Applicants should use the online interactive application form provided by the Graduate School to apply for admission, and follow its instructions for the submission of transcripts and letters of reference.
Deadlines for applications: Deadlines for applications: The Field of Nutrition accepts students for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Most applicants are admitted in the Fall. For admission in the Fall semester, completed applications must be received by the Graduate School no later than January 10 if applicants wish to be considered for fellowships or assistantships. Applications for Fall are accepted up until March 1 for applicants who do not need financial assistance. We strongly recommend that all applicants for Fall admission submit complete applications by January 1. For admission in the Spring semester, completed applications must be received by the Graduate School no later than October 1. No applications will be reviewed until all required letters, test scores and transcripts have been received.
Course requirements for admission: All applicants should have completed general and organic chemistry and biochemistry before admission. Physiology is recommended. Applicants wishing to concentration in Community or International Nutrition also should have completed courses in statistics and the social sciences. Those wishing to concentrate in International Nutrition should have had significant work experience in a developing country. Applicants wishing to concentrate in Molecular Nutrition should have completed course work in molecular biology, cell biology, and/or genetics. Prior laboratory research experience is advantageous for applicants in Human Nutrition and Molecular Nutrition. Most students wishing to concentrate in animal nutrition work with faculty in the Field of Animal Science.
Standardized tests: Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude test are required for admission to the Field of Nutrition. Applicants for fall admission should have taken the GRE by December of the previous year.
Fluency in English is essential for successful graduate study in the Field of Nutrition. For applicants whose native language is not English, scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are required for admission. A TOEFL score of 550 (213 computer-based) is required for admission to the Graduate School, but it is our experience that students whose TOEFL score is 600 (250 computer-based) or above are more successful in our program.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available on a competitive basis in form of fellowships, assistantships, and traineeships sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (in human nutrition) and the National Institutes of Health (in human nutrition and in maternal and child nutrition). Financial aid for foreign students is very limited and is available only to the most highly qualified candidates. Thus, foreign applicants for graduate study in the Field of Nutrition should seek funding from their own governments, international agencies, private foundations or other sources. Applicants should contact the Director of Graduate Studies for assistance in locating external financial support.