Applying to a HILS Program for Fall 2013 Enrollment

(updated November 5, 2012)

To apply to a Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (HILS) program, students complete and return the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) admissions application. HILS students are admitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard, and register in one of the 12 life sciences PhD study areas that are members of the HILS federation.

 

Summary HILS Admission Data

Here's what the most recent (Fall 2012) HILS entering class looks like:

  • Number of applicants to HILS programs and subject areas: 2,385
  • Percentage of HILS applicants offered admission by Harvard: 16%
  • Number of entering HILS students: 230
  • Percentage of entering female students: 43%
  • Percentage of entering international students: 29%
  • Percentage of entering U.S. minority students: 7%


Application, Deadline, and Fee Information

Applications and supporting documentation for the 12 HILS PhD member programs must be received by GSAS by December 3, 2012, at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time along with a $105.00 application fee. The 12 HILS member programs and subject areas are:

 
* Applications to the Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, Neuroscience, and Virology subject areas are received and processed by GSAS; admissions decision-making for these disciplines is managed by the Division of Medical Sciences (DMS), an administrative unit based at the Harvard Medical School that coordinates biomedical PhD admissions and academic activities at the Longwood Medical Area. All DMS subject areas appear under the "Medical Sciences (Division of)" heading on the GSAS admission application's Program Selection page. 

 

Two New Study Areas: Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (BIG) and Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology (SHBT)

NOTE: There are two new interdepartmental subject offerings within the Division of Medical Sciences — Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (BIG) and the Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology (SHBT) — that are admitting PhD students for Fall 2013 enrollment.

Admission applications to BIG and SHBT are accessible via the HILS application website and share the December 3, 2012 deadline; they will be received and processed by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and admissions decision-making will be managed by the Division of Medical Sciences.  BIG and SHBT can be found as Subject choices under the "Medical Sciences (Division of)" heading on the GSAS admission application's Program Selection page. 

Detailed descriptions of both of these study areas can be found as follows:

Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics  (BIG)

The Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology (SHBT) - GSAS Information  and HMS Information

 

HILS Application Overview

Ordinarily, students apply to one HILS program, and we strongly recommend this targeted approach. While each program’s admission committee makes its admissions decisions independently, the committees also consider each candidate’s suitability in adjacent HILS programs as part of their evaluation process, and will transfer files accordingly. You will be notified by the GSAS Admission Office if this occurs.

For candidates who nonetheless wish to formally apply to more than one program, HILS will accommodate the submission up to three applications to its member programs under a single $105.00 application fee. Note that the HILS application fee must be paid by credit card. Each application must be unique, containing a separate Statement of Purpose for each program applied to as well as separate copies of transcripts, recommendations, and test scores. 

Life sciences students wishing to apply to the Molecules, Cells and Organisms (MCO) training program should do so via the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology (Biology: Molecular and Cellular), which serves as the MCO admission portal.

Students wishing to apply to the Engineering and Physical Biology (EPB) training program may do so via the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, the Department of Physics or the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).

Note that for application purposes, the subject areas within the Division of Medical Sciences — Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics , Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, Neuroscience, Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, and Virology — are considered to be one department. Applicants are thus limited to submitting one application to one DMS subject area, which will be considered—and counted—as one department choice by HILS and GSAS.

Online submission of the application for admission is required.

 

Applying to One HILS Program

The first step for online candidates is to establish an online account and log in. Once you’ve done this, you will be prompted to select your HILS subject area from a droplist at the "Program Selection" screen. After saving your choice, follow the instructions on the subsequent online pages to complete your application.


Applying to a DMS Subject Area Within HILS

Applications to the Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics , Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, Neuroscience, Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, and Virology subject areas are received and processed by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS); admissions decisions for these disciplines are managed by the Division of Medical Sciences (DMS), an administrative unit based at the Harvard Medical School which coordinates biomedical PhD admissions and academic activities for these programs at the Longwood Medical Area. Prospective HILS students wishing to receive their PhD degree in a DMS subject area must complete the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences application and submit it to GSAS.

As noted above, for application purpose, the subject areas within the Division of Medical Sciences (DMS)-- Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics , Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, Neuroscience, Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, and Virology --are considered to be one department.  Applicants may thus submit just one application to one DMS subject area. 

NOTE: Applicants to BBS, BIG, Immunology, Neuroscience or Virology should NOT complete the Abstract of Courses section of the online application.  Applicants to SHBT MUST complete the Abstract of Courses section.

 

Applying to the DMS Subject Areas of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, Neuroscience, and Virology Within HILS

Once you’ve established an online account and logged in, you will be prompted to select "Medical Sciences (Division of)” from the droplist at the Program Selection screen.  Then pick the DMS subject area of your choice. 

Applicants wishing to do research in the DMS subject areas of Biochemistry and Proteomics, Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Computational Biology, Developmental Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Human Biology, Immunobiology, Microbial Biology and Pathogenesis, Molecular Biology, Molecular Neuroscience, Physiology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Structural Biology, Therapeutics, Targets and Discovery should apply through the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) Program.  Applicants wishing to do research in Immunology, Neuroscience, or Virology should apply directly to the relevant DMS program.

