Admission Frequently Asked Questions
Please read below for answers to our most common questions.
General application questions
UC San Diego's Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) has more information about University Admission Requirements and other frequently asked questions about the application process. You can find more information here.
Why should I pursue a graduate degree in biostatistics?
There is strong demand for graduate-level biostatisticians in academic medical centers, in government agencies, and in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Biostatistics graduate programs rank highly among the PhD granting institutions of Statistics or Biostatistics listed in US News and World Report rankings, with three of the top five programs being Biostatistics programs. The UCSD degree will be distinguished by its close integration of training in rigorous data science theory and methods, training in practical collaborative skills, and use of important data from many areas of the biomedical sciences.
How should I decide between a degree in bioinformatics and biostatistics?
While the areas of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics have some overlap, they appeal to different students and they lead to very different training. The students in Bioinformatics are required to have an engineering or biological sciences background; students in Biostatistics are required to have a mathematical and statistical background and often also are familiar with clinical research or public health. Bioinformatics primarily uses tools from computer science for dealing with and processing high-throughput data with an emphasis on ‘omics. Biostatistics has a unique emphasis on rigorous, reproducible and quantifiable inference. It uses modeling approaches from mathematical statistics and probability to identify rigorous and efficient approaches to all kinds of data. Biostatistics is useful in complex settings where there is a temporal or spatial component, where there are correlated variables, or where data are pooled across related experiments or studies. Use of formal biostatistical principles can often identify more powerful approaches to data analysis and can quantify the uncertainty associated with inference from data.
Can I apply for a fee waiver?
The Biostatistics Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs have a very limited number of fee waivers available for applicants that do not qualify for a fee waiver as offered by Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA), UC San Diego (here).
To be considered for a Biostatistics fee waiver, you must first, start your campus program application, and then, complete our fee waiver application by the deadline of December 1st. Fee waiver applicants will be notified of a decision, by December 15th. The Biostatistics Fee Waiver Application can be found here. This application is for a fee waiver ONLY, it does not take the place of a program application to our MS or PhD programs.
GEPA Application Fee FAQ's can be viewed here.
Do you have a minimum GRE requirement?
We do not have a minimum GRE score requirement for admission to the PhD program. We do not screen applications by GRE scores; scores are interpreted in the context of the entire application. However, the applicant pool for the PhD program is very competitive with very competitive GRE scores.
What are the financial details for the MS program?
Our MS program adheres to the general campus tuition rates for graduate students, which can be seen here. You can also view a cost calculator here, on the Financial Aid page to give you an idea of the cost of living in San Diego.
MS students are eligible for Academic Student Employment positions (ASE) and assistant titles. ASE positions are governed by the office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA), while assistant titles are governed by the Student Employment Office, a division of the Career Center. More information can be found on ASE positions here, and for assistant titles, here . You may search available ASE positions here, and you may search for assistant titles, in the Handshake system.
What are the financial details for the PhD program?
Our PhD program offers full financial support which is typically provided via employment as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) or Teaching Assistant (TA). Through this employment, your tuition & fees are remitted, and you earn a salary. Salary rates for these positions, can be viewed here.
Are TOEFL scores required?
TOEFL scores are required of international students, unless a student has or is expecting to receive a BS or MS from a U.S. university or from an institution where the primary language is English.
How many students do you admit to the PhD program?
We plan to admit 4-6 students to the PhD program, per admission cycle.
How many students do you admit to the MS program?
We plan to admit approximately 25 students, per admission cycle.
Do you accept MCAT scores as substitution for the GRE?
No. We only accept GRE scores for the PhD program. The MS program does not require GRE scores for Fall 2025 admission consideration.
What kind of courses/background make for a strong PhD applicant?
Our PhD program has a fairly rigorous mathematical statistics requirement: 6 of our required courses are taught in the mathematics dept. Hence, an undergraduate or MS degree that emphasizes math would be a huge strength. Here are some upper division math undergrad courses taught at UCSD that we would consider adequate training for admission to our program: 102, 120, 140ABC, 170, 181AB
What kind of courses/background make for a strong MS applicant?
We recommend that applicants have at a minimum a year of calculus (including multivariate calculus); a course in linear algebra; a course in statistical or computer programming (or documented equivalent experience); and two courses in statistics, biostatistics, and/or probability, including one upper division course. Practical knowledge of a statistical package (e.g., R, SAS, SPSS, Stata) and/or experience with programming are also needed.
How are applications reviewed?
Our admissions team is committed to reviewing applicants holistically on the basis of several factors including but not limited to, past overall academic performance as well as success in mathematics and statistics courses, research and/or work experience, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation
Do I need to identify an advisor/mentor prior to admission?
You are not required to secure an advisor/mentor prior to admission, we will assign advisors during the summer before matriculation. However, if there is a faculty with whom you would like to work, please feel free to mention that in your personal statement.