Apply to our Graduate Program
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See below for application details for both Ph.D. and M.S. programs in Physics at Temple.
Please direct all questions about the admissions process to physgrad@temple.edu. Interested in applying to Temple as an undergraduate? Click here. |
Quick Links |
Normally a Bachelor’s degree is required for admission to the M.S. or Ph.D. programs with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants who plan to continue to the Ph.D. should apply to the Ph.D. program, even if they do not yet have a Master’s degree. Students in the Ph.D. program normally complete all the requirements for the M.S. in two years or less and may request the M.S. at that time, while continuing in the Ph.D. program.
Application Requirements |
- GRE scores, send directly to Temple by ETS (Temple institution code 4815)
- General GRE: required
- Physics GRE: strongly recommended
- Transcripts. Official Transcripts are required and can be requested in the application portal.
- Three letters of recommendation (PDF format, on official letterhead). Letters will be submitted by the Letter Writers through the online application system. Mailed copies are not necessary. No cover page is necessary.
- Resume. Please include your contact information. Do not include your social security number or any other secure information.
- Personal statement (1-2 pages, no smaller than 11 point font). Describe your research interests and goals for graduate school, previous research experience, and Temple faculty/research areas of interest to you.
- Application fee. $70 application fee, payable by credit card through the online Temple University system. Students with a demonstrated financial need may apply for a fee waiver by emailing physgrad@temple.edu.
- Additional requirements for international students:
- TOEFL test results recommended (unless your Bachelors degree was obtained in the United States)
- At least 500 paper-based or 79 internet-based
- Other tests such as the IELTS (minimum score 6.5) or PTE (minimum score 53) may be substituted for the TOEFL
- Click here for more information
- International applicants will be required to take the English proficiency SPEAK test, unless they have a degree from an English speaking university or received a 28 points (or higher) on the speaking portion of the TOEFL test. The proficiency SPEAK test is taken in August. It is also recommended that they take the GLEC course for preparation. More details are available here.
- TOEFL test results recommended (unless your Bachelors degree was obtained in the United States)
Deadlines |
For full consideration, applications should be received by January 15 for fall admission (December 15 for international applicants). Applications received after these dates will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Applications for Spring admission should be received by September 15 (August 15 for international applicants). Spring admission is rare as our coursework is designed to start in the fall semester and thus spring admission is only considered in exceptional circumstances.
Applications for Spring admission should be received by September 15 (August 15 for international applicants). Spring admission is rare as our coursework is designed to start in the fall semester and thus spring admission is only considered in exceptional circumstances.
Fellowship Opportunities |
All Ph.D. students are fully supported upon entering the graduate program, including tuition, benefits and stipend. Select students receive fellowships and awards for their achievements in teaching and research, or their potential to become outstanding scientists. Support from external sources is also available.
Research and Teaching Assistantships
As a graduate student, you may apply for a research or teaching assistantship.
Research Assistantships
A Research Assistantship supports a graduate student doing research in a specific research group. The funds for Research Assistantships usually come from federal grants, private foundations, or industrial support awarded to a faculty member or to a laboratory. Research assistants work up to 20 hours a week and are compensated with a basic health insurance plan, a stipend and tuition remission.
Research Assistantships
A Research Assistantship supports a graduate student doing research in a specific research group. The funds for Research Assistantships usually come from federal grants, private foundations, or industrial support awarded to a faculty member or to a laboratory. Research assistants work up to 20 hours a week and are compensated with a basic health insurance plan, a stipend and tuition remission.
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching Assistants are graduate students who assist faculty with teaching-related activities. The duties may include teaching lab sections, assisting faculty members in grading, and other activities. A graduate student in Physics may be a Teaching Assistant at any point of her or his study, but the number of Teaching Assistant positions are limited. Typically, Teaching Assistantships require you to work 20 hours a week in support of the department’s undergraduate programs. You will be compensated with a basic health insurance plan, nine credits of tuition remission per term and a nine-month stipend.
Learn more about becoming a graduate teaching or research assistant.
University Fellowships
Presidential Fellowship
The presidential fellowship is the most prestigious award for incoming graduate students. Competition is reserved for only the most outstanding candidates.
University Fellowship
Awarded to outstanding incoming graduate students, these awards are intended to support students who demonstrate outstanding potential for success in their chosen fields.
Future Faculty Fellowship
Intended to attract outstanding students who would diversify the professoriate. Candidates are newly admitted graduate students from underrepresented groups in the applicant's discipline who show exceptional leadership and/or have overcome significant obstacles in pursuing an academic career.
More information is available here.
The presidential fellowship is the most prestigious award for incoming graduate students. Competition is reserved for only the most outstanding candidates.
University Fellowship
Awarded to outstanding incoming graduate students, these awards are intended to support students who demonstrate outstanding potential for success in their chosen fields.
Future Faculty Fellowship
Intended to attract outstanding students who would diversify the professoriate. Candidates are newly admitted graduate students from underrepresented groups in the applicant's discipline who show exceptional leadership and/or have overcome significant obstacles in pursuing an academic career.
More information is available here.
Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: Does the graduate program admit students during the Spring semester?
A: Our program typically admits students only in the Fall semester. An exception for admission in the Spring semester can only be considered in exceptional cases and only for students with an excellent physics GRE score.
Q: When is the application deadline?
A: For full consideration applications should be received by January 15th. For international applicants applications should be received by December 15th.
Q: How can I apply?
A: Applications are accepted only online through the web-based application system. In order to read the physics application instructions or to begin the application process please click here.
Q: Will my current scores and grades (GRE, TOEFL, GPA, etc.) be sufficient for admission to the physics graduate program?
A: There is no absolute requirement on exam scores and grades for admission to our graduate program. The final decision will depend on the scores and the grades of the competing applicants in the pool of each year. Only once the graduate admissions committee has reviewed all the applications will it be possible to make a decision about that.
