Prospective Graduate Students
The majority of the School of Earth and Space Exploration’s admissions are for the fall semester. Spring admissions occur under special circumstances. For full consideration of funding and campus recruitment activities, the following application dates apply. Applications are encouraged before these dates and those received after may be considered at a lower priority for funding:
December 1 of the previous year for fall admission
October 1 of the previous year for spring admission
To be eligible for admission to the School of Earth and Space Exploration's graduate program applicants must:
- have a bachelor’s degree
- have at least a 3.0 GPA
- demonstrate English proficiency via the TOEF, IELTS or PTE, if necessary. More information regarding English proficiency and required scores can be found at: https://admission.asu.edu/international/graduate/english-proficiency
The School of Earth and Space Exploration no longer requires applicants to take the GRE. Although this change may not be reflected on all of ASU’s web pages it is effective immediately.
A limited number of application fee waivers may be available for fall admission to students with financial need. Students will need to fill out the fee waiver request form.
For more information about SESE degrees and applications, please watch the recording of this year's Admissions Webinar SESE held on November 6.
Additional Items to Consider:
- Most applicants will have a degree in an area related to the graduate degree they are seeking, although this is not a requirement.
- Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission to the program.
- Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty ahead of time to discuss our programs and current opportunities. Our faculty often attend international meetings prior to the application deadline, for instance the December American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the January American Astronomical Society (AAS) meetings and applicants attending these meetings are encouraged to make contact with faculty during these events.
- Students who complete a 3-year bachelor’s degree are required to show proof of 1-year of graduate studies to be eligible for admission to ASU.
Application Information
All application materials are submitted online through the Graduate Admissions electronic application. The application will provide instructions regarding the required materials, which include:
- Basic application and fee: https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/apply
- Statement of Purpose: Applicants must prepare a statement of purpose explaining the interest in our program, academic/professional goals and areas of interest. Applicants should also reference the names of faculty with whom they are interested in working or have already consulted. Statements are uploaded to the electronic application and are generally a few pages in length.
- Three letters of recommendation: In the degree portion of the electronic application, applicants must provide email addresses for referees. Referees will receive automated requests to fill out the School of Earth and Space Exploration's electronic letter of recommendation form where they can also upload a written letter of support. Once the electronic application is submitted, students may send reminder emails to referees and edit referee contact info through MYASU: https://webapp4.asu.edu/myasu.
- Demonstration of English Proficiency: International graduate applicants whose native language is not English are required to show proof of English proficiency. More information can be found here: https://admission.asu.edu/international/graduate/english-proficiency. Official English proficiency test scores must be sent directly from the agency administering the test to the ASU Admissions. The ASU Institution code is 4007. Test results should not be sent directly to the School of Earth and Space Exploration.
- Transcripts from all former institutions: Applicants must have one set of transcripts from every college and university attended sent to ASU. For more information about transcripts please visit: https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/apply. See the Graduate Admissions website for more details regarding application materials.
- Academic Record form: Downloadable Academic Record form PDF and Word doc. This form is intended to highlight the coursework applicants have taken that is applicable to the degree for which they are applying. It is not a replacement for official transcripts and is required in addition to official transcripts. Applicants should fill out the academic record form as completely as possible. The form must be uploaded to the Academic Record section of the online application. Applicants who are unable to fill out the form electronically should fill it out by hand, scan it, and upload it to the Academic Record section of the application.
All official documents must be mailed to Graduate Admissions:
| If sending by stamped mail: | If sending by FedEx, DHL or UPS: |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University Graduate Admission Services PO Box 871004 Tempe, AZ 85287-1004 | Arizona State University Graduate Admission Services 1150 East University Drive, Building C, Room 226 Tempe, AZ 85281 |
Additional Application Information
Prior to the application deadline, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential faculty advisors to discuss research interests and to explore research opportunities. Networking at an early stage can strongly enhance admissions decisions.
The graduate admissions committee may not review incomplete applications. It is important for applicants to turn in all the required materials as early as possible.
Late applications are accepted although they may not receive the same consideration as those turned in by the deadline.
