Application Info

Admission to the Master’s-to-PhD Bridge program begins with an application to the Master’s degree program in biology, chemistry, or physics at Fisk University. If you believe that you may be qualified to begin PhD-level work immediately, we encourage you to apply directly to the Vanderbilt PhD program.

Please Contact Us

We urge all prospective applicants to contact one of the program coordinators before applying. We will gladly speak with you about the program, answer any questions you may have, help you determine whether the program is right for you, and guide you through the application process.

Advice for Application Content

We are looking for students with the passion and motivation to earn a PhD in STEM, but may not yet have gained the preparation necessary to enter a PhD program outright. Your personal statement, recommendation letters, and interview will give us the best window into who you are as a scientist and your fit for our program.

In your application, first and foremost, please be sure to describe your past research experience(s), if any, as well as your future research interests to the extent that you know them. In our experience, students perform best when there is a good fit with the scientific research areas that the students are most passionate about. Our program has faculty working in many subfields of physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry, and there is lots of flexibility for students to try out research areas and explore topics. But knowing what you are excited about helps us understand you better and helps us to plan the best training experience.

In your Personal Statement we want to learn about your research interests, as well as your motivations and long term goals. This statement is also an opportunity for you to address any gaps in your preparation up to this point.

During the interview we will ask targeted questions that will allow us to assess your communication skills and gauge your persistence, leadership, and personal expectations.

Recommendations for Letter Writers

Deadlines

Applications completed by April 15 will receive full consideration for the final application review. Please contact us if you would like to submit an application after April 15.

Timeline

Please allow 2 - 4 weeks for the application review process

Interview requests are typically made in early-mid May

Offers extended in early-June

Application Forms

Contact Ccoca@fisk.edu for application forms.