Wildlife Ecology and Conservation department

Application Process

To be admitted to the WEC graduate program (MS thesis or PhD) requires that you have engaged with a WEC faculty member and they have agreed to develop a plan to fund your graduate career. As a rule, applying following the process below will be unsuccessful without first identifying a partnering faculty advisor.

A detailed overview of the admission process and a recommended strategy for beginning searching for a faculty mentor can be read here.

Below, we outline the steps for formally applying to enter the WEC graduate program once you have a potential supervisor identified.

Application to the non-thesis MS programs differ. Information on how to apply for the non-thesis MS or the Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation can be found here.

Although admission is decided at the department level, all applications to the WEC graduate program must apply online through the Graduate School web page (https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/). You will sign up for an account there, upload your application materials, and send reference letter links. In addition, there will be a ‘Florida residency affidavit’ (where you declare whether you meet the Florida residency requirements or not) and a ‘conduct declaration.’

Application Checklist

You must prepare the following materials for your application to WEC: 1) A detailed curriculum vitae outlining your work, volunteer, and educational experience, plus any other relevant information (e.g., awards, skills); 2) official transcripts; 3) three brief essays (described below); 4) three letters of recommendation.

The items mentioned above are required before admittance. Most are graduate school requirements (i.e., CV, transcripts, personal statement, three letters of reference). WEC requires an additional two essays. All should be submitted online through the Graduate School portal.

In addition, your faculty mentor will perform a holistic assessment based on their interactions with you and your application materials (this step is conducted internally and is not submitted by the applicant). You will likely be asked to provide copies of your application materials to your potential supervisor before submitting them to the graduate school for them to conduct their holistic assessment beforehand.

Items required from the applicant:

Item	Note
Official transcripts	UF admissions will require official copies from your previous institution. However, unofficial transcripts will be suitable for introductions to potential faculty.
CV (annotated*)	An annotated CV provides positions and dates and includes a summary for each. E.g., duties while in positions, descriptions of awards, estimated hours of experience, and description of volunteer experience.
Essay 1* – “Personnel statement” (500 words)	Summarize how your academic history thus far has prepared you for graduate training. Discuss your choice of your previous degree program(s), successes, challenges (and how you coped with them), and overall performance. This is an honest self-appraisal, not a personal advertisement
Essay 2* – “What current scientific endeavors excite you?” (500 words)	Find two journal articles addressing research topics that spark your curiosity. In 500 words, explain your interests in the works you chose.
Essay 3* – “Why this lab” (500 words)	Why do you seek to join this faculty member’s lab? How will training in this lab help you to achieve your professional goals? How might your participation enhance the diversity of experience in the lab and WEC?
Letters of Reference	Three (3) letters from academic or professional references who can speak to your readiness for graduate-level education

If you have additional questions about the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation's graduate studies program's admission process, please contact Michael Dial (michael.dial@ufl.edu).

International students:

The TOEFL or IELTS exam is also required if English is not the primary language. If the student’s earned bachelor's or master's degree is from an English-speaking institution, the TOEFL or IELTS exam is not required. If your transcripts are not written in English, you must also send official English translations to the UF Office of Admissions. International students must also send copies of all diplomas/certificates earned. If these diplomas/certificates are not written in English, you must also send official English translations to the UF Office of Admissions.

The University of Florida's school code for submission of TOEFL or IELTS scores is 5812.

If you have additional questions about the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation's graduate studies program's admission process, please contact Michael Dial (michael.dial@ufl.edu).