Bioengineering
The Bioengineering Ph.D. program is designed to train students for careers in academia, government, or industry where research is fundamental. The curriculum prepares students for the field’s rapidly-changing landscape by developing the intellectual capacities necessary for research excellence.
Applicants may hold undergraduate or master’s-level training in a broad range of STEM disciplines, including engineering, biophysics, physics, chemistry, biology and computer science. While there are no specific course requirements for admission, competitive applicants typically demonstrate strong quantitative preparation in mathematics and/or the physical sciences, as well as a foundation in biology gained through coursework or research experience.
Please note that GRE scores are no longer evaluated as part of the admissions process and are not required.
Applications must be submitted by December 15th for admission the following year. For full consideration for fellowships and other awards, all materials must be received by this date.
All Ph.D. applications must be submitted electronically. For more information about the application process, please visit our Graduate Admissions Website.
Please note that GRE scores are not evaluated as part of the admissions process and are not required. For information on fee waivers, please review the policy on the Graduate Admissions Website.
Visit the Graduate Admissions Site
Applicant-Support Program
The Applicant-Support Program will offer assistance to applicants from under-served or under-resourced communities in the admissions process. The program will connect each applicant with a current Ph.D. student who will serve as a buddy/mentor to help navigate the process, give feedback on the resume and personal statement, and provide any other reasonable assistance necessary. To participate, students are asked to apply no later than October 31st for each application cycle using the link below:
Apply For The Applicant Support Program
Academic prerequisite requirements for the degree are an undergraduate degree in an engineering subject or an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a physical science, natural science or math major.
If you are an international applicant or a non-US citizen or permanent resident and English is not your native language, you must submit official scores for (1) the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), (2) the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or (3) Duolingo English Test (DET).
The GRE is not required.
The TOEFL: test with a score above 600 written test) or 250 (computer-based test) or 100 (internet-based test).
*To have this requirement waived, the applicant must, by the time of matriculation:
For more information go to:
Graduate Admissions Website
You will find additional information on these tests from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Test score reporting should be completed only through ETS, as only official scores received from ETS will be considered.
The Department encourages all students to apply for graduate training fellowships during their graduate studies. Students who apply for and receive fellowships prior to matriculating to Penn gain tremendous flexibility in choosing a lab for research. Fellowships are available from several sources and can allow student s to focus on a specific cross-disciplinary area, such as the NIBIB-HHMI Interfaces Program at Penn geared toward Ph.D. training in Biomedical Imaging or a Medical Physics concentration geared toward Ph.D. training in Medical Physics.
Learn More About Doctoral Fellowships & Support
A Bioengineering faculty committee reviews each application for merit. When a completed application is received, it is evaluated promptly by our Bioengineering faculty committee. Admittance is based on an estimate of the applicant’s ability to successfully complete our graduate program and on the compatibility of student interests with our programs and research. When an admissions decision is reached, the applicant will be notified directly through the online application system. Please note that admission decisions cannot be revealed over the telephone.
We consider the whole student, including undergraduate and graduate transcripts, program of study, recommendation letters, research experiences, and the candidate’s personal statement.
Admission is competitive, and we are proud of the diverse academic, cultural, and national backgrounds of each incoming class.
Because this is an engineering research-oriented program, we suggest students submit letters of recommendation from research and independent-study supervisors, if possible, especially in engineering or applied science-related areas.
Awards are announced by the respective chairman of the graduate group for Ph.D. candidates after on-campus interviews with prospective mentors. These interviews are by invitation only, after careful evaluation of the student’s application.
Track your application through the admissions portal.
We cannot respond to individual inquiries. We will contact you if materials are missing.
After reviewing applications, we invite about 15 percent of applicants to campus in February and March. If you are invited for an interview, you will be notified via email in January.
By invitation only, selected candidates will be scheduled for a three-day visit, occurring on a Thursday through a Saturday, usually in early winter. This visit is arranged by the department, and includes travel to and from Philadelphia, lodging, and meals.
For the 2022-2023 academic year new students received a $40,500 stipend, full tuition, and healthcare coverage. We expect full funding to continue throughout your doctoral training.
For additional information, please visit our fellowships and awards page.
The Bioengineering Ph.D. admissions process is the first step toward a rigorous and highly interdisciplinary doctoral experience at Penn. Prospective students are encouraged to explore how the program supports academic development, research preparation, and a thoughtful transition into doctoral study, including first-year rotations, faculty advising and policies related to graduate transfer credit. For questions about the Bioengineering doctoral programs, outside of the admissions process, please email: bephd-recruit@engineering.upenn.edu
Explore student and alumni perspectives, interdisciplinary research opportunities and the graduate group structure that shapes the Bioengineering Ph.D. experience at Penn.
Review the process for petitioning to transfer eligible graduate-level coursework toward the Ph.D. degree, including credit limits, course requirements and approval procedures.
