All required documentation described below must be submitted for an applicant to be considered by the TS PhD Admissions Committee.  All documents become the property of the applicant institution(s) and are not returned to the applicants.

Applicants should utilize the Checklist of Required Documentation for Application.

The following admission requirements will be applied to all applicants:

1. Advanced Degree:  Applicants must demonstrate at least one of the following:  a) completion of an advanced Professional Degree (e.g., MD, DO, DDS, MSN, PharmD); b) completion of a Master’s or Doctoral Degree in a health-related, science, public health or social science discipline; c) enrollment in a clinical professional doctoral degree program with intent to graduate prior to the semester for which application is being made; or d) enrollment as a MD/PhD student with successful completion of the two-year pre-clinical curriculum.  Enrollment/Graduation must be from an accredited college or university in the United States or proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution.
2. Documentation of Academic Record: For the purpose of evaluating the application, copies of all transcripts are acceptable for inclusion with the application.  If selected for admission, official transcripts will be required from all colleges and universities attended.  Transcripts must be sent from the college/university in a sealed envelope directly to the Registrar’s Office at the Home institution.  Transcripts from foreign colleges/universities must be officially translated into English, if needed, and must also be evaluated, including GPA and equivalent degree, by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES), which are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES – http://www.naces.org/).  The evaluated transcript should be sent from the credentialing agency in a sealed envelope directly to the Registrar’s Office at the Home institution.  The applicant should include a copy of the translated and/or evaluated transcripts as part of the application.
3. Demonstration of Ability to Participate in an Advanced Academic Program:  Official documentation of a satisfactory score for the combined verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or an equivalent, is not required.  However, should an applicant submit the GRE score, it will be considered along with the other admission criteria, but not used as the sole criterion when making admission decisions.  Scores on GRE tests taken more than five years prior to the date of application are not acceptable.
4. Demonstration of Proficiency in English (if applicable):  Official documentation of a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo) is required for applicants from a country where English is not the native language.  A minimum TOEFL score of 84 (Internet-based Test), a score of 7.0 on the Academic Examination of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or a minimum Duolingo score of 115 is required.  Scores on TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo tests taken more than two years prior to the date of application are not acceptable.  International applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo requirement if one or more of the following requirements are met:
   • • The applicant is an ECFMB certified physician.
     • The applicant’s post-secondary education was conducted in a country where English is the native language. Such exemption from the TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo  must meet university admissions criteria, which may be found in the UT Health San Antonio University Catalog, University Admissions Policy at:
       http://catalog.uthscsa.edu/generalinformation/universityadmissionspolicy/Consideration for the proficiency in English exemption outside of these guidelines will be made on a case-by-case basis.
5. Personal Statement:  Applicants must submit a personal statement (1-3 pages) that describes the applicant’s past training and experience, future career goals and objectives, scientific research interest, and how the TS PhD program will prepare them to achieve the stated research interest and career goals.  The Personal Statement should include but is not limited to:The personal statement should be submitted with the online application.
   • A statement of the applicant’s background and purpose for applying to the TS PhD program,
   • Applicant’s interest in and commitment to a translational science career
   • Applicant’s potential to develop into a successful scientist, as evidenced by research training/experience, prior publications, etc.
   • Research interest and its applicability to the TS PhD program
   • Identification of a potential Supervising Professor, if applicable
   • Career goals and how the TS PhD program will contribute to their attainment
6. Letters of Recommendation:  Applicants must provide three (3) letters of recommendation from faculty or other individuals who are familiar with and can provide information about the applicant’s academic, research, and/or professional abilities and performance.  In addition, letters of recommendation should provide an assessment of the applicant’s potential to succeed in a doctoral program and develop into an independent research investigator.  These letters should be on letterhead and submitted/uploaded with the recommendation form in the online application.
7. Curriculum Vitae.  A current CV should be submitted with the online application.
8. Copy of U.S. Medical License/Certificate:  If applicable, a copy should be submitted with the online application.
9. Authorization for Criminal Background Check:  A background check is required before a recommendation for student admission can be forwarded to the Dean’s Office of the Graduate School.  This form will be provided by the TS PhD Program Office.  The form should be completed by the student, signed, and submitted to the TS PhD Program Office for handling.
10. Immunizations: If admitted to the TS PhD Program, all State of Texas immunization requirements must be met prior to registration. A list of the required immunizations may be found in the UT Health San Antonio Catalog Admissions Policy website.
    Proof of immunization will be required.  Because students in the TS PhD Program will attend class and possibly conduct research at four UT institutions, all immunization requirements of all institutions must be met, even if an immunization is not required at a student’s Home institution. As a result, students in the TS PhD program are required to have the hepatitis B immunization. If you are admitted into the TS PhD program, you WILL BE REQUIRED to show proof of completion (or near completion) of the Hepatitis B immunization series or show serologic confirmation of immunity to Hepatitis B virus prior to enrollment (Texas Administrative Code Title 25, Part 1 Section 97.63). The Hepatitis B immunization series is administered over a period of six months. You are advised to begin the immunization series as soon as possible after applying for admission.
11. Insurance: All students in the TS PhD program are required to maintain valid medical insurance while enrolled – either through employer, personal purchase, or school-sponsored purchase. You will be required to show proof of insurance or purchase medical insurance each semester.