Academics / Graduate Study / Biomedical Engineering (PhD)Admissions
The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers only fall admissions for PhD candidates. To learn more about the admissions process for the PhD program please see the list of frequently asked questions below.
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Application Requirements
Applications for admission are submitted online through the Graduate School website.
The deadline for the submission of PhD applications is December 1, 2025, 11:59PM Central Time for the Fall 2026 term.
Applications will not be reviewed until all required supplementary information is received and the application fee is paid to the graduate school.
PLEASE NOTE - GRE scores are not required and will not be accepted.
The following are required application materials:
1. Transcript(s): Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts to their application. It is not required to provide any conversions; you may leave the GPA in your institution’s standard scale.
Only if the applicant is admitted and decides to enroll will the student then need to submit one copy of an official transcript from every higher education institution attended. Paper transcripts are accepted by The Graduate School.
PLEASE NOTE - The Graduate School minimum GPA for applicants is 3.0. The BME department follows this requirement. Applications with a GPA below 3.0 will not be reviewed.
2. Letters of Recommendation: A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required, but three are preferred. All letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically by your recommenders via ApplyWeb through the email address you provide on the application.
If the individual writing your letter of recommendation does not have access to submit electronically, contact the department office.
PLEASE NOTE - Applications with less than two letters of recommendation will not be reviewed.
3. Academic Statement: All applications must submit an Academic Statement that answers the following questions (the length of this statement should range from 500 to 1,000 words maximum):
- What are your academic interests, and why do you wish to pursue graduate studies in this specific program?
- How has your academic and professional background prepared you for graduate study? (Please include any research, training, or educational experiences that align with the program you are applying to.)
- Why is the Northwestern graduate program to which you are applying the best place for you to pursue your academic, intellectual, and professional goals?
- Please make sure to address any scholarly questions you wish to explore in the program and name any specific faculty members in this program whose research interests align with your own.
4. Personal Statement: Write a statement that includes any relevant information on one of more of the following topics (the length of this statement should range from 125 to 250 words maximum). Please note: the Personal Statement should not duplicate the Academic Statement.
- Pivotal experiences, opportunities, and/or challenges that have influenced your educational and professional development.
- Leadership experiences, community outreach, service initiatives, or research projects you have participated in or plan to pursue that aim to positively impact others or the broader community.
- Anything you would like to share with the admissions committee that you have yet to discuss in other areas of the application can be address here. This may include any gaps in your academic and professional experience, or additional context if you believe your academic record does not demonstrate your true capabilities. If needed, you may also use this space to expand upon the topics discussed in the above essays.
5. English-Language Requirements: For international students, we require one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 90 or better. Northwestern University's school code for TOEFL is 1565
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 or better
- Michigan English Test (MET) score of 61 or better
- An undergraduate degree or graduate degree from an accredited institution where the language of instruction is English
PLEASE NOTE – Test scores must be within two years of your intended quarter of entry (e.g., if you plan to start your program in Fall 2026, you must submit scores from a test taken after September 2024). Applications with scores older than two years will not be reviewed.
6. Resume/CV: Focus on education and relevant work experience including jobs, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships, publications, and award Please give descriptions of the awards that you received.
7. Lab/PI Statement: The application asks for specific faculty you are interested in studying with as as advisor. Faculty review applications in their respective areas. Every applicant should carefully examine every faculty member's research interests. Under the Supplemental Documents section, please answer the following question: In a few sentences, describe which BME faculty you are interested in working with and explain why.
8. Writing Samples (optional): Applicants may provide abstracts from their papers or articles as a way of broadening the scope of their applications.
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FAQs
I do not have a degree in biomedical engineering. Am I eligible to apply for admission to the BME MS program?
Students with undergraduate or graduate degrees in other engineering fields or the quantitative sciences may apply for admission and have been admitted. Students are likely to be successful in the program if they have a basic understanding of biological sciences, coding, physics, and engineering experience. At a minimum, students should also have a background in calculus (single, multi-variable), linear algebra, differential equations, and statistics, specifically linear regression and hypothesis testing (t-test and ANOVA). and vector calculus).
Before I apply, can I have somebody in the BME department review my qualifications and tell me if I have a chance of being admitted?
Due to the high volume of emails we receive, we cannot honor these requests. Emails sent to the BME department requesting a pre-application analysis of admission chances will not be acknowledged.
What factors are taken into consideration, and when are admission decisions made?
Past academic performance, work experience, research experience, letters of recommendation,, your academic statement, personal statement, and explanation of which faculty you are interested in working with and why will be considered. Admission decisions are made after review of applications by a committee of BME faculty, after which final approval of admission recommendations is granted by the Graduate School. Generally, most decisions are made by mid-March for Fall admission.
Can you waive the application fee?
The BME Department does not issue fee waivers through our office. This is done entirely through The Graduate School, if the applicant is eligible. The Graduate School is unable to offer fee waivers to international applicants at this time.
Do I need to secure a faculty mentor before I apply?
No, you are not required to have a mentor when you apply. The first two quarters of the program allow students to do rotations to find an advisor. But it is helpful to be in contact with faculty you are interested in, so they can advocate for your application.
I originally applied to the BME PhD program, but I have changed my mind and would like to be considered for the MS program. Can I automatically be considered for the MS program without reapplying?
In the online ApplyWeb application, applicants can only apply to one program per year. Applicants CAN select if they would like to be considered for the MS program if they are not admitted to the PhD program. You cannot submit a separate application to the MS program after being denied from the PhD program.
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Admission FAQs for Current NU Students
As a current MS student, how do I apply to the PhD program in BME at northwestern?
Please note that transitions from the MS program to the PhD program are very rare. Admission to the MS program does not guarantee admission to the PhD program. The application for transfer is only open to students on the MS Thesis degree path, and only students in their second year of study will be considered. Interest students must have a MS GPA greater than 3.0 to be considered. In addition to the other required materials, please also submit the following by the application deadline:
- 2-3 new recommendation letters: these should not be the same letters that you submitted with your MS application; one letter should be from the faculty member who will serve as your advisor
- Letter of Support: include a letter of support from your advisor with commitment of funding during for your PhD career because MS transfer students are not eligible for school fellowships
Please conduct your MS thesis committee update by February 15th of the second year to evaluate research process.
As a current BS/MS student, how do I apply to the PhD program in BME at northwestern?
BS/MS students are considered coming out of their undergraduate careers and are eligible for school fellowships. Your application will be reviewed and treated like any other outside applicant. Completing your undergraduate studies at Northwestern does not guarantee admission.
Financial Aid and Funding
What kind of financial aid is available and how do I apply for it?
All admitted PhD students are supported by University/school fellowships, external fellowships, research assistantships, or teaching assistantships. External applications filed by the deadline are automatically considered for school and university-based fellowships. Exceptional students are encouraged to apply for external fellowships during the application process. The National Science Foundation , the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, as well as several nonprofit organizations offer fellowships appropriate for graduate study in biomedical engineering. Many of these programs have application deadlines in the fall and winter for enrollment in a graduate program the following fall. More information on external fellowships for graduate study can be found on the Graduate School website.
Northwestern University does not make decisions related to admissions, including but not limited to financial aid and scholarships, based upon any category protected by the law. The University is committed to complying with all applicable laws. The University believes different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds are critical to building a dynamic student body, and as such encourages all qualified applicants to apply.