Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer virtual Q&A sessions?

We will hold multiple virtual Q&A sessions every Fall. For Fall 2023, we will be holding three virtual Q&A sessions through the UA Graduate School. These will be held on:

– Monday, September 18th, 2023 at 9:00 am US central
– Monday, October 2nd, 2023 at 9:00 am US central
– Monday, November 6th, 2023 at 9:00 am US central

You can register for the events at: https://slate.ua.edu/portal/grad-connect. Please scroll to the bottom of the page to sign-up for one of the free events. Please review the information on this FAQ page before attending the virtual Q&A sessions.

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What degrees are offered by the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy?

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers both MS and PhD degrees in Physics. If your career plan is to do research, you should apply directly to the Ph.D. program – not the MS Program. Almost all of our prospective students directly enter the Ph.D. program after earning their BS or equivalent degree.

Astronomy students receive an “MS/PhD in Physics with a specialization in Astronomy”. Precision timing students receive an “MS/PhD in Physics with a concentration in precision timing”. Students in all other areas of Physics receive an  “MS/PhD in Physics”. For details, please refer to our current graduate handbook.

For application requirements and further information on how to apply to our graduate program, please visit our admissions site. Please note that graduate applications must be submitted through the UA graduate school website. If you run into any problems with the application website, please contact the graduate school. The UA Graduate school also runs virtual Q&A sessions on applying to UA.

NOTE: The UA Graduate School also offers an interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, and intercampus PhD program in material sciences. This is a separate program from the graduate program in the UA Dept. of Physics and Astronomy. If you are interested in this “Tri-Campus Material Sciences” PhD please review their application FAQ.  Please note that funding is not guaranteed to admitted students by the Tri-Campus Material Sciences program. If you have questions about the Tri-Campus Material Sciences program, please contact them directly.

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What is the due date for applications?

For a Fall start, the application deadline for domestic and international students is January 15. In order to be considered for all university fellowships complete applications should be received by December 15. To receive full consideration for departmental support via graduate teaching or research assistantships, all application materials should be received by January 15. We will continue to accept applications after January 15, although there is no guarantee that we will have positions available after this date. We strongly encourage applicants to apply as early as possible.

For a Spring start, the application deadline for domestic students is November 1 while for international students it is June 1. Please note, while we do accept applications for Spring, we make most (all) new offers for the Fall.

Prospective students do not have to apply separately for financial support. All prospective students with complete applications are considered for all available assistantships and fellowships positions.

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Are graduate application fee waivers available?

Individual departments do not decide application fees and cannot grant waivers. The UA Graduate School decides the graduate application fee, currently $65 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and $80 for international students. The UA Graduate School does not offer a waiver of application fees to either domestic or international students, with some notable exceptions. Veterans and current members of the U.S. military can qualify for a fee waiver as can Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program students, applicants previously enrolled in the UA Graduate School, and UA undergraduates applying to the same program at the graduate level. Students who think they may qualify for a fee waiver should contact the UA graduate school. For details, please visit: https://graduate.ua.edu/applicants/requirements/

The UA Graduate School will run a free graduate application (business) week from October 16 – 20, 2023. The fee waiver code will be valid for Fall 2024 applicants. Prospective students can apply for a fee waiver code through the 2023 free grad app website: https://stories.ua.edu/gsfreeappweek/. A fee waiver code will be sent to prospective students who meet the eligibility requirements on Oct 16th. Please note that this program is run by the UA Graduate School and not by individual departments. Please contact the UA graduate school directly via https://graduate.ua.edu/contact-us/ for more information. If you missed the free grad app week deadline, please apply again next year.

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When are admission decisions made?

Decisions are normally made in multiple rounds. University fellowship candidates are selected and offers made between mid-January to end March. Department teaching assistantships are decided and offer emails sent by early April. Admission decisions will be announced via your UA graduate application portal and students can reply to offers of admission via the same portal. Students have until April 15th to respond to offers of admission. However, we strongly encourage students to accept/reject offers once they have made a decision. Most admission decisions will be made around mid-April. Late offers of admission to wait list candidates are possible after April 15th. If you have not received a decision (admitted/denied) by April 15th then you may be on a wait list. Wait-listed candidates will be contacted after April 15th. Decisions on wait listed candidates are normally made by end of May.

