Biomedical Engineering
Graduate Program Application Information

If you are unable to use the on-line application form, please contact:

Rachel J. Boehme
Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Minnesota
7-105 Nils Hasselmo Hall
312 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
Phone: 612-624-8396
Fax: 612-626-6583
Email: bmengp@umn.edu

Thank you for your interest in the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program at the University of Minnesota.  The application deadline for Fall 2010 admission is January 10, 2010, although applications submitted later may be considered. Only under special circumstances are applications considered for spring and summer admission.

Each individual’s application, supporting material, and background information will be considered holistically to determine eligibility for admission.  The Biomedical Engineering Graduate Admissions Committee cannot consider any application that has not been processed by the Graduate School, so please carefully follow the instructions below to ensure that all required materials are submitted correctly.

Prerequisites/Criteria for Admission:

A baccalaureate degree in engineering or in a physical or biological science is required. Successful applicants without an engineering degree are required to complete appropriate coursework (including linear algebra, differential equations, and physics) before being admitted as a candidate for the degree. In most cases, this coursework is not considered part of the degree program. Below are the preferred (not required!) minimum performance levels for GPA/test scores:

• Cumulative GPA: 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a lower GPA will be considered but admission is unlikely.
• GRE Scores: Verbal 500, Quantitative 700, Analytical 650/4.5.
• English Language Assesment Test Scores (required for international applicants): Internet-based TOEFL 79, Paper-based TOEFL 575, IELTS 6.5, MELAB 80. International applicants who have completed 24 quarter credits/16 semester credits (within the past 24 months) in the United States are exempt from this requirement. **See the Graduate School website (opens new window/tab) for more information about the English Language Assessment requirements, score reports, etc.

Application Instructions: (Materials do not need to be submitted or received in any particular order. It is no problem if we receive your letters of recommendation prior to your Graduate School application, for example. We will start a file for you as soon as we receive your first materials.)

Submit the following materials ONLINE

• Graduate School Application via ApplyYourself (opens new window/tab) - When completing your Graduate School Application, please make note of the following items:
  • There is an Application Fee of $75 for US applicants/permanent residents, and $95 for foreign applicants.
  • Your application cannot be submitted to the Graduate School for processing until the application fee has been paid online with a credit card. Do NOT send payment in the mail! The fee cannot be waived or deferred, and it is not refundable.
  • To ensure that your application is properly processed, please give your family/surname first and your given name last--be sure to give your full name, not just initials.
  • BOTH applicant statements are required (1. Career Objectives; 2. Diversity Statement). Instructions are included in the application.
  • Within the online application system, you have the option of attaching any supplemental materials that you think would assist the Admissions Committee in evaluating your suitability for our program (Resume, CV, Description of Research/Work Experience, etc.). Note that these materials are optional, not required.
• Letters of Recommendation via ApplyYourself (opens new window/tab) - You must submit THREE TOTAL letters of recommendation in order for your application to be considered complete. You have the option of submitting any or all of these letters online, directly to our department.
  • Log into your ApplyYourself account and open your application. Click on "Recommendations" in the menu on the left, and follow the instructions provided.
  • We do prefer that you have all three recommendations submitted online, but if you or any of your recommenders would rather send a letter in the mail, see the instructions below (under "Submit the following materials to the BME Department").
  • You may use any combination of online and/or mail submissions (i.e., all three online; or two online and one in the mail; etc.), as long as we receive letters from at least three recommenders. Please do NOT submit the same letter online AND in the mail!
• BME Departmental Questionnaire - This is a very short, supplemental questionnaire that provides the department with critical information which is not included on the Graduate School Application. The questionnaire is required for ALL applicants.

Submit the following materials to the Graduate School at

Graduate School
University of Minnesota
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA

• Transcripts - The Graduate School requires official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities that you have attended. If your official transcript is not in English, an official English translation must be provided in addition to the original language version. For more information on the Graduate School's transcript submission requirements, please click here (opens new window/tab).
• English Language Assessment Scores: TOEFL/IELTS/MELAB (required for international applicants only) - An official report of the TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB scores should be sent to the Graduate School directly from the testing service (Institutional Code: 6874. For TOEFL iBT only, enter 99 for the Departmental Code; for other tests you may leave it blank). Please note that test scores may not be available for 4-6 weeks after you take the test, so plan accordingly. All English Language Assessment scores are valid for up to two years. For more information on this requirement, click here (opens new window/tab).

Submit the following materials to the BME Department at

Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program
University of Minnesota
7-105 Nils Hasselmo Hall
312 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA

• Unofficial Transcripts and English Language Assessment Test Scores - We ask that you mail unofficial copies/photocopies of all your transcripts and English Language Assessment score reports directly to the BME Department in addition to submitting the official versions to the Graduate School (see above). Failure to submit these materials may significantly delay the BME Admissions Committee's review of your application and the posting of your final application decision!
• GRE Scores - We prefer that you have ETS send your official score report directly to the BME Department (Institutional Code: 6874; Departmental Code: 1603). However, you may instead mail the official report (or a copy of it) to the department at the address above, along with your unofficial transcripts and English test scores.
• Letters of Recommendation - You must submit THREE TOTAL letters of recommendation in order for your application to be considered complete. Although we prefer that your letters be submitted online (see above), you may instead choose to have some/all of your recommendations sent to us in the mail. Recommenders who will mail their letters should use institutional letterhead and attach this coversheet (pdf, 12KB). Letters should be sent to the department in sealed envelopes with the recommender's signature on the flap. Please do NOT submit the same letter in the mail AND online!

Financial Support

All full-time Ph.D. and Plan A/thesis M.S. applicants are automatically considered for financial aid. There is no need to fill out a special financial aid application for this program. Typically no financial support is offered to part-time students or full-time students pursuing a Plan B/non-thesis M.S.

Still have questions?

Please visit our frequently asked questions page. If you have still not found the information you are looking for after reading through this website, please feel free to contact the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program Coordinator at bmengp@umn.edu or 612-624-8396. And thank you again for your interest in our program!