Biomedical Engineering
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Questions and Answers about the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program

Questions

    Grade Point Average (GPA)

  1. What is the GPA (Grade Point Average) requirement to get into Graduate School and the BME graduate degree program at the UW-Madison?

  2. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

  3. What is the GRE or MCAT requirement for the Biomedical Engineering Department?

  4. Is either the GRE or MCAT acceptable?

  5. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

  6. What is the TOEFL requirement?

  7. Who is required to take the TOEFL?

  8. Deadlines and Due Dates

  9. What are the deadlines to be considered for financial support?

  10. What is the application deadline for Fall semester?

  11. What is the application deadline for Spring Semester?

  12. What is the application deadline for Summer semester?

  13. Application for Admission

  14. How do I apply to the Biomedical Engineering Department?
  15. What if my undergraduate degree is in a bioscience field?
  16. What should the statement of purpose (reasons for graduate school) include?

  17. What items need to be included in my application packet to the Biomedical Engineering Department?

  18. What items do I need to send to the Graduate School?

  19. If I apply to more than one department, do I have to send an application packet to each department?

  20. If I apply for one semester, but want to reapply for another, how do I do that?

  21. What do you mean by official transcripts?

  22. How do the recommendation letters need to be sent?

  23. Do I have to pay any tuition and fees?

  24. How much is the application fee, how do I pay it, and where do I send it?

  25. Can I get the application fee waived?

  26. What are the international student expenses?

  27. Graduate Degrees in Biomedical Engineering

  28. What graduate degrees are offered in Biomedical Engineering?

  29. About how long will it take me to obtain an MS degree in Biomedical Engineering?

  30. About how long will it take me to obtain a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering?

  31. How are applications reviewed?

  32. How many students are admitted each semester, and what are my chances of being admitted?

  33. Do all admitted students obtain funding?

  34. Admission with or without funding — what does this mean?

  35. How will I know if my application is complete?

  36. How will I know when a decision has been made on my application?

  37. BME Employment Information

  38. Where are some of the most recent alumni from Biomedical Engineering employed?

Answers

  1. What is the GPA requirement to get into Graduate School at the UW-Madison?

    Please visit the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

    Typically, graduate students admitted into BME have GPAs greater than 3.5.

  2. What is the GRE or MCAT requirement for the Biomedical Engineering Department?

    Either a GRE or MCAT score is required. However, there is no specific score minimum requirements. Typically our students perform well on these exams, particularly on quantitative and analytical portions. The GRE score for the quantitative portion of the exam is usually in the 90%tile. Other scores are in the higher range also. These scores are just one factor in the application review process.

  3. Is either the GRE or MCAT acceptable?

    Yes, either the GRE or MCAT is accepted by the Biomedical Engineering Department. Please have ETS send your GRE score to the Graduate School at the UW-Madison. Please give ETS the institution code of 1846 to transmit the score. You do not need to indicate a department code. If you send us a photocopy of your GRE score, ETS still must send the official score to the Graduate School.

  4. What is the TOEFL requirement?
  5. The BME department expects international students to have a TOEFL score of 625 or better to be considered for admission to the graduate program. Students scoring less than 600 are discouraged from applying.

  6. Who is required to take the TOEFL?

    Applicants whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score, or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Please have ETS send your TOEFL score to the UW Madison Graduate School, Institution code 1846. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. If it has been more than two years since the test taker last took TOEFL, the test must be taken again to have the scores reported.

  7. What are the deadlines to be considered for financial support?

    The Biomedical Engineering Department accepts applications for Fall admission until December 31st although we highly recommend you apply as early as possible.

    UW FELLOWSHIP: To be considered for a UW Graduate School Fellowship or other institutional fellowships, PhD applications (MS not eligible) application must be completed by December 31st.

    BME FELLOWSHIPS: To be considered for a BME department Fellowship, PhD applications (MS not eligible) applications must be completed by December 31st.

    RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS: Research Assistantships are available from individual faculty based on their research funding and needs and can be awarded any time after applications for BME admission are accepted.

  8. What is the application deadline for Fall semester?

    December 31st is the latest you can apply for the Fall semester, although we highly recommend you apply as early as possible. Available space is limited. The later you apply, the lower your chances are for admission and to obtain funding.

  9. What is the application deadline for Spring Semester?

    The complete set of application materials must be received by the Biomedical Engineering Department no later than October 1st.

  10. What is the application deadline for Summer semester?

    The complete set of application materials must be received by the Biomedical Engineering Department no later than February 1st.

  11. How do I apply to the Biomedical Engineering Department?

    Apply online at Graduate School Application Form.

  12. What if my undergraduate degree is in a bioscience field?

    Bioscience majors have been successful in our program as long as they are strong in math and physical science. Some additional undergraduate course work may be required after enrolling in the BME graduate program.

