Students

Prospective Students

Information and Links for Prospective Students

Degree Programs

Prospective students can find more information about UConn Health campus degree programs here:
Biomedical Science PhD Program
Biomedical Science Ph.D. program Virtual Information Session: Thursday, 10/24; RSVP by 10/22 here
2024 Info Session Flyer

Combined MD/PhD Program

Combined DMD/PhD Program

Public Health PhD Program
Public Health Masters Program
Public Health Dual Degree Programs
Public Health Graduate Certificates 

Clinical and Translational Research Masters and Certificate Programs

Dental Science Masters Program (available only to students enrolled in a graduate dental education program in the UConn School of Dental Medicine

Undergraduate Summer Research Internship Program in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (for undergraduate students who have an interest in obtaining a Ph.D. in the biological and biomedical sciences)

Housing

While UConn Health does not have on-campus housing available on our campus, the University’s Off-Campus Housing Office has a section to search for housing in the UConn Health campus area of Farmington and beyond. Visit https://offcampushousing.uconn.edu for more information

Additionally, new students to the program can use the Roommate Finder section, which is a password protected site where students can log in using their NetID to search for roommates. Roommate Finder Info.pdf

Recent Updates and Info for Current Students

***Free COVID Tests Shipped to Your Home***

The U.S. government is once again making free COVID test kits available to residential households in the U.S. via the US Postal Service (USPS). Each order will contain 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, which will begin shipping to residents starting September 30th.

To request your free kits, visit https://special.usps.com/testkits

Input your name and address (and an email address if you would like to be able to track your order) and then click the green “Check Out Now” button.  Verify your information in the popup box and submit; you will receive a screen confirming that your order has been placed and if you included your email, you will receive an email confirmation from the US Postal Service as well.

Please consider taking advantage of this free and convenient opportunity that will deliver COVID tests right to your door.
For more info on this program, visit https://www.covidtests.gov/.

 

Off Campus Housing Resource

UConn Health does not have on-campus housing available on our campus.  However, the University’s Off-Campus Housing Office has a new section to search for housing in the UConn Health campus area of Farmington and beyond. Visit https://offcampushousing.uconn.edu for more information!

The Roommate Finder section is also active, and is a password protected site where students can log in using their NetID to search for roommates. Roommate Finder Info

UCH International Office Walk-In Advising in Main Building on Thursdays

The International Office at UConn Health holds weekly walk-in advising for international students and scholars in the main building on Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.  in the  Walker Conference Room (room AG070, just down the hall from The Graduate School Office suite on the Ground floor of the main building).

Walk-in advising is meant for quick questions (5-10 minutes). Examples of walk-in services include: travel advice, I-20/DS-2019 signatures, document drop-off, etc. If you have an issue requiring a more in-depth discussion, please contact the HR – International Office to make an appointment (Kaitlin Dornenburg, email: dornenburg@uchc.edu; phone: 860-679-4472) .

Student Resources and Helpful Links Regarding COVID

UConn Health's Masking Protocol has been updated as of 10/20/23; masking is now optional in most areas of the campus, with some exceptions. See revised guidelines for masking.

Travel Guidelines - Updated 11/20/23: Travel guidelines for both business and personal travel outside of Connecticut. This information applies to Graduate Assistants as well as staff.

Important: If you are not feeling well and are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have COVID-19 related questions, call our UConn Health COVID-19 Call Center: 860-679-3199 to report your symptoms and get further instruction. Do not come into school or the lab if you are not feeling well. Additional guidance can be found here.

For All Graduate Students

Academics (calendar/app links)

Academic Calendar
Graduate School dates and deadlines

Student Administration System (PeopleSoft)
Student Admin is where students can register for classes, check grades, review unofficial transcript and milestones, register for graduation, etc. You can find helpful reference information for the system here.

HuskyCT
HuskyCT is the University of Connecticut version of Blackboard, our learning management system (LMS); it enables faculty, students, administrators, staff, residents, fellows, and affiliated community health professionals to access a wide range of educational electronic resources.

Scientific Software and Tools
UConn Health makes a number of Information Technology tools, resources, and services available to our researchers to help conduct research. This link includes a catalog of these tools and services, along with descriptions, instructions, and hyperlinks. They continue to add to the list, so please visit this page periodically.

UConn Health Sciences Library
The library is located in the main building off the Academic Lobby and offers a variety of services, including Ask a Librarian, interlibrary loan, electronic journals, computer access, print/scan/Copy services and more.

Graduate School Catalog

Graduate School Forms

Graduate School Forms
Includes forms for enrolled masters and doctoral graduate students, such as Plan of Study, Report on General Exam, Report on Final Exam, Doctoral Dissertation Proposal, Biographical Information Update Request, etc.

