Program Information

When are the deadlines? For guaranteed consideration, have your application submitted by December 1st. We may review your application after December 1st depending on how quickly the spaces fill up.  

How many will you recruit? We will recruit 10 to 13 new students each fall, depending upon funding resources.

How do I decide on if you have faculty that would be best for me?  To decide if our lab-based graduate training program is the best for you, take a look at our faculty directory

What courses do I need to complete to graduate?   take a look at the graduate coursework required to complete your degree.

How long does it take to finish a degree? On average it takes 5.5 years to complete a Ph.D. and 2.5 years to complete an M.S. in our program.

If I email you my transcript and/or resume can you tell me if I will be admitted?  Unfortunately no, there are so many variables that the admission committees take into account that the only way to get an accurate answer is to send in your full application for review.  

What can I do with this degree? Here is a listing of where our alumni are employed

Stipend and Tuition

How much would I get paid? Assistantships begin at $9,837 per semester. Rotation Stipends are $9,837 per semester for 1st semester.

Do you cover tuition?  Students on assistantships receive a TUITION SCHOLARSHIP: 100% for Ph.D. and 50% for M.S. (assessed at in-state rates). Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA during graduate training to receive the tuition scholarship.

Do you cover textbooks and fee?  All Students are responsible for fees and text books.

Will I receive health insurance? Students on assistantships receive paid single health insurance

Do you recruit international students?  Yes

Do you have fellowships available?  Multiple-year Fellowships are available but competitively awarded-both domestic and international students eligible.

GPA, GRE, and TOEFL

What is the required GRE?  We do not require GRE scores.

What about TOEFL's? We look for TOEFL scores around 600/250/100.

What about GPA's?  We appreciate GPAs around or better than 3.4. Students who apply and are admitted into the program whose undergraduate GPA is less than 3.0 will be admitted as restricted. This means that you would receive a stipend and health insurance, but NOT a tuition scholarship UNTIL you have completed 9 credits of graded graduate classroom coursework. An overall GPA of 3.0 is required during graduate training.

What is the University code for GRE/TOEFL? Iowa State University is 6306.

What does it mean to be a rotation student? 

Rotation students work in three different laboratories during the fall semester before deciding on a major professor and research project. The program will provide your assistantship, tuition, and health insurance during this period of time.   After selecting a laboratory, the faculty member will be responsible for your financial support.

Do you have a student visit weekend? 

We are planning an open house either in person or by Zoom, probably around late January or early February.  If you are one we want to consider for admission, you will meet in person or by Zoom.  

Is the Genetics and Genomics program diverse? 

Yes, the Genetics Graduate Program is committed to recruiting a diverse student body that enriches the educational experience of our students and their ability to work within the larger scientific community, including students from different racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and nationality backgrounds, gender, and sexual orientation.

Iowa State University is a diverse community of people of all genders, ages, cultures, races, religions, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and abilities. Iowa State celebrates and advances diversity by creating a safe place where people can freely express themselves and share their unique talents. Diversity encompasses acceptance and respect by fostering an environment of inclusion that moves beyond simple tolerance to recognizing the richness in people's individual identities.

11/20/2023