Application

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program at UBC is an inter-disciplinary program which offers the degrees of M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Bioinformatics. The Bioinformatics graduate program is administered by an Advisory Committee which is responsible to the Principal of the College for Interdisciplinary Studies (CFIS). Faculty members from many life science and quantitative science departments (Medical Genetics, Genetics, Medicine, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Microbiology & Immunology, Pathology, Computer Science, Math and Statistics) constitute the membership of this program. A representative group of faculty members from these departments form the Bioinformatics Advisory Committee which is responsible for administering the program.

The Bioinformatics program is flexible and intended to accommodate the diverse background of students wishing to enter it. Students who apply for entrance must satisfy the general requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and must be acceptable to the Bioinformatics Admissions Committee and the Department in which their supervisor works. Students entering the program generally have a first class or a high second class bachelor’s degree.

Applications are screened by an admissions committee which bases its decision on academic transcripts, three letters of references, and on the availability of a suitable supervisor. For the latter reason, applicants are urged to correspond with prospective supervisors independently of their application submitted to the departmental admissions committee. Most applicants are informed of their acceptability by April of the prospective year of entry. Students from countries where English is not generally used are required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), and submit the results before admission. GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) are not required for application to the program.

Students entering the program may also apply to the CIHR/MSFHR bioinformatics training program, which operates as a scholarship program for a select number of students who are undertaking a Bioinformatics M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree, and who must undertake research rotations in their first year of study. These students generally have a GPA of 3.5/4.0 or above. Applications can be found at: http://bioinformatics.bcgsc.ca/howtoapply/index.html Students who enter the program through this scholarship route should indicate which supervisor they would like to work with, but may have someone assigned to them and have the opportunity at a later date to formally declare their thesis supervisor. If a student applies to the scholarship program and is not accepted, their application will be circulated among interested faculty who have funding for a graduate student. However, there is no guarantee that a suitable supervisor will be available, and it is in the best interests of the student to correspond directly with a prospective thesis supervisor for acceptance into the non-scholarship program.

Application Deadlines to the Bioinformatics Graduate Program (MSc):

Applications can be submitted at any time, but students are encouraged to apply to meet the following Bioinformatics Program deadlines. This allows time to meet scholarship application deadlines, and for space and supervisory commitments to be planned.

For overseas/international students:

For Canadian and American students:

Note: Students who would like to be considered for a Graduate Entrance Award or CIHR bioinformatics training program funding should submit their applications as early as possible.

Application Deadlines to the Bioinformatics Graduate Program (PhD):

Required Application Documents:

• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
• Official TOEFL score or equivalent (for students whose first language is not English)

Institution code: 0965 Dept code 99

• Three strongly supportive letters of reference (either sent directly from the Reference or enclosed in a sealed envelope with the Reference’s signature across the seal)
• Bioinformatics Graduate Program application form (see below)

All required documentation must be sent to the program coordinator – see address below.

Minimum Scores for Tests of English as a Foreign Language:

TOEFL (internet-based) overall score of 100
MELAB 87-88
IELTS overall band 7

For international transcripts, please see UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies entrance requirements at: http://iem.grad.ubc.ca/

Apply online:
Application form 2011

Application Procedures:

There are two ways you can apply to the Bioinformatics graduate program:

1) Applying to the UBC Bioinformatics graduate program directly:

• Download the application form (see above), complete it and return it to the program (preferably electronically). Send supporting documentation (see required application documents) by postal mail. Our postal mailing address is at the end of this page.
• When we receive your transcripts, letters of reference and completed application form, we will open a file for your application and send it to our Admissions Committee. There is no fee associated with applying directly to the Program, however, you must pay a fee when you apply to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

2) Applying through the CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics training program scholarship program:

• Download the application form from the CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics training program website (bioinformatics.bcgsc.ca), complete it and return it to the program (preferably electronically). Send supporting documentation (see required application documents) by postal mail. Our postal mailing address is at the end of this page.
• When we receive your transcripts, letters of reference and completed application form, we will open a file for your application and send it to our Admissions Committee. There is no fee associated with applying directly to the Program, however, you must pay a fee when you apply to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.