professional Masters Program

Application Process

Candidates may submit only one application at a time. The application may go to to the academic M.S. program, the professional M.S. program, or the Ph.D. program. Applications to the academic M.S. or Ph.D. programs are not accepted within 2 years of applying for the professional M.S. (unless the M.S. is awarded). The application process for the Academic Master’s and Ph.D. programs is the same. If you have difficulty deciding which degree program is appropriate for you, please contact the BMI program Admissions Officer.

The application deadline for Spring 2009 enrollment is early November 2008. Generally, the University begins accepting graduate applications in early September. The updated BMI Supplemental Application is available .

Formal application forms are required by the University. All applicants may apply online at Graduate Admissions for Spring 2009 enrollment when the application process begins in September. Last year's (2008 matriculation) application fee is $105. The application fee when applying online is paid only by credit card including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You are strongly encouraged to apply online. The fee for applying on paper is $20.00 in addition to the regular fee for all applicants. The formal application can be submitted online or on paper, however, the supplemental application should be sent directly to the BMI admissions officer (see instructions below).

Please refer to the funding page before starting the application process. Applicants are encouraged to check the FAQ page for frequently asked questions and answers about the admissions process.

Please visit the Stanford Graduate Admissions website to complete the formal Graduate Admissions application. The application will be available on September 15 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Please do not send application materials to the BMI program until after the Graduate Admissions application has been posted online.

For additional information about the application process, please visit the Stanford Graduate Admissions website.

Supplemental application, transcripts, copies of test scores, and CV must be sent via postal mail to:


BMI Admissions Officer
Stanford Medical Informatics
Stanford University School of Medicine, MSOB X-215
251 Campus Drive
Stanford, CA 94305-5479

Requirements
To be eligible for the online distance professional M.S. program, you must be employed full-time and remain employed throughout the duration of the degree program. Candidates may only enroll on a part-time basis.

At the time of enrollment, your employer must be an affiliate of SCPD (Stanford Center of Professional Development). Please contact SCPD Customer Relations at 650-725-6950 to determine if your employer is currently an affiliate of SCPD, or view the list of current SCPD members.

HCP students are only admitted in the spring quarter.

The application procedure for the professional M.S. program requires materials in addition to those required for the academic M.S. and Ph.D. programs (see below). Formal application forms are required by the University.

Checklist of required application materials:

Submit formal application online
Register, complete, and submit the formal application online through the Graduate Admissions website. You are applying for Spring 2007 only.

Instructions for Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose is an important component of the application for graduate study. The Admissions Committee will be reading the statement of purpose carefully to determine how well your aspirations align with the mission of the BMI Training Program. The Admissions Committee will want to know why you are applying for a degree in Bioinformatics rather than in Computer Science or the Biomedical Sciences. In writing the statement of purpose, please provide the Admissions Committee how your previous training prepares you for the work you will complete at Stanford and how your participation in
our training program will enable you to achieve your goals.

2007 Supplemental Application
The SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION FORM is available through the BMI website. Print and send it as a hard copy with the transcripts, copies of test scores, and CV.

Letters of Recommendation
We require three letters of recommendation. At least one of the letters must come from a previous research or faculty advisor. Indicate on the recommendation form whether or not you wish to waive your right to see the letter. You can obtain the recommendation form pdf OR you may utilize the provision in the online application. Many recommenders prefer to submit letters directly on-line.

Recommendations not submitted on-line must be sent to:

BMI Admissions Officer
Stanford Medical Informatics
Stanford University School of Medicine, MSOB X-215
251 Campus Drive
Stanford, CA 94305-5479

Letter of Support
Please obtain a letter of support from a supervisor on company letterhead. This letter need not need be submitted online. The writer should be strategically placed, with responsibility for project direction and resource allocation in an area directly related to your proposed research focus. Company management should be aware of your study program, including special needs, such as examination deadlines and research project scheduling.

GRE scores
All applicants must submit GRE scores for the general but not the subject exam. U.S.-trained physicians may submit MCAT scores. GRE scores may be no older than five years. Please contact the BMI program if MCAT scores are older than five years. The Stanford GRE institution code is R4704. The BMI program does not require the subject tests. A copy of the GRE or MCAT scores must be mailed to the BMI program in addition to entering the scores in the online application.

TOEFL scores (international applicants only)
Scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English. Note that individuals who have completed a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a two-year master’s degree (or the equivalent of either degree) at a recognized institution where all instruction is provided in English are not required to submit TOEFL scores. This exception does not apply if the courses were completed in a country where English is spoken, but not all courses were taught in English. Being a citizen of the United States does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking the TOEFL. If your first language is not English, you must meet the exception above or submit TOEFL scores. If you are unsure about your situation, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office.

Transcripts
Please submit two original, official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended full-time for one year or more. Send them directly to the BMI program.

Curricular Vitae
Please submit an updated CV to the BMI program.

Industrial Site Supervisor
Additionally, your employer should nominate an Industrial Site Supervisor. The supervisor's responsibilities include administering examinations, supervising your progress to ensure that it is satisfactory, filing regular progress reports with the BMI training program, and consulting with program faculty to resolve difficulties.

The university is committed to the principles of affirmative action in the admission of students and in the employment of faculty and staff and does not use any racial, religious, ethnic, geographic, or sex-related quotas.

Updated 9/13/07