  13. What should the statement of purpose (reasons for graduate school) include?

    Technical areas of interest, coursework emphasis, research experience, professional goals, and any other items unique or relevant to your qualifications for graduate school. See the sample outline at http://www.grad.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/purpose.html

  14. What items need to be included in my application packet to the Biomedical Engineering Program?

    Mail the complete packet to:

    Department of Biomedical Engineering
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
    3182 Mechanical Engineering Building
    1513 University Avenue
    Madison, WI 53706
    Tel: 608/890-2282
    Fax: 608/890-2204
    Email: bme@engr.wisc.edu

  15. What items do I need to send to the Grad School?

    Please visit Graduate School Checklist.

  16. If I apply to more than one department, do I have to send an application packet to each department?

    Yes. Send a separate complete packet of application materials to each department or program you are applying to. NOTE: We will not copy an application packet for you and send it to another department or program.

  17. If I apply for one semester, but want to reapply for another, how do I do that?

    Applicants changing to an adjacent term will not be required to complete a new application. Only applicants applying to a non-adjacent session will have to submit a new application and pay a new fee.

  18. What do you mean by official transcripts?

    Official transcripts or academic records from each institution attended. *International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature.

  19. How do the recommendation letters need to be sent?

    Please follow the instructions on the Graduate School website.

  20. Do I have to pay any tuition and fees?

    Not if you are eligible for “Tuition Remission.” Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Program/Project Assistants must have a minimum of a 1/3 time position in order to be eligible for tuition remission. The tuition remission does not include segregated fees, which will be your responsibility each term. For further information on Graduate School tuition, fees, and stipends, please go to: http://registrar.wisc.edu/students/fees_tuition/.

  21. How much is the application fee, how do I pay it, and where do I send it?

    Please visit the Graduate School Checklist.

  22. Can I get the application fee waived?

    No, it cannot be waived.

  23. What are the international student expenses?

    Please visit Graduate School Financial Information.

  24. What degrees are offered in Biomedical Engineering?

  25. About how long will it take me to obtain an MS degree in Biomedical Engineering?

    Approximately 2 years.

  26. About how long will it take me to obtain a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering?

    Coming in with an MS degree, approximately 3.5 years.

    Coming in without an MS degree, approximately 5 years.

  27. How are applications reviewed?

    The Biomedical Engineering Department has an admissions committee comprised of faculty who review all graduate applications submitted.

  28. How many students are admitted each semester and what are my chances of being admitted?

    Although we accept applications for Fall, Spring, and Summer, the majority of our applicants begin in the Fall of each year. Admission into the Biomedical Engineering Department is very competitive, and the number we accept varies on a year-to-year basis, largely dependent on how many faculty are looking for students and/or how many faculty have money to fund new graduate students.

  29. Do all admitted students obtain funding?

    It is our experience that practically all doctoral students in the BME department obtain funding, but there are no guarantees. A limited number receive fellowships. Research Assistantships are available from individual faculty based on their research funding and awarded when grants are funded and after applications for BME admission are accepted. Sometimes there are Project Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, and Traineeships also available. A few students enrolled in MS coursework program are self funded.

  30. Admission with or without funding — what does this mean?

    1. Admitted with funding:
      We have a limited number of University or Departmental fellowships to offer each year. In addition, there are Research Assistantships that are offered to grad applicants from individual faculty members. Teaching Assistantships are possible through specific departments with more opportunity in lower level courses, such as Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics. Often, funding matches with specific faculty occur during the Visit Wisconsin Weekend in the spring.
    2. Admitted without funding:
      If you are admitted without funding, please know that you will be considered by BME faculty for potential support. You are also encouraged to contact faculty in BME whose research is of particular interest. Our list is at http://www.engr.wisc.edu/bme/faculty/. Please wait to hear from us about your admission without aid before contacting faculty for support.

  31. How will I know if my application is complete?

    Due to the volume of applications, we will not contact you when we receive your application materials. When we process your individual application materials, we will notify you if there is anything missing.

  32. How will I know when a decision has been made on my application?

    We will either inform you of the decision the admissions committee makes on your application via e-mail, or we will send you a letter in the mail.

  33. BME Employment Information

  34. Where are some of the most recent alumni from Biomedical Engineering employed?


    Accenture
    Allegiance/Cardinal Health
    American Medical Systems
    Duke University
    Edgewood College
    Epic Systems
    Exponent
    GE
    Genentech, Inc
    Gore & Associates
    Invivo Corporation
    Liberty Mutual
    Medical University of South Carolina
    Medtronic
    Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP
    Microsoft
    Renovar
    St. Jude Medical, Inc
    Shumaker & Sieffert
    Smith & Nephew
    Synergetics
    Thermo Nicolet
    Thomson West
    Tucker Davis Technologies
    United States patent and Trademark Office
    University of Wisconsin
    Valley Lab

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Copyright 2009 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Date last modified: 09-Oct-2007
Date created: 08-Mar-2007
Content by: bme@engr.wisc.edu
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