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Do graduate schools care more about my grades in math courses or my general GPA?

I'm currently a junior in mathematics at UIUC. I have been doing pretty well in my math courses (mostly A and A+). I will be completing a graduate course in topology, a second course in abstract algebra, and a complex analysis course before I graduate. I feel that I can work hard to maintain good grades in my math courses, but my non-math courses are not that good (some B and C's).

• Do graduate schools care more about my math courses grades more or my general GPA more?
• Will poorer marks in non-math courses hurt my chances of getting into good grad schools?
• graduate-admissions
• mathematics

• Let just consider the GPA aspect only because that's the only thing I'm worried about. –  cooselunt Oct 11, 2015 at 1:09
• 1 My experience with graduate admissions is that most people only care about your math grades. The only time I've heard people bring up other grades is if there is a concern that the applicant does not speak English well enough to be successful in our program, and I cannot recall it ever being the decisive factor (context: I'm the chair of graduate admissions in the math department at my university). –  Andy Putman Oct 11, 2015 at 1:11
• Thanks, I spend too much time studying math, and I don't even bother trying to study for my music, history classes at all, and I'm not doing too well in those courses, but I'm doing decently in my math courses. Perhaps, that makes me feel less worried. –  cooselunt Oct 11, 2015 at 1:18
• 1 GPA in qualifying degree is mostly seen while shortlisting the similar/equally weighted applications. –  Kay Oct 11, 2015 at 1:20
• What do you think? –  Jacob Murray Wakem Apr 10, 2017 at 1:24

3 Answers 3

(I am a tenured professor in the math department at UGA who was on the committee that did graduate admissions for four years.)

If we have to make a choice, then math graduate programs definitely care more about your math GPA than your undergraduate GPA. We also care, equally, that you take the most challenging and graduate-preparatory math courses that can. So a math GPA which is close to 4.0 including year long courses in analysis and algebra, some exposure to geometry and/or topology and at least one graduate course would make you a strong candidate for most graduate programs in mathematics. Certainly one or two subpar grades in other courses are easy to ignore.

Having said that, it would still be better if you got good grades in all your courses, and admissions programs do care about that to an extent. [ Added : Wait, I didn't say exactly what I meant here. Not good grades in all your courses, but good grades in most of your courses, as reflected by a good GPA. We will almost never look at individual course grades outside of mathematics and very closely related fields.] Here are some reasons:

1) If you have across the board difficulty with courses in the humanities and social sciences, then that signifies either a lack of linguistic or writing skills or an inability to focus on a single topic (generally you spend longer writing a paper than doing a single problem set, and the paper itself is one big task whereas the problem set is a collection of largely independent smaller tasks). But skills in language and writing and the ability to focus on a single topic both play a larger role in the study of mathematics at the graduate level (and beyond) than the undergraduate level. This kind of poor performance would be exacerbated by a subpar GRE verbal score, and conversely a high GRE verbal score would partially offset it.

2) Some academic scholarships take your overall GPA into account. At my university eligibility for the highest class of internal graduate scholarship is determined by the student's "academic index", which is calculated using their GRE scores and overall GPA. This may be a more extreme situation than the norm, but in my experience many if not most scholarship winners are students of the bulletproof credentials variety.

3) In line with the above, you have to remember that the graduate admissions process is highly competitive . Most math PhD programs in the US only admit students who are fully funded, and therefore by no means could we admit all fully qualified applicants. (Even without funding it is clear that finiteness conditions on the faculty, the course offerings, the facilities and so forth must impose an upper limit.) So if for instance you have a 3.8 math GPA and 3.0 general GPA, you will almost certainly be ranked ahead of candidates with a 3.0 math GPA and a 3.8 general GPA (assuming other factors, mainly the difficulty of courses and the quality of recommendation letters) are equal. But you will be ranked behind some students with a 3.8 math GPA and a 3.8 general GPA. Such students exist, and it only makes sense to take this information into account.

My best advice to you is to realize that your overall GPA counts for something and therefore do whatever you can to get strong grades in all your courses without sacrificing your efforts in your mathematics courses. Something that you might want to think about: why are you not doing as well in your non-math courses as you are in your math courses? I can't think of an answer that wouldn't point the way to room for improvement. Some possible answers:

• English is not your first language, and your reading / writing skills place you at a serious disadvantage in certain courses.