Thus, on the online application form, DMS applicants will be asked via the "Subjects” dropdown list on the Program Selection page to select one of the four primary DMS subject areas (e.g., either Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), Immunology, Neuroscience, or Virology). DMS candidates should then follow the application instructions in the subsequent sections and pages of the online system to complete their applications.

Applicants to the Division of Medical Sciences should NOT complete the Abstract of Courses section of the online application.

Note that if you are a BBS applicant, you will be asked on the "DMS Areas of Interest" page of the GSAS online application form to choose up to 3 research interests within the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) Program and rank them 1,2,3 in order of interest (this list consists of: Biochemistry & Proteomics; Cell & Molecular Biology; Computational Biology; Developmental Biology; Genetics & Genomics; Human Biology & Disease; Microbial Biology & Pathogenesis; Physiology; Pharmacology; Structural Biology; Immunobiology; and Molecular Neuroscience).  Your responses have no impact on admissions and do not constitute a commitment on your part to participate in a particular BBS subject area; the answers you submit will simply be used by the BBS Program as a guide in assigning you a mentor if you’re accepted.

 

Applying to the Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology (SHBT) DMS Subject Area

The SHBT admission application is accessible via the HILS application website; the program’s application deadline is December 3, 2012. 

Once you’ve established an online account and logged in, you should select "Medical Sciences (Division of)” from the droplist at the Program Selection screen and then choose "Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology" as your subject choice. SHBT candidates should then follow the DMS application instructions in the subsequent sections and pages of the online system to complete their applications. 

A reminder: SHBT applicants MUST complete the Abstract of Courses section of the online application form.

 

Applying to the Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (BIG) DMS Subject Area

The BIG admission application is accessible via the HILS application website; the program’s application deadline is December 3, 2012. 

Once you’ve established an online account and logged in, you you should select "Medical Sciences (Division of)” from the droplist at the Program Selection screen and then choose "Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics" as your subject choice. 

Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics students will be joint members of BIG and a 'home program' they select during the application process from one of the of the four primary DMS subject areas (e.g., BBS, Immunology, Neuroscience, or Virology).  This BIG home program selection list will appear on your application screen as:

    • Bioinformatics & Integrative Genomics-BBS
    • Bioinformatics & Integrative Genomics-Immunology
    • Bioinformatics & Integrative Genomics-Neuroscience
    • Bioinformatics & Integrative Genomics-Virology

Once you've selected one of the BIG home program affiliations above, you should then follow the DMS application instructions in the subsequent sections and pages of the online system to complete your application. 


DMS Contact Information

Please be sure to check the DMS website as well as Important Information on the Application Process before contacting DMS.

If you still have DMS admission-related inquiries, contact:

Division of Medical Sciences
Student Affairs
260 Longwood Ave
TMEC Bldg. Room 435
Boston, MA 02115
Telephone: (617) 432-0162
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DMS Website

 

Applying to Multiple HILS Programs

HILS will accommodate the submission up to three applications to its member programs under a single $105.00 application fee (a reminder--this fee must be paid by credit card).  All online candidates submitting multiple applications should follow the instructions on the online system. Each application must be unique, containing a separate Statement of Purpose for each program applied to as well as separate copies of transcripts, recommendations, and test scores. 

If you apply to two or three HILS member programs (including one of the subject areas within DMS), you will be prompted to select your first HILS department from the droplist at the Program Selection screen. After making your program choice, follow the instructions on the subsequent online pages to complete and submit your first application.

After you have submitted your first application, you may begin work on your second (or third) application by selecting your second (or third) HILS department from the droplist at the Program Selection screen. At this time, please email Christine Sumner at the GSAS Admission Office ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) and inform her of your plan to apply to multiple HILS programs. Be sure to put “HILS Multiple Applicant” in the subject line of your email message, and indicate which additional HILS program(s) you are applying to. Christine will then activate the application system’s multiple application protocol and send you an email reply confirming your next steps. Please don't submit your second (or third) application(s) until you've received an email reply from Christine! Note that this activation process may take a few hours; we accordingly urge you to submit your multiple applications well before the December 3 application deadline!

 

PLEASE NOTE: It is Graduate School policy that an individual may submit no more than three applications during the course of his or her academic career. This policy applies to multiple HILS applications --including those to DMS departments--whether or not they are submitted under a single admission fee. If you apply to two HILS PhD programs this admission cycle, for instance, you will be able to apply to just one Harvard PhD program in the future. If you apply to three HILS PhD programs this admission cycle, you will be unable to apply to any other Harvard PhD programs in the future.

 

Completed Applications

Each application is complete when the following materials are submitted:

  • Completed Online Application Form
  • Application Fee
  • GRE General Test Score Report
  • TOEFL (if required)
  • 2 or 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Transcripts
  • Statement of Purpose