Frequently Asked Questions

Past students have succeeded in a variety of different fields. Here is a small sample of past students' current positions:

Industry:

• Vice President of a Pharmaceutical company
• Global Health Security Microbiologist
• Research Scientist
• Biotech

Government:

• CDC
• Veterinary Medical Officer with USDA
• FDA
• NIH

Academia:

• Associate Professor
• Faculty members within our college.
• Deputy Attending and Clinical Veterinarian

Postdoctoral postions:

• Thomas Jefferson University's renamed Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia
• Stanford University
• University of Pittsburgh
• Colorado State University
• Virginia Tech Carillion School of Medicine
• University of California-Irvine campus.

  Fall:
    International: April 1st
    Domestic: August 1st

Priority consideration for funding will be applied to all applications submitted on or before January 15th.

We require the following requirements for admission:

All applicants:

• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Minimum of 3 letters of recommendation
• Previous coursework in the Biological and/or Life Sciences areas
• Optional GRE scores of 150 in both Verbal and Quantitative*

International Students

A minimum TOEFL score of 90 overall or a minimum IELTS score of at least 6.5 with no subscore below 6.5

_{*GRE scores are waived for DVM/VMD students that have graduated from an AVMA-accredited university}

We recommed reaching out to previous mentors, advisors, supervisors, or any one that knows you well. If you have worked with any of our faculty, ask them if they are willing to write a letter for you.

Writing samples should be a sample of your own writing as we do analyze submissions via a university wide plagarism program. These should not be derived from internet based sources, but should be original work. Many students have used past publications or similar works as their writing samples. We suggest that you submit a writing sample that is 5-15 pages in length and shows your ability to conceptualize and articulate a coherent scientific arguement. 

Research Statements should describe your research experience and what goals you have for your research in your graduate studies. Research statements will also be analyzed by a university-wide plagarism program.

Once an application is submitted it will go to the Graduate Advisory Committee for review. You will receive a letter from the Graduate School when a decision has been made. This typically takes approximately a month following the receipt of a completed application. Your application will not be reviewed until all letters of reccommendation have been submitted. 

Most students will begin in the Fall, though there are a few exceptions. Start dates correlate to the semster you applied. Non-residency students are encouraged to apply to the Fall semester.

Veterinary Residents begin in July (mid-summer).

The best way to learn about our faculty is through the College Faculty Roster on our college website. This will also give you access to their areas of research and contact information. Feel free to contact any faculty member that sparks your interest.

You are able to transfer courses from previous regionally accredited university. Please see the below information provided by the Graduate School Catalog.

No more than 50% of the graded credit hours needed to satisfy the requirements for a Virginia Tech graduate degree may be transferred in from a regionally accredited university. All such credits must have earned grades of "B" or better, have been earned while in good standing in graduate status, and must have been graduate courses (numbered 5000 or higher) at the institution where the student took the courses. Grades of "S" or "P" are not acceptable for transfer credit. All transfer courses must be acceptable to the student’s Advisory Committee and the Graduate Program Director or Department Head. For transfer course work more than five years old, a Justification of 'Old' Course Work form must be filed with the Plan of Study (see below).

Credits from other universities are transferred to a Virginia Tech graduate degree at the time the Plan of Study that includes those courses is approved by the Graduate School. Transferred courses count only as credit hours and are not included in the calculation of the Virginia Tech GPA. Official transcripts are required before transfer course work can be approved for the Plan of Study.

Research, Project and Report, Practicum or Internship credit hours may not be transferred in from another university to meet Virginia Tech graduate degree requirements (i.e., they cannot be included on the Plan of Study). Credits taken while in undergraduate status or for an undergraduate degree cannot be used as transfer credit for a graduate degree.

Graduation timelines vary for each student and by program. Please refer to your Graduate Handbook (provided to you at orientation) for a more approximate timeline to graduation. 

Most MS students complete their degrees in 2 to 3 years. While the national average for PhD is 4-5 years. Dual degree students can expect a rough timeline of 8 years. 

Yes, once accepted, official transcripts should be sent to the Graduate School. Your admissions offer will give further instructions on where to send official copies. Official copies are not needed for your application. 

For the most recent updates to cost of attendance see the Graduate School's Tuition and Costs webpage. 

We have many different avenues for funding. Most of our students are 100% funded while they are students here. Funding comes from many sources such as college-supported stipend, PI funded grants, and scholarships. 

Tours of campus are done by the Graduate School. To schedule a tour, visit the Graduate School's Visit Us webpage.

 We are also happy to show you around our facilities. Please contact Monica Taylor at mctaylor@vt.edu to arrange a tour.

The best way to get in touch with us is by email at cvmgrad@vt.edu or by contacting our Program Support Specialist, Monica Taylor, at mctaylor@vt.edu.