Apply - UNC Developmental Biology Training Program

The UNC-CH DB Trainees are composed of the outstanding graduate students and postdoctoral fellows that have already matriculated into one of the many biomedical departments or curricula at UNC-CH.

Pre-doctoral candidates usually take courses and finish their laboratory rotations by the end of their first year. Students choose their preceptors after two or sometimes three rotations. If they choose a laboratory of a participating DB faculty member, they are eligible to apply for a position in the training program. A formal application can then be submitted to the Executive Committee. Calls for applications generally go out in mid-May with trainees selected and notified by the middle of summer. Rising 2nd and 3rd year predoctoral students are eligible to apply.

Pre-doctoral Students
Each pre-doctoral applicant is required to submit a curriculum vitae, GRE scores, undergraduate GPA, grades from graduate coursework, a brief thesis research proposal, and a letter of recommendation from his/her preceptor.

Post-doctoral Students
Post-doctoral applicants can apply before or during their first year in a participating faculty member’s laboratory. These applicants are required to submit a formal application containing their curriculum vitae, proposed research project and a letter of recommendation from their preceptors.

Review Process & Funding
The Admissions Committee reviews these applications and selects the trainees based on the relevance of the research to developmental biology. The admissions committee is interested in choosing applicants based upon their academic and research record as well as maintaining a balance across different research disciplines and/or laboratory preceptors. Funding is offered for one calendar year and covers the student stipend, tuition, fees and self-only health insurance. The program has a strong history of student participation regardless of funding offer. Thus, those students who are not chosen to be funded by the Developmental Biology Training Grant, may still be eligible to participate in the program in order to enhance their graduate school experience.