be given to exceptional students from a variety of backgrounds if their undergraduate coursework and/or professional and research experiences provide the appropriate background for graduate-level study in neuroscience.
• A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) is required. All undergraduate and graduate transcripts must be provided (with English translation). Outstanding research experience may offset a GPA below 3.2.
• Three letters of recommendation from previous instructors qualified to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications to engage in neuroscience graduate studies. At least one recommendation should be written by a previous research mentor and demonstrate research experience.
• A written personal statement that demonstrates the applicant’s commitment to a career in neuroscience.