New Students

We are excited you have chosen the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) for your education and look forward to your arrival. The information on this page will help you prepare for matriculation.

Orientation

Orientation for Basic Science PhD and Master’s students takes place at the beginning of September and consists of in-person and online activities. The in-person day typically takes place the day after Labor Day. Details will be emailed to you in August. MERGE and PREP students begin in July with a welcome lunch before attending Orientation in the fall. CTS students begin in July with an abridged Orientation program.

Stipends

Fully funded PhD students receive bi-monthly stipends. Stipends begin the first official day of the program and are paid on the 15th and 30th of each month.

Billing

Student Accounts notifies all students when bills are ready for review and payment. Fall semester bills are due in August and must be paid prior to the start of classes. If you have questions about billing, please contact the Bursar’s Office at 617-636-6551.

Housing

GSBS provides a number of online resources to assist in securing housing in the Boston area.

Lab Rotations

All basic science students participate in laboratory rotations during their first year to learn skills, experience different lab environments and help identify a thesis lab. In August, students will have the opportunity to indicate their lab preference for their first rotation.

Health Insurance

All students are required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to hold approved health insurance. Students may either enroll in the health insurance plan offered by Tufts University or maintain private coverage that meets or exceeds the minimum State requirements. For questions about health insurance, contact the Student Advisory & Health Administration office.

Immunizations

All students must provide documentation of immunization to comply with Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Tufts University requirements. Without proper documentation, students will not be able to register for classes. For questions about immunizations, contact the Student Advisory & Health Administration office.

Detailed information on these topics and other areas are available in Slate and the GSBS Student Portal in Canvas.

Welcome to GSBS!