Thank you for your interest in joining our department as a graduate student. Our world-class research efforts are sustained by the recruitment of outstanding research talent, and we are excited to consider your application to our program. Read on to find answers to frequently asked questions about the graduate program application process.
Frequently Asked Questions
All graduate program applications are evaluated by a committee of research professors in our department. The committee looks for outstanding candidates with a demonstrated passion and talent for research. Our evaluation process is holistic, and considers all facets of the individual when determining whether our department would be a good fit for the applicant.
All applications to our graduate program are handled online via the Graduate School. You will be asked to create an account in Slate, which will then guide you step-by-step through the application process. Make sure to select Chemistry as the program, and Chemistry (PhD) as the intended degree.
We recruit all of our graduate students on an annual cycle, with admission to the program beginning at the start of the Fall semester. The application deadline always falls in the December of the previous year. Our next application deadline is: Monday December 15, 2025.
No, the GRE exam is not required. Any reference to GRE scores will be removed from your application and will not be used as part of the assessment process.
Yes, all applicants to our program are required to identify three faculty as potential research advisors in the 'Research and Advising' section of the online application form. This section will appear after the applicant chooses the admit term.
The Department of Chemistry currently requires a minimum of two letters of recommendation, with three being preferred. Please note: recommendations should be from professional job supervisors or faculty.
Yes, the Department of Chemistry has partnered with the College of Natural Sciences to offer a limited number of fee waivers to prospective graduate students. Priority will be given to applicants who have faced adversity due to societal, economic, or academic disadvantages; applicants belonging to groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in graduate education in chemistry; and applicants who are first-generation students. Applicants will be asked to provide a short statement describing for which priority area(s) they are requesting consideration. The next application window opens on October 1, 2025, at which time an application link will be posted on this page.
In addition, the department has a limited number of waivers for applicants who can provide documentation supporting their membership or participation in one or more of the following professional organizations or conferences:
- National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)
- Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
- Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS)
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
- Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U-STAR)
Please note that fee waivers cannot be offered retroactively or as a refund for application fees that have already been paid. Successful recipients of the waiver will be notified by December 8 of the application cycle, which is one week before the graduate program application deadline.
Deadline: Monday December 1, 2025
Questions about applying to our graduate program, or about the program in general, should be directed to the Graduate Program Manager, Rebecca David via email.
Graduate Program Information Session (2025)
Below is a recording of the Graduate Program Information Session that was held on November 18, 2025. Watch it to learn from faculty and graduate students about the program and the application process.