Biological Research schools
We track 16 programs awarding the PhD / MS. Grad school in the biosciences works differently: there is no centralized application, the GRE is mostly dropped, and you choose programs by FACULTY / LAB FIT rather than an accredited list. Three research-based letters carry heavy weight — line those up early.
3.60
Median cumulative GPA
0.30 above the national median
None
Admissions test
No admissions test required
Not published
Median tuition, private programs
Not published
Median class size
National comparisons use the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
Grad school in the biosciences works differently: there is no centralized application, the GRE is mostly dropped, and you choose programs by FACULTY / LAB FIT rather than an accredited list. Three research-based letters carry heavy weight — line those up early.
What this path asks for
Admissions test
GRE — mostly dropped in the life sciences; rarely required. Focus on research, not a test.
Where you apply
None (apply to each university) — Each program has its own graduate-school portal and deadline.
Accreditation
Regional university accreditation · Hundreds of research universities — pick by lab, not a list
Letters of recommendation
Three letters, ideally from research mentors / PIs who can speak to your lab work.
Prerequisite coursework
No biological research program in our database publishes a structured prerequisite list. These are the courses the path generally expects.
- A relevant major (biology/biochem/related)
- Strong upper-division science coursework
- Hands-on research experience (the single biggest factor)
Biological Research schools by state
All 16 biological research programs
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.50
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.50
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.70
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.70
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Stanford University
Stanford, California · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.50
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.50
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.40
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.50
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin · Public
- Avg GPA
- 3.50
- In-state tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut · Private
- Avg GPA
- 3.60
- Tuition
- —
- Class size
- —
Keep reading
Read the admissions blog for guidance that applies across every pre-health path.