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REACH GREAT HEIGHTS

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) is a unique collaboration between UTHealth Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center. This synergistic partnership provides students with unparalleled access to modern facilities, world-class faculty and unlimited prospects for research in the biomedical sciences.

STEPS TO APPLY

WELCOME TO THE MD ANDERSON UTHEALTH HOUSTON GRADUATE SCHOOL

Congratulations on your recent admission to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences! Below you will find a list of items to be completed by August 1. Please contact the Admissions Team if you have any questions that may arise. 

ApplyUTH - is the initial platform you use to manage required documents or holds prior to your myUTH account activation.

myUTH - is the UTHealth Houston institution-wide platform where our students can manage their courses, tuition, fees and other administrative items for their graduate program.  

Prior to being matriculated as a new student you will use the applyUTH portal to check on your status and clear available holds. Matriculation of new students occurs approximately two weeks before the start of registration. Here are the corresponding dates for matriculation:  

  • Summer start term – April 1
  • Fall start term – July 1
  • Spring start term – November 1 

Once you have cleared the criminal background check, which will also clear the Identity Management (IDM) hold, you will then be given access to your myUTH account. The IDM hold will not generate to your account until you are matriculated as a new student. 

Once your applyUTH/myUTH account has been set up, please start working on the holds on your account. You will need to take care of all holds on your account to enroll for the semester. 

If you need to reset your password, and you know your user ID, you can do so by clicking the “Forgot Password?” link. If you need assistance logging on to your applyUTH or myUTH account, please contact the UTHealth IT Solutions Team at 713.486.4848 or [email protected].  

**New Student Orientation will be held August 18-22, 2025. More details will be provided in early summer. It is recommended that students arrive to Houston, TX 1-2 weeks before the start of New Student Orientation, but no later than Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

New Student Checklist

  • FINAL OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS/TEST SCORES

    Official documents must be sent directly to the Registrar’s office 

    You must send a FINAL official transcript with degree conferred directly to our registrar’s office prior to August 1. The Registrar must receive an official transcript from every college or university attended, including classes taken for dual credit or at community college. Failure to submit final official documents by your first enrolled term will result in a hold placed on your account preventing you from future course registration.  

    Students who completed coursework and/or earned degrees from international universities are required to have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Service (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) (A course-by-course transcript evaluation with GPA calculation) is required. Completed electronic evaluations can be sent to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston via WES or ECE platforms. Mailed copies are also acceptable.  

    For students completing a degree in the summer term, an evaluation of the in-progress degree will be accepted (and the final evaluation must be submitted by the end of the first term of enrollment at the Graduate School). 

    For more information regarding official transcripts, including mailing address and information on electronic transcripts, please visit the UTHealth Houston Office of the Registrar. They can be contacted directly via email at [email protected] or by calling (713) 500-3388.  

    TOEFL scores (If Applicable) - International students who were required to submit TOEFL scores with their application and who have not earned a degree from an institution in the United States are required to submit valid official test scores. Please use institutional code 6907 (no department code needed). 

  • CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK (CBC)/IDENTITY MANAGEMENT (IDM) HOLDS

    Please complete this step as soon as possible to avoid delays in course registration. 

    MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston requires that a criminal background screening and identity management verification process be completed and submitted by all new students admitted to a degree or non-degree program prior to enrollment for their first term of study at their respective school. Accepted students who do not consent to a CBC or who fail to provide the report as required will not be able to enroll in the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School. 

    International students arriving in the US less than 30 days prior to orientation are exempt from providing the criminal background check report but should review the IDM/CBC guide for details. If this applies to you, please request an exemption by e-mailing [email protected] with information on the specified arrival date in August.  

    To begin your criminal background and identity management check, download the CBC/IDM Guide for instructions and step-by-step process your CBC/IDM clearance, and then go to https://www.emplscreen.com/esa-student-login.asp, select University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and click “apply here.”

  • IMMUNIZATION AND HEALTH FORMS

    Please complete this process as soon as possible as verification can take several weeks.  

    Immunizations are required of all new incoming students at the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School. Select the Immunization link on your applyUTH/myUTH to complete your Immunization Certification. Download the Immunization FAQ for more information about the required immunizations and how to submit your immunization records. 

    For questions or concerns, please contact the Student Health Clinic 713-500-5171 or e-mail [email protected].  

  • CORE RESIDENCY FORM

    New students can verify their residency status in their applyUTH/myUTH portal. The three possible classifications are Resident, Non-resident, and Not Determined. 

    myUTHealthStudentHome.jpg

    No action is required if you are classified as a Resident. 

    If you are classified as Non-Resident or Not Determined and believe you should be classified as a Texas Resident, please submit a Core Residency Questionnaire Form to the UTHealth Houston Registrar's Office at [email protected]. 

  • HEALTH INSURANCE CERTIFICATION

    Information regarding clearing this hold will be sent by the Graduate School Finance Office. DO NOT answer any questions related to health insurance certification until you receive the directions from the Finance Office. 

  • ACTIVITY GUIDE/GRANT CONSENT 1098T/SSN & TITLE IV ACTIVITY GUIDE

    Activity Guide - This hold populates every term on your myUTH account to ensure your contact information on your account is up to date. 

