Admission Information and Requirements

Acceptance in the Translational Neuroscience Program (TNP) is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School at Wayne State University and the TNP graduate program.

Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited US institution, or a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing. Applicants must have a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 including several courses in biological sciences and additional course work in other scientific disciplines. All applicants must provide evidence of proficiency in English (e.g., TOEFL scores greater than 600, 250 and 100 for the paper-, computer- and internet-based tests, respectively).  Please see the International Student section for details.

The application deadline for the TNP graduate program is December 1st. 

The TNP program invites the top applicants for an open house visit in early February. Offers of admission to the program are made towards the end of February or early March. 

The TNP program typically accepts on average three students (plus or minus one) per year and the average time of students to complete the Ph.D. degree is under 5 years.

 

Online Application Procedure

Graduate Application:

• Complete the online graduate application.
• In the application, specify the following: 

Apply As - Degree Seeking Student

Indicate the semester and year you wish to begin - Fall 201#

College - Medicine

Major - Translational Neuroscience

Area of concentration - Not Applicable

Degree Level - Ph.D.

• Include the names of people sending a reference letter.

Transcripts:

• To begin the application review, upload unofficial academic transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions from which you earned a bachelor's degree or higher. Official transcripts (sent directly from the institution) may also be submitted.
• A degree-in-progress transcript will be accepted for the application review.
• Official degree posted transcripts are required only if you are accepted into a program. Your official transcripts are certified copies from each college or university you attended and the transcripts must be received by September of the year admitted. If you are a current WSU student or WSU alumni, you do not need to request an offiical WSU transcript. Instead, your degree-posted transcript will automatically upload to your application. 
  • Request official transcripts from all prior colleges and universities to be sent directly from the institution to the WSU Office of Graduate Enrollment Services to the following address below:
  • Sealed transcripts marked "Issued to Student" and/or any transcript transported or transmitted by the applicant are not considered "official".
  • The institution code for Wayne State University is 1898.

Office of Graduate Admissions
Wayne State University
5057 Woodward
Suite 6000
Detroit, MI 48202
 

Application Fee (updated 8/15/23): 

• Effective for Fall 2024 matriculation, Wayne State eliminated all fees for applications administered through the Graduate School

Test Scores (updated 11/22/2019):

• The GRE general test is NOT required for admission. However, official scores MAY be submitted by the Educational Testing Service to Wayne State University using the institution code 1898 (a department code is not needed).

• International applicants, whose native language is not English, must provide evidence of proficiency in English by submitting official copies of scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to Wayne State University using the institution code 1898.

Personal Statement:

• Include a one-page personal statement addressed to "Graduate Committee Chairperson," describing your areas of interest in translation neuroscience and your career plans. Click for help on how to write a good personal statement.

• Applicants must submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) that summarizes academic and research experiences. Click here for CV template.

• Include three (3) letters of recommendation completed by professors or other persons who know you and your academic work sufficiently well to judge your qualifications for graduate study.

• Writing samples are OPTIONAL  and may include conference abstracts and presentations, or publications.

 

Checking on the status of your application

Applicants are responsible for verifying that all application materials are received. To do so, you may contact the Translational Neuroscience Program Graduate Office after January 1st by calling (313) 577-1841 or e-mailing tnp@med.wayne.edu.

Funding Support

The TNP program has graduate assistantships available for a number of qualified students, which includes a stipend, full tuition and health/dental/optical insurance. All students accepted into the graduate program are considered for financial assistance, and no separate application forms are necessary for this purpose.