Application and Admission — Graduate Programs

Reviewers of graduate applications typically look for evidence that:

1. The student will succeed in graduate courses and pass the qualifying exams, and
2. The student has an interest in, and capability for, excelling in independent research.

The application reviewers base their decision on information provided by the applicant, which includes undergraduate and graduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, a statement of interest, and standardized test scores (if applicable). In many cases we will also request an online interview with an applicant.

Once a pool of applicants who meet these criteria are selected, the admissions committee considers financial aid requests. For students requesting a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA), we look for evidence of interest in teaching and evidence that the student can effectively communicate with undergraduates. (See also FAQ 1.2.) If a student requests a graduate research assistantship (GRA), and a position is available, the professor offering the assistantship may also interview the student. Most offers of financial aid are in the form of GTAs.

Most first-year students who need financial support request a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) position. These are offered on a competitive basis subject to departmental needs. GTA positions typically involve teaching undergraduate laboratory classes and include a 9-month stipend, a 6-credit/semester tuition waiver (i.e., two classes/semester), and health benefits. Some students are supported as Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) in their first year. Faculty looking to hire first-year GRAs review the applications and will contact the student if they think the student is a good match for their research project. Finally, some students are supported on a limited number of scholarships that are offered to the most qualified applicants.

Note that for international students, the English proficiency requirements for GTA positions are higher than that required for enrollment to the program. GTA positions require such students to pass the Classroom English Language and Teaching Demonstration (CELTD). Click here for further information.

The CELTD test is taken after an offer of admission is given and the student accepts. GTA offers are only given to international students if application review committee determines that they have a high likelihood of passing the CELTD test. 

All applicants must satisfy the English Proficiency requirements.

The nominal qualifications for applying to the Physics PhD program are stated in the catalog:

"Those holding a baccalaureate degree in physics, astronomy, or engineering from an institution of higher education accredited by a Mason-recognized U.S. institutional accrediting agency or international equivalent who earned a GPA of 3.00 (out of 4.00) or higher are invited to apply for admission."

"To apply for this program, prospective students should submit the George Mason University Admissions Application and its required supplemental documentation, and three letters of recommendation, preferably from former professors.

The GRE-GEN is optional and the GRE subject test in physics is not required.

A degree-seeking graduate applicant with a baccalaureate degree who has not met all admission requirements may be offered provisional admission if sufficient evidence is presented to suggest that the applicant has the ability to pursue graduate work."

See https://catalog.gmu.edu/colleges-schools/science/physics-astronomy/physics-phd/#admissionspoliciestext

Reviewers of graduate applications typically look for evidence that:

1. the student will succeed in graduate courses, and
2. the student has career goals that are aligned with our curriculum.

The application reviewers base their decision on information provided by the applicant, which includes undergraduate and graduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, a statement of interest, and standardized test scores (if applicable). In many cases we will also request a Skype interview with an applicant.

Priority for GTA and GRA positions are given to PhD applicants. Usually, financial support is not offered to MS students. However, depending on departmental needs, a limited number of GTA positions may be offered to MS students after enrollment.

All applicants must satisfy the English Proficiency requirements.

The nominal qualifications for applying to the MS in Applied and Engineering Physics program are stated in the catalog:

“Individuals holding a baccalaureate degree in physics or a related field from an institution of higher education accredited by a Mason-recognized U.S. institutional accrediting agency or international equivalent and who have earned a GPA of 3.00 (out of 4.00) in their last 60 credits are invited to apply for admission.

Applicants may be required to make up one or two course deficiencies, based on a graduate physics advisor's assessment, and be provisionally admitted into the program.

Three letters of recommendation must be submitted, preferably from former professors.

The general GRE is recommended and the GRE subject test in physics is not required.”

Link to the catalog:https://catalog.gmu.edu/colleges-schools/science/physics-astronomy/applied-engineering-physics-ms/#admissionspoliciestext

We often get requests to evaluate self-reported information and/or transcripts and give our assessment as to whether a student will be admitted or admitted with financial support. Applications are reviewed by a committee and admission decisions depend on many factors including departmental needs. Thus it is difficult for a single faculty member to estimate the chances of success.

The department cannot view or review your application until your official test scores have been submitted. The university will not send applications to the department for review unless the application is complete. Completion includes the university's receipt of official GRE and TOEFL scores from the agencies that administer these exams.

The department may offer a limited number of need-based application fee waivers for the fall admission cycle before the application priority deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be eligible for fee waiver.