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What factors are important in securing a graduate position at UA?

The graduate admissions committee bases decisions on your entire application package. In general, a weakness in any one or two areas can be remedied by stronger performance in other areas. Specific criteria:

– The committee looks for proficiency (A’s or B’s) in undergraduate physics, especially upper level physics courses (electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, thermal physics, and classical mechanics).

– Since Fall 2020, we do not require GRE scores. However, you may submit a GRE score if you feel it can support your application. If submitted, the committee looks for GRE scores higher than 300. A strong performance in the quantitative section is beneficial but not necessary. For Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 applicants, GRE requirements have been waived.

– We do not require the Physics GRE (PGRE). However, you may submit a PGRE score if you feel it can support your application, for example if you do not have an undergrad in Physics or if your undergrad GPA is low. Please note, a PGRE score of 70th percentile or higher allows us to waive the qualifying exam requirement of 1st and 2nd year graduate students. If you have a PGRE subscore >=70th percentile on some of the PGRE subareas (for example classical mechanics or E&M) then we will waive the qualifiers for those specific subareas. For more details, please refer to our page on the qualifying exams.

– Previous research experiences, especially those which lead to presentations at regional or national conferences or publication of papers, are looked upon very favorably and can balance lower grades. Programming experience is also looked upon favorably. Please note that we have admitted students without previous research experience but who display a clear understanding of the research areas they would like to pursue at UA.

– Your statement of purpose is very important. It should clearly describe how an advanced degree in physics or astronomy relates to your research and career goals. Your SOP should clearly summarize your undergraduate and, if relevant, previous graduate career including any research you conducted.  You should state if you have a clear preference for a particular area of research. You should show awareness of the research being conducted in our department by our faculty to make sure your research interest matches. The SOP should also address any weaknesses in your application package.

– Three reference letters by either research advisors and/or upper level physics instructors are very important.

For application requirements and further information on how to apply to our graduate program, please visit our admissions site. For questions about the application interface or problems with your applications please contact the UA Graduate School.

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What are my chances for admission?

We are not able to consider any prospective student for admission until an application and all required documents have been submitted. The average (range) of scores of a recent group of incoming students are given below:

Average undergraduate GPA:  3.6 (3 – 4) — on 4 point scale.
Average graduate MS GPA:   3.7 (3.4 – 3.9) — for international/transfer students
Graduate MS percentage:  > 70% — for international students
Average GRE general score:  319 (304 – 335) — not required for admission since Fall 2021*.
Average GRE quant. score percentile:   85% (47% – 97%)  — not required for admission since Fall 2021*.
Average Physics GRE score: 830 (660 – 990) — not required for admission*.
Average PGRE percentile:  73% (42% – 94%) — not required for admission*.
Average TOEFL: 102 (89 – 116)

*In general only a few (<10%)  of the incoming accepted students submitted PGRE scores.

Please note, students with low scores in one or more area normally have high scores in another area and/or strong letters of reference and/or research experience. Please review the minimum criteria for admission on our admissions site.

It should be noted that we receive several times more applications compared to the number of positions we have available every year. Thus many qualified students who meet our minimum requirements will not be offered admission into our program.

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Do I need to contact a potential supervisor before applying?

No, you are not required to contact a potential supervisor. However, you should review the research being conducted by our department to determine if it is of interest to you. Our Research Overview page summarizes departmental research projects and collaborations; individual faculty members’ research interests are described on their webpages, which you can find via our department directory.  You can contact individual researchers to find out more about their work or projects available. However, please note that admission decisions are made by the graduate admissions committee. For questions about application requirements or admission decisions please review our websites or email physgrad@ua.edu.

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How are graduate students supported financially?