This is a very particular situation. If you're in it, you should take pains to demonstrate that your English skills are good enough . Probably you should take and do well on the TOEFL or similar exams. You should also mention in your personal statement that English is not your first language but have the English in your personal statement be flawless . The point is that if you're a foreigner and you're English is okay but not as good as the natives, then as time passes it will get better and be less of an issue. Also a C grade in, say, a Shakespeare class by a non-native speaker has a totally different meaning from the same grade by a native speaker. The admissions panel will cut you some slack for that provided they believe that your English skills are good enough for you to be successful in the program.

• You think it is not possible to give the attention you need to your math coursework as well as your general education requirements.

It certainly is possible. The students who are winning the Putnam, taking graduate courses in their sophomore year, publishing solo papers in serious journals...are usually also excelling at all their courses. My own view, which I think is probably shared by many math admissions committee members, is that advanced math courses are much harder than general education requirements. If you read the assigned materials, can think and write clearly, and give yourself enough time to write suitably and according to the requirements of the assignment, you'll get good grades in these courses. It does not even necessarily take more time to get an A- in a humanities class than a B-: it's more a matter of having your act together. (In math courses I have seen students stretch themselves to their limit to get a C and actually been quite proud of their achievement.)

• You haven't mastered the skills necessary to succeed in writing-intensive courses.

As above: you should work on this before you get to grad school.

• You don't take these courses seriously and didn't realize that graduate schools do.

Well, we do. Most academics take all academics seriously: generically speaking we are "overachiever types" across the board. If you look through the profiles of award-winning undergraduates, you will usually see that they graduated summa cum laude , at the top of their class, as a student marshall...whatever is the local form of highest honors. Success in one academic discipline is undeniably positively correlated with success in another academic discipline. This is far from logical necessity, but it's out there and we do take it into account.

Added : Since I wrote this answer, I became the Graduate Coordinator for the math department at UGA. So this topic is much more vivid in my mind now. Here's what I can report: most applicants have very good GPAs . The median undergraduate GPA (all classes) of all our applicants this year is around 3.7. I dug a little deeper, and among American students there is a high correlation between undergraduate GPA and other metrics (including various GRE scores). Let me also say that we looked specifically for candidates with very low GPAs but did not reject any for this reason alone . Interestingly, many of the (not many) applicants with very low undergraduate GPAs also had not great undergrad performances in math but had nevertheless gone on to a master's program (not at Princeton...) and put up a much more respectable graduate performance. The brilliant math student who blows off all their other classes is indeed not much seen by us.

• 2 @QuangDao: The bottom line is that all classes do matter to a nonzero extent, even if not as much as math classes. If you get an F in a class, it certainly says something if almost everyone else passes, assuming that there has been no unfair bias against you. Try not to be an extremum. –  user21820 Oct 11, 2015 at 5:37
• 3 @QuangDao: Graduate school, for the most part, is training to be a professor. We all know one or two (but not more) colleagues in our university who has no respect for mathematics. We wouldn't want to inflict on our historian colleagues a future math professor who has no respect for the study of history. (Besides, a little historical understanding can help you get some history of mathematics, and hence some mathematics, straight.) A significant disparity in grades, unexplained by other factors, might be a sign of an unwelcome contempt for other subjects. –  Alexander Woo Oct 11, 2015 at 6:43
• 3 An addendum to "English skills ... good enough for you to be successful in the program": In this context, success usually means not only learning mathematics and doing research but also working as a teaching assistant. The English skills needed to communicate with beginning students tend to exceed those needed to understand lectures, confer with advisers, and work with fellow grad students. –  Andreas Blass Jun 16, 2016 at 4:05
• @AlexanderWoo — Graduate school, for the most part, is training to be a professor — [citation needed] –  JeffE Apr 9, 2017 at 1:41
• "Bulletproof credentials", indeed. –  paul garrett May 10, 2017 at 23:41

That very much depends on the local situation. It is impossible to give a general answer. Each committee member will have her own weighting criteria, then they discuss each case, and end up in some consensus.