    Grant Consent 1098T/SSN & Title IV Activity Guide - These holds/to-do list items may or may not appear on your myUTH account. If they do, upon logging in to your myUTH account, click on your “Tasks” tile and click on the “To-Do List items.” The hyperlink with instructions should populate, allowing you to clear these holds. 

  • INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (VISA HOLDERS)/PERMANENT RESIDENTS

    The Office of International Affairs (OIA) will contact all international students directly via email once your official admission letter is processed and received by OIA. This email will provide prospective students with information for obtaining appropriate visa eligibility documents, including Form I-20, and detailed instructions to complete a check-in and clearance process upon arrival on campus. ALL foreign national students are required to check in with the OIA prior to beginning their academic program at the Graduate School. 

    NOTE -I-20’s cannot be issued until you have met the contingencies of admission, which includes submission of official transcripts and a transcript evaluation (if applicable).

    It is recommended that students arrive to Houston, TX 1-2 weeks before the start of New Student Orientation, but no later than Wednesday, August 13, 2025. You should plan to arrive in the US in plenty of time to check in with OIA by the end of business (5 p.m. Central Time) on August 13, 2024. You must schedule an appointment in advance in order to check in with OIA. Please contact [email protected] once you have confirmed your OIA appointment date and time. Failure to check in with OIA prior to Orientation may cause a delay in payment of stipend (if applicable) and ultimately, may result in requiring a deferral to the following Fall start term.

    International students who will be performing rotations at MD Anderson must also check in with the MD Anderson Visa and Immigration Service Administration (VISA) office. You will receive instructions from GSBS Finance when it is time for you to check in with the MD Anderson VISA office.

    TOEFL scores (If Applicable) - International students who were required to submit TOEFL scores with their application and who have not earned a degree from an institution in the United States are required to submit valid official test scores from ETS. Please use institutional code 6907 (no department code needed). 

    The International Student Association (ISA) developed a helpful guide for international students transitioning to life in Houston, TX.

Additional Requirements

  • STUDENT ID BADGE

    All incoming students must submit a passport style photo taken within 2 months of the start of classes. Please e-mail this to [email protected]. 

    The photo must be a JPG file titled "lastnamefirstname.jpg," for example, smithjohn.jpg. Photos MUST meet the following criteria: a passport or similar professional photo, color photograph, and the background must be plain white or light in color. 

    Photo must be submitted by August 1 (for Fall), May 1 (for Summer), December 1 (for Spring). 

    The ID badge is your identity for building entrance and for after-hours access to the Texas Medical Center (TMC) Library. You will also need it if you want to purchase software at one of the bookstores in the medical center. 

  • NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

    Once your IDM hold is removed and your UTHealth Houston e-mail address is active, you will be manually added to the online Orientation Course via Canvas.

    Degree-seeking Fall incoming students - New Student Orientation will be held August 18-22, 2025. More details will be provided in early summer. Due to the amount of paperwork required, all students are required to arrive in Houston no later than Wednesday, August 13, 2025.  

    For additional information and a schedule please visit the New Student Orientation page. 

  • FINANCIAL

    Financial Information – New Students Only

    At the end of June, you will receive a checklist from the GSBS Finance Office that details the following items to be completed:

    • Instructions for the Health Insurance Certification hold in applyUTH/myUTH
    • UT MD Anderson Appointment Process for access to MD Anderson resources and facilities
    • Pre-Employment steps and required identification (for funded students only)
    • Drug/Tobacco testing process (For MD Anderson Funded students only)
    • Repatriation & Medical Evacuation coverage (for international students only)

    Some items will need to be completed before Orientation begins and deadline dates will be included in the finance checklist. 

    In August, prior to and during Orientation week, additional details will be provided including information pertaining to tuition & required fees, health insurance coverage requirements and process, and (for funded students) payroll information.

    Reminder: Please do not answer any questions regarding the Health Insurance Certification hold in applyUTH/myUTH, until after you have received instructions from the GSBS Finance Office.

    GSBS Finance Office Contacts

    For finance-related questions, please email [email protected].  You can also contact the following staff members for questions concerning the items listed below:

    Colden Snow

    • Health Insurance Certification
    • Health insurance coverage requirements and process
    • Tuition & required fees information and process
    • Pre-employment and payroll process for students who will receive funding under UTHealth Houston (UTHealth Houston Funded)

    Medhanit Zekarias

    • UT MD Anderson Appointment process
    • UT MD Anderson Slate System 
    • Pre-employment and payroll process for students who will receive funding under UT MD Anderson (MD Anderson Funded)
  • PHD & MS ACADEMIC/DEGREE PLAN GUIDANCE

    It is important you speak with an Academic Advisor for guidance in your designated degree plans to ensure all academic milestones are met in a timely manner through your graduate journey. Please visit the PhD Degree Requirements or the MS Degree Requirements pages for more information.

    PhD students are required to schedule an advising meeting no later than August 1.

    Schedule your appointment with the Office of Academic Affairs as soon as possible by contacting the Academic Advising teams:

    PhD Advising: [email protected]
    MS Advising: [email protected]

TOOLS & RESOURCES

Contact Information:

Office of Admissions
[email protected]

Updated - 6/24/2025