Admission & Financial Support

Admission

The Department of Molecular Biology reviews applications each year for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. We encourage applications from students of diverse academic backgrounds.

Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

Admission Requirements

The Admission Committee thoroughly evaluates each application; there is no single deciding factor for admission. Promising applicants will be invited for an interview.

A complete application includes:

  • A completed web-based application.
  • Transcript - scanned version obtained from your college or university.
  • Three letters of recommendation.
  • Official TOEFL exam scores from ETS, IELTS scores, or DET scores, if required by Princeton's English Language Proficiency policy.
  • For TOEFL scores, use Institution Code 2672.

Applying

When applying to Molecular Biology, please proceed directly to Graduate Admission.

All students admitted to the program receive tuition, health insurance, and a generous stipend. The stipend for the 2023-2024 academic year is $50,400.

Financial Support

Fellowships

Students from China may apply to the China Scholarship Council/Princeton University Joint Funding Program. In the application form, please specify that you plan to apply for CSC/Princeton Scholarship in Molecular Biology in the section "obtaining external funding support".

Graduate students will be encouraged to apply for fellowships at some point during their graduate career. Fellowship opportunities are available from the following:

  • National Science Foundation
  • Department of Energy (DOE)
  • Department of Defense (DOD)
  • Hertz Foundation
  • Department of Defense Breast Cancer
  • NJ Commission on Cancer Research (breast, prostate)
  • Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
  • NIH/NRSA
  • American Heart Association
  • American Lung Association
  • Autism Speaks
  • Ford Foundation
  • United Negro College Foundation Merck Science Initiative
  • Robert D. Watkins Minority
  • American Physics Association in Neuroscience
  • National Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada
  • NJ Commission on Spinal Cord Research

If you are interested in applying for a fellowship, you must discuss the application first with the Graduate Administrator for approval, and with the Assistant Grants Manager for eligibility and assistance with application materials. Visit funding for a comprehensive list of agencies.

Princeton University offers help at the Writing Center.  If you wish to make an appointment, please visit https://writing.princeton.edu/scheduler/appointments/


Admission FAQ