Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements for Study in Physics

The admissions requirements for the Department of Physics and Astronomy's graduate programs are holistic, in the sense that the admissions committee evaluates an applicant's qualifications as a whole without imposing firm, arbitrary cutoffs on particular test scores. However, the department has expectations that a prospective student will have...

1. taken the GRE General Test*
2. taken the GRE Physics Subject Test* (provisional admission is possible before the exam is taken)
3. scored 79 or higher on the TOEFL if an international student (550 or higher on the paper-based exam)
4. maintained a grade point average of 2.8/4.0 or better in their last 60 hours

Any of these expectations may be waived if a prospective student shows promise of a successful graduate career as demonstrated by the student's work experience, research experience, leadership skills, or passion for physics.

*The Graduate School is currently waiving GRE requirements due to the ongoing global pandemic. For more information, see the Graduation Admissions COVID-19 FAQ.