Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about enrollment process. Feel free to reach us and clarify any of the answers below.

Can I have an application fee waiver?
GSBSE as a department does not provide application fee waivers and GSBSE does not make exemptions for financial hardship. For further questions regarding application fee waivers, please contact the UMaine Graduate School at graduate@maine.edu or the Office of International Programs at international@maine.edu. The application fee is $65.

Does GSBSE provide funding?
The consideration of financing is automatically considered as part of the application to the program, both for national and international applicants. Stipend information can be found here. There is no separate application for funding, health insurance, stipend or tuition waiver. All of this would be reflected in one application.

Should I submit the English proficiency tests if the language of instruction in my university was English?
As long as English is listed as the language of instruction on the transcript, English exam test scores do not need to be provided (TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Duolingo English Test).

Do you accept unofficial transcripts?
We accept unofficial transcripts and test scores. We do require official transcripts prior to matriculation if accepted. A scanned copy from a school is unofficial. WES: Appreciated, but not required.
Test scores: https://umaine.edu/graduate/apply/test-scores/

What is the minimum GPA?
There is no gpa minimum, but most have an average of 3.6

Do I need to have research experience before applying?
It is a benefit in an application. We practice holistic application review/holistic admissions, which means that we consider an applicant in totality rather in parts; therefore it is difficult to say how exactly a given portion will impact admission.

Do I need to have faculty member’s approval?
Students do not need to be accepted into a lab prior to applying because we have first year rotations, where students are able to explore dozens of labs and 150+ affiliated faculty across five different research organizations within the state of Maine prior to committing full-time, permanently to a lab for the duration of their degree.

What should I know about the interview process?
Admission offers are subject to an interview. Each interview is different but our 7-faculty Admissions Committee seeks to find the most passionate and competent future principal investigators within each cohort; therefore they seek to better understand each applicant’s research experience and motivating interests.

What is the application deadline?
Applications submitted before the Dec 1 annual deadline will be reviewed for the current admissions cycle, applications submitted after the annual Dec 1 deadline may be rejected. Note: applicants can request a term change by emailing graduate@maine.edu.

What if I submitted an application after the deadline?
Deadline: December 1st of the year prior to matriculation, e.g. December 1st, 2023 deadline for Fall 2024 matriculation. GSBSE offers Fall Admission only, and applications submitted after the deadline may be rejected without refunding the application fee. A term change request can be made in advance to avoid losing the application fee and use it toward a future term. To request a term change for the application, email graduate@maine.edu, and the fee will be transferred to the new term without penalty. If an application is rejected for any reason applicants  will need to repay the application fee to reapply.

What if I have been admitted to the program but need to start later than I expected?
A term change request should be submitted If you have already been admitted for a particular term, but need to start in a later term, students need to contact Debbi (Debbie Clements, Academic Record Specialist, debbi.clements@maine.edu) to request a term change.

What if I have other general questions for the Graduate School?
Please review the Graduate School’s Frequently asked questions and reach out to graduate@maine.edu if you still have questions.

Where should I send the application materials?
Official transcripts can be sent to graduate@maine.edu.
Hard copies can be mailed to:
University of Maine
The Graduate School
5775 Stodder Hall, Room 42 Orono, ME 04469
USA

Where can I find info about the current GSBSE Ph.D. Admission Tracks?
Please visit our admissions page and review info about current GSBSE PhD Admission Tracks available.
Please review the research overview page: https://gsbse.umaine.edu/research/

I would like to apply for a masters degree program in your department. What is the minimum GPA requirement to get admission? I would like to know if I can apply for On-Campus graduate program in your department?
We don’t have an on-campus Master’s within GSBSE. We do have an online Professional Science Masters (PSM) in Bioinformatics. You can see a full list of Master’s programs, including those on-campus here: https://umaine.edu/graduate/programs/
M&BS Programs: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: https://umaine.edu/graduate/program/biochemistry-and-molecular-biology/  (Grad Coordinator is Dr. Julie Gosse)
SBE for more traditional biology: https://umaine.edu/graduate/program/biological-sciences/
CBE for MS in BME: https://umaine.edu/graduate/program/biomedical-engineering-ms/

Can prospective students from underrepresented communities get in contact with current students to ask questions about the program and the life around campus?
Yes, it is potentially possible. Please let me know who you would like to meet with or what questions you may have to help me link you with an individual or small group to help you learn more. ie: Graduate School, Graduate Student Government, GSBSE Student body, Office of International Programs.

Is there a limit to the number of pages for the CV and letter of intent when submitting my application?
There is no page limit for the CV, but the letter of intent should be 300 – 500 words.

