Research Scholars

Our application deadline for the Stowers Research Scholars Program is February 23, 2024, 11:59 PM eastern time (New York).

All applicants are encouraged to fill out a GradCAS application and select Stowers Research Scholars Program.

GradCAS (the application system) offers technical support. They have a Help Center and Contact Us. If any issue arises that is not resolved, please contact the Graduate School at postbac@stowers.edu.

We advise applicants to submit their applications early. We do not accept late applications even if there are last-minute technical difficulties.

Yes. You can submit your application without having received all the references letters. You can log onto the site to check the status of your reference letters.

1. Not reading and following all the instructions carefully. Applicants must answer the questions in the manner that is detailed in the application. Failure to do so will diminish prospects for acceptance.

2. Not checking with or informing recommenders with sufficient time for them to provide you with an adequate letter. Recommenders need to turn in the letter by the deadline, so they need time to prepare the letter. In addition, if they do not receive your request, they may have to check their Spam or Junk folder.

3. Not allowing ample time to complete the application before the deadline. All applicants must write several long-form responses to questions. Time is needed to think about and compose all responses.

There is no application fee for the Stowers Research Scholars Program.

Final offers will be sent out by mid-April. All applicants will be contacted by e-mail as to their final acceptance status.

Yes. You are expected to commit to the year-long program. Less time is not permissible. Please contact us at postbac@stowers.edu for more information.

We require a minimum of two references. Inclusion of a third reference is optional. Careful selection of two references is more important than the quantity. It is recommended that all letters of reference be on official letterhead.

The two best sources of recommendation letters are: (1) supervisors (professors, senior lab members, or teaching assistants) of research projects you may have done outside of class or as an extensive class project and/or (2) professors who taught your classes (preferably science classes, especially those with laboratory components). It is recommended that all letters of reference be on official letterhead.

No, the Stowers Research Scholars program is open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.

If we retain a waitlist, we will inform all applicants on that list and provide the timeframe for the final acceptance decisions.

Yes, the research is a full-time commitment.

Stowers Institute research focuses on foundational research in organisms, tissues, and cells to understand the many mechanisms underlying human health and disease.

Using diverse research organisms like planarian flatworms, cavefish, and sea anemones, scientists at Stowers are investigating how genomes have both evolved and been conserved throughout the history of life on Earth. With unparalleled support of multiple Technology Centers that offer an abundance of research tools, services, and expertise, our scientists pursue curiosity-driven research that aims to resolve some of the unanswered questions in biology.

Research areas at Stowers:

• Development and Regeneration
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Neuroscience
• Systems Biology