Continuous financial support is usually available for PhD students in good academic standing either through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships. Payment of tuition (currently $31,460 per academic year for out-of-state students) is included. Graduate students who are supported by a teaching/research assistantship or a fellowship also receive single coverage health insurance ($2,436 per year). Salary/stipends range from $22,500 (9 month) to $30,000 (including full summer support) for TAs and can be similar or higher for research assistants or fellowship students. Graduate PhD students on assistantships/fellowships are guaranteed summer TA support for their first year. In subsequent years, students generally receive partial or full summer support either through TAs or through their research advisor. The average yearly stipend for current graduate students is ~$25,000, not including health insurance and tuition.

Prospective students do not have to apply separately for financial support. All prospective students with complete applications are considered for all available assistantships and fellowships positions.

Financial support for Masters only students is not guaranteed and normally unavailable.

Students are also strongly encouraged to apply for external graduate fellowships, like the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. For further details, please visit the Financial Support page.

Prospective students who have external financial support via scholarships, fellowships etc, can contact the UA Graduate School about documentation that will need to be provided to show proof of support. Students should also include information in their Statement of Purpose to indicate that they have an external source of funds and do not require financial support.

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I was accepted into the UA Material Sciences (MTLS) Program and have chosen Physics as my home department. Am I eligible for funding support?

No, you are not eligible for funding support. The Material Sciences program is a separate, interdisciplinary program. While you may intend to be associated with the Physics dept, you must check if any condensed matter/material sciences faculty in the Physics dept. have funded RA positions available for you. In general, this type of funding is rarely available for MTLS students in the Physics department. If you are interested in the conducting research with a faculty in the Physics dept., you should apply to the Physics graduate program.

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Do I need to have a bachelor’s degree in physics or astronomy to be eligible for admission?

While we do not automatically require a bachelor’s in physics to be eligible for admission, we are looking for evidence that our applicants are prepared for graduate level physics. This is usually indicated to us by good grades in upper level undergraduate physics classes — two semesters of electricity and magnetism, two semesters of quantum mechanics, thermal physics, and classical mechanics. If you have not taken these classes as part of your degree, but have studied upper level physics on your own, we would require a Physics GRE score (most likely at the 50th percentile or higher) to consider your application in order for us to be assured that you are ready for graduate level physics. If you have not taken the above undergraduate physics courses nor the Physics GRE then it is unlikely that we would consider your application for admission.

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Do I need to take the GRE or TOEFL exams?

We do not require the GRE exam. However, you may submit a GRE score if you feel it can support your application. If submitted, this GRE score must be less than five years old at the time of enrollment.

Non-native speakers are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores unless they meet at least one of the following criteria: 1) at the time of initial enrollment, they will hold a degree from a U.S. institution or an institution in one of the English speaking countries or regions listed on the graduate school international admissions website; 2) at the time of initial enrollment, they will have been enrolled in coursework for at least two years at a U.S. institution or an institution in one of the English speaking countries or regions listed on the graduate school international admissions website; 3) they are a citizen or legal resident of one of the English speaking countries or regions listed on the graduate school international admissions website.

For applicants who are required to submit an English language score, the UA Graduate School requires either a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based test (PBT) or 213 on the computer-based test (CBT) or 79 on the internet-based test (iBT) or an iELTS score of at least 6.5, or a score of 105 for the Duolingo English test. These scores need to be less than two years old at the time of enrollment.

Please note that during the application process we only need unofficial language score reports. Official reports must be sent on admission. Please check the UA graduate school website for additional details. For questions about TOEFL requirements, please contact the UA Graduate School.

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Do I need to take the Physics GRE exam?

We do not require the Physics GRE (PGRE) exam. However, you may submit a PGRE score if you feel it can support your application. For example, if you have a degree in Engineering instead of Physics, you can take the PGRE to demonstrate your proficiency in undergraduate Physics. Please note, an overall PGRE score of 70th percentile or above allows us to waive the qualifying exam requirement for incoming students. If you have PGRE subscores >=70th percentile on some of the PGRE subareas (for example classical mechanics or E&M) then we will waive the qualifiers for those specific subareas. This allows you to start research sooner.  For more details, please refer to our page on the qualifying exams and our current graduate student handbook.

