Graduate Application InstructionsIntroduction IntroductionPlease read the mailing instructions carefully so that your supporting documents (e.g., transcripts and test scores) are sent directly to the department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences. An incorrect address or an incorrect institution or department code can delay the processing of your application significantly. Application FormsThe University of Rochester's secure electronic application for graduate study can be found at https://apply.grad.rochester.edu/apply/. In order for us to make the best decisions on admission, we ask you to submit your application by January 2, 2013. Application FeeThe application fee is $60 for all applicants. The fee is non-refundable. Application DeadlineThe closing date for applications for admission each Fall is January 1. We cannot guarantee to consider applications received later than that date, or incomplete on that date. The Graduate Admissions Committee of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences reviews all applications. Candidates who are under serious consideration will be invited to visit the department. Interviews are arranged by invitation only. Decisions on all applications will be made before April 1. The department accepts students only for fulltime Ph.D. study and beginning only in the fall semester. Financial SupportAll students admitted to the program, regardless of citizenship, are offered graduate fellowships that provide a competitive 12-month stipend, and cover the costs of tuition and single coverage health insurance. Support is guaranteed for 4 years subject to satisfactory academic progress. Admission to the program is never contingent on students securing their own funds. The department does not distinguish teaching fellows and research assistants: all students are provided with a fellowship to support their research training, and all contribute to the department's teaching by serving as teaching assistants or teachers of small classes. Students may be asked to serve as teaching assistants for one course each year during tenure of their fellowships, but in recent practice the load has been less than this. Where appropriate, students are encouraged to seek personal fellowships from bodies such as the National Science Foundation or the National Institutes of Health, for this brings distinction both to the student and the department. The University of Rochester also offers fellowships on a competitive basis for fulltime graduate study. Recipients are chosen from nominations made by individual departments. Financial assistance is not provided for part-time study in this department. Standardized TestsApplicants are urged to take tests sufficiently early so that test results can be considered in conjunction with the candidate's other records. A delay in receipt of GRE Scores will cause a delay in the consideration of applications
Obtain information and registration materials for these exams from your own institution, or write to:
Institution and Department CodesWhen applying to the department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, the University of Rochester institution code number for the GRE and TOEFL score reports is 2928. For the GRE score report, if you use department code 2002 (Cognitive Psychology), your report will be properly forwarded to the department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences. For the TOEFL score report, if you use department code 58 (Psychology, Experimental/Developmental), your report will be properly forwarded to the department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences. Supplementary Information for Non-U.S. StudentsAny documents or letters submitted in support of your application should be in English or should be accompanied by an English translation. Please do not send secondary school records. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (unless waived as noted above in the Standardized Tests section). In many countries visas will not be issued without proof of adequate proficiency in English, such as a satisfactory score on that test. To obtain a visa for study in the United States, international students must present the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or IAP-66) at a U.S. consulate or embassy and demonstrate full proof of ability to pay all tuition and living expenses for the first year of study. The department's fellowship covers the expenses for a single person with no dependents. In cooperation with this department, International Student Affairs at the University of Rochester will issue the I-20 or IAP-66 after a student has been admitted. Questions should be sent to International Services Office, 209 Morey Hall, University of Rochester, P.O. Box 270446, Rochester, NY 14627-0446, telephone (585) 275-2866, fax (585) 244-4503, or email or http://www.iso.rochester.edu. Personal StatementYour personal statement should be uploaded with the graduate admission online application. Please provide information about yourself, your aims and plans for the future, reasons for entering your chosen field, area of interest in that field, and experience other than academic in the field. TranscriptsApplicants are required to submit academic transcripts from each college/university attended. You may submit your transcript using one of the following methods:
If your transcripts are not in English, you must also provide a certified English translation. Please note that the University of Rochester reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all transcripts, and to require submission of official documentation at any point in the admissions review process. Offers of admission are contingent on receipt of final official transcripts. Letters of RecommendationProvide the names, titles, and addresses of three present or former academic references whom you have asked to recommend you. If you have been employed six months or more, a letter from your supervisor may be desirable as one of the three recommendation letters. Please double check the email addresses. These people will be contacted via email and will be asked to upload their recommendation via the web (we may also contact them by mail or phone to verify their recommendation). Contact your references ahead of time, so that they can expect our request for a recommendation. If any of your recommenders prefer to fill out a paper form, click here for a recommendation form. Please note that you still need to enter your recommenders' information in the application. You will be able to view the status of the electronic submission of your recommenders, and you will have the ability to re-send email to the recommender if necessary by returning to this page after you have submitted your application and clicking on the 'Recommender Status' button that will appear after your application is submitted. Supplementary Application MaterialsThe department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences does not require applicants to submit a sample of writing; however, applicants are welcome to include supplementary materials, such as CV, honors essays, theses, published works or the like, that they believe may enhance their application to this department. If publications are listed, please provide complete references. Additional supplemental materials can be submitted electronically by uploading your documents to the online application form. PolicyThe University of Rochester and the department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences value diversity and are committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Further, the University complies with all applicable nondiscrimination laws in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. Questions on compliance should be directed to The College of Arts and Sciences, or to this department, or to the University's Equal Opportunity Coordinator, University of Rochester, P.O. Box 270501, Rochester, NY 14627-0501. Phone (585) 275-4321. Mailing AddressIt is not necessary to send hard copies of supplemental materials uploaded with your on-line application.
For Your RecordsA complete application to the department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences should include the following items:
The contact person for information about the graduate program in Brain & Cognitive Sciences is:
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