Tips for Applying to Biology & Wildlife Graduate Programs

The first thing to know about applying to the graduate program in Biological Sciences or Wildlife Biology and Conservation is that students are rarely accepted unless an advisor has been identified in advance. Thesis research generally requires some external funding, so both an advisor and a tentative funding plan must be in place before a student will be accepted. Potential applicants should look at the Biology and Wildlife Department faculty directory to identify faculty with whom they share interests, then contact one or more of those people by email. Tell them about your interests and background, and ask if they are interested in taking on a new student. Consider including your resume and an unofficial transcript so faculty can assess your academic preparation and work history. We urge applicants to contact faculty members early; it can take some time to sort out potential research projects and funding sources.

Explore funding opportunities.

In order to be reviewed, an application should contain the following:

• Application for admission and application fee
  • Once you submit your application, you will be prompted to upload your materials (such as your resume, goals statement, and unofficial transcripts) to the application portal. Your letter writers will also be sent emails directing them to upload their letters of recommendation to the portal. These materials cannot be uploaded until after your application has been submitted. 
• Transcripts from all universities or colleges attended.
  • Unofficial transcripts from domestic institutions may be uploaded to the portal once your application is submitted; official transcripts from domestic institutions must follow prior to matriculation.
  • All applicants must request official transcripts from any international institutions at the time of application. An application to our department is not complete until all official international transcripts have been translated and evaluated by a service like WES/SpanTran. See this admissions page to order the evaluation at a discount (under the "Step 1: Apply for admission" section > "UAF SpanTran Evaluation Request Form" link.)
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of goals (typically around 2 pages), addressing the following elements:
  
  • Career aspirations
  • Research interests
  • Research experience and relevant training
  • Interest in and potential to serve society
  • Relevance of UAF Biology and Wildlife in achieving your future goals, including the names of faculty members you have contacted regarding graduate training

Excellent goal statements are specific, informative, focused, and concise. 

• Three letters of reference
  • Individuals serving as references should be able to address your potential to succeed in graduate school. Ideally, this would include university faculty, research staff, or professionals familiar with your academic and research achievements and also with the expectations of graduate school. References that address notable service (e.g., Peace Corps or AmeriCorps) may also be informative.
  • Referees should address your writing ability, critical thinking skills, quantitative skills, and potential to succeed in a graduate program.

• Optional: scores from the GRE General Test will be considered if submitted

International students:

• Please consult UAF’s most recent requirements.
• You can confirm whether or not you will need to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score by checking the list of exempt countries on this catalog page, under the English Proficiency Requirements section.
• In the requirements linked above, note the UAF requirement for official transcripts evaluated with a comprehensive course-by-course credential report. This takes time, so international applicants should start the process early in order to successfully meet UAF's application deadline.