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Can I apply to your program even if I have not completed all the requirements of my previous degree?

Yes, you can, but you will need to submit all materials demonstrating completion of your previous degree before you enroll here for the Fall or Spring semester.

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Prospects after Masters or PhD?

Students who graduate with an MS or PhD in Physics/Astronomy from UA have moved into multiple career paths, including academia, national labs, industry, teaching, as well as non STEM fields.

Please see our Alumni page for information on career paths taken by our recent graduates.

The University of Alabama Career Center provides career resources for all UA students and postdocs. The resource is especially useful for those wanting to move into industry.

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What should I select under the options “Concentration” and “Area of Focus” in the online graduate application?

Please leave the “Concentration” section blank unless you are applying for an MS/PhD in Physics with a concentration in Precision Timing. If you are open to any area of physics, please leave the “Concentration” section blank. Note: Unlike the other areas of specialization in physics (particle physics, condensed matter physics, astronomy, etc), the precision timing “concentration” requires courses from other departments and colleges. Please see the Graduate Catalog for more information.

If you are interested in a particular area of Physics, please list it under the “Area of Focus” section of your graduate application. Please state one of the following: condensed matter experiment, condensed matter theory, precision timing, experimental particle physics, high energy theory, astroparticle physics, observational astrophysics, theoretical astrophysics. If you are open to multiple areas of physics and astronomy then you can state “open” or leave the specialty area blank.

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What are the different options under “Status” in the online application?

Incomplete, Awaiting Review — Some parts of your application are missing or have not been received yet.
Grad School Evaluation — The grad school verifies that the min GPA thresholds, English language proficiency scores (if required), etc have been met.
Referred, Evaluations, Dept Review — Departments review applications.
Decision — Accepted or Rejected.

Many applications stay under “Grad School Evaluation” until March. This can be because some scores/transcripts have not yet been received or some letters are missing. The department reviews applications once they are complete, as long as scanned copies of all required documentation have been uploaded. Please make sure to remind your letter writers to submit letters by the application deadlines. The review process will take time.  Applications stay under “Dept Review” until final decisions are made. If you have accepted an offer from another school, please withdraw your application via your graduate application portal.

Please note, if your application is still in the “Grad School Evaluation” bin in end March, please check if there is any missing information. If not, please contact the graduate school directly to find the cause of the delay. Final reviews cannot be made by the department until the grad school finishes its evaluations.

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I have accepted another offer. How do I withdraw my application from consideration?

If you have accepted another graduate offer then you can withdraw your application from consideration through your UA graduate application portal. Once we review all applications and decide on candidates to accept or waitlist, then all other applications will be rejected by around early May. Decisions on wait-listed candidates are normally made by the end of May.

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I am an international student. My bachelor’s program is only three years. Am I eligible for admission?

Students from certain countries, such as Nepal, Bangladesh, and some universities in India have a 3-year bachelor’s program plus a 2-year master’s program in physics. The UA Department of Physics and Astronomy requires students at these universities to complete the 2-year master’s program to be eligible for admission in our program.

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I am an international student. Do I need to submit an I-20 form when I apply?

No, this step is not necessary until after you receive an offer from us and intend to enroll.

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I am an international student. Will I be able to get help navigating the visa process?

Yes. There is a significant international presence in the community, and help is available in obtaining visas. The UA International Students Center and the UA Graduate School will contact all international students on admission with details on next steps.

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I am an international student. Am I eligible for funding?

Yes. All prospective students with complete applications are considered for available assistantships or fellowships positions. Continuous financial support is available for all PhD students in good academic standing either through assistantships or fellowships. Financial support for Masters only students is not guaranteed and normally unavailable. For further details, please visit the Financial Support page.

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