Graduate Student Schedule Revision Request form
For UConn Health campus students

Laboratory Rotation Registration Form.pdf (for combined degree, YIIP and certificate students)

Independent-Study-Form

Student Support (SBHS, Ombuds, more…)

Student Accommodations- MyAccess
The Center for Students with Disabilities engages in an interactive process with each student and reviews requests for accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case basis.  

Student Behavioral Health Service
Free and confidential mental health services, counseling, and resources

Student Wellness
Links and resources to support student health and wellness

International Students
Practical info for students new to the U.S.

Ombuds Office
Confidential, informal, independent, and impartial assistance to individuals through dispute resolution and problem-solving methods

Off Campus Housing
While we do not have on-campus housing available on our campus, the University’s Off-Campus Housing Office has a new section to search for housing in the UConn Health campus area of Farmington and beyond, as well as a password protected section to search for roommates.

NIH Office of Intramural Education and Training - The OITE has provided recordings of their recent sessions and pre-recorded panel discussions and interviews that trainees can access online covering a wide variety of topics.

 

UConn Health Offices/Departments

Bursar's Office-UConn Health
The UConn Health Bursar’s Office on the Farmington campus manages the cashiering, collection, and student account functions of students enrolled in graduate, medical, and dental programs at UConn Health. Students may visit the UConn Health Bursar’s Office to pay fee bills and to seek clarification related to University charges.

Office of the Registrar-UConn Health
The Office of the Registrar at UConn Health acts as a liaison to the Whetten Graduate Center at the Storrs campus. The majority of forms used by graduate students are on the UConn Graduate School website with the exception of these forms. All official graduate student forms/documents, including registration, thesis, and dissertation forms, should be submitted to degreeaudit@uconn.edu. Graduate School forms can be found here.

International Office at UConn Health
The International Office is a resource for immigration information, international tax, and human resource-related issues for the international population at UConn Health, which currently has 300 international students and scholars representing more than 60 countries.

Campus Resources (ATM, Notaries, Study Rooms, more…)

ATM
There is a Webster Bank ATM located outside the Food Court, near the recycle/trash area.

Bookstore
The UConn Barnes and Noble Bookstore is located on the Main floor of the Academic Building, one floor up from the Academic Entrance, next to the Academic Rotunda. Bookstore hours are generally Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the Lifeline for changes to the standard schedule.

Cafeteria/Food Court
The Cafeteria/Food Court is located on the Main floor of the main building near the 6 bank of elevators. It is run by Morrison and has several standard stations including pizza, grill, sushi, sandwiches, soup/salad bar, and daily hot special of the day. You can find their weekly menu here. Smaller cafes can be found at Munson Road and MSI building, as well as a coffee shop located on the Main floor of the the new hospital (University Tower).

Campus Shuttle Service
UConn Health provides free shuttle bus service on the Farmington campus for patients, staff, students, and visitors. Shuttle buses operate Monday through Friday from 6:15 a.m. until midnight. LAZ is the shuttle service provider. The shuttle bus service is provided to on-campus sites, along with specific nearby off-campus locations, which are directly associated with UConn Health.

You can track the shuttle’s locations in real time through the Ride Systems app. Ride Systems is available on both iPhone and Android platforms. Desktop users can also see the live vehicle tracker and route details at www.uconnhealthshuttles.com. You can view shuttle routes and schedules here.

Graduate School Office at UConn Health
Located in AG049-AG050 (just off the Academic Entrance on the ground floor, across from Massey Auditorium and next to the ladies Room), The Graduate School Office acts as a source of practical counsel for all students. Come to this office at any time with your questions, needs, concerns, or problems. We will see that your matters remain confidential if you so choose. If we cannot help you directly we will refer you to the proper party(ies).

House Phones
All house phones can be used to make local calls. Just dial 9 to get an outside phone line, and then the phone number. To dial a number within UConn Health on these phones, just dial the last 4 digits of the phone number. These phones are dispersed throughout the main building, including in the food court seating area, in some of the academic hallways.

Mail
There is an outgoing U.S. Mail dropbox  outside the main entrance (closest to Garage 3). Daily pickup is currently 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday (there is no mail delivery on Sundays).

Notary Publics
There are several Notaries available throughout the campus if you need a document notarized. Please call ahead to ensure the Notary Public is available to assist with UConn Health matters. Any personal matters that need notarization during business hours are at the discretion of the Notary Public.

