Admissions
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The graduate program in chemistry provides students with a solid foundation in chemistry, while recognizing that solutions to many important problems require interdisciplinary training. Students in our program have the opportunity to learn techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from multiple disciplines as the background in specialized knowledge necessary to advance fundamental understanding or solve problems.
Applying to the Program
Applications traditionally open on August 1 each year. The fee for an application is $95 unless granted a fee waiver via the department. Complete applications submitted by Dec 1, 2023 will receive an automatic fee waiver. Applications received during December, but still by the final deadline of January 1, will require payment of the application fee, unless a special fee waiver has been provided. For fee waiver inquiries, please contact our graduate program coordinator directly at hailey.perry@vanderbilt.edu.
The FINAL application deadline is January 1, after which point no applications will be accepted.
We use a holistic review process and take into account your grades (particularly in STEM coursework), GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and statement of purpose. Our aim is to determine how you and your goals fit into our research environment. A Ph.D. in chemistry is a research degree. As such, meaningful research experiences are particularly important to the review committee. This can be in the form of undergraduate research, summer research experiences (such as NSF REUs), or internships. Recommendation letters from your research mentors are very valuable.
Qualifications
Applicants should have worked, or be currently working, towards an undergraduate degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical biology, or have completed equivalent 35 hours of the basic undergraduate courses in general chemistry, quantitative analysis, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. Relevant research experience is strongly recommended.
Information to Submit
In order to complete your application to join the graduate program of chemistry you will need to include all of your most up-to-date academic transcripts, a minimum of three letters of recommendation, a Statement of Purpose, and any additional documentation you wish to submit. The GRE is not required for admission into the program. For international students, English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS) is required.
Your Statement of Purpose should highlight your academic history, research experience, career goals, and a general review of the importance of chemistry and how it impacts you and your future goals.
Campus Visits
All admitted students are invited to a Recruiting Weekend via invitation following their admission. For other campus visits or inquiries, please contact our graduate program coordinator directly at hailey.perry@vanderbilt.edu.