Admission and Financial Aid
For admission to graduate study (for either a Ph.D. or Masters degree), a bachelor's degree in physics or a related area is required with a minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (B) in advanced physics and mathematics courses. Submission of scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) including the Physics Advanced Test is required. Students from non-English-speaking countries are required to demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A current TOEFL score above 500 is required for admission. A score above 550 is required for consideration for a teaching fellowship. Supplementary training in English may be required after arrival if the score is below 600. Therefore, preference for both admission and financial aid is given to applicants with scores above 600.
Financial aid in the form of graduate teaching fellowships is available on a competitive basis to Ph.D. students. (Research fellowships are also available on a competitive basis, usually for more advanced graduate students.) Teaching fellowships require approximately 18 hours of work a week and provide a stipend and tuition waiver.
The sequential nature of most physics courses makes it difficult to begin graduate study in terms other than fall. Furthermore, financial aid is usually available only to students who begin their studies in the fall. To be guaranteed full consideration, applications must be received by January 15.
For admission to the Ph.D. program, the application for admission and for a teaching assistantship is available on-line and can be submitted electronically. Note that if your ultimate aim is to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Oregon, you should apply to the Ph.D. program rather than the Master's degree program. If you prefer a paper application, materials may be obtained from the Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403. Telephone (541) 346-4751 or by contacting the Graduate Secretary via email at the following address: bgrimm@uoregon.edu. If you have questions, please contact us at this same email address.
For admission to the Master's program, we do not have an on-line application. Each applicant must submit to the Department of Physics one copy of a completed Graduate Admission Application, one copy of official transcripts of all academic work, and three letters of reference from individuals well acquainted with the applicant's ability and recent work in physics. Application materials may be obtained from the Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403. Telephone (541) 346-4751 by contacting the Graduate Secretary via email at the following address: bgrimm@uoregon.edu.