Schafer Study Rooms
The Schafer Study Rooms (located adjacent to our campus library, on the basement level of the Academic Entrance) are available to all UConn Health graduate level students, including Biomedical Science PhD and MPH students. These study rooms are available 24/7; students must use their UConn Health badge to gain entry to the rooms. Your badge should be active for use of these rooms. If you find that your badge does not grant access to the rooms, please contact Ms. Teri Shiel, Head of User Services at the UConn Health campus library (email: shiel@uchc.edu; ext. 4108) for assistance.

Student Lounge
The student lounge (located across from the Men’s Restroom near the Academic Entrance) has foosball, ping-pong, pool, vending machines, a microwave, refrigerator, TV, stereo, and couches/chairs. The room is student badge access only. Microwaves are also available in the cafeteria seating area.

Wellness Center
The UConn Health Wellness Center is a 3,600-square-foot, 24/7, badge-access facility offering 13 cardio machines, 13 cycling bikes, 9 resistance machines, free weights, showers, a "healthy" vending machine, and two rooms for fitness classes.

Virtual Group Exercise Classes
Virtual classes created by Wellness Center Yoga and Pilates instructors, including Vinyasa Yoga, Morning Stretches, Pilates, Breathing Exercises, and Meditation.

How Do I…

Decipher building codes?
Finding offices and other locations at UConn Health can sometimes be a challenge. Here’s brief guide to what all those letters before the room numbers mean:

  • E-Academic Research Building (sometimes coded as ARB (as in ARB large (E-013) and ARB small conference rooms (E-052) on the ground floor)
  • A classrooms (around the Academic Rotunda, main floor, near the bookstore
  • B classrooms (main floor hallway near Rotunda, heading away from the cafeteria)
  • C classrooms (main floor hallway near Rotunda, heading towards the cafeteria)
  • L-Laboratory Building
  • A-Academic Building
  • R-400 Farmington Avenue (Cell and Genome Sciences Building)
  • H-Hospital
  • C-Clinics
  • M-Main Floor (level the Food Court is on)
  • G-Ground Floor (level the Massey and Keller auditoriums and Low Learning Center are on)
  • ASB-Administrative Services Building (a.k.a. ‘down the hill’) where Parking Office is located)
  • MUNS-Munson Road Building (where all the Human Resources, the International Office, and Finance people are located)
  • MI-Musculoskeletal Institute (a.k.a. MARB (Medical Arts and Research Building))
  • OP-Outpatient Pavilion
  • Garages: G1 (where student parking is located), G2 (next to the ER), and G3 (next to the Main Entrance (hospital side))

Generally, the first number or letter (in the case of the Main and Ground floors) indicates the floor and the numbers after that indicate the room. So if you were looking for L-4102, you’d go to the L building, 4th floor, room 102.

Print something or make copies?
Student can print and make copies (within annual limits) in the UConn Health Sciences Library (basement level off the academic entrance).  Find details here.

Replace/Renew my Student ID Badge?
 Your ID badge is necessary to enter the building at several entrances, as well as to go up to the lab floors in the main building, enter the student parking garage, get into the student lounge, etc. University policy requires that you wear your badge at all times while you are on campus. Replacing a lost ID badge costs $15, so be sure to keep track of it. If your badge expires and you are still a student in a degree program, you can have it renewed for free; be sure to renew it within a month prior to your expiration date, as all your access will END the day after it expires if it is not renewed. You can find additional information and badging hours here.

Request Accommodations?
The Center for Students with Disabilities engages in an interactive process with each student and reviews requests for accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case basis. Find out more and put in a request here: Student Accommodations- MyAccess

Request an official transcript or print an unofficial transcript?
Detailed information on requesting an official transcript and how to access an unofficial transcript can be found on the UConn Registrar's Office website here.

Milestones/Completing Your Degree

DOCTORAL DEGREE

Dissertation Proposal Guidelines.pdf
Steps to a Successful Graduation: Doctoral

NEW PhD degree completion workshop 01-22-2024.pptx

Exit Interview Form for Graduating Biomedical Science PhD Students

Thesis Submission

Submittable

MASTERS DEGREE

 Steps to a Successful Graduation: Masters

 

HOW TO: Change your Graduation Term

Have you filed for graduation but have discovered you need more time to complete? You can change your graduation term (Fall to Spring, Spring to Summer, Summer to Fall, etc)  by emailing degreeaudit@uconn.edu to request the change. Please include your 7-digit Student ID in your message.

 

**COMMENCEMENT**

COMMENCEMENT INFO
2025 Commencement is Monday, May 12th at 1 PM at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on the Storrs campus.  The deadline to apply to participate in commencement is March 1.  Link above will be updated soon with 2025 details.

