US citizen, but applying from abroad?

[Raziela]

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Hey there,

I am presently working at a research institution outside of the US, and plan to continue working here while I apply to MD/PhD programs in the coming year. I am a US citizen, I was raised there, and obtained my BA in the US. While I realize that applying from abroad will effect how much I spend on travel costs for interviews, is there anything I haven't considered that may hurt my application?

Thanks!
Razi.

PS I am a little torn between a Mol Bio and a Biochem PhD--do we have to decide before we apply/matriculate?

 

[z31]

I was in the same boat and encountered no major problems.

But a few tips!
(1) If you're in a rural area and the postal service is unreliable, or if you're far away enough that mail will be delayed by weeks, find a good friend/relative who can scan forms to you and use their mailing address to receive correspondence from schools.
(2) Let your credit card company know that you'll be out of the country to avoid having your account frozen for 'suspicious' activity (like trying to pay for an application from overseas).
(3) Apply early so that you have more options for interview dates. Having to take time off work is a pain, and the more flexibility you have to lump interviews together, the fewer trips you'll have to make. Does less damage to your wallet and to relations with your boss.

 

[Raziela]

Thanks a lot! You've really put me at ease 🙂

 

[Neuronix]

PS I am a little torn between a Mol Bio and a Biochem PhD--do we have to decide before we apply/matriculate?

No. Some make you pick as you're going in, but it's usually no big deal to switch. Don't worry about it. The only exception is if you're thinking about graduate concentrations that aren't biomedical science, but since these two clearly are, you'll be fine.

 

[Raziela]

Good to know, thank you 🙂