Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Our highly sought-after PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences gives students the opportunity to work with internationally-renowned faculty specializing in the fields of systems pharmacology and drug delivery.

Doctoral students receive a full tuition scholarship and stipend. Additional amounts may be received through individual scholarships.

Review our Frequently Asked Questions

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree or higher in pharmacy, biochemistry, chemistry, biology, engineering or other science
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0
  • Two letters of recommendation from faculty knowledgeable of the student's ability and capability. Evaluators should comment on laboratory research, communication skills, creativity, and intangibles in the student's academic performance. An email request will be sent directly to your recommenders when you submit your application for formal review.
  • Personal statement: the personal statement is a general statement of purpose describing academic, professional, and research interests and should be no more than 500 words.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in organic and physical chemistry, biochemistry, biology and mathematics
  • Prior research experience and co-authorship in scientific publications are considered favorably.
PhD Excellence Initiative

As part of UB’s PhD Excellence Initiative, the university will support the cost of broad-based fees for doctoral students who are full time and fully funded. Covered fees include the comprehensive fee, academic excellence and success fee, student activity fee, and the international student fee, where applicable.

Read the UBNow article for additional information.

Application Steps

Prepare Apply Requirements International Applicants

International Application Requirements

The University at Buffalo is one of the United States' most international universities and offers a welcoming environment for students from over 100 countries.

Application Requirements

In addition to your program application, as an international student you will need to provide the following materials as electronic uploads. Please do not send any mail, unless instructed to do so. You do not need to submit an evaluated transcript through WES however, we will accept it if you have it.

  • A photocopy of your passport page
    Upload a photocopy of your passport (photo page) to the proper section on your application checklist
  • Copy of current 1-20 and visa
    If you are currently studying in the United States, you must upload a copy of your current I-20 and Visa to your application checklist. 
  • Official English Proficiency Scores
    In addition to meeting the standard academic criteria for the program to which you are applying, international applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency. Unless exempt, all international students must take one of the tests indicated here and meet the university minimum score requirement. Upon submission, please upload an unofficial copy of your English Language Proficiency test score to your application.
  • International Applicant Financial Form and Bank Documents - Not required for PhD applicants
    These documents can be submitted after students are accepted; feel free to leave it blank on the application checklist. You will be able to submit them later when prompted.

    Accepted students (except PhD) need to submit the Financial Form, along with bank documents showing funding for the first year of academic study (minus any scholarships you may be receiving).
Accepted Students

Learn about the steps to receiving your I-20 documentation.

UB International Student Services

Information for Current BS/MS or MS Students

Current students in our BS/MS or MS programs who are interested in the PhD program are required to submit a new application with new recommendations. MS students may apply either during their first or second year of the program. BS/MS students must complete their entire BS/MS program before joining the PhD program (some exceptions considered).

MS students who are accepted to the PhD program during their first year in the MS program are transferred directly to the PhD program and do not receive their MS degree. MS students who are accepted to the PhD program during their second year in the MS program are encouraged to complete their MS project and confer their MS degree before joining the PhD program.

It is recommended that students interested in the PhD program consider taking the required courses for the PhD program that are offered during their MS studies. If admitted to PhD program, students who have completed all of the required PhD courses will be allowed to take the Preliminary Exams.

Students accepted to the PhD program from our MS program who have elected not to receive their MS degree can apply all of their required PhD courses and graduate course credits towards the 72 credits needed for the PhD. These students should develop an academic plan carefully so that the remaining credit requirements needed for the PhD degree are met without exceeding the 72 credits by a large margin.

Students formerly in our BS/MS or MS programs who are accepted to the PhD and have received their BS/MS or MS degree can apply part or all of their prior graduate credits from the University at Buffalo towards the PhD. The Director of Graduate Studies will waive the required PhD courses taken during the BS/MS and MS program for these students. These students should work closely with the Director of Graduate Studies so that remaining credit requirements needed for the PhD degree are met without exceeding the 72 credits by a large margin.

Questions?

Review our Frequently Asked Questions

Email us at pharm-admit@buffalo.edu.