Prior to Applying

Prospective applicants unfamiliar with clinical translational science should review the information in our FAQ. Applicants in need of information about the program or the admissions process may contact the CTS Director of Graduate Affairs prior to applying. Applicants should also review the research being conducted by faculty on the Tucson or Phoenix campus, and are encouraged to contact prospective mentors to discuss research opportunities prior to applying.  (Note that the main Tucson campus of the University has a larger number of faculty than the Phoenix biomedical campus.)

General Admission Requirements

All applicants must supply transcripts, a current CV or resume, a personal statement of interest in the program and two (2) letters of recommendation that attest to their ability to complete a graduate research degree program.

GRE scores are not required for the application.

Any applicant recommended to the Graduate College for admission by CTS must satisfy the minimum admission requirements for graduate degree admission.

International Students

All international applicants from non-English speaking nations must provide an acceptable score on a recognized English proficiency test. Tests must be dated within two (2) years of the admission term to be considered valid. This is a requirement of the Graduate College rather than the CTS program; questions about the English proficiency requirement should be directed to Graduate Admissions.

Please note that the Graduate College requires newly admitted international students to provide a financial guarantee demonstrating they can afford to study in the United States.  An applicant who is offered admission with funding from CTS (or a faculty mentor) may direct the financial guarantee request to CTS to provide documentation of the funding offer.

How to Apply

Applications for admission to the CTS MS or PhD program are submitted using the Graduate College’s online application system. All supporting materials are uploaded as part of the online application; the applicant identifies their recommenders, who receive an e-mail request to upload their letters of recommendation.

For questions about the application process, please contact Graduate Admissions. For questions about the admission requirements for the CTS program, please contact CTS Support.

Admission Application Deadlines

The deadlines for applications for admission in Fall or Spring semester are:

  • February 1 for Fall semester admission (i.e. program start in August).
  • September 15 for Spring semester admission (i.e. program start in January). Note: Following admission for Spring 2026, the CTS program will no longer admit students for Spring semester.

All application materials, including the uploaded letters of recommendation, must be received by the stated deadline for the application to be considered.

What We Look For in an Applicant

A qualified applicant to the CTS MS or PhD program is one who understands and is pursuing a career in clinical translational science. He or she ideally has at least minimal experience with health sciences research and may have training as a clinician or health sciences professional. A record of completed research projects and peer-reviewed publications is helpful, but not essential. Applicants typically will have identified one or more potential UA faculty mentors or faculty members whose research is related to the applicant’s interests and should have attempted to contact them to inquire about potential research rotations if admitted.  The applicant should note the faculty members of interest to them in their application and can report any offers of research rotations or mentorship they may have received.

Contact

Any questions about the CTS program or its admission requirements and procedure may be directed to CTSsupport@email.arizona.edu or to the CTS Director of Graduate Affairs.