• So if I screw up, for example, my music and history classes, that means I don't have the ability to study higher math, even though I get A+'s in my topology, algebra, analysis courses? –  cooselunt Oct 11, 2015 at 1:16
• 1 @QuangDao no. But for top places you will be competing with others with A+ in the same courses, the differences will be elsewhere. –  vonbrand Oct 11, 2015 at 13:30
• 1 I am not looking to join the top 10, for me, from 20-30 is good enough, or even 40-50 –  cooselunt Oct 11, 2015 at 18:01

I've done graduate admissions for a while at a... well, suffice it to say, "higher ranked" (whatever that means) school than UGA. No, I don't care if your grades in "Poetry for Perfectoids" suck, or "Machiavelli for Morons". Just please don't have your grades in statistics (i.e. graduate level probability, etc.) classes that suck if you say you're interested in working in probability in your statement, etc. By and large people in my department on graduate admissions share my philosophy, and many of my coauthors at similarly ranked schools feel the same way, although your mileage may vary depending on who specifically reads your application.

EDIT: My goal in posting on this site is to communicate helpful answers without having to deal with couching in my answers in politically correct nonsense. The last time I had my name attached to one of my answers on a certain practice in the profession (not on this site, but elsewhere on the internet), I got tons of nonsense I did not want to deal with for not couching my answer in a more politically correct fashion. How many times must one qualify their answers so that their younger and supposedly more empathetic towards students colleagues find it acceptable? So that is why I am anonymous on this site.

When I mean "I don't care" here, it means that it does not affect an applicant adversely, for the purposes of admissions or likelihood of receiving the more selective extra money you alluded to if their non-math GPA is lower (bar the exceptional cases I mentioned above). Conversely, if you have a perfect non-math GPA, great, more power to you, but it won't really affect my decision to admit/reject, give you the extra money, etc. And yes, while most people we admit have great track records all across the board, we do quite frequently admit those with crappy grades in non-math courses.

• This is a good example of an answer that would be a lot more useful if it weren't anonymous. And I'm not sure I understand what "I don't care" means here. I would be willing to bet that overall undergraduate GPA of math PhD students correlates positively with the prestige of their department. I would expect most serious candidates at top departments to have sufficiently high GPA that it is not helpful to compare them. But do you really admit many students who are just scraping by on their graduation requirements?... –  Pete L. Clark Apr 9, 2017 at 8:08
• ...All of a sudden I am reminded of Richard Feynman's biography: the folks at Princeton had never seen better grades and scores in math and science and rarely seen worse grades in everything else. According to the biography, this did give them some pause...and this for a student whose subject area skills were truly exceptional. –  Pete L. Clark Apr 9, 2017 at 8:10
• Also please note the added I just put in my answer. I said we wanted all the grades to be good but I didn't mean it. Indeed if the only two classes in which you got poor grades were the two you mentioned, we almost certainly won't even see it. –  Pete L. Clark Apr 9, 2017 at 8:55
• @PeteL.Clark In light of your comments, I've also added to my answer. –  user68930 Apr 9, 2017 at 19:59
• 1 I appreciate the added information. Indeed there may be some differences between graduate admissions at a top 50 university and a top N university where N \leq 20. I also personally place a very strong importance on general education at the undergraduate level, so I do not claim that everyone around me feels exactly the same way. But I do think that the difference between success and failure of a student in a program like mine rests more in their general academic skills than where their mathematical talents and achievements lie on the scale from strong to amazing. –  Pete L. Clark Apr 9, 2017 at 20:26

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you offer a Master's Degree program?
• How do I apply for the PhD program?  
• Is the General GRE exam or Mathematics Subject GRE exam required?
• What are your GRE Score and minimum GPA requirements?
• Does your application require a GPA calculation worksheet?
• My school does not use a 4-point grading scale. Do I need to convert my grades?
• I'm not sure if I qualify for a TOEFL exemption. What are the requirements?
• How do I show that I qualify for a TOEFL exemption?
• Do you accept the IELTS?
• I'm an international student with a 3-year bachelor's degree from my home country. Can I apply for your program?
• How can I enroll in Berkeley math classes if I am not a Berkeley Student?
• Is there a separate deadline for letter writers?
• My letter writer will not be able to submit their recommendation by the deadline. Will my application still be considered?
• My letter writer missed the deadline. Can they still upload their letter?
• Does the department offer financial aid for graduate students?
• Are application fee waivers available?

No, we do not offer a Master's degree program. If you are interested in graduate study at Berkeley you must apply for the Ph.D. program.

We are unable to provide individual consultation on how to get into graduate school or increase one's chance of being accepted. The best way to learn how to apply to our program is to review our website and Graduate Division's website .

