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Ph. D. Admissions

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements for admission to the University of Kentucky Graduate School and the Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences:

  1. An M.S. Degree with a GPA of 3.2 or above on a 4.0 scale, or a B.S. Degree with a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
  2. An average GRE score on the verbal, quantitative and analytical sections that is greater than the 50th percentile.
  3. For international applicants, a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL (maximum 667) and a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based TOEFL (maximum 300); all applicants must demonstrate proficiency in verbal and written English.

Admissions Process

Applicants for the Ph.D. program are required to:

  1. Apply for admission to the Graduate School by completing the Application Form
  2. Apply for admission to the Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences by sending hardcopy versions of the following documents to the Director of Graduate Studies:
    1. A brief essay, no longer than two single-spaced pages, describing long-term career goals and how the Ph.D. Program in Nutritional Sciences would advance these goals.
    2. Three letters of recommendation.
    3. Curriculum vitae.
    4. A completed Research Assistantship Application Form

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines for Graduate School admission:

  • Domestic
    • 30 days before the beginning of each semester
  • International
    • February 1 for Fall admission
    • June 15 for Spring admission
    • October 31 for Summer admission

Application deadlines for the Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences:

  • March 15 for Fall admission
  • October 1 for Spring admission

Research Assistantships and Laboratory Rotations

  • Ph.D. applicants are required to apply for a Research Assistantship, which represents an integral part of the Ph.D. program.
  • Applicants accepted into the Ph.D. program also may apply to participate in a Laboratory Rotation Program. This program enables students to work four to six months in as many as three laboratories before selecting their Advisor. Applicants are accepted on a first come, first served basis.

For further information, contact the Director of Graduate Studies spost@uky.edu