University Policies and Procedures

Community Resources

Local Libraries

Your local library is a valuable community resource to be used. Usually you have to show ID (passport, driver’s license), and proof of residence in that town. In addition, most public libraries in Connecticut allow you to borrow materials free of charge with what’s called a deliverIT. When you borrow materials out of town, just be sure to follow the lending rules of the library you visit. Materials may be returned to the nearest participating library. Remember, libraries can also be great places to study!

Some local library branches include:

Farmington:

  • Farmington Library, Farmington Avenue, 860-673-6791
  • Village Library, Main Street, 860-677-6866

New Britain:

  • Main Branch, 20 High St., 860-224-3155
  • Jefferson Branch, 140 Horse Plain Rd

Newington:

  • Main Branch, 100 Garfield St., 860-665-8700

West Hartford

  • Noah Webster (Main) Branch, 20 South Main Street, 860-523-3277
  • Faxon Branch, 173 New Britain Avenue, 860-523-5545
  • Bishop’s Corner Branch, 15 Starkel Road, 860-236-5445

    Graduate Student Organization (GSO)

    For Biomedical Science Ph.D. Students

    Biomedical Science Course Offerings

    ~~NEW~~ Spring 2025 Courses
    Biomed Sci Courses_SPRING 2025_rev 12-30-24
    IMPORTANT NOTES:
    >>>MEDS 5375 has been cancelled for Spring 2025 due to low enrollment
    >>>the course number for GDB Journal Club HAS CHANGED! For GDB JC, register now for MEDS 6497, Section 07.

    FYI: PREVIOUS semester courses
    Biomed Sci Courses FALL 2024_rev 8-22-24
    NOTE: MEDS 5384 Brain Microcircuits was cancelled for Fall 2024 due to under-enrollment; the course director intends to reoffer the course in Spring 2025


    Areas of Concentration

    Cell Biology

    Genetics and Developmental Biology

    Immunology

    Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

    Neuroscience

    Skeletal Biology and Regeneration

    Systems Biology

     

    NEW Biomed Sci program Faculty Rotation Availability

    Biomedical Science Faculty Directory

    CHANGE OF ADVISOR Form:
    Please complete BOTH parts of this form, as well as the Student-Mentor Agreement:

    >>Email Part ONE to DegreeAudit@uconn.edu and CC PhdBiomed@uchc.edu
    Change of Major Advisor Form-Part 1

    >>Email Part TWO to PhdBiomed@uchc.edu ONLY
    Change of Major Advisor Form-Part 2_rev 2022

    Student-Mentor Agreement
    To be signed by the student and the thesis advisor and submitted to PhdBiomed@uchc.edu

    UConn Grad School DEI Committee Lunch & Learn

    Save the date!
    Thursday, January 16th, 1:00-2:00 PM , Academic Rotunda
    Demystifying Diversity Supplement Grants
    Calling all UConn Health graduate students, postdocs and faculty! Discover how Diversity Supplement Grants can fuel your research! Join us for a Lunch & Learn hosted by the UConn Health Graduate School DEI Committee.
    RSVP by January 10th for guaranteed lunch https://tinyurl.com/jan2025dei 

    Timely Topics

    Timely Topics is a series of online learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with subject matter experts on topics relevant to graduate education. While every session is open to all, The Graduate School offers three tracks (student, faculty, and administrative) to help registrants identify which sessions may be most relevant to their interests. For more info, visit https://grad.uconn.edu/timely-topics/.
    Attendance is free, but you do need to register.

    SPRING 2025 Student Track Timely Topics

    Wednesday, January 29, 11:00 AM to Noon: Seeking External Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities

    Wednesday, February 12, Getting to Conferral for Masters students 11:00AM- Noon, for Doctoral students, 2:00-3:00 PM

    Wednesday, March 5, 11:00 AM to Noon: Promoting Mental Health

    Wednesday, April 2, 11:00 AM to Noon: Building Financial Credit and Dealing with Debt

    Beyond The PhD

    Beyond The PhD was formed in 2018 by a University of Connecticut Biomedical Sciences PhD candidate and a postdoctoral fellow to provide resources for students on non-academic, industry, and academic positions within Biomedical Science. Transitions to virtual programming enabled us to create an online presence for all students interested in learning more about their career options.

    For recordings of previous career seminars & workshops, career blog posts, and more from this student-led group, check out their website: https://beyond-the-phd.com/

    Graduate Thesis Defenses

    Monday, September 23rd
    2:00 PM, Low Learning Center [note updated time]

    Novel Mechanisms of Chronic Kidney Diseases

    Hao Du
    Biomedical Science PhD Student
    Cell Biology Area of Concentration
    PI: Dr. Yanlin Wang