If you are interested in applying for admission to our Graduate Program, please review the list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers below.

 

Free online pre-application is available here.

        

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

1   What is the address to send recommendations, transcripts, and test scores to?

     Graduate Program Coordinator
     Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
     University of Texas at Arlington
     700 Planetarium Place, 130 CPB
     Box 19065
     Arlington, Texas 76019-0065, USA 

2   What is the preliminary application used for? 

It gives the Chemistry Department’s Recruiting Committee a rough and unofficial idea of your credentials, background, test scores, degrees, universities attended, GPA’s, and the courses you have taken.  It also helps us make a decision whether or not we should encourage you to formally apply.  Its benefit to you is we can see whether or not you are a competitive candidate, and you can save money on the $60.00 application fee if and until we ask you to formally apply. 

3   Can the preliminary application be used as my official application to the University of Texas at Arlington? 

No, you must formally apply with the Graduate School by the admissions deadline and pay an application fee to be formally considered. 

4   Is there an application fee with the preliminary application? 

No it is free. 

5   Is there an application fee to formally apply with the Graduate School? 

Yes.  It is $60 USD. 

6   What are the admission deadlines? 

The chemistry department accepts inquiries year-round but only admits students in the Spring and Fall semesters.  Admission during the Summer session is less common.  The UTA Graduate School has specific deadlines for the Spring and Fall classes.

Please go to the following link for the most recent deadlines:

http://grad.uta.edu/leftMenuPages/admissions_deadlines.asp 

7   Can I be admitted early?/ What is the Chemistry Department’s early admission policy? 

Yes. / Exceptional applicants will be considered for early admission and financial support (GTA or GRA) and  possibly bonus fellowships (on the order of $1000 to $2000 USD). 

8   Why are the admission deadlines for international students so far in advance of US domestic applicants? 

It is due to the fact that not only does UTA have to process the admission, but it takes 6-8 weeks after formal admittance is granted for most countries to process the I-20 Visa form, and to award an applicant a Student Visa.  Plus international students must attend a special orientation nearly a week before classes begin, so they have to be here. 

9   What am I required to have submitted to the Graduate School by the deadline? 

Application and Application fee ($60 USD).

Info can be found at   http://grad.uta.edu/leftMenuPages/admissions.asp  

10  What should I send in by the deadline to better my chances of being admitted?

1. Application

2. Application Fee ($60 USD)

3. Official Transcripts

4. Official GRE scores submitted from ETS

5. If applicable Official TOEFL scores submitted from ETS. 

11  What are the admission requirements for UTA? 

Please see the link to the Graduate School Website below that lists them all:

 http://grad.uta.edu/leftMenuPages/admissions_requirements.asp  

12  What are the Chemistry Department’s admission requirements? 

As a requirement the GRE exam, and if you are an international student the TOEFL exam, must be taken.  The scores on these exams weigh heavily in the decision to admit a candidate as does the GPA (grade point average), schools attended, transcripts, and the three letters of recommendation.  The Recruiting Committee looks at an applicant’s entire package. 

The Chemistry Department prefers a score of at least 1100 for the combined verbal and quantitative GRE with at least 600 in the quantitative portion.  The minimum scores for the TOEFL are as follows: if paper-based required minimum score is 550; if computer-based required minimum score is 213; if the iBT the required minimum score is 80, and if the IELTS the required minimum score of 7.0 must be attained.  If your scores are significantly lower, you will benefit from retaking the relevant tests. 

The GPA needs to be at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.  If your GPA is given in a percentage, our Recruiting Committee knows what percentages are comparatively acceptable and which ones are not.  Remember the higher the GPA and exam scores are, the more competitive you are when compared to the other candidates. 

13  Can I waive the TOEFL exam? 

If you are an international applicant then the answer is no unless you have earned your BS degree at a US institution.  Domestic applicants do not need the TOEFL. 

14  What are the English speaking requirements for graduate school admission to UTA and the Chemistry Department? 

An international applicant must take and pass the TOEFL exam.  The minimum scores for the TOEFL are as follows: if paper-based required minimum score is 550; if computer-based required minimum score is 213; if the iBT the required minimum score is 80, and if the IELTS the required minimum score of 7.0 must be attained. 

15  What is the University of Texas at Arlington’s ETS school code where I have my official tests scores sent? 

It is 6013. 

16  Are scanned images of the test scores emailed to the Chemistry Department or copies of the originals that are mailed considered official? 

No they are not.  ETS must formally submit them to the Graduate School. 

17  What kind of financial support does the Chemistry Department offer? 

Students earning a PhD (admitted in the BS-PhD track) typically receive financial support in the form of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) or  Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) which currently starts at $19500 USD/yr.  Most such students will also qualify for a STEM fellowship which covers most of the tuition expenses.  Health insurance is also given to all supported students. 

Students earning a MS degree (admitted in the BS-MS track) are also eligible for a GRA or GTA but not for a STEM fellowship. 

GRA and GTA stipends increase as you progress through the program with students in their third year and beyond having stipends on the order of $22000 USD/yr. 

The department cannot guarantee financial support for a student's entire course of graduate study – as financial circumstances may change beyond our control.  However, we note that in our history we have yet to have such dire financial circumstances arise and we have supported all our PhD students (who remain in good standing academically) for a minimum of 4 years in the past. 

18  What are the various statistics on the number of offers of assistantships you make each semester? 

Currently the department has ~75 graduate students.  We typically admit 10-20 BS-PhD track students with support each fall semester and 0-7 students with support each spring semester. 

19  Can I as an international student come to the US for only a couple of classes? 

No, international applicants cannot apply for non-degree seeking status. 

20  Does a 3 year BSc degree from a university in another country qualify an applicant to apply for the MS or PhD programs in Chemistry here at UTA? 

No, a 3 year BS degree is not equivalent to a 4 year BS degree in the US, unless however, the applicant’s 3 year degree is from a university in Germany.  Therefore to apply for our graduate program an applicant with a 3 year BS degree must either attain a 2 year masters or apply here as an undergraduate. 

21  Do I need to commit to a specific field before I come to UTA? 

No.  We ask this because we try to balance the incoming applicants between fields (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, physical). 

22  Are permanent residents and/or Resident Aliens considered domestic or international applicants? 

They are considered international applicants, therefore they fall under international applicant admission deadlines.