Application Procedures

Please note that two sets of application materials are required: (a) one set for the Graduate Admissions Office (GAO) , and (b) one set for the Department of Biology. These two sets of application materials differ from each other:

GAO Requirements (also summarized at: GAO):
• UNM Application
• Residency form
• One official transcript
• $50.00 application fee

Biology Requirements:
• One official transcript
• GRE scores
• Three letters of recommendation
• Letter of intent
• Database sheet
• Other materials you want to include (CV, etc)

It is your responsibility to ensure that all application materials arrive on time and contain the appropriate materials for both the Graduate Admissions Office and the Department of Biology. Please plan ahead and begin assembling these materials well in advance. In addition, please give your reviewers ample time so that their letters of recommendation can reach the Department of Biology by the deadline.

APPLICATION DEADLINE—All materials must be received by the Graduate Admissions Office and the Department of Biology by January 15th for admission the following fall.

A) Application materials to be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office:
An on-line application form for materials to be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office can be found at http://www.unm.edu/grad/admissions/admissions.html

B) Application materials to be sent to the Department of Biology:
(Note: For International Students Only—do not send any materials directly to the Department of Biology; instead, send all application materials to International Admissions; see link for foreign applicant.)

For all domestic applicants, the following materials must be received by the Department of Biology by January 15th:

1. Transcripts—One official copy of your transcripts from each college you have attended must be received by the Department of Biology by January 15th. Please note: this set of transcripts is in addition to the one official copy that you must send to the Graduate Admissions Office. Thus, for your application to be complete, one set of official transcripts must be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office, and an additional set must be sent to the Department of Biology. Transcripts sent directly to the Department of Biology are required for the timely intradepartmental processing of your application and should be in an envelope SEALED by the issuing university (do not open).
2. GRE Scores: General and Subject—The Department of Biology requires that you submit scores from the General GRE test (Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical). In addition, you must submit a score from a subject test in either Biology or another relevant major discipline. Arrange to take these tests before December so that the scores can reach the Department by January 15th. Please note that it takes six weeks for the scores to be sent to the department. Just in case these scores do not reach us in time, send a photocopy of them.
3. THREE Letters of Recommendation—The three letters of recommendation should be in envelopes sealed by the reviewers and signed by the reviewers over the seal. If your reviewers refuse to give you the sealed envelope to send back to the Department of Biology, the letters can be mailed directly by the reviewers to the Department of Biology. However, if you are not sending the letters yourself, you must indicate that the letters are arriving separately from the rest of your application materials, and the letters must be received by January 15th. These letters should be professional recommendations that discuss your preparation, interest and capabilities for graduate school. Therefore, the recommendations should come from faculty members at institutions you have previously attended or from supervisors for whom you have worked in a professional capacity.
4. Letter of Intent—The letter of intent is to be received by the Department of Biology by January 15th and is carefully considered by the Graduate Student Selection Committee. In the letter, you should state your overall goals for attending graduate school and your anticipated plans for study at UNM. You also should provide a summary of your current research interests and the area(s) of future research emphasis in order to help determine which faculty members will review your application. If you have previously corresponded with a member of the Biology graduate faculty about working with him or her, you should mention that here.
5. Departmental Database Sheet—This database sheet should be received by the Department of Biology by January 15th. It lets us know that your application has been sent to the Graduate Admissions Office, it tells us how to reach you if questions arise, and it allows you to request specific professors to review your file.
6. Other Materials you want to include (CV, publications, etc.)

A checklist of application materials to be sent to the Department of Biology is available for your convenience.