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to make the GRE exams optional for the Fall 2022 graduate admissions application. You may still submit GRE scores; however, an absence of GRE scores will not negatively impact your application.

We do not have a minimum GRE score requirement or any type of review cutoff for the subject or general exams. Our admissions committee uses a holistic review process for all applications submitted by the deadline, so all components of the application are reviewed and considered. Our department complies with Graduate Division's minimum GPA requirement so applicants must have at least a 3.0 average on a 4-point scale.

No, we do not require a GPA calculation worksheet on the application.

No, if your school doesn't use a 4-point grading scale, or only provides narrative evaluations, without grades, we do not want you to convert your GPAs; you should simply leave the GPA sections blank. The admissions committee will be able to assess your performance from your uploaded transcripts.

The English language requirement is overseen by Graduate Division's Office of Admissions. You can find the requirements for an exemption here . After reviewing the policy linked above, if you have further questions on whether you qualify, you can contact gradadm [at] berkeley [dot] edu for assistance.

To show that you are exempt from taking the TOEFL, you just need to submit your transcripts in the online application portal, and admissions evaluators will determine that you are not required to submit TOEFL scores.

Yes, Graduate Division accepts IELTS reports. All IELTS scores must be sent electronically from the testing center; no institution code is required. You can find detailed instructions on how to submit scores  here .

Applicants must have, or expect to have prior to the beginning of instruction, a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Equivalency is determined by International Evaluators in the Graduate Admissions Office. If you have additional questions on equivalency standards, please contact gradadm [at] berkeley [dot] edu .

Non-Berkeley students can enroll in Berkeley classes via the Concurrent Enrollment program. You can find more information here .

No, all application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be uploaded by the application deadline.

Yes, as long as you submit your application by the deadline your application will be reviewed and considered for admission. If you are missing a letter, the committee will only have limited information to assess your application.

Yes, the unique upload link is still active after the deadline. Your recommender should upload their letter as early as possible. If they upload it after the deadline, there's no guarantee it will be available for the review since the committee can begin reading applications anytime after the deadline has passed.

All PhD students who make satisfactory progress are fully funded for five years. You can find more information on graduate financial aid here .

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who can demonstrate financial need are eligible to apply for an application fee waiver. Please see the Graduate Division's page on how to  Request an Application Fee Waiver . For international applicants, we are pleased to offer a limited number of need based fee waivers each year to eligible applicants. The waiver is available in the program page of the online application and must be submitted by December 1st. 

After reading the above material and our Admissions page, if you have further questions on admission to our program you can send an email to grads-math [at] berkeley [dot] edu .

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Frequently Asked Questions

I. application for the graduate programs.

What are the admission requirements?

A student must have completed a baccalaureate degree with a 3.0 GPA over the last 60 hours of course work and have a good background in mathematics, including at least 9 hours of mathematics at the junior or senior level. A student need not have majored in Mathematics to be admitted into this program.

How to apply?

Please refer to the Admission Requirements

What are the deadlines?

For Fall semester: June 5th (US applicants), May 1st (International applicants). For Spring semester: December 4th (USA applicants), October 1st (International applicants). To apply for teaching fellowship: March 15th (for both US and international applicants).

If my major is not in mathematics, what mathematical background do I need?

You should have taken three junior undergraduate level mathematical courses.

If I want to take GRE or TOEFL, what is the 4 digit code for UH?

The code for UH-Main Campus is 6870.

If I am an international student and have a master degree received in the USA, do I need to submit my TOEFL score?

Can I send photocopy version of GRE and TOEFL score instead of official copy sent by ETS? Yes. You can send non-official GRE and TOEFL scores to us now. The Mathematics Department will review your file for admission. If you are admitted to the program with or without financial assistance (you will be informed shortly after the deadline of March 15), you must send official GRE and TOEFL scores to us otherwise we are unable to process your application to give you official admission and the I-20 form.

Is it possible to take graduate courses with UH without directly applying for a masters program?

Yes. You can take courses as a PB (post-baccalaureate) student. The post-baccalaureate status is designed for applicants who have earned one or more degrees at an accredited institution and seek another undergraduate degree, wish to enter a non-degree program, or wish to further their education by taking courses in varying fields of study. Students who received their prior degree at another institution should apply to the Office of Admissions to be admitted as a post-baccalaureate student.