As a bachelor degree holder in Biomedical Laboratory Science with 4 years working experience. Do I have a chance of being admitted for Ph.D. in Biomedical Science in your institution?
The faculty member admissions committee will determine who will be admitted to the program. We practice holistic application review/holistic admissions, which means that we consider an applicant in totality rather in parts; therefore it is difficult to say how exactly a given portion will impact admission.

What is the possibility of applying for a direct Ph.D. with my BSc?
A good portion of our PhD students have matriculated with only a BSc. We do not require a degree beyond a BSc to apply. All students in the program have substantial and significant research experience.

Do I have to submit an English Test or is having an English Proficiency letter from my school acceptable?International Undergraduate Admissions: https://umaine.edu/international/undergraduate-admissions/#4
A letter from the Registrar’s office overseeing the course work may qualify. Or if it is from a native english speaking school.

Do you accept IELTS for Ph.D. in Biomedical science?
Yes, IELTS, TOEFL, and Duolingo English Test. As of August 28, 2023, Graduate School has suspended accepting PTE Academic Online scores. Check details here.

Can I apply for a Spring start?
We don’t have a process for spring admissions.

Is it possible to obtain funding either through TA/TR or external scholarship after gaining admission?
Yes, first GSBSE is fully-funded – every admitted student is given an automatic Research Assistantship RA. However, after the first year, this funding ends and there are a wide range of opportunities depending on the lab and site you land in. UMaine and UNE are both universities and therefore have more opportunities for teaching; however JAX, MDIBL, and MHIR all have multiple mentorship and teaching opportunities through their summer programs and partnerships.

■ JAX: Has a world-famous summer program where the PhD students can mentor students.
■ MDIBL: Has the Maine INBRE grant, which supports lots of educational grants, which students can be a part of
■ MHIR: rotating med students from a variety of schools and other programs.

External Scholarships are available to everyone – you can (and should) apply to those. Our students have had success with the NIH F31 and NSF GRFP (excluding international students who are not eligible).

I have evaluated my transcript, using World Evaluation Service (WES), can proceed to use the unofficial copy during the application phase?
Yes, we accept unofficial transcripts and test scores. We do require official transcripts prior to matriculation if accepted. A scanned copy from a school is unofficial.

Do I need to apply separately for funding, or does consideration of financing come automatically with an application?
There is no separate application for funding, health insurance, stipend or tuition waiver. All of this would be reflected in one application. Yes, the consideration of financing is automatically considered as part of the application to the program.

I have about 18 peer-reviewed publications. Will it give me an edge towards getting in?
Yes, research experience is a benefit in an application. We practice holistic application review/holistic admissions, which means that we consider an applicant in totality rather than parts; therefore it is difficult to say how exactly a given portion will impact admission.

Problem with paying application fee?
Log out, clear browser cache, and try again, if that does not help – contact Jessica Ouellette (jessica.ouellette1@maine.edu)

Who are the stronger candidates in the GSBSE admissions process?
A successful applicant will have an undergraduate degree in the sciences, engineering, or related discipline, with an outstanding academic record, and generally more research experience than the average undergraduate student. Successful applicants will be clear about what interest they have in the program and be able to share specific information and examples on how the program will align with their research interests.

If I’m interested in reaching out to faculty in the program to further explore interests and opportunities is there a directory with email addresses? 
Yes, interested applicants can review our People page, and filter faculty, students and alumni by area of expertise, partner site etc.

My passport will expire in January 2023 and I have already put in an application for renewal. The new one is not yet ready. Would I be able to attach documents later even after submitting my application?
We would prefer that you wait and upload a copy of your new passport. If there is urgency to issue your I-20, you can upload the expired one, but it would be extremely important you verify your name is exactly the same on the new passport as it needs to match the I-20.

Is this an online degree or hybrid degree?
Classes can be attended remotely but research is done in person, and it is the major portion of our program. This program cannot be done remotely. There are no remote work opportunities for tuition assistance. Research is conducted onsite in one of our 5 sites (all in Maine). You also can check our Online Professional Science Master’s in Bioinformatics, which is an online degree.

Is there a possibility that I do the lab rotation in Atlanta in any affiliated institute?
No, unfortunately. We have 5 sites where students can do lab rotations and all of them are located in Maine.

How does a lab rotation work? How many hours in the lab is required?
Graduate students frequently work more than 40 hours/week, and are encouraged to spend as much time as possible in the lab while rotating. Classes will take a few hours of attendance but the expectation would be that students are excited and engaged with the lab and spend the majority of their work week there.

Are there any online lab simulation possibilities?
Sorry, no.

How long does it take to finish this degree?
5-6 years on average. The conferral of a PhD depends upon the completion of novel research.

Will there be any IRB submission during research?
This will depend on the research conducted. If human subjects are used, then IRB approval is required.

How many PIs are assigned to junior students?
This depends on the student’s project. Many students have more than one advisor, many have only one advisor.