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International Applicants

Deadline for Fall Admission for International Applicants: November 15th

*Note: Please do not call the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to see if all your application materials have been received to-date. This will only impede and slow down the admissions process. You may check on-line to see what materials have been received by our Admissions office: http://www.utexas.edu/student/giac/ Please allow at least two week after anticipated receipt by the Admissions Office at The University of Texas at Austin for your materials to appear as "received" at this site.

Admission for international applicants is very competitive. In the past four years, approximately 6% of all international applicants have been accepted. A somewhat greater proportion of international students are admitted if they have completed an undergraduate degree or master's degree at another university in the US. Thus, for those international students interested in attending the graduate programs in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, please recognize that it is extremely competitive and your chances of admission are greatly improved by the successful completion of an undergraduate degree or master's degree in the U.S.

You should read our How to Apply page in addition to this page, but please note that the following instructions for international applicants are in some cases different from the requirements for US applicants.

The deadline for international applicants is November 15th for admission in the Fall of the following year. We do not admit for Spring or Summer semesters. As long as you have completed your on-line application and paid your application fee, we will hold your file open past this deadline to await other supporting materials such as GRE scores, TOEFL scores, transcripts and recommendation letters. Please realize, however, that our Admissions Committee cannot review your application until your file is complete and all decisions will be completed by April 15th. Paper applications are not available. Please follow the links on the How to Apply page to access the on-line application forms.

The application fee for international students is US$75. Departmental personnel are not permitted to begin processing your application until this fee is paid. We suggest that you narrow your choices of graduate schools and seriously pursue admission to only one or two top choices. The application fee may be paid by credit card, bank draft or by money order (payable to "The University of Texas at Austin").

International students who are already in the U.S. pursuing a graduate degree at another university must provide at least two letters of recommendation from that institution, one of which must come from their research advisor. This indicates to The University of Texas that the other U.S. institution is aware of the student's intention to transfer to another university.

Your application is complete when the following items have been received by the Graduate & International Admissions Center, The University of Texas at Austin, PO Box 1768, Austin, TX 78713-7608:

  • On-line application
  • Application fee ($75 for international students)
  • Original transcripts (Send original transcripts to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry)
  • Official GRE scores - Verbal and quantitative (math) scores. The Chemistry subject test is NOT currently required for admission to our program. Photocopies of GRE scores are not acceptable. The University of Texas at Austin’s ETS institution code is R6882, and departmental codes are 0301 for Chemistry and 0202 for Biochemistry.)
  • Official TOEFL scores (minimum scores for U.T. admission: written test 550, computer-based 213, IBT 79)
  • Statement of purpose (Submit with online application.)
  • Three letters of recommendation (Submit via on-line application). An email will be automatically generated and sent to the recommender to visit a website and complete a questionnaire. The letters will automatically be routed to the department. If you make a mistake on the email address of a recommender or you need to replace one recommender with another, please contact: Marla Boye (marla.boye@austin.utexas.edu).
  • Current CV or resume listing educational background, any related employment experience, and any relevant research experience (send to Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry)

It is recommended that you specify in your Statement of Purpose which broad area of chemistry best describes your interests: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, or physical. Please feel free to mention interdisciplinary interests. Please also mention in your personal statement the names of any of our faculty members whose research particularly interests you. A list of our faculty and a synopsis of their research is listed on our faculty pages.

Please DO NOT INCLUDE any photographs, folders, or portfolios with your application materials.

If you have specific application questions, please contact:
Kimberly Terry or Penny Kile (chemgradoffice@cm.utexas.edu)
Graduate Coordinators
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station A5300
Austin, TX 78712-0165
Phone: 512-471-4538 or 512-471-3890
Toll-Free phone: 866-471-3890
Fax: 512-475-8839

For Program and scientific questions, contact:
Prof. Jennifer Brodbelt (jbrodbelt@cm.utexas.edu)
Chair, Admissions Committee
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station A5300
Austin, TX 78712-0165