International Candidates

The Vanderbilt Biomedical Graduate Programs have a strong and lengthy history of recruiting outstanding candidates from the international community. We continue to encourage and warmly welcome applications from international students.

Funding

As with all accepted candidates, international students will receive full first year tuition coverage, health and dental insurance, a yearly eye exam, a stipend of $40,000 for 2026-27, and an additional $2000 at the start of the graduate program to aid in moving costs. First year funding is guaranteed as long as the student is making good progress through the program. After completion of the first year and entry into one of our 11+ graduate programs, the second year of funding for international students is through the BRET office. We continue to fund our international students through their second year, and after that the PI may fund their international student through a combination of institutional support, grants, and teaching assistant opportunities.

Support for International Students

All of our trainees receive strong support and have access to numerous resources through the Office of Biomedical Research Education & Training and the Graduate Program staff. Graduate student resources can be found here; of special interest to international students are the Campus Communities and International Student sections. Additionally, to address the unique requirements for international students studying in the US, the Biomedical Graduate Program staff works closely with the Vanderbilt International Student & Scholar Services in order to support a smooth transition to Vanderbilt and the States, and throughout our trainees’ graduate careers.

FAQs for International Candidates

How many spots are open in biomedical umbrella programs for international students?

We are excited to continue our tradition of accepting international candidates. Approximately 11% of the past incoming classes of IGP and QCB combined have been international students.
How many international applicants do you have each year?

Recently, around a third of our applications have been contributed from international candidates to our umbrella graduate programs.
Do I need a Masters degree to apply?

No, you do not need a Masters degree to apply to our programs. You need to have completed a Bachelors degree by the start of the program.
Do your programs provide any Career Development services for international students?

Yes! We prepare students for any career trajectory which interests them. Please check the resources available though our Aspire Aspire Office of Career Development!
Do I need to find a faculty member to work with before applying?

No, you do not need a faculty sponsor to apply to our program. All students rotate through 4 labs before joining what will be their research thesis lab.
What is the application fee?

Our application fee is $95. Information on application fees and fee waivers can be found here: Online Application. At this point, need-based fee waivers are only available for US citizens and permanent residents.
If an international applicant has done research that was funded by a United States funding agency, that applicant would qualify for the research waiver, which is found on the Application Fees and Waiver page of our application; that waiver is independent of citizenship.
Can I have a fee waiver as an international applicant?
For international applicants who do not qualify for a Research Waiver and who do not have the financial resources to pay the application fee, a small number of application fee waivers are available based on qualifications for the program, recruitment priorities, and other circumstances.
1. Upon submission, the application portal will request payment of the application fee. You can skip this step if you would like to be considered for an application fee waiver. It will not affect your application’s consideration.
2. The program will consider each submitted and complete application for a fee waiver during the review process. A complete application includes the Statement of Purpose, transcript(s), a language exam score if required, and at least three submitted recommendation letters.
3. The application must be complete and submitted by midnight December 1, Central Standard Time (CST= UTC-6).
4. Each submitted and complete application will be considered whether a fee waiver has been applied or not.
5. Please do not email the program recruiter to request a fee waiver. If your application is complete, we will consider it
Please visit our graduate school application fee information website for more information.
Is the GRE exam or TOEFL required for international candidates?

Neither the general GRE exam, which includes the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytic sections, nor the subject tests are required for admission. If you have taken the GRE and would like to include it in your application, you may do so and the admissions committee will consider it in their holistic review. The GRE Institution Code is 1871. The GRE Department Code for this program is 0202 (No department code is necessary, but you may use 0202 if you are required to enter one).
TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo scores are required for international applicants; however, this requirement can be waived if you have received a degree where the primary language of the country is English-speaking or if your Bachelor’s degree is from a University where the language of instruction is English.
If you do not qualify for an exemption from this exam, you will be required to submit official language proficiency exam scores. See more specifics here.
What is the institutional and departmental code for submitting GRE or TOEFL scores?

The GRE and TOEFL Institution Code is 1871. The GRE Department Code for this program is 0202 (No department code is necessary, but you may use 0202 if you are required to enter one).
The official TOEFL or IELTS scores should be submitted to Vanderbilt University at this address:
Center for Data Management
Vanderbilt University (Institution Code 1871)
PMB 407833
2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN
37240-7833
cdm@vanderbilt.edu
For DuoLingo tests, no school code is required. You will be asked to provide our school’s name: “Vanderbilt University” in the request. If Vanderbilt is indicated as a recipient of the Duolingo English Test, the results are received and posted to your application two days after taking the test.
You can find more detailed information here.
Are there minimum GPA, GRE, or TOEFL score requirements for international candidates applying to your program?
There are no minimum GPA, or GRE score requirements. When reviewing applications, we consider the entire application package.
Minimum Acceptable Language Exam Scores:
- The minimum acceptable score on the TOEFL iBT (internet- based test) is 89. For our program, a score of 100 is highly desired.
- For IELTS, the minimum acceptable score is at least 7.0.
- For the Duolingo English Test, the minimum accepted score is 130.
When is the application deadline for international candidates?

The application submission deadline is December 1. Applications that are not complete by that date are not guaranteed to be reviewed.
Do international students accepted into umbrella graduate programs receive any funding?

Yes, international candidates receive the same funding as all accepted candidates: Our programs offer full financial support and covers all tuition, fees, and student health insurance. For 2026-27 students receive a stipend of $40,000 and an additional $2,000 at the start of the graduate program to aid in moving costs.
How and when will international candidates be notified about an interview?

Interview offers are sent on a rolling basis via email from January through March. Currently, we are planning on in person interviews here in Nashville, TN with a possibility of a virtual option for those unable to come to Vanderbilt.
Where can I learn more about support for transitioning to the US for accepted international students?

In order to address the unique requirements for international students studying in the US, the Biomedical Graduate Program staff works closely with the Vanderbilt International Student & Scholar Services in order to support a smooth transition to Vanderbilt and the States, and throughout our trainees’ graduate careers. We also have support for international students here in the BRET office.
The Graduate School also has online sessions specifically for our international students, so once you have accepted an offer, watch for messages from the Graduate School Office.
Who do I contact with additional questions?

If you have additional questions about our umbrella graduate programs, you may contact:
Stephanie Richards, Ph.D.
Director of Recruitment for IGP and QCB
stephanie.richards@vanderbilt.edu