Q: Is the physics GRE required?
A: The physics GRE is not required but, on the other hand, it is strongly recommended.
Q: Can my application fee be waived?
A: The application fee can be waived only in exceptional cases:
i) Demonstrated financial need: students with a demonstrated financial need may apply for a fee waiver.
ii) Excellent qualifications: students with excellent GRE quantitative and physics GRE scores, or with an excellent GPA can also apply for a fee waiver.
In order to apply for a fee waiver you will have to do the following:
1) Email physgrad@temple.edu
2) In the email Subject you should write: "Application for a fee waiver"
3) In the email you should clearly explain if you are applying under case (i) demonstrated financial need, or (ii) excellent qualifications.
For case (i) you will have to provide an explanation of the situation.
For case (ii) you will have to indicate your GRE quantitative and physics GRE scores (both the absolute scores and the percentiles) as well as your GPA, and to attach copies of these scores.
Q: I would like to apply to the physics graduate program but I have some questions about a particular research field and/or a professor.
A: We encourage you to reach out to the Faculty that you would be interest to work with and ask any questions that you may have. You can find their contact information here.
Q: What are the research programs of the physics department?
A: The physics department is currently active in many research areas (click here). Potential candidates are strongly encouraged to reach out directly to the physics department faculty members in order to find out more about their research and about the possibility of performing research within their group in the future (click here).
Q: What is the status of my application?
A: Only once the graduate admissions committee has reviewed all the applications will it be possible to make a decision about each case. At that point the graduate admissions committee will very quickly (typically within a few days) inform all the applicants regarding the status of their application.
Q: I applied but I was not admitted to your graduate program. I would like to apply again next year. Is there something that I can do (i.e. retake some courses, improve some of my grades, etc) so that I will be admitted next time?
A: There is no way that one can answer this question as there are many parameters taken into account for the admission to the graduate program and there is no absolute requirement on exam scores and grades for admission to the graduate program. The final decision and the selection of the successful candidates will depend on the scores and the grades of the competing applicants in the pool of each year. Only once the graduate admissions committee has reviewed all the applications will it be possible to make a decision about that. Nevertheless, we can say that a very strong Physics GRE score will provide a strong basis for acceptance to our graduate program.
A: Our program typically admits students only in the Fall semester. An exception for admission in the Spring semester can only be considered in exceptional cases and only for students with an excellent physics GRE score.
Q: When is the application deadline?
A: For full consideration applications should be received by January 15th. For international applicants applications should be received by December 15th.
Q: How can I apply?
A: Applications are accepted only online through the web-based application system. In order to read the physics application instructions or to begin the application process please click here.
Q: Will my current scores and grades (GRE, TOEFL, GPA, etc.) be sufficient for admission to the physics graduate program?
A: There is no absolute requirement on exam scores and grades for admission to our graduate program. The final decision will depend on the scores and the grades of the competing applicants in the pool of each year. Only once the graduate admissions committee has reviewed all the applications will it be possible to make a decision about that.
Q: Is the physics GRE required?
A: The physics GRE is not required but, on the other hand, it is strongly recommended.
Q: Can my application fee be waived?
A: The application fee can be waived only in exceptional cases:
i) Demonstrated financial need: students with a demonstrated financial need may apply for a fee waiver.
ii) Excellent qualifications: students with excellent GRE quantitative and physics GRE scores, or with an excellent GPA can also apply for a fee waiver.
In order to apply for a fee waiver you will have to do the following:
1) Email physgrad@temple.edu
2) In the email Subject you should write: "Application for a fee waiver"
3) In the email you should clearly explain if you are applying under case (i) demonstrated financial need, or (ii) excellent qualifications.
For case (i) you will have to provide an explanation of the situation.
For case (ii) you will have to indicate your GRE quantitative and physics GRE scores (both the absolute scores and the percentiles) as well as your GPA, and to attach copies of these scores.
Q: I would like to apply to the physics graduate program but I have some questions about a particular research field and/or a professor.
A: We encourage you to reach out to the Faculty that you would be interest to work with and ask any questions that you may have. You can find their contact information here.
Q: What are the research programs of the physics department?
A: The physics department is currently active in many research areas (click here). Potential candidates are strongly encouraged to reach out directly to the physics department faculty members in order to find out more about their research and about the possibility of performing research within their group in the future (click here).
Q: What is the status of my application?
A: Only once the graduate admissions committee has reviewed all the applications will it be possible to make a decision about each case. At that point the graduate admissions committee will very quickly (typically within a few days) inform all the applicants regarding the status of their application.
Q: I applied but I was not admitted to your graduate program. I would like to apply again next year. Is there something that I can do (i.e. retake some courses, improve some of my grades, etc) so that I will be admitted next time?
A: There is no way that one can answer this question as there are many parameters taken into account for the admission to the graduate program and there is no absolute requirement on exam scores and grades for admission to the graduate program. The final decision and the selection of the successful candidates will depend on the scores and the grades of the competing applicants in the pool of each year. Only once the graduate admissions committee has reviewed all the applications will it be possible to make a decision about that. Nevertheless, we can say that a very strong Physics GRE score will provide a strong basis for acceptance to our graduate program.
Contacts
Graduate Admissions: physgrad@temple.edu
Graduate Program: Prof. Adrienn Ruzsinszky, Chair of the Graduate Program, aruzsinszky@temple.edu
Department of Physics
Temple University
1925 N. 12th Street
SERC, Room 406
Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801
Graduate Program: Prof. Adrienn Ruzsinszky, Chair of the Graduate Program, aruzsinszky@temple.edu
Department of Physics
Temple University
1925 N. 12th Street
SERC, Room 406
Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801