Apply to UW Bioengineering’s Master of Applied Bioengineering – GRE Scores Now Optional

Apply Now

Register for an Upcoming Info Session

REGISTER

Have questions about applying?

View the MAB Admissions Frequently Asked Questions.

Deadlines

We have 2 application deadlines options: 

Deadline 1: January 31, 11:59pm Pacific Time: Priority application deadline

Applications received prior to January 31st, will be reviewed in mid-late February with committee decisions sent out to applicants by mid-March.

  • Applicants must make their decision to accept or decline offers by April 30th.

Deadline 2: April 30, 11:59pm Pacific Time: Regular application deadline

Applications received between February 1 and April 30th will be reviewed in early May, with committee decisions sent out to applicants by mid-to-late May.

  • Applicants must make their decision to accept or decline offers by June 15th.

We will consider applications received after April 30th on a rolling basis pending available space. If you’re an international candidate we strongly encourage you to apply by April 30th in order to secure your visa.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring their application is complete and received by the deadline in order to be considered for admission. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Department of Bioengineering will not make any exceptions to this policy.

Before applying

Application informaton

There is one application cycle each year, for Autumn quarter matriculation only.

Domestic and international applicants must complete the Graduate School Application and pay a $90 application fee.  Applicants may incur additional costs associated with exams, such as the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, etc.

The application is entirely online. Candidates must submit electronic copies of all application materials.

See “Application checklist” below to learn more about the required components of the application.

Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed, no exceptions.

If you are waiting to hear about the status of your application, please check the email account you submitted with your online application and also log back into your application profile.

You are a domestic applicant if you are a U.S. citizen or hold immigrant status (permanent residency/have a green card).

You are an international applicant if you have/will have a non-immigrant visa status, including F-1, J-1 Exchange Visitors, H-1, dependent visas. 

International students must have a U.S. visa status that allows academic study at the University of Washington.

International applicants are strongly encouraged to review the UW Graduate School FAQ for International Students.

GRE scores – Optional

If choosing to submit, GRE scores must be directly reported from ETS to UW (use institutional code 4854; department code 1603). GRE scores must be valid and five (5) years old or less on the date the application is submitted.

For consideration, official GRE scores must be submitted and properly uploaded into a candidate’s application by the Relevant Application Deadline.

Unofficial transcripts

Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended must be uploaded into the Graduate School online application. Paper transcripts will not be accepted. Candidates should not submit official transcripts unless explicitly requested.

Letters of recommendation

Two (2) letters of recommendation must be submitted on the applicant’s behalf for the application to be considered complete; three (3) letters are preferred. The application will ask each candidate to designate mentors who will write letters of recommendation describing his/her motivation and qualification for the MAB program. Each recommender will immediately receive an e-mail directing him/her to a secure website to submit the letter and to complete an on-line evaluation form. Candidates and letter writers must use the UW online system. Letters of recommendation submitted via Interfolio or any other recommendation site will not be accepted. Applications with fewer than two (2) letters of recommendation will be considered “incomplete” and the application will not be reviewed or considered for admission.

The strongest letters of recommendation come from mentors who have seen the candidate in an academic or professional environment, and who can speak to her/his academic ability, design or research skills, teamwork and communication skills.

The MAB Application Deadline is January 31. All letters must be received by the Deadline to be considered in the review process.

Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed or considered. Candidates should track the status of the letters of recommendation by logging back into the online application.

Statement of Purpose and Qualifications

Please answer the following questions in 2 pages or less to complete your application for the Master of Applied Bioengineering program at the University of Washington. 

Preparation and Technical Readiness

Describe how your academic background, professional experiences, and personal journey have prepared you for success in a design-oriented and technically rigorous bioengineering curriculum. Include relevant coursework, research, design projects, internships, or self-directed learning. Be sure to highlight both technical skills—such as programming, data analysis, circuit design, advanced math, or physics—and non-technical skills like leadership, communication, and teamwork that demonstrate your readiness for the program.

Teamwork and Collaboration 

Students in the MAB program work in teams to design solutions to real-world clinical needs. Describe a time when you worked as part of a team to achieve a common goal. What was your role, how did you contribute, and what challenges did you face and overcome?

Resilience, Identity, and Impact 

Graduate school and life often present challenges that test our resilience and shape our growth. Reflect on a time when you demonstrated perseverance despite setbacks or barriers to your success. How did this experience influence your personal or academic development? Additionally, consider how your background, culture, or life experiences have contributed to your journey. In what ways do you hope to bring your unique perspective to enrich our diverse and inclusive program community?

List of fellowships, scholarships, grants and awards

Please list pending graduate school award notifications in addition to any graduate school awards received.

At this time, departmental funding is not available for students in the MAB program. MAB students are not financially supported by the Department of Bioengineering. MAB students are 100% responsible for paying for their tuition, fees and benefits,

Up-to-date resume or curriculum vitae

How did you hear about the Master of Applied Bioengineering program?

Please indicate how you heard about the MAB program for our tracking purposes.

All international applicants are encouraged to first visit the UW Graduate School to understand the overall application process.

English Language Proficiency

Proficiency at the level required for admission to the Graduate School by applicants that are not native speakers of English can be demonstrated in one of the following ways.

  1. An earned bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree (or an internationally recognized academic degree at the same level) from an accredited institution for which English was the medium of instruction.
    • Residency: For applicants using an English?medium?of?instruction (MOI) degree to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement, the following residency conditions apply [Note: students that are non-native English speakers will be asked if they meet these residency requirements in the Graduate School application]:
      • For institutions located in an English-speaking country: The student must have been in residence in that country for the full duration of enrollment in the degree program [i.e., the majority of each academic term in which the student earned credits toward the degree].
      • For institutions located in countries where English is not the official or dominant language: The student must have been in residence on, or in close proximity to, the degree granting campus for the full duration of enrollment [i.e., the majority of each academic term in which the student earned credits toward the degree]. Remote, distance, online, or primarily offsite enrollment does not satisfy the residency requirement.
    • Documentation: Official documentation from the applicant’s degree-granting institutions verifying that all instruction is in English (as described in the Graduate Admissions page) is required, except for degrees from accredited institutions in the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Canada, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, the United States, or the Virgin Islands.
  2. Official English Language Test Score (sent electronically to the University of Washington via testing center). An offer of admission cannot be extended prior to the receipt of official scores. Test scores are valid for two years and must be valid on the date the application is submitted or on the date the program requests a deferral petition
These specific English Language Test scores are the only versions accepted for admission to the Graduate School. Other tests or versions do not qualify. TOEFL iBT Duolingo Academic IELTS
Required Score

(ELP Satisfied without conditions)

4.5

(92 for tests taken before Jan 21, 2026)

130 or higher 7.0 or higher
Test Format Allowed Test Center or Home At Home Test Center or Home
[Note: TOEFL MyBest and IELTS One Skill Retake tests scores are not admissible]
  1. Previous UW graduate degree completion or previous admittance and current enrollment in a UW graduate program.

Submission of Test Scores

Visit this page to learn more about options for submitting test scores.

Additional application materials (official transcripts, financial ability, copy of visa, etc)

The Graduate School only requires additional application materials from international applicants when they are recommended for admission. Applicants should not submit additional application materials unless explicitly instructed to do so by the Graduate School.