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Master Application Information

Dark Honeycomb Background Billboard

Master Application Information

MS Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university or college

  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0

  • CV/Resume

  • Personal Statement 

  • Optional Low GPA Statement

  • Three recommendations

  • College transcripts (from all colleges/universities attended)

application instructions

We begin accepting applications on September 1st, with a priority deadline of January 15th and a final deadline of February 15th. All application materials (including recommendations and the application fee) are due by February 15th for admissions consideration beginning the following fall semester. Complete applications that meet the January 15th priority deadline will be reviewed sooner. 

Program admission decisions are typically delivered within 6-8 weeks after the submission deadline, and the University's Office of Admissions decisions are typically delivered 1-4 weeks after program decisions are sent out. 

We do not accept applications for spring or summer admissions. Applications that select these admissions terms are not reviewed. 

Review the following application instructions for information regarding our admission criteria. 

    Application and Fee

    Applicants need to create an online account (here) and can work on different sections of the application at different points. Remember to save any section you work on before exiting your account. 

    Applicants need to submit their application and application fee by January 15th if they are submitting by the priority deadline or by no later than February 15th, the final program application deadline. We do not offer application fee waivers. We do not accept late applications. We do not accept nor review applications for spring or summer admissions consideration. 

    Bachelor’s Degree and GPA

    A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university or college must be completed prior to starting our program. An applicant may be in progress with their bachelor's degree at the time of application submission. A bachelor’s degree in any discipline is accepted. 

    A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is required. For applicants just below the GPA requirement, please contact the MS Program Manager to discuss strategy for applying. 

    CV/Resume

    Upload your CV/resume in PDF or Word format. Document your professional experiences, which can include paid or unpaid experiences (e.g. work, research, practicums, and/or internships, etc.) as well as other accomplishments (e.g. education, trainings, publications, presentations, and/or special recognitions). 

    No specific format is required, however, reverse chorological order (e.g. 2023, 2022, etc.) is preferred for all sections. Use good judgement when presenting information and for format. 

    Personal Statement & Optional Low GPA Statement

    Format: 1-3 pages (max), 1-inch margins, single-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman font. Upload your personal statement in PDF or Word format.

    Statement Prompt: For your personal statement, focus on where you have been, where you are going, and how this degree will get you there. If BMI is new to you include why you are pursuing this field. 

    Tips: Avoid summarizing your resume/CV. Be concise – more information is not always better. Proofread.

    Optional Low GPA Statement: If your cumulative undergraduate GPA is below a 3.0, in no more than 1 page, please explain the following: 

    • The cirucumstances that led to a lower GPA.

    • What did you do to improve your academic situation and/or how have you prerared yourself to undertake the commitments of a rigurous graduate program. 

    • How will you address future challenges if you are to experience them while in graduate school.

    Three Recommendations

    Your application requires three (3) professional recommendations. After entering your recommenders’ names and email addresses, the application system will send an email to them with instructions for direct electronic submission. Recommenders must each submit an evaluation form and letter of recommendation for the recommendation to be considered complete. Inform your recommenders of both pieces for the application system does not require them to upload their letter of recommendation.

    The application system will let you track which recommenders have submitted and allow you to send email reminders to those who have not submitted. Recommenders have until the February 15th application deadline to submit. If you want to meet the priority deadline, all three recommendations must be received by January 15th. Incomplete or missing recommendations will result in an incomplete application. 

    Recommenders can be professional and/or academic. Recommenders should not be personal friends, acquaintances, or family members. Only academic recommendations are not required. Letters of recommendation are preferred on letterhead. 

    College Transcripts

    Upload PDF copies of transcripts for each college or university you attended, including one for the University of Utah (if applicable). If one transcript shows the record of another institution, you must also include a transcript for that other institution. Failure to provide copies of all transcripts will delay your application from being considered complete and may make your application submission late. 

    We recommend you start collecting your transcripts early. As you receive them, convert them to PDFs and then upload them to your application. Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to your application. If you matriculate, you will be required to provide final official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. 

    Graduate Exams

    Graduate exams, such as the GRE, GMAT, etc., are not required for our MS program. You do not need to include graduate exam scores in your application. Providing graduate exam scores does not improve nor hinder your application review.

    Prerequisites

    There are no formal course prerequisites to apply to the MS Program. Admitted applicants who pursue the Biomedical AI & Data Science Emphasis or the Translational Bioinformatics Emphasis, however, need to have a solid foundational understanding of Python programming before starting the program. Students pursuing the Translational Bioinformatics Emphasis do best with a background in biology. Students in the Applied Clinical Informatics Emphasis are not required to be practicing clinicians but do best with experience in the health care environment.

    It is an admitted student's responsibility to obtain the necessary foundational knowledge before beginning the program. This can be done in various ways - formally through courses or a degree, online continuing education, internships, job training, self-taught, boot camps, etc. - and to your preference.

    Lastly, all students need to have a fundamental knowledge of statistics. 

    Online Application

    International Applicants

    Please note that questions regarding the TOEFL and IELTS exams and requirements can be found on the English Proficiency Admissions webpage. 

    Any questions regarding TOEFL should be directed to the International Admissions Office by email at IAO@sa.utah.edu or by phone at 801-581-3091. 

    Please be familiar with these scores prior to applying and have official scores submitted directly to the University of Utah (code 4853).

    Need more information?

    Contact the MS Program Associate Director if you have any questions or schedule an appointment with them.

    Attend an Information Session

    Frequently Asked Questions
    Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah