Support after the first year is from individual departments and research programs through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and an NIH Genetic Training Grant. Some teaching experience is generally required after the first year, regardless of the source of support. Living and Housing Costs Housing is available within walking distance of the University in private apartments and in University housing. The program admits 30-40 graduate students per year. The University as a whole has about 4,300 graduate students, with approximately 200 graduate students in disciplines related to the program.
Students come from all states and many countries.
The site is at an altitude of 4,500 feet just at the base of the Wasatch Range, which rises precipitously to the east and south of the University. The main campus, home to the Department of Biology, is less than 1 mile from the Medical Center, which houses the Departments of Biochemistry, Oncological Sciences, Human Genetics, and Pathology. Metropolitan Salt Lake City, with a population of about 800,000, is the economic and cultural center of the intermountain region of the western United States. Salt Lake City is a popular vacation destination for outdoor enthusiasts because of the nearby mountains, forests, and deserts, with opportunities for skiing, climbing, hiking, fishing, and camping close at hand. Nine national parks are within a day's drive.