Transfer Students

Applications for transfer are considered any time of year for those students who are already in another UW-Madison graduate program.  The requirements and application procedure for transfer students are outlined below.  Any student outside of UW-Madison who wishes to apply to the CMB Program should follow the How To Apply procedure. 

REQUIREMENTS
All UW-Madison transfer applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • The student’s profile must meet the criteria of the CMB Program and be of similar quality as students who were admitted with the previous round of CMB applicants
  • The student must currently conduct research in the lab of a CMB faculty trainer OR must intend to conduct research in the lab of a CMB faculty trainer
  • If the student intends to conduct research in the lab of a non-CMB faculty trainer, the professor must first apply and be accepted as a new CMB faculty trainer

 
PROCESS

Student is currently enrolled in a different UW-Madison Masters or PhD Graduate Program and has not yet received a degree:

  • Submit all required application materials to Michelle Holland, CMB Program Coordinator (413 Bock Labs)

Student has received a Masters degree from a different UW-Madison Graduate Program within the past year:

  • Submit all required application materials, EXCLUDING the Change/Addition of Major form, to Michelle Holland, CMB Program Coordinator (413 Bock Labs)
  • Apply as a re-entry student by submitting a Graduate School application online
  • See Michelle Holland, CMB Program Coordinator, for specific information on submitting a re-entry application 

 
APPLICATION MATERIALS
All transfer applicants must submit the following materials to the CMB Program Coordinator, for review by the CMB Admissions Committee and the CMB Program Chair:

  • A copy of the original UW-Madison Graduate School application materials (online application, GRE/TOEFL score reports, personal statement, letters of recommendation)
  • A current UW-Madison Graduate School transcript requested from the Office of the Registrar
  • A letter from the transfer student applicant describing the following:
    • Previous laboratory experience
    • Reason for transfer
    • A brief description of future research projects
  • A letter from the prospective advisor stating the following:
    • Reason for transfer
    • The applicants qualifications
    • A brief description of future research projects
    • Commitment of financial support at the current CMB stipend rate
    • Justification of why CMB is the preferred option instead of the prospective advisor's home department graduate program

 
ADMISSION
Upon entering the CMB Program, transfer students operate under the title of a Direct Admit Student since there are no lab rotations.  After the admission is finalized, the student must complete the following CMB Program requirements: