Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (PMCB) is a competitive, nationally-recognized graduate program that prepares students for modern professional careers in plant biology research. The PMCB Program at the University of Florida is one of the most comprehensive graduate programs in plant sciences in the U.S. Our success is a result of our interdisciplinary emphasis.
Deadline to apply for Fall 2025 Ph.D. admission is December 1, 2024
Two UF units evaluate your application to the PMCB Program: the UF Office of Admission (which determines your eligibility for admission to University of Florida Graduate School) and the PMCB program (which determines your eligibility to our graduate program). Each of these units needs specific materials from you, so make sure you send all the materials below to the correct unit before the deadline.
Before starting your online application, please make sure you meet all the criteria listed under PMCB Admission Requirements
Make sure that your complete application and all supporting documentation are received by PMCB's admission deadline
When completing the online application, select the correct Program of Study by clicking first on College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and then selecting Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology, or by typing Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology in the Search for a Program box. There is no need to select a Concentration or Program specialization.
You will also be asked to upload several supporting documents to your online application.
Letters of Recommendation: PMCB requires three letters of recommendation from scientists or other professionals who can attest to your potential as a graduate student. After you enter the contact information for your recommenders, each one will be sent a web link to upload their letters online. In case a recommender cannot submit his/her letter online, the letter should be sent directly to Emily McFalls using this PDF form. Please follow up with recommenders to ensure that the PMCB application deadline is met. Just sending the online request to your recommenders does not mean the letters have been actually submitted/received.
Statement of Purpose: This is your opportunity to let us know what makes you are a strong Ph.D. candidate, why you are a good fit with the program, and how your interests align with the research interest of at least three of our PMCB faculty. You may want to describe your previous research, educational, or professional experiences, long term career goals, and current research interests. The statement of purpose is limited to 500 words.
Curriculum Vitae or Resume: It should reflect your relevant academic and professional accomplishments.
The online application fee is $30 plus $7 processing fee.
Note: UF Applications are specific to a term (fall, spring or summer), level (M.S. or Ph.D.) and program (or department). If applying to more than one UF department/program, level or term you will be charged additional fee(s) accordingly.
Arrange to have official transcripts sent to the UF Office of Admissions from each postsecondary institution attended:
UF Office of Admissions
P.O. Box 114000
201 Criser Hall
Gainesville FL 32611-4000
Phone: (352) 392-1365
Fax: (352) 392-2115
Note: If you attended UF, you do not have to order a transcript from UF's Office of the University Registrar.
International applicants must submit:
Arrange to have test score results sent directly to UF from the testing agency. Please use code 5812 (UF Institutional Code).
Send the following to pmcb@ifas.ufl.edu:
Deadline to apply for Fall 2025 Ph.D. admission is December 1, 2024
Successful candidates should have a strong interest in plant molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling development, metabolism, adaptation, and evolution. Applicants typically have a B.S. or M.S. in the agricultural, forestry, biological, or chemical sciences with advanced undergraduate coursework in genetics; molecular and cellular biology; and biochemistry. However, outstanding students from a broad range of science and engineering disciplines are actively considered.
Admission to the PMCB Program is highly competitive. Applicants must meet UF's general graduate admission requirements, as well as those specified by PMCB. The minimum requirements for admission to PMCB are:
Successful qualified students are supported by a variety of research assistantships and fellowships, and students are not required to be teaching assistants. First year Ph.D. students rotate through three different PMCB faculty laboratories and select a major professor by the end of their first year. PMCB Graduate Research Assistantships include a competitive stipend, medical health insurance and a full tuition waiver.
All applicants are automatically considered for financial support. However, financial support is awarded preferentially to Ph.D. students who would like to go through rotations. Non-rotating Ph.D. and Master’s students must identify a major professor willing to supervise and financially support their program of study before gaining admission to PMCB.
Rotation assistantships and university fellowships are awarded to students entering in the Fall semester only. Students may be admitted in the Spring and Summer semesters only if they are in contact with a professor who agrees to take them directly into their lab and fund their graduate studies.
Please note that assistantships are highly-competitive and applicants awarded financial support via assistantships typically average scores above the minimum requirements listed above.
While not necessarily a requirement for rotation students, rotation applicants are encouraged to directly contact faculty in their areas of interest regarding potential openings for graduate students in these research laboratories. Check our 47 faculty members, their research interests and labs.
