Admissions FAQs

You will find tuition information on the Graduate College Cost of Attendance webpage. Our Bioinformatics programs are especially designed for working professionals and current students by allowing students to take classes full or part-time and now UD has made our programs even more affordable.

A full estimated cost of attendance, including living expenses, student fees, and health insurance premiums, can be found on the Graduate College’s Cost of Attendance page.  All Bioinformatics Data Science programs use the standard tuition rate.

Both degrees can be completed on your own time-line which is a popular option for our working professionals. It will be important to meet with an Academic Advisor to plan a course schedule based on the timing of our course offerings.

If you are conducting research through the MS thesis and PhD, you will need to find a research advisor that will accommodate your schedule.

Depending on your degree and research interests, it may be possible to complete a PhD remotely on a part-time basis. The MS degree is available online for the non thesis option on a part-time basis.

Information about competitive scores can be found on our Prospective Students page. Please submit an application so the Bioinformatics Admissions Committee can conduct a holistic review of your credentials for a formal recommendation.  Admission to the PhD program comes with an additional requirement of securing a research assistantship position (see “Funding opportunities – PhD” below).

Admission deadline information can be found on our Prospective Students page. For optimal consideration for Spring admission, all application materials should be completed by October 1st (July 15th for PhD), although applications will be considered until December 1st if there are remaining positions in the program. 

For Fall admission, application materials should be completed by April 1st (February 15th for PhD) for optimal consideration, but will be considered until July 1st.  However we will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis.

To be eligible, applicants must hold a 4-year degree in life or computational sciences. Additional information about eligibility can be found on our Prospective Students page.

No, prior programming knowledge is not required. However, if you would like to prepare for future coursework, we recommend taking a free beginner’s python course.

The application portal provides information on what materials are required to apply. There is also specific information about many of the application materials on the Graduate Admissions at UD – Applying to UD page.

Our Bioinformatics Admissions Committee performs a holistic review of each application, considering many factors beyond GPA.

A thorough review of your background can only be completed once you have submitted your application materials.

The graduate application fee and waiver categories can be found on the Application Fee webpage. If you qualify for one of the fee waiver categories listed, go to the ‘Additional Information’ section in the application and check the appropriate box in ‘Program Association’. You will need to upload a letter from the director of your program confirming your status which will be verified by the Graduate Admissions staff.

We encourage applicants seeking an application fee waiver to begin an application and submit the application without submitting payment. Please reach out to the CBCB Associate Director once your application is complete including all letters of recommendation.

GREs are waived for all Bioinformatics Data Science programs. Scores submitted voluntarily by an applicant will be evaluated holistically but will not be used to determine admission.

GRE scores should be reported directly from ETS to institution code 5811

• No department code is necessary, but if asked you may select any department

As referenced in the TOEFL/IELTS area of the Graduate College’s Test Scores webpage, a waiver of proof of English Proficiency is allowed when:

• A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a university recognized by the ministry of education in a country where English is the primary language.  Our list of approved countries includes Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec),Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, The United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

• A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a college or university located in the United States and accredited by a regional accrediting association.

If you meet one of these requirements, please follow the instructions to complete a waiver request in the “Test Score Waiver” area of the application.  We will be able to complete the TOEFL waiver once you have submitted the application, paid the application fee, and we can review your unofficial transcripts.  You will be able to monitor the progress of your waiver in your Application Checklist. If there is anything else we can help you with, please let us know.

Duolingo test scores are not currently accepted. Only TOEFL and IELTS are accepted for proof of English proficiency.

1. Our program will recommend the Conditional Admissions Program (CAP). The CAP is for international students who want to pursue a graduate (master’s or doctorate) degree–but who need to improve their English skills first.
2. TOEFL requirements

We are not able to accept expired test results for English proficiency. If you are admitted as an International Student, proof of English proficiency is required, and waivers are only approved under strict exceptions (see above).

TOEFL scores should be reported directly from ETS to institution code 5811

• No department code is necessary, but if asked you may select any department

IELTS scores can be sent electronically or by hard copy to the University of Delaware Office of Graduate Admissions (please do not mail to the department)

• Electronic Address: 108 Computing Center, S Chapel Street, 19716
• Hard Copy Address: 234 Hullihen Hall, Newark, DE 19716

Please know that if you are admitted as an International Student, Homeland Security regulations require that all official test scores be submitted before an I-20 can be issued.

When any decision is made on your application, you will receive an email notifying you that an update has been posted to your Application Status Page.  Upon logging into your Application Status Page you will see a “Status Update” area with a new link called “Click to view your decision.”  When you click on that link, your decision letter will open.

If you have submitted official documents, your application is currently under review by the Graduate College.  Please disregard the checklist items at this time.  As stated on your status page, these items will be updated by the university staff. We ask for your patience as review is completed on your application. Instructions will be sent via email if anything is required of you.

Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis, but time to decide can be highly variable due to a number of factors.  Please allow up to two months for a decision.

Students may defer admission for up to one year, after which point they will need to reapply.  Please contact the CBCB program (bioinformatics@udel.edu) for all deferral requests.  Be sure to include the semester to which you would like your admission to be deferred. The program will contact the Graduate Admissions Office and International Student & Scholar Services for approved deferral requests.

International students should contact ISSS Document Processing (ISSS-newUD@udel.edu). This is the dedicated email address for new incoming F-1/J-1 international UD students and is monitored by expert personnel in International Student & Scholar Services – www.udel.edu/global/isss. 

Yes. Once you submit an application, our Bioinformatics Admissions Committee will review your application for eligibility and next steps. Admission to the full-time PhD is contingent upon securing a Research Assistantship (RA), which would include a stipend and full tuition coverage.  Members of the committee will work with qualified applicants to identify a suitable faculty mentor to provide funding; applicants should not reach out to faculty independently.  Should a suitable match be made and this final condition satisfied, the applicant will be admitted.

Applications for the PhD will be reviewed by the Bioinformatics Admissions Committee. Students are recommended to apply for a thorough admissions review. Admissions into the PhD is conditional upon finding a faculty mentor that can support a Research Assistantship (RA).  While an RA position is the primary funding mechanism, students sometimes serve in Teaching Assistant (TA) roles.

Admission to the master’s program is not accompanied by financial aid, teaching/research assistantships, or scholarships. Students are expected to secure their own financial support.

Admission to the master’s program is not accompanied by financial aid, teaching/research assistantships, or scholarships. Students are expected to secure their own financial support. There are limited opportunities for department positions such as research and teaching assistantships once beginning the program and upon completion of the Bioinformatics Data Science core courses.

No, the certificate program is not available for financial aid through FAFSA or for other educational loans.

There are limited opportunities for on-campus employment for graduate students, as most work-study opportunities are reserved for undergraduates.  However, any employment opportunities can be found using the resources on the Student Employment page.

For housing questions, please reach out to the Housing Office. The Housing Office team is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 302-831-HOME(4663) or at reslife-housing@udel.edu.

1. Typical time to degree completion for the MS non-thesis option is two years (4 semesters), though it can be completed in as little as 1.5 years for students who take a summer course or more than the minimum courses for full-time study.  
2. Typical time to degree completion for the MS thesis option is just over two years, as additional time is generally needed for the completion of the research project, thesis, and defense.
3. There are many factors that need to be considered for PhD degree completion, such as prior degrees, research / professional experience. Most PhD degrees can be completed in between 5 and 6 years.