Graduate
Guided by esteemed faculty mentors, graduate scholars engage in cutting-edge research, contributing to groundbreaking discoveries.
The Department of Biological Sciences is the focal point for research in the Life Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. The Graduate Program in Biological Sciences encompasses the broad scope of biological inquiry with several areas of study in the Biomedical Sciences, Global Health, and Ecology, Evolution & the Environment (EEE). This uncommon level of wide-ranging yet integrative biological inquiry provides an extraordinary environment for learning, innovation and collaboration.
The program provides a wide choice of faculty advisors, many of who lead their disciplines by serving as officers of professional societies, on journal editorial boards, study sections, scientific advisory boards and as consultants for various organizations. Many are recipients of prestigious awards and several are elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This vibrant research community continues to expand its faculty, both within the department and with associated faculty at the Indiana University School of Medicine at South Bend adjacent to the Notre Dame campus, and other departments at Notre Dame.
Meet our Graduate Students
The department is home to over 150 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and is housed mainly in the Galvin Life Sciences Building at the center of the Notre Dame campus.
Download the Graduate Student Handbook
Information on Teaching Apprenticeship
For more information, reach out to:
Application Deadline:
December 1, 2025
** The GRE is now an optional component of the PhD program application.**
Interview Weekend:
January 22-25, 2026
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5.5 Average Time-to-Degree
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100 % of Graduate Students on a stipend
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159 Number Graduate Students
Why Notre Dame?
As one of the top 20 universities in the country, Notre Dame’s state-of-the-art facilities, dynamic and accomplished faculty, and research resources ensure your success in graduate studies. The integrated Department of Biological Sciences is comprised of researchers studying a diverse spectrum of areas, all united under the shared mission of advancing human and environmental health at the national and international level through excellence in education and research.
Financial Support
The University offers five types of support to full-time graduate students: fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, tuition scholarships, training grant scholarships, and grants-in-aid. All assistantships and fellowships provide a full tuition scholarship.
From the Graduate School
Application Requirements
Review the general and program-specific Graduate School requirements.
Application Questions Answered
Find answers to many frequently asked questions regarding the application process.
Info for Current Students
All the information and links a current Graduate student needs
Graduate Students in Action
More Stories
Biology Graduate Student Organization (BGSO)
The Biology Graduate Student Organization (BGSO) was created by a group of graduate students and officially sanctioned by the Student Activities Office in 2003. All graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences are automatically members of the BGSO, and there are no membership fees. The BGSO board is currently comprised like a typical student organization, complete with president, vice president, treasurer, activities officers, recruitment officers, outreach officer, etc.