Thank you for your interest in graduate study in the Department of Biology and Wildlife at UAF. We offer M.S. degrees in Biology and Wildlife Biology and the Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences. We also offer an M.A.T. degree in Biology. We have an active group of approximately 130 graduate students and we encourage applications from well-prepared candidates.

Thesis research of our graduate students spans the entire spectrum of biology, from molecules to ecosystems, and may be basic or applied (search titles of recent theses and dissertations). Competition for available positions in our graduate program is intense. Before applying, you should review the information outlining the research programs of the Biology and Wildlife faculty to ensure that one or more faculty have research interests that are well matched to your own. We encourage you to read and study recent publications of those faculty and to then contact them directly about possible opportunities for admission to their research programs. Generally, faculty accept new graduate student advisees only if they have funded grants or contracts to support thesis research.

We also strongly encourage you to take the GRE Subject Test in Biology. The GRE Subject Test in Biology is required if you are applying to the Ph.D. program and you do not already hold a M.S. degree in the biological sciences. Be sure to plan ahead; the GRE Subject Tests are available only a few times each year.

If English is not your native language, you must report a minimum TOEFL score of 213 (computer exam) or 550 (paper exam), and we strongly encourage you to submit results for the TSE and TWE (see www.toefl.org).

To apply, complete the Graduate Application Form . Follow the instructions for timely submittal of all supporting materials (official transcripts, resume, statement of academic goals, and letters of recommendation).

If you are an international student, you must also submit a financial support form and a student experience form. You may wish to contact the Office of International Programs for additional information.

Be thorough and timely in completing the application form and in ensuring that all supporting materials have arrived by the application deadline. The department does not receive applications to review until ALL required materials have been received by the Office of Admissions.

The deadline for receipt of completed applications for fall semester is January 15. Graduate Fellowships and Teaching and Research Assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis following review. Occassionally funding opportunities arise after review of the applications and may result in late admission. Ensuring that your application file is complete by January 15 will maximize both the likelihood of acceptance and your opportunities for financial assistance (TA, RA, or fellowship).

Selection of M.S. applicants is based on undergraduate (and post-baccalaureate) GPA, GRE scores (including the Biology Subject Test), letters of recommendation, and, for some positions, suitable field or laboratory experience. In addition to these criteria, Ph.D. applicants are evaluated on their publications, professional presentations, and previous teaching and research experience. Most students applying for admission to our Ph.D. program already have the M.S. degree, but exceptional students with a bachelor's degree sometimes are admitted directly to the Ph.D. program.

Many highly qualified applicants are not accepted into our program. This occurs because a prospective student does not fit into a funded research project of a faculty member. We seldom admit students unless funding to support their thesis research is available. Therefore, please be as specific as possible about your research interests when preparing your statement of research goals. This will determine, in part, which faculty evaluate your application.

For the 9-month academic year, Teaching Assistantship salaries in our department currently (2006-07) range between $15,284 for a beginning Masters student and $17,708 for a Ph.D. student after Advancement to Candidacy. Full-time (20 hours/week) Teaching Assistantships also receive a tuition waiver for up to 10 credits of degree-related coursework each semester. Research Assistantship salaries, administered by the Institute of Arctic Biology, are similar to TA salaries and also include a tuition payment.

Students who have Teaching Assistantships during the academic year and full-time Research Assistantships in the summer currently receive an annual salary between $26,545 (MS students) and $30,756 (Ph.D. students after Advancement to Candidacy).

The UAF Graduate School provides general information on financial assistance available for graduate students. National Science Foundation-funded EPSCoR fellowships and IGERT fellowships support about 15 students in our program.

Additional opportunities for admission to our Ph.D. program are available through a collaborative agreement the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and the Department of Biology at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS). These universities currently do not have Ph.D. programs, but their faculty may advise UAF Ph.D. students. Contact UAA and UAS faculty directly about opportunities through the collaborative Ph.D. program.

Thank you again for your interest in our program. If you have additional questions please feel free to email the department (fybio@uaf.edu) or call the department at (907) 474-7671.