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II. Teaching Fellowship

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Do you offer teaching fellowship in spring semester?

In general, no, except some special circumstance. This is because most of our graduate courses are continuous ones in the spring semester.

What is the approximate number of on-campus working hours that is required by (Graduate Math) teaching fellowships?

20 hr/week. For example, it would include teaching 3 Calculus recitation sections. 6 class hours/ week, plus grading, office hours, preparing, and exam supervising.

As a supported graduate student, how many regular courses (i.e., a course for which students should take in the classroom) should I take per semester?

In general case, each supported student is required to take at least one regular course per semester. More precisely, a student who has not passed three exams should take 3 regular courses; a student who just passes three exams should take 2 regular courses (unless requested by the advisor); a PhD student should take at least one regular course.

III.  Graduate Programs

What concentrations in mathematics are offered in the graduate program?

We have Computational Math Option, Financial Math Option and a Math Education Program.

Could I request to teach a regular course to get teaching experience?

If you are a PhD student before or in the last year of graduation, you can make request to the Graduate Director to teach a regular course, and the Department could approve it. In that case, if your first language is not English, you must demonstrate proficiency in spoken English.

As a supported student, can I take out-of-department courses?

It is possible. It requires the department approval based on the following conditions:

- the course is related to the degree program. - It is required by the research field; otherwise after all the degree requirements are met. - At most one course per semester.

I am a PhD student. What is the difference between the course "Doctoral Research"(8198, 8298, 8398, 8498, 8598, 8698) and the course "Doctoral Dissertation" (8399, 8699, 8999)? What should I take?

To obtain PhD degree, a student needs to take Doctoral Dissertation course (Math8399,8699) in his/her last academic semester. In other situation, a student can take Doctoral Research (Math 8198, 8298, 8398, 8498, 8598, 8698).

How to obtain section numbers for courses such as Special Problems, Masters Tutorial, Dissertation, etc?

Step 1) Student obtains section number from instructor if the instructor is available and has been assigned the required section number. OTHERWISE: Step 2) Students and/or instructors make requests for section numbers to our graduate advisor Ms. Pam Draughn.

When shall I take the PhD preliminary exam?

The PhD preliminary exams take place twice a year: the week before the fall semester and the week before the spring semester. View preliminary exam syllabus.

What shall I do if I prepare to receive my MS degree?

If you find all the requirements for your MS degree are met and you plan to graduate by the end of certain semester, you need to talk to Academic Advisor to fill out the graduation form before the corresponding deadline (to know the deadline, please contact the Academic Advisor).

As an international student, when shall I update my I-20 form at UH?

Students on an I-20 completing their graduate degree and continuing studies in the math department (Example: Complete MS and continuing to PhD), should UPDATE THEIR I-20 NO LATER THAN 60 DAYS AFTER COMPLETION OF DEGREE (contact UH ISSSO - 3rd floor Student Service Center, 713 743-5065). If your I-20 form does not be updated in time, you could be asked to go to a third country to get new visa.

After I obtain my Master degree, should I sign up for Dissertation hours with my advisor?

You can register for Math 8399 or 8699: Doctoral Dissertation only if you have received a MS degree (or have had 36 or more graduate credit hours) and have passed all three PhD preliminary exams.

I am currently enrolled in the Master of Arts online math program. I  have been looking at the program requirements and see that I need 9  hours of elective course work and a Master's tutorial. I am not sure what either of these consist of. What would be considered elective course work? Would that just be classes outside  of math?  Could you also explain what the Master's tutorial is?

An elective course could be some course related. For example, math education graduate course. You don't have to take "elective courses" and simply take regular online graduate math courses. For MATH 6315 - Master's Tutorial, you need to contact a professor who taught you a course before. Once s/he agrees, the professor will give you the section number of MATH 6315 and sign a project to you.

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Ph.D. Admissions

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The application window for Fall 2024 entry will open September 15, 2023 and close December 15, 2023.

The Mathematics Department offers two programs to obtain a Ph.D. Applicants can pursue a Ph.D. in  Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics or Mathematics.  Please use the "Programs" link at the left to explore our offerings.

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GRE General Test scores are no longer included in the admission process in accordance with a  policy of the Rackham Graduate School .

GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores are strictly optional. However, if an applicant chooses so, they may submit them as a combined pdf file with their transcript or personal statement.

