Admissions

Admission Process

The Fall 2025 application will open in mid-July and the deadline is November 26, 2024.

Completed applications consist of the completed on-line application at the University of Maryland Graduate School Portal, application fee of $75 and the application materials listed below. Please note that we do not offer Spring admissions.

Our Programs are listed under the Computer/Math/Natural Science (CMNS) section.
The Program Code for Biochemistry graduate programs is BCHM
The Program Code for Chemistry graduate programs is CHEM

 
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Materials For Application

  • Supplementary Application 
  • Transcript(s) You may submit unofficial transcripts for the admissions process
  • Letters of Recommendation (three)
  • CV/Resume
  • Official TOEFL/IELTS/PTE from testing agency (international graduate students)
  • Publications (if available, not required)
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Subject (optional)

English Language Proficiency Requirements 

International applicants and U.S. citizen/ permanent resident applicants with international credentials will be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if they do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries (below).

The minimum scores for full admissions are:

  • iBT TOEFL: 96 (Speaking: 22, Listening: 24, Reading: 26, Writing: 24)
  • IELTS: 7 (Speaking: 6.5, Listening: 7, Reading: 7, Writing: 7)
  • Pearson (PTE): 68 (Writing: 68)

Competitive applications should receive the following:

  • iBT TOEFL: Total: 96 or above (Speaking: 24, Listening: 24, Reading: 26, Writing: 24)
  • IELTS: 7 (Speaking: 7.5, Listening: 7, Reading: 7, Writing: 7)
  • Pearson (PTE): 76

English Language Proficiency Test Exemption:

  • Students who have received a degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. (with the exception of Puerto Rico) or a nationally recognized university in one of the countries on the subsequent list do not need to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.  This exemption also applies to students who are currently studying for a degree at an institution in the U.S. or one of the countries on the list, but will receive their degree before enrolling at the University of Maryland. (Even if your degree was taught in English, if you do not meet the criteria listed above, then you must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores)
  • Note: you must have studied in the country and not in an online program nor at a foreign branch campus to be granted the exemption.  Students who have done a dual degree Bachelor’s program and earned a degree from an institution in a country on the list and a degree from a country not on the list, must have spent at least 2 years studying in the country on the waiver list to be eligible for an exemption from submitting an English score.

 

Countries Exempt from Submitting TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Scores

Antigua Cayman Islands Ireland New Zealand The Bahamas
Australia Dominica Jamaica Nigeria The British Virgin Islands- St. Kitts-Nevis, Anguilla
Bahamas Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) Kenya Sierra Leone Trinidad and Tobago
Barbados Gambia Lesotho Singapore U.S. Virgin Islands- St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John
Belize Ghana Liberia South Africa (English-speaking, i.e. not Afrikaans) Uganda
Bermuda Grand Turks and Caicos Islands Malawi St. Lucia United Kingdom
Botswana Grenada Montserrat St. Vincent Zambia
Canada (English-speaking, i.e. not Quebec) Guyana Namibia Tanzania Zimbabwe

These are the general TOEFL, IELTS or PTE requirements that have been established by the Graduate School. Please see their English Language Proficiency Requirements here.

International Teaching Assistants (ITAs)

The Graduate School requires newly admitted international PhD students to be evaluated to have their proficiency in spoken English assessed as they will be teaching assistants. The ITA Evaluation is not required of students whose entire education has been in the U.S., United Kingdom, Ireland, English-speaking Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Anglophone Africa, or the Commonwealth Caribbean. Candidates must pass the ITA Evaluation prior to being assigned teaching duties, including duties in labs.

ITAs can be exempted from being placed into the English course by:

  • achieving the following scores from the speaking section of the following standardized English tests (TOEFL: 24 or higher, IELTS: 7.5 or higher, or PTE: 76 or higher)
    OR
  • being exempt from submitting English proficiency exams for admission, based on Graduate School Guidelines above.

Review Of Applications

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Graduate Admissions Committee, consisting of eight faculty members, reviews all applications to the Chemistry and Biochemistry graduate programs and makes all admissions decisions. The Committee reviews applications on a rolling basis beginning December 1. Each application is given a holistic review by at least four faculty members. Admission is highly selective. Highly motivated students with strong records of accomplishment (academic and research) in chemistry, biochemistry, or a closely related discipline are sought. Undergraduate research or relevant work/laboratory experience is viewed very positively. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to peruse our Research Programs and indicate research areas and faculty members that are of specific interest to them in the Statement of Purpose.

Admitted students presently living in the USA are invited to Visit Maryland Day, held in mid-March, to meet with faculty, current students and staff and tour the Department, University, and surrounding areas. Students who are unable to attend Visit Maryland Day are encouraged to schedule individual visits. Financial support to travel from locations within the continental United States for these visits is available. At this time, we are unable to provide financial support for international travel for prospective students.

Financial Aspects

Graduate Assistantship

Admission to our PhD programs includes financial provisions to support our PhD students' graduate study. Newly admitted PhD students are generally offered academic-year Teaching Assistantships in combination with summer Research Assistantships for their first year of study. This includes:

  • Tuition Remission (10 credits/semester)
  • Annual Level II stipend, currently $35,760 
  • Subsidized Health Insurance

Beyond the 1st year of Graduate Study, students who remain in good academic standing are guaranteed continued financial support until PhD completion. Typically, this begins as a combination of TA/RA in the second year (Level II stipend of $35,760) and progresses toward full RA once the student advances to PhD candidacy (Level III Stipend $36,446).

Students admitted into the Master's program may choose to apply for a Graduate Assistantship to support their graduate study. The assistantships may include working with faculty members and undergraduate students in teaching, research, or administrative environments. For more information about the graduate assistantships, please visit the Graduate School's website.

 

Scholarships

The department additionally awards a number of scholarships to entering graduate students and continuing students, with most scholarships in the $2500 – $10,000 range. Many of our scholarships are awarded at the time of admission, and detailed on the admission letter. 

Additionally, we encourage our Graduate Students to apply for a number of prestigious external (NSF and NIH) and internal (Milligan and University) Fellowships.

Fellowships

Fellowships are awarded by the department, the Graduate School and external organizations. A list of departmental fellowships can be found on the Awards and Fellowship tab. Fellowships from the Graduate School and external organizations can be found on the Graduate School's website here.

Other Visits

Want to learn more about our programs? Interested students are welcome to visit throughout the year. We ask that you give us advance notice of at least two weeks so that we can best plan your visit. To arrange a visit or make other inquiries, please contact:

Graduate Program Office
Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-21111
Tel. 301-405-1028 | 301-405-7022

For all questions pertaining to graduate admissions, contact the Office for Graduate Studies.