To apply for a fee waiver, students should:

1. Have all required documents uploaded besides the fee payment
2. Write to Ms. Brooke Vaughn at bvaughn4@gmu.edu to explain the financial needs as early as possible
3. submit the application package no later than the priority deadline

The university's TOEFL iBT Graduate required score is "88 points, minimum 20 in each section". This means that you must achieve a score of at least 88 points, with at least 20 points in each section. See the English proficiency requirements.

Example: an applicant might ask: "I had a 21 in each of the four TOEFL sections. The GMU requirement is '88 points or higher, minimum of 20 points in each section.' Have I met the requirement?"

Answer: No. If you have a 21 in each section, your total score would be 84 and thus you have not met the “88 points or higher” requirement. Similarly, if you earned 30 points in three sections and zero points in one section, your total would be 90, but you would not have met the “minimum of 20 points in each section” requirement.

NOTE: The TOEFL is optional if by the time of application, you have earned a MS degree from a regionally-accredited US institution.

The university catalog states that “The university will not accept any examination scores that are more than two years old as verification of English language proficiency”. My TOEFL score will be two years old in February, but I submitted my application in January. Do I need to take the TOEFL exam again?

You do not need to take the TOEFL exam again. The exam scores must be less than or equal to two years old at the time of submission of your application.

Three letters of recommendation are required and ideally they should be from former professors who are in a position to evaluate an applicant's suitability for graduate studies. We receive many applications from students who did not enter graduate school immediately following undergraduate degree completion. In this case we understand that it may be difficult to get three letters from former professors, and this is taken into account by the application review committee.

Students who have been out of school for a while, had difficulty in their undergraduate studies due to health or personal issues, or have not had research experience may want to apply for the MS program first as their chances of admission are higher. After success in coursework and demonstration of research interest and capability, these students are encouraged to apply to the PhD program. Another option is the non-degree program, through which a student may take preparatory or refresher classes as a non-degree student. See item 3.10 below.

Applicants who are considering the MS program with the intention of progressing to the PhD program are encouraged to discuss their situation with the graduate advisor.

The priority deadline for students requesting financial support for Fall enrollment is Jan. 15 for domestic and Jan.1 for international students. There is not a priority deadline for Spring enrollment because nearly all financial support is given to students applying for Fall enrollment.

For applicants not requesting financial support, the deadline for Fall enrollment is typically mid-July and the deadline for Spring is typically in mid-October. These are not fixed deadlines but rather depend on how fast COS can process the application.

Note: No admission letter will be issued after July 1 for fall admission to international students residing outside the US.

The admissions committee typically finalizes recommendations for Fall admission by end of February at the latest. These recommendations must be approved by the College of Science before the University can notify you of the official decision. This process may take 1-2 weeks. You can also track your application status online.

We receive many applications from students interested in our MS or PhD programs who do not have a traditional 4-year BS degree in Physics. Highly qualified applicants with related degrees may be admitted provisionally with a required plan of study that addresses any deficiencies. Such students may be required to take advanced undergraduate courses in physics so that they are adequately prepared to do well in the graduate core courses. Note that unlike graduate courses, which are typically offered in the late afternoon or evening (starting at 4:30 pm or 7:20 pm), undergraduate courses are typically offered during the day.

If you have difficulty with uploading your application to GMU’s application portal, please contact cosgrad@gmu.edu. We are not able to do anything with application material sent directly to the department. The admissions committee can only review applications received from the university after the application portal indicates the application is complete.

GMU has a non-degree program that allows students to take undergraduate or graduate courses before applying for a degree program. Graduate courses taken in non-degree status can be applied to our degree programs if the student is later admitted.

The non-degree program requires no letters or test scores. The applicant needs to submit a resume, transcripts, and the application.

Note: The non-degree application will be evaluated by the Graduate School, not the department.

Yes, for required and acceptable documents, see http://admissions.gmu.edu/documents/internationalTranscriptGuidelines.pdf

Note: transcripts issued by foreign institutions will need an US-equivalency evaluation before the application package becomes complete. Student may choose to use the free-service offered in the application portal. Keep in mind that the process may take a few weeks.

For more details contactcosgrad@gmu.edu.

The Office of Graduate Admissions does not issue the I-20 for graduate study in the US. For questions related to your I-20, please contact the Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) at http://oips.gmu.edu/new-students/.

For the MS program, you can transfer up to 12 graduate credits (B or better) from accredited institutions.

For PhD program, you can transfer up to 30 graduate credits (B or better) from accredited institutions.

The number of credits, and which credits can be used, are determined by the graduate program director for your program.

1. A brief description of why you are applying to graduate school,

2. What topics and fields interest you,

3. What you plan on doing after graduation, and

4. How our program fits items (2) and (3).