Admissions

The University of Pennsylvania is proud to offer one of the top PhD programs in Immunology in the United States. The program provides students with the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty in both Philadelphia and Bethesda.

Prospective students can learn more about the admissions process and requirements through the Penn Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) website and the IGG Open House. 

Admission is offered to students undergraduate training in biology and strong research experience. Completed applications are screened by the IGG admissions committee; important factors include research experience, letters of recommendation, research and personal statements, as well as records of academic success. Applicants who are invited to be interviewed will be notified between December and February, with interviews taking place in January or February. Admissions decisions are typically finalized by mid-March.

All students accepted for admission into the PhD program receive tuition and health insurance coverage, plus a twelve-month stipend for living expenses. More information about funding is available here.

University of Pennsylvania Immunology Graduate Group application can be found here.

 

NIH-University of Pennsylvania Advanced Scholars in Immunology Graduate Program and the NIH Track
The NIH Track is designed for University of Pennsylvania immunology graduate students committed to conducting their thesis work at the NIH. The training plan includes a pre-matriculation rotation at the NIH, which is strongly encouraged and funded by NIH investigators through the Summer Internship Program (application deadline: March 1st). Following this, students will join the IGG program at the University of Pennsylvania in mid-August, where they will engage in coursework and lab rotations from September to May of the first year (first and second rotations). Although not mandatory, these rotations can be performed on an NIH-Penn collaborative project. In the subsequent summer, NIH Track students must complete their third rotation at the NIH and are expected to conduct their pre-dissertation and thesis research at the NIH after successfully passing their candidacy exam at the University of Pennsylvania. To be eligible for the NIH Track, candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Applying to NIH-Track
To be considered for the Advanced Scholars program, candidates must complete BOTH the University of Pennsylvania's Application AND the University of Pennsylvania NIH Track Application.

Important Note:
If you apply to both Penn Track and NIH Track, please be aware that offers are made to only one of the two programs. Once acceptance letters are sent, a NIH Track acceptance cannot be converted to a Penn Track acceptance.

 

See the Admissions FAQ for more information. Contact the IGG coordinator with any questions.