Application and Admissions Information

To apply to our graduate programs, please select a link below:

The English proficiency minimums for all of our programs are as follows:

  • TOEFL iBT 94
  • CBT 240
  • PBT 587
  • IELTS 7.0
  • DUOLINGO 120

Once you have applied on-line, please regularly monitor your account for the completion of your application.  In addition, MS and PhD applicants are encouraged to contact potential research advisors before or shortly after they apply. Click here to link to Graduate Studies.


Admissions into our MS or PhD programs are competitive and we only admit for Fall semester.  Fall 2021 admission deadlines are December 5, 2020* for international students and December 15, 2020* for domestic students (*we will continue to accept applications after these deadlines until we have filled all of our available slots). The only applications that will be considered at other times of year are students that have financial support in the form of scholarships. We also preferentially admit PhD over MS students.

While we do look at each application in its totality, the following information can be used as a guide to help determine if your application might be competitive: 

***  THE GRE REQUIREMENT IS WAIVED FOR THE 2021-2022 APPLICATION CYCLE.  ***

Average GRE scores over the past 2 years have been:

  • 57th percentile on the verbal section
  • 50th percentile on the quantitative section
  • 52th percentile on the writing section

The average GPA over the past 2 years has been: 

  • 3.56 (a minimum of a 3.0 is required by the University)

Information that should be included in your personal statement:

Please outline your research interests and long term goals and clearly indicate how engaging in your graduate work in the Department of Biological Sciences at KSU will help you achieve your career goals.  Also appreciated are descriptions of any prior research and/or laboratory experience and a statement with 2-4 names of faculty members with whom you might like to work. A list of faculty that currently have openings in their laboratories can be found here.


Admissions into the MA program are rolling, but applications need to be completed at least 1 month prior to the start of the semester. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required by the University.


If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Graduate Office.

Phone: 330-672-2819
e-mail: bscigrad@kent.edu