International Applicants

If you have received a bachelor's degree from a school outside the United States or Canada, please  begin by reading the International "Who Should Apply" Letter. In the International "Who Should Apply" Letter, a link will be provided to the general application materials. Also read the Notice to International Applicants to Graduate Study in Physics. Lastly, all international students are required to participate in a six-week summer orientation program. Therefore, international students must apply for the Summer term instead of the fall term.

General Information for All Applicants

All applicants are strongly encouraged to present complete application packets to the Physics Department. If your application is complete when it arrives it can be processed faster and, in most cases, a decision regarding your admission can be made earlier. All applicants with complete files are considered for Teaching Assistantships, Fellowships, and Research Assistantships. To compete for fellowships awarded by the University, students must submit all application material (including the Graduate Record Examination scores, see below) to the department office by January 1. Once your Electronic Application Form has been submitted online (paper application forms are no longer accepted), please send the required application materials listed below to the department address:

1. Statement of purpose for undertaking graduate work. If not submitted with graduate application this may be sent via e-mail to physgrad@physics.wisc.edu
   
2. Two official transcripts or academic records from each institution attended. International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation (including official certification of degrees and dates granted). Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature. Seniors whose transcripts do not show grades for the first semester or winter quarter of their senior year should send us these grades as soon as they know them. For admission to the graduate program, the Graduate School requires a minimum undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) of 3.0 (on a scale 4.0 as an A) for the past 60 semester hours or the equivalent of two years.
   
3. Three letters of recommendation to be submitted online (See Graduate School Web site for instructions) or by mail (to 2320H Chamberlin Hall, 1150 University Ave, Madison, WI 53706) These letters should be written by your research supervisor and professors of physics, astronomy, mathematics, or chemistry with whom you have had recent contacts. Applicants who are graduate students should ask at least one professor at the school where they are currently enrolled to write to us. Applicants who are not students should include a letter from a scientist with whom they are working.
   
4. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score sheet general and physics subject test results are required for consideration for admission. To compete successfully with other applicants, these scores should arrive in our office by January 1. Applicants may submit copies of score reports for the initial application review and may email them to the department. Official scores should be sent by ETS to the graduate school.
   
5. Resume
   
6. Student Data Sheet
7. International students must fulfill additional requirements. International applicants who receive an offer of admission are required to participate in a six-week Summer Orientation for International Teaching Assistants (mid-July through late August). All international students should apply for summer term. Since there are no other orientation programs offered during the year and available financial support has already been allocated to students beginning their program in the Fall, it is extremely rare for international applicants to be admitted for the Spring term.