Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (Ph.D.)

The Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering is designed to prepare rising scholars and researchers to apply engineering principles to problems in medicine and biology; to understand and model attributes of living systems and to synthesize biomedical systems and devices in order to produce original research.

Students can expect to work closely with a faculty advisor in their chosen research area to create a curriculum plan and guidance for the doctoral dissertation. Students are also expected to teach introductory-level courses to undergraduates, present conference papers, and work with faculty on research grant applications.

The Ph.D. program is primarily based on GW's main campus in Washington, D.C. (Foggy Bottom), which lies in close proximity to the School of Medicine, the Milken Institute School of Public Health, and the GW Hospital. These interactions are supplemented by collaborations with nearby clinical and research facilities, including the Children’s National Health System, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Faculty Advisor & Research Focus

We strongly recommend that prospective doctoral students determine a faculty member in the department with whom they would like to work and a research area of interest.

Ph.D. Admissions Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution.
  • For bachelors only applicants, a minimum of a 3.4 GPA (out of a 4.0 scale) must have been achieved.
• Demonstrated capacity for original scholarship, preferably through published research papers.
• Successful submission of the online application form, exam scores, and other documents as outlined in the admissions requirements.

All applicants to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program at the School of Engineering & Applied Science must meet the admissions requirements for entry.

Applicants must provide the following materials to be considered for any graduate program at SEAS:

1. Complete online application form
2. Transcripts
3. GRE exam scores
   • International applicants: TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores
4. Letters of Recommendation
5. Statement of Purpose
6. Resume/CV
7. Application Fee

English Language Exam Requirements

• All visa-seeking international applicants are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores to SEAS to be considered for admission.
• Please provide only your most recent test scores. Scores may not be more than two years old.

Minimum Score Requirements

IELTS

• 6.0 overall with no individual score below 5.0.
• Applicants to the graduate programs in Engineering Management, Systems Engineering, or Data Analytics are required to have a minimum score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0.
• Applicants who would like to be considered for funding opportunities must have an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0.

TOEFL

• 80 on the Internet exam (iBT) or 550 on the paper exam
• Applicants to the graduate programs in Engineering Management, Systems Engineering, or Data Analytics are required to have a minimum score of 100 on the Internet exam.
• Applicants who would like to be considered for funding opportunities must have a 600 on the paper-based exam or 100 on the Internet-based exam.

PTE Academic

• 53. Applicants who would like to be considered for funding opportunities must have a minimum score of 68.

Exceptions

Exceptions are granted to applicants who:

• Hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction AND the official language of the country in which the university is located.
• Hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from an institution located in a country that qualifies for the English language exam exemption.