Application Details

The office of Graduate School admissions coordinates the application process for all graduate degree programs, ensures that minimum admission standards are maintained, and facilitates graduate student diversity. To begin your application to our program:

First, read through these:

Graduate School Admission Requirements

UW Graduate School Astronomy Program Admission Details

Then, please:

1. Complete the University online application
2. Send the application fee

as this is the only way to apply for admission.

 

Included in the University online application are the following essential components:

Reason for Graduate Study Proposal

Three letters of recommendation from people well acquainted with past academic work/research

GRE Scores (verbal, quantitative and analytical as well as Physics)

If you are unable to submit any of these items electronically, please mail them to the Department of Astronomy. They are essential for us to consider you application for admission.

 

Unfortunately, neither the Astronomy Department nor the Graduate School can waive the required application fee under any circumstances. Applications without the required fee can not be processed. The same policy applies to incomplete applications.

The Graduate School will admit you for graduate study after the Department of Astronomy recommends your admission as final admission is processed by the Graduate School and recorded in their database.

 

Mailing address for Graduate School

Office of Graduate Admissions

228 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive

Madison WI 53706

The Department of Astronomy only admits students to the Ph.D. program. Astronomy students typically begin graduate work in the fall semester. You must have undergraduate preparation that includes at least three years of college physics and mathematics through differential equations. Applicants are judged on the basis of their previous academic record, letters of recommendation, personal statement, research plans, and Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores.

In addition to the University applications, applicants for admission must submit the following to the Department:

1. Official Transcripts from all institutions attended
2. Information about Astronomy courses currently enrolled in

International Applicants Must Also Provide:

1. Official documentation of all courses taken and grades received (called Transcripts in U.S.) from each undergraduate or postgraduate institution plus an English translation
2. Official certification of degrees and dates granted
3. Official TOEFL (minimum 600). TOEFL scores are sent via tape directly to UW-Madison (institution code: 1846). PLEASE DO NOT SEND PHOTO COPIES OF TOEFL. (see Graduate School Admission Requirements for more information)

All of the above application material must be completed and reach our department by January 10 for a departmental research or teaching assistants. However, we encourage you to submit your applications by January 5 as this is the deadline for University-Fellowships (new incoming graduate students only).

 

If you have any questions regarding either the University of Astronomy Department application, please do not hesitate to call our Graduate Admissions Coordinator at (608) 262-8544, mail to:gradinq@astro.wisc.edu or fax (608) 263-6386.

 

Mailing address for Astronomy

Graduate Coordinator

Department of Astronomy

University of Wisconsin-Madison

475 N. Charter St

Madison WI 53706-1582