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The Mathematics Department's graduate programs only accept applications for Fall semesters. 

General Requirements for Admission

A student must have completed a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university by the time of entry in order to be considered for admission.

Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics (AIM) Ph.D. Admissions Requirements

Successful AIM Ph.D. applicants will demonstrate an interest in an interdisciplinary area of applied mathematics in addition to substantial mathematical ability. Two types of students are generally considered for admission to the AIM Ph.D. program:

• Mathematics majors with excellent grades in mathematics courses and excellent letters of recommendation. The admissions committee will also take into account other scholarly activities such as summer research experience, published papers, or courses in other fields.
• Non-mathematics majors from the physical, life, or engineering sciences, or from other appropriate areas of study. Such students are expected to have completed at least two upper division mathematics courses, and/or have substantial exposure to mathematics in other courses, and may submit a GRE mathematics subject test score. Other experience in working with mathematics (for instance, summer research positions) will also be taken into account, as well as grade point average and letters of recommendation.

Mathematics Ph.D.  Admission Requirements The undergraduate major need not be mathematics, but a student should have mastered material roughly equivalent to the undergraduate mathematics major at The University of Michigan including:

• three semesters of calculus
• one or two semesters of differential equations
• one semester courses in modern algebra, linear algebra, geometry or topology
• advanced calculus of one and several variables

In addition, a student should have completed at least three additional mathematics courses and at least two courses in related fields such as statistics, computer science, or the physical sciences. Students with strong records in less comprehensive programs will be considered for admission but if admitted should expect to spend the first one or two semesters in graduate school completing their undergraduate preparation in mathematics. Based on historical data, we expect that successful applicants to the Ph.D. program will have an overall GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

Application Requirement Details

GRE, TOEFL, and IELTS Tests

• GRE General test scores are not required. 
• GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores may be submitted as a combined pdf file with your transcript or personal statement. (Optional)
• TOEFL or IELTS exam is required for students whose native language is not English
• TOEFL and IELTS exams should not be older than two years as of the Admission Deadline.
• Minimum TOEFL and IELTS scores must meet Rackham's requirements here .
• TOEFL or IELTS Exemptions are only given per Rackham's rules here .
• ETS school code for the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School is 1839

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation play an especially crucial role in the admission process. At least three letters are required, and up to five may be submitted. Applicants should choose as recommenders people who know their strengths and weaknesses relevant to graduate study in mathematics. The most useful letters are those which list in some detail the accomplishments of the student and make direct comparisons with other students who have succeeded at major U.S. graduate schools. International students already in the U.S. should submit letters from their U.S. institution, whenever possible.  Please register your recommenders for the electronic Letters of Recommendation when using the Online Application.  Letters received after the application deadline will be accepted, but should be received within 1 week of that deadline.

Those students who will have completed a Master's degree in Mathematics by the time they begin studies at the University of Michigan must apply to the Ph.D. program. Others may apply to either program. 

Academic Statement of Purpose

Focus your academic statement on your mathematical interests, research experience, published papers, math camps, teaching & tutoring experience etc. Be sure to mention any specific faculty with whom you wish to work.

Personal Statement:

Focus your personal statement on what makes you unique, any struggles you have experienced and overcome, and why you feel U-M Math is the right place for you.  Be sure to include any hardships you have experiencedand how you overcame them. These could be financial, familial, or personal.

Transcript Submission:

The Mathematics Admissions Committee will review uploaded transcripts with university logos during the application process.  While these are considered "unofficial" transcripts because they have been opened from their original sealed envelopes, they are acceptable.  If an applicant receives an offer of admission, an official transcript in a sealed envelope will need to be mailed from the institution directly to the Rackham Graduate School.

Please submit your most current transcript with your online application by the due date.  If you would like the Admissions Committee to see your Fall term scores, you may email them to [email protected] after the due date, and they will be included with your application.

Additonal Application Materials: If you have additional materials you would like to submit with your application, you may email them to [email protected].  Be sure to include your name and umid number in the email and attach files in pdf format.

Note:  All credentials submitted for admission consideration become the property of the University of Michigan and will not be returned in original or copy form.

Additional Information:  Please visit the admissions page of the Rackham Graduate School for additional information regarding admission including: minimum graduate school requirements, residency, and application fees.    Unfortunately, application fee waivers are not available for international students.

