Application Fee (Required)
$65 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
$80 for international students.
English Proficiency Test (Required)
This program uses the Graduate School's English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Minimum Scores for Regular Admission.
Minimum Scores for Regular Admission
TOEFL iBT: 4.5 (no sub score less than 4) (or 79 for students who took the test prior to January 2026)
IELTS: 6.5 (no sub score less than 6)
Duolingo English Test: 120 (no sub score less than 110)
PTE: 59
More information is available at https://graduate.ua.edu/applicants/international-students/.
Entrance Exam (Required)
If a student has previously completed or will complete a Master’s degree prior to beginning the Doctoral program and has a current graduate GPA >=3.5 out of 4.0, their application will be considered without the need to submit a GRE score. Students who have previously completed or will complete a Master’s degree prior to beginning the Doctoral program with a graduate GPA of 3.3-3.49 out of 4.0 may be considered for admission providing they also have a combined (qualitative and quantitative) GRE score of >=300. Students with a Bachelor’s degree will need to submit GRE scores. Minimum requirement for admission is a a combined (qualitative and quantitative) GRE score of >=300.
GPA (Required)
Overall 3.0+ GPA (on a 4.0 scale) from an accredited bachelor's degree or previously completed graduate degree. Transcripts using a different grading scale will be evaluated and converted to a 4.0 scale by the Graduate School.
Letter of Recommendation (3 Required)
Three letters of recommendation from faculty or other health professionals capable of judging the applicant’s ability to complete graduate work.
Resume (Required)
Current resume or curriculum vitae
Statement of Purpose (Required)
Your statement of purpose is a 1-2 page, single spaced essay that should include:
*Intention and motivation toward the pursuit of a PhD in Human Nutrition with an emphasis in translational nutrition
*Research and/or professional qualifications
*Research interests and selection of a research mentor with a rationale for your selection
*Teaching experience and areas of expertise
*Career goals after the PhD
Transcript (Required)
Please upload an unofficial transcript for any institution of higher education at which you have completed 15 or more credit hours. Official transcripts must be received prior to registering for classes. International applicants: please make sure that your transcript includes a grading scheme. All others: please include a grading scheme if your university does not use a letter-based (e.g. A, A-, B) grading scheme. The minimum GPA to be considered: 3 (for regular admission). Students who do not meet these requirements, but who excel in other areas, may be considered for Admission with Permission to Continue.