Can the application fee be waived?

The Chemistry/Biochemistry Department does not have the authority to waive the application fee. If you are an international student and would like to request a waiver of the application fee, contact the Graduate School at applygrad@MiamiOH.edu. If you are a domestic student and would like to request a waiver of the application fee, please contact Valerie Carmichael at valerie.carmichael@miamioh.edu.

Do you offer assistantships?

Yes! The great majority of our graduate students are supported by assistantships, which provide both a stipend and a tuition waiver (see below). This includes international students. To be considered, just check the appropriate box in the application. Of course, there are a limited number of assistantships available, so admission is competitive.

How much is the stipend for graduate students?

The current stipend for teaching and research assistants in Chemistry for AY 2022–2023 is $26,817, paid monthly over 10 months (August-May).

Do graduate students have to pay tuition?

Graduate Students supported by assistantships receive full tuition waivers, although they are still required to pay some activity fees. More information is available from the One-Stop office. Note that 100% of the Instructional Fee, 100% of the Non-resident surcharge, and 50% of the Basic General Fee are waived.

Do graduate students have to purchase health insurance?

Student health insurance is required at a cost of approximately $2,151/year (2022–23), but it can be waived with proof of existing insurance.

Do I need to contact potential faculty supervisors before I apply?

Students in our program are almost always admitted without faculty supervisors. They join groups after a couple of months in the program, after they have had a chance to meet the faculty and senior students. You do not need to contact faculty in advance of applying, and doing so will not increase your chances of admission. Of course, if you would like to learn more about a faculty member's research you are welcome to reach out to them by e-mail.

If you are strongly interested in working for a specific group in the department, please contact the admissions chair to discuss your situation. It is sometimes possible to arrange for students to be assigned to research groups before they start.

Is the GRE required?

No, we do not require applicants to take the GRE, and our application review process is not biased toward applications without scores. If you have taken the exam, you are welcome to submit copies of your scores.

What is the GRE Institution Code for Miami University?

The institution code for Miami University is 1463.

What are the minimum GPA, GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores for accepted students?

The minimum undergraduate GPA for accepted students is 2.7 (on a 4.0 scale). This is based on an transcript evaluation by our admissions office.

Please see the English Language Proficiency page from the Graduate School. The minimum scores are 80 for TOEFL, 6.5 for IELTS, 54 for PTE, and 110 for Duolingo. You must meet these scores in order for you to be considered for GA support.

What application materials do students need to submit?

Please refer to the application procedure.

How many students will be accepted this year?

Our Fall classes range between 12 and 24 students. The number of students that are accepted depends on the number of available teaching and research assistantships available in a given year.

Are students accepted to start in January?

We have accept between 0–4 students to start their graduate studies in January. However, most new graduate students start in August. That said, if you apply for the spring and it doesn't work out, we can easily move your application to the fall (with no additional application fee).

When are decisions made about acceptance into the program?

We generally make our first round of offers for fall admission around mid-to-late February. Some offers may be made earlier for applicants who apply well ahead of our deadline. We then typically make a second round of offers in late April if there are still positions available. We continue to make offers at that point until the class is filled.

Decisions for spring admission are usually made in mid-to-late November.

Can I visit the Department?

Domestic students who have submitted all of their application items are certainly welcome to visit the department. We will typically cover travel costs. Please contact chemgrad@MiamiOH.edu to arrange your visit.

What is the deadline for applying to the program?

The deadline for fall admission is January 20. For spring admission it is October 20. All reference letters must be received by February 1 and November 1, respectively.

What is the typical cost of living at Miami University for graduate students?

Our current graduate students spend $500-1500 a month on living expenses, depending on their lifestyles.