Application information
Although we are no longer recruiting new fellows into our program,
we welcome University of Florida students who would like to participate
in our program to attend our colloquium program (see the tab furthest
to the right) and/or to become an affiliate. Students can become
an affiliate at any time, and for those that participate, offers
benefits in addition to opportunities for learning such as
opportunities for research funding.
Students seeking only IGERT affiliate status should instead complete an affiliate application. Students may seek affiliate status at any time; there are no deadlines for affiliate applications. For benefits of becoming an affiliate, see affiliate status.
Application details
QSE3 is a competitive program: we will accept about 5 students per year. We will choose applicants with the strongest academic records; research interests that most closely match the goals of the program (integrating biological and quantitative disciplines to answer questions about spatial dynamics in ecological, evolutionary, and environmental systems); and potential ability to collaborate across disciplines. While previous cross-disciplinary training is not required, prior evidence of cross-disciplinary interests will be advantageous.
In addition to the Statement of Purpose that is required by the UF graduate school and your home department (see home department's graduate admissions page for details about their expectations for this essay), we require an additional, short (< 2 pages) IGERT essay that describes your abilities and your research interests so that we can determine your fit to the QSE3 program. Students from different disciplines will differ widely in their ability to articulate a research program at this stage in their career; you should do your best to demonstrate that you have some concrete ideas about the directions your graduate research will take. The statement lets us evaluate your knowledge of your discipline and your previous engagement in cross-disciplinary training; your ability to articulate and motivate an interesting research problem; and your potential for working in close interdisciplinary groups to solve problems. The required letter of recommendation is also extremely important to help us discriminate among applicants on the basis of aptitude, research experience and potential for success.
To join the IGERT program, a UF faculty member with graduate status must agree to serve as your IGERT sponsor (typically they will also be the chair of your thesis research supervisory committee). Thus, we encourage prospective students to establish a dialog via letter, telephone, or e-mail with one or more appropriate faculty members prior to applying to our program. We encourage you to send them your CV and other relevant information and to discuss your scientific interests and research ideas.
We also encourage you to visit the University of Florida campus and meet with faculty and graduate students in your home department. We prefer, however, that you wait to arrange a visit until we have selected a short-list of possible candidates.
(adapted from Biology Department application information)Application checklist
Top of page- Review the graduate faculty of your potential
home department(s) and select
- (at least) one advisor/mentor with whom you have shared interests and might like to work.
- Select a potential co-advisor in another discipline (e.g. if you are a biologist, select a mathematician, statistician, or geographer, and vice versa) We will consult these faculty when we review your application.
- Contact these faculty (e-mail is usually best for initial contact) and discuss your plans with them.
- Apply online to the UF
Graduate School, including the following components:
- Official GRE General test scores.
- Official transcripts.
- 1 "Statement of Purpose" Essay
- Letters from 3 references.
- Follow the required procedures to apply to your intended home department, which will be found on the department's graduate studies web page.
- Fill out the QSE3 IGERT application
online (please contact QSE3
Program Coordinator) if
you have difficulty completing
the online application).
The application will require the following information:
- a current CV, including relevant coursework in both biological and quantitative disciplines
- Names and departments of potential advisor(s) and co-advisor(s)
- GRE scores from the General test
- A summary of your GPA and GPA within your discipline
- A second essay, in addition to the Statement of Purpose, that is specifically targeted toward the IGERT (see details)
- Any supplemental information you would like to include, such as peer-reviewed papers you may have published