Financial Support for Ph.D. Students

Ph.D. Programs

Most students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Mathematics are granted full financial support including an annual stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance for a period of five years, subject to satisfactory progress. The Department offers aid in the form of Graduate Student Instructorships, Research Assistantships, and Fellowships.

All entering Ph.D. students will be considered for Graduate Student Instructorships, which normally require four classroom hours of teaching per week plus additional office hours during the Fall and Winter terms. The stipend for such an appointment in 2021-2022 is $11,598 per term. In addition, Graduate Student Instructors receive a full tuition waiver. Teaching duties may involve teaching a section of a first-year calculus or pre-calculus course or serving as an instructor for recitation sections attached to a faculty lecture in multivariable calculus or elementary differential equations. The Department of Mathematics has many fellowship opportunities, including the Copeland, Glover, Rainich, and Shields Fellowships which may provide a stipend, tuition waiver and in some cases a reduced teaching load. Other fellowships administered by the Rackham Graduate School can be found at their  Fellowships office .  The University of Michigan is part of the CIC consortium, which also awards fellowships to outstanding underrepresented applicants. Also available are prestigious Rackham Science Award’s given out by the Rackham Graduate School.

After Admission

All new Graduate Student Instructors are required to attend an orientation and training program which is held the week before classes begin. New Graduate Student Instructors whose Undergraduate Degree is not from an English speaking University must pass an English Evaluation which tests the specific oral skills needed for classroom teaching and are required to attend a three-week cultural orientation program starting in July.

Research Assistantships are awarded mainly to senior Ph.D. students to relieve them of teaching duties during the final part of their dissertation research. Students at this point may also compete for Rackham Dissertation Fellowships, which provide full support for one year, or Research Partnerships. A small number of positions as paper-graders for the larger advanced courses is available each term.

Some additional funds are often available for support during the summer. More advanced students who are actively involved in research may be supported from NSF grants awarded to faculty members. For other students there is a limited number of Departmental fellowships and a few teaching positions are available. No advanced graduate courses are offered in either the Spring or Summer half-terms and students are encouraged to spend some of their summers attending workshops, doing research, working in government, or seeking internships in industry.

Marjorie Lee Browne (MLB) Scholars Program - an MS bridge to PhD program for diverse students

The Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan is pleased to offer the Marjorie Lee Browne (MLB) Scholars Program. The program is named for Dr. Marjorie Lee Browne, who in 1949 became the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Michigan. The MLB Scholars Program is an enhanced option for the M.S. degree in either Mathematics or Applied and Interdisciplinary Mathematics that is designed to give students professional knowledge of pure or applied mathematics in order to prepare them for continuing toward a Ph.D.  Please see this Marjorie Lee Brown Scholars webpage for eligibility and details.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact the Department of Mathematics at [email protected].

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Apply for a Ph.D.

How to apply to a math ph.d. program.

You can pursue a Ph.D. degree in mathematical sciences in three disciplines.

• Pure mathematics
• Applied mathematics
• Mathematical statistics

Admissions requirements

Applications are invited from individuals with a strong background in mathematics who have an M.S. in mathematics or have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with advanced courses in mathematics.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required.

Competitive applicants will have successfully completed the following coursework:

• Linear algebra
• Abstract algebra
• Complex analysis
• Real analysis
• Numerical analysis
• Partial differential equations (PDE)
• Ordinary differential equations (ODE)
• Probability

Application instructions

To apply to a Ph.D. program, you'll need to complete Indiana University's online graduate application.   Visit the Graduate Office website   to learn more about the centralized application system. You can also find   tips for applying .

International applicants can   visit the Office of International Affairs website   for information about the application process.

To start your application,   select the term you are applying for , then click   Apply Now   to access the application portal. Find your math program by using the search and filter functions.

Start your application

Application tips

Information for international applicants

What to submit with your application

Gre test scores.

• GRE is not required for application or financial support.
• GRE is encouraged and is considered as a plus for the application.
• Math subject GRE is more important than general GRE.

IUPUI’s school code for the GRE is 1325.

Proof of English proficiency

If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate English proficiency through one of the following:

• Official TOEFL scores
• Official IELTS scores
• Proof of successful completion of a post-secondary degree at a college or university in a native-English speaking country or country recognized by IUPUI for TOEFL exemption within two years of the anticipated enrollment semester.