It is the student’s responsibility to confirm that all materials, including letters of recommendation, are received by the school. Inquiries may be sent to sese-prospectivegrads@asu.edu
Graduate Student Admissions FAQ
All application materials for the school's graduate programs are submitted through the Graduate Admissions electronic application. More information regarding the electronic admissions application can be found at: https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/apply.
The Graduate Admissions application will guide students on the appropriate application materials that need to be submitted. These include the application and fee, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, academic record form and official transcripts from all schools previously attended. Curriculum vitae are optional but encouraged. International students whose native language is not English will be required to submit additional documents. For more information, please visit: https://admission.asu.edu/international/graduate/english-proficiency.
The most useful letters of recommendation will come from faculty members, instructors, or other individuals who have worked closely with an applicant and can comment on his/her research experience and scientific potential. Letters from employers are acceptable, if necessary.
Yes. Applicants must submit the application fee before the Graduate Admissions office will release the application materials for the school to review.
Financial support is considered for all applicants and there is no additional paperwork necessary to complete. More information about financial support can be found here: https://sese.asu.edu/student-life/financial-support.
The minimum TOEFL iBT score for anyone to be admitted into an ASU graduate program is 80. The minimum IELTS score required is 6.5. The minimum PTE score is 60. These scores are determined by ASU Graduate Admissions and students with scores below these are not eligible for admission. See the Graduate Admissions website for more information, including expiration dates for English Proficiency test scores.
Admitted international students must demonstrate additional English language proficiency to qualify for a TA assignment, unless the student received a 26 or higher on the speaking portion of the TOEFL or an 8 or higher on the speaking portion of the IELTS. Achieving these minimum scores provides an exemption from the additional English language proficiency requirements for a TA position. More information about this can be found at: https://globallaunch.asu.edu/learn-english/other-services/international-teaching-assistant
Admissions eligibility requirements are listed here: https://sese.asu.edu/admission/graduate-admission . As a result, we do not pre-evaluate applications for admission. All application materials must be received before a final admissions decision will be made.
Admissions are based on the number of TA and RA spots available; however, School of Earth and Space Exploration typically enrolls around 20 to 25 students each fall.
Students coming from another graduate program will apply through the standard admissions application process. The Graduate College has restrictions on how many credits students can transfer from previous graduate programs. See the ASU pre-admission credit policy in the Graduate College policies and procedures guide for more information regarding prior graduate credits earned and how they may be applied to a new graduate program: https://graduate.asu.edu/policies-procedures.
No. Official transcripts must only be sent to the Graduate Admissions office.
Applications received after the deadline for fall admission may be reviewed and considered; however, we cannot guarantee that the application will receive the same consideration as if it was sent on time. In addition, the applicant may not be eligible for special scholarships or fellowships. International students must consider important dates for the issuance of immigration documents. Please refer to the following website for this information: https://students.asu.edu/international/immigration.
Supporting documents may be submitted after the deadline; however, preference may be given to applicants whose files are complete by the application date. Students are encouraged to submit applications early to allow time for items being sent by other parties (letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.) to be received.
Absolutely, yes! Applicants will be asked to provide names of prospective faculty advisors on their application. The intent is that applicants have been in contact with these faculty members prior to applying. These connections will help determine if applicants will be a good fit for the faculty member’s research group based on how well their scientific goals and interests align. The School of Earth and Space Exploration has a committee who reviews graduate applications but decisions are made based on individual admissions recommendations from faculty. These recommendations often stem from outside contact faculty have had with applicants.
The school admissions committee will review applications for fall beginning in December. Recommendations for admissions will begin in January and continue through April.
The Financial Guarantee form should be submitted only if you are accepted to a graduate program. The Graduate College will send information on completing this form with their official admissions notification.
For questions regarding official documents and other Graduate Admissions requirements, see the website:https://admission.asu.edu/contact/faqs#graduate.
Please direct any unanswered questions to the School of Earth and Space Exploration Academic Programs Office at sese-prospectivegrads@asu.edu.