Advice for applying to EEB at Yale

Thank you for your interest in the Ph.D. Program in EEB at Yale. Every year I receive many requests for information on applying to our graduate program. Below you will find some advice from the EEB faculty and answers to FAQs.

Sincerely,
Erika Edwards, Director of Graduate Studies in EEB

Advice

EEB at Yale is a small program. As such, how your research interests fit with the interests of your potential advisor is important to our selection process. Every faculty member has a different set of criteria for evaluating students and different needs for their lab. It is important that you contact potential advisor(s) and have a conversation with them about opportunities in their lab before applying for graduate studies in EEB. 

Peer reviewed scientific publications are the primary currency of our field. Being an author or coauthor on a refereed scientific paper is helpful and often viewed as more important than grades or text scores.

Time off between undergraduate and graduate studies, particularly if that time is spend working in systems or on topics related to your choice for graduate studies, is often seen as a positive rather than a negative.

FAQs

1. Minimum requirements 

There are no minimum requirements for admission into EEB at Yale.  Grades, (TOEFL scores if needed),  your personal statement, research experience and accomplishments, and letters of recommendation are all taken into account when evaluating a prospective student. Admission into EEB at Yale is highly competitive so strong grades, letters and background in your chosen area of study are all important. 

2. Masters degree options 

The graduate program in EEB at Yale does not have a terminal M.S. degree program. All EEB graduate students matriculate into a doctoral program. Doctoral students typically earn a M.S. degree en route to their Ph.D.