| Deadline | Summer 2026 | Fall 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Priority Application Deadline: M.S. and Graduate Certificate* | - | June 1, 2026 |
|
Application Deadline: M.S. and Graduate Certificate |
April 8, 2026 |
July 1, 2026 |
| Application Deadline: Non-Degree | April 24, 2026 |
August 5, 2026 |
*Applying by the priority deadline enables prospective students to receive their application decision sooner and makes them eligible to enroll in classes earlier. It is not required, nor does it impact admissions decisions. Applications will continue to be accepted until the application deadline.
If your prior coursework does not include microbiology and biochemistry, you have the option to enter the program through an Introductory Track. The introductory track includes an additional two courses—Biology of Microorganisms and Fundamentals of Biochemistry—for a total of an additional 7 credits. If you choose to pursue the Master's degree with the introductory track, the total number of credits to complete the program will be 37.
If your undergraduate degree was not in the sciences, please email mcsadvising@ifas.ufl.edu or schedule an advising appointment with Jacqueline or RB.
Admission into the UF Microbiology and Cell Science graduate program requires that an applicant be accepted both by the UF Graduate School and by the Microbiology and Cell Science Department. To complete the application process, apply online via the Graduate School admissions web site and select the “Graduate” option to create an account and begin your application. Select the “Apply Now” icon below to go directly to the Ph.D. Application.
Please contact Jacqueline Lee at jlee9@ufl.edu if you have any questions regarding the application process or deadline.
1) B.S. degree
2) M.S. degree, of at least 30 credits, in the life sciences
3) Strong preference given to applicants with significant quantitative skills in computational biology, programming, and/or statistics
4) Preference given to candidates with the following pre-requisite courses (or their equivalent in courses from other institutions) or demonstrated work experience:
1) Application fee of $30
2) Unofficial transcripts from each school you have attended
3) CV or resume
4) Three letters of recommendation (LOR)
5) Personal statement: Answer the following three prompts in a word document and upload to the application
6) International Applicants must submit official evidence of English language proficiency
7) Information Request Page
Go to : https://www.applyweb.com/uflgrad/index.ftl
Complete each section of the application (notes on how to choose the correct program can be found below)
Students without a required science background are welcome to apply and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for admission. Relevant professional experience may substitute for academic coursework.
The GRE is not required for admission into our graduate programs.
For All (Domestic and International) Applicants
Additional Minimum Requirements: For International Students Only
If you graduated with a bachelor’s degree from a non-English speaking country, you will need to take the English proficiency examination, TOEFL.
| TOEFL Exam Type | Required Score |
|---|---|
| Paper-based | 550 |
| Computer-based | 213 |
| Internet | 80 |
Transcript Submission and Review
The Office of Admissions will review the transcripts and degrees (if applicable) from every institution listed in the educational history provided on your application. Our review process of all non-U.S. academic credentials (transcripts, mark sheets, degrees/diplomas) ensures that the applicant has been conferred/awarded the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree or will be awarded such a degree by the desired date of enrollment. Academic departments will make the ultimate decision on an application.
For our review, these documents may be unofficial and uploaded in the application or via your Check Status page. These transcripts and degree certificate/diplomas should be scanned copies of the official paper versions issued to you by your previous or current institution. Digitally uploaded academic credentials must include the same information appearing on an official transcript, including biographical information, institution name, signatures, seals and stamps. We will not accept screen shots of your grades from your institution’s student academic portal.
Non-English Transcripts
Transcripts and degree certificates/diplomas not issued in English must be accompanied by a certified, literal line-for-line English translation of the original document. Acceptable certified translations are issued by your institution or a professional translating service.
Credential Evaluations
Submitting a credential evaluation for college coursework outside of the U.S. is optional. Students who choose to submit an evaluation should submit a course-by-course evaluation with credits, grades and grade averages from a NACES member. Unofficial copies of transcripts and degree certificates still must be submitted with a credential evaluation during the application process.
Review of Transcripts
An email notification will be sent approximately 24-48 hours after submission of your UF application with instructions on how to create your MyAdmissions application/Check Status page. Transcripts uploaded or received by mail will display on the Check Status checklist as Transcript – Under Review. As soon as your transcripts are received, the college and department you have applied to will be able to review your transcripts. Due to the high volume of applications, transcripts may not be updated on your checklist until the department has completed an initial review of your application. Once the transcripts are reviewed by Admissions, the checklist will be updated, and the Awaiting Transcript checklist items will be updated accordingly.
Official Transcripts
While not required for the initial admissions review, official transcripts, translations (if applicable) and degree certificates/diplomas are required for enrolling students and must be submitted no later than the end of your first semester of enrollment. Official documents are mailed directly from the institution, including all official stamps and signatures, or presented in-person inside the institution’s sealed and stamped envelope.
Credentials are mailed directly to the UF Office of Admissions at:
Office of Admissions
201 Criser Hall
PO Box 114000
Gainesville, FL 32611-4000
United States of America
Return of credentials
All documents submitted with your application become property of the University of Florida. The Office of Admissions is unable to honor requests to return transcripts or provide transcript copies to you or a third party. Do not mail diplomas or academic credentials that are only issued once. An attested or certified copy (by the institution’s registrar), or originals presented in-person are accepted in such circumstances.
English Proficiency
All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency and meet the minimum score requirements. The university does not accept scores compiled from multiple tests to meet English proficiency requirements.
UF’s TOEFL school code is 5812.
Minimum acceptable scores:
For 15% off the cost of the TOEFL exam, use the code UFTOEFL15 in the voucher/promotional code section when ordering and paying for a TOEFL exam.
* UF is registered to receive IELTS scores using the IELTS Results Service E-Delivery. Scores should be sent to the University of Florida, which only accepts scores from this E-delivery service. UF does not accept paper Test Report Forms or unofficial copies of IELTS Test Report Forms from students. Applicants should contact the IELTS test center where they took the IELTS to request their official test results be sent to our account name: The University of Florida. An institution code is not required.
The address associated with our IELTS Results Service account is:
The University of Florida
201 Criser Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611
United States
Exemptions are granted if applicants:
Visit our International Admissions page for a list of countries exempt from English proficiency requirements: https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/international