MS Plant Biology at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

The Department of Plant Biology offers two graduate degrees, the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy. There are two paths to completing the Master of Science degree, the traditional thesis and a non-thesis option. Students accepted directly into the MS program are expected to complete an MS thesis.

Faculty: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Champaign, IL, United States

What you will study

Required courses listed include PBIO 599 Thesis Research (8 max applied toward degree); IB 590 Individual Topics (8 max applied toward degree).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Prospective students are encouraged to identify faculty member(s) whose research specialty(ies) most closely coincide(s) with their interests and to correspond directly with them. Acceptance the Master of Science graduate program is based on the applicant's academic achievement and research potential. While departmental requirements do not specify particular courses as prerequisites for admission, applicants should have had undergraduate coursework in biology or related sciences. Admission to the graduate program requires an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0). Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (or approved equivalent) are not required but may be submitted to strengthen application package; however no minimum scores are specified for admission. International students should have a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 600 or

Domestic applicants: USD 20,114 a year (2026-27). Illinois resident rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Non-Illinois U.S. resident tuition for this programme: $37,410. Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insura Source

International applicants: USD 37,410 a year (2026-27). International rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insurance, housing and other expenses as the source states them separately Source

Not all graduate programmes offer admission in all terms; term availability is set by each programme of study.

Graduate applicants apply online through the Graduate College application; deadlines and term availability are set by each programme. Medicine, law and veterinary medicine applicants apply directly to their colleges.

Apply through the official page: https://grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply

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