University of Florida Microbiology and Cell Science Ph.D. Program 2026

The Microbiology and Cell Science Ph.D. Program is a fully funded 4-5 year degree program that prepares graduates for a career in the sciences and research. The program requires a minimum of 90 credit hours in graduate level courses. Students must register for a minimum of 9 credit hours for Fall and Spring semesters, and 6 credit hours for the Summer. The candidate is also required to prepare a dissertation that shows independent investigation and makes a significant contribution to the research field.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineDecember 15, 2025
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity of Florida
• City to studyFlorida
• School to studyUniversity of Florida

Benefits

• Students receive a stipend in the amount of $35,000 per year.
• Students receive a full tuition waiver, which means that students do not have to pay out of pocket for tuition.
• Students are responsible for fees, which total approximately $600-$700 per semester.
• Health insurance is provided to all Microbiology and Cell Science Ph.D. students through GatorGradCare. The standard cost of GatorGradCare is $12 per month which will be deducted from a student’s biweekly paycheck.
• Students rotate in three labs within the Microbiology and Cell Science Department to choose their major professor and the laboratory in which they will create their own independent research and plan of study.
• Students at UF benefit from internationally recognized faculty with a diverse set of interests and backgrounds. For more information on the faculty and the research they conduct, please visit the faculty directory.

Requirements

The University of Florida Graduate School requires an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to be eligible for admission. Fulfillment of the minimum requirement does not guarantee an applicant’s acceptance into the program. In evaluating each applicant, the department’s Graduate Committee members include in their consideration a thorough review of the transcript, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, area of research interest, etc. Students are encouraged to complete undergraduate coursework in biochemistry and microbiology before they apply.

Application Documents

• Application fee of $30.
• Official Transcripts.
• CV or resume.
• Three letters of recommendation (LOR). We suggest that candidates request LOR from professional/academic mentors or colleagues that can comment on their academic/research experiences.
• Personal statement. The personal statement should consist of a brief essay describing your research experience, career goals, and area of research interest (limit 500 words)
• Supplemental information. Use this form to provide additional information that will be reviewed by the admissions committee.
• All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency and meet the minimum score requirements.
  • TOEFL minimum score of 80
    • Score of 23 or higher required on the speaking section.
    • TOEFL Score Codes for UF: Institution Code is 5812, Department Code is 07
  • IELTS: minimum score of 6.5
    • Score of 7.0 or higher required on the speaking section.
    • UF is registered to receive IELTS scores using the IELTS Results Service E-Delivery. Scores should be sent to the University of Florida, which only accepts scores from this E-delivery service

Application Deadline

How To Apply

For more details, visit University of Florida Ph.D. Program webpage