Green Fellowship FAQ

The Green Fellows Program offers a full-time, hands-on research experience in a lab setting. Participants work 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, for the duration of the spring semester. Specific hours are set by each lab, generally falling between 8 am – 5 pm or 9 am – 6 pm.

Due to the demands of the program, you must agree not to enroll in any other UTD or SMU courses during the Spring 2026 semester and are required to commit to not working during program hours, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

Yes. Green Fellows are concurrently enrolled in a graded undergraduate research course at UTD or SMU earning 12 credit hours. These credits may fulfill major requirements or count toward a senior thesis, depending on the student’s academic program. Students should consult with their academic advisors to ensure the credits align with their degree requirements.

Individual professors may assign scientific papers or journal readings that would be best done outside of the typical lab day, but this would not be multiple hours per week. In addition, there are some social activities that will be scheduled, but they are not mandatory.

No, the Green Fellows Program only accepts students for admission during the spring semester.

Fellowships are available in the following areas:

• Biological Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biophysics
• Cancer Biology
• Cell Biology
• Computational Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Genetics
• Immunology
• Molecular Biology
• Molecular Biophysics
• Microbiology
• Neuroscience
• Organic Chemistry

The Green Fellows Program requires a minimum GPA of 3.4 and at least two years of college experience or participation. While prior research experience is beneficial, it is not required to do so. Also, you must be at least 18 years of age prior to the start of the program.

There is not a direct cost or fee to participate; however, you will need to factor in the cost of commuting to UT Southwestern whether that is gas, parking, or public transportation.

Housing and meals are not provided. Green Fellows from UTD receive a $4,250 stipend for the semester but are responsible for their own tuition and fees.

Faculty and laboratory assignments will be discussed during the interviews.

Each laboratory has different training, but all of the labs require long pants and close-toed shoes. Business attire is required for the poster symposium.

The application portal will open on June 30, 2025.

The application deadline is September 14, 2025, at 11:59 pm CST. The selection committee begins reviewing applications after the deadline. We do not have rolling admissions.

It is not necessary for you to contact the PI whose research you are interested in. In fact, we ask candidates to NOT contact potential faculty ahead of applying for Green Fellows. All lab placements will be done in consultation with the Green Fellows directors.

There is no application fee.

Every student who completes an application will receive a response from us by mid-October. We appreciate your patience as we review applications.

Yes, all documents should be submitted via the online application system. Your recommender will also use this system to submit their letter of recommendation. You can view your application status in the online system.

• Completed application in the portal system.
• Unofficial school transcript. Do not send a link or file that requires security access.
• Personal essays – Please address the following topics:
  • Your educational, research, and/or employment experience that drives your interest in a research-intensive career. (400-word limit)
  • Research areas at UT Southwestern of particular interest to you and your reasons for these choices. Be as specific as possible. Visit www.utsouthwestern.edu/graduateschool, to see the various research programs and research areas available. (300-word limit)
  • List five professors (faculty) at UT Southwestern (in order of preference) in whose lab you are interested in working.
  • Explain your plans for future professional or graduate education, such as, Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., M.D., other. (400-word limit)
  • Tell us how you heard about the Green Fellows Research Program fellowship. (400-word limit)
  • Describe an experience that demonstrates your resilience, maturity, perseverance, or leadership skills in response to a challenge you have faced. How can you apply the lessons learned to your future endeavors, specifically this research experience? (400-word limit)
• Resume/CV (limit to 1 page)
• One letter of recommendation

No. Your letter of recommendation must be received no later than 11:59 pm, September 21, for the application to be reviewed.

Only completed applications will be reviewed. The only exception is your letter of recommendation (LOR) which is due exactly one week from the application deadline (e.g., application deadline is 9/14/2025; LOR is due 9/21/2025).

All application materials should be submitted electronically and directly within the online application. If, for some reason, an item cannot be uploaded within the application, please email GreenFellows@UTSouthwestern.edu.

You can check the online system for the status of your application. You will receive an email notification indicating that your application is complete. Also, the username and password used to create your account in our admissions portal will provide access to your profile and will allow you to check the completion status of your application and whether your LOR has been received.

Administrative staff cannot inform you of your application status via email or phone.

You will be notified via the primary email address you supplied if you have been invited to an interview for our program. All other applicants will be contacted with a final status determination when all interview invitations have been extended.

The Green Fellows Program requires a minimum GPA of 3.4 to be considered.

There is no application fee.

Green Fellows from UTD or SMU receive a $4,250 stipend for the semester.

No. UTD or SMU tuition and fees are the sole responsibility of the program participants.

No; however, students are required to have health insurance and provide proof of insurance. UTD or SMU student health insurance is allowed.

Please email us: GreenFellows@UTSouthwestern.edu

University of Texas at Dallas – Green Fellows Program

UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences – Green Fellows Program