TOEFL scores

Your TOEFL score report must not be more than two years old (IUPUI's school code for the TOEFL is 1325). You must have one of the following:

• Score of 570 on paper-based test with the same minimum scores as the internet-based test
• Score of 230 on computer-based test
• Speaking 18
• Listening 14

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

You must have scores of at least 6.5 with the following sub-scores:

• Reading: 6.5
• Listening: 6.0
• Speaking: 6.0
• Writing: 5.

Official PTE (Pearson Test of English) score of at least 58.

Duolingo english test (det)—you must have a minimum score of 105..

Note: After admission is granted and prior to IUPUI course registration, non-native speakers of English may be required to take the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Placement Test through IUPUI's Testing Center and take supplemental English courses if prescribed based on the results.

This information will be provided in the admission letter sent by the Office of International Affairs, if admission is granted.

U.S. Permanent Residents

Non-native speakers of English who are U.S. permanent residents must demonstrate English proficiency through one of the IUPUI approved options for admission purposes. After admission is granted and prior to IUPUI course registration, U.S. permanent residents may be required to take the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Placement Test through IUPUI’s Testing Center and take supplemental English courses if prescribed based on the results. 

Personal statement

The Graduate Admissions Committee is looking for a statement that outlines your personal and professional goals (300–500 words). This must be uploaded to the online application.

Tips for writing a personal statement »

Resume or CV

You will be required to upload a current resume or CV in the Program Materials section of the application.

Three letters of recommendation

Requests for letters of recommendation are submitted through the online application. You must list three references on your online application with their contact information (valid email address, title, institution, mailing address, and phone number) so that the requests may be sent.

Official transcripts

Official transcripts and evidence of degrees awarded from each post-secondary school attended must be sent directly to the department:

If the original documents are not in English, you must submit a certified translation of each official transcript and degree certificate. Notarized copies are NOT acceptable.

If you are requesting a transcript directly from an academic institution, please have the institution submit the official transcript to mathgrad@iupui.edu . If you are a student wishing to submit an electronic transcript directly, please submit the transcript through the application system. Do not send emails with attached transcripts.

Application and materials deadlines

For fall semester admission:.

February 1 for consideration for university fellowships and departmental financial support. Applications received by March 1 will be considered as space and funding allow.

For spring semester admission:

November 15 (October 1 for international students)

Ready to apply?

graduate admissions

Frequently Asked Questions

More information for international students

Dear Prospective Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in graduate studies in the Department of Mathematics at UCLA. Applications are accepted for Fall quarter matriculation only. The application deadline is December 15. Application review process begins in late December; to ensure full consideration, applications should be complete, with all supporting material submitted, by that time.  Please note that admissions to the M.A. and M.A.T. programs have been suspended indefinitely, so if you’re interested in doing graduate work in our department you must apply for admission to the Ph.D. program.

You must submit the UCLA Graduate Admissions Application (see  http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/applicat.htm ). You also must submit the Application Fee for the UCLA Graduate Admissions Application. Instructions for this payment are given online. As part of the Graduate Division Application, you will be required to submit:

• Transcripts (scans and originals)
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation (see online UCLA application)
• List of Mathematics Courses taken
• Applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL/IELTS exam and submit their TOEFL/IELTS score.

Each applicant must select an area (pure or applied) and a field of interest as part of the application. The two areas have slightly different course requirements, but both allow for flexibility to take many combinations of courses and qualifying exams throughout the department. Students can ask to switch areas or fields after starting the program if their interests change.

Transcripts (and TOEFL/IELTS scores, if required) should be mailed to:

Graduate Advisor UCLA Mathematics Department 520 Portola Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095-1555

Admissions Requirements

The minimum Department requirements for applicants, in addition to the minimum University requirements, are:

*Applicants for the PhD program  must have a 3.5 GPA in upper division math courses.

Prospective students do not need to have an undergraduate mathematics major, but must complete at least 12-quarter, or 8-semester courses in substantial upper division mathematics.  Comparable Upper Division Courses at UCLA:

• Algebra 110AB : Ring of integers, integral domains, fields, polynomial domains, unique factorization. Groups, structure of finite groups.
• Linear Algebra 115AH : Abstract vector spaces, linear transformations, and matrices; determinants; inner product spaces; eigenvector theory.
• Analysis 131ABH : Rigorous introduction to foundations of real analysis; real numbers, point set topology in Euclidean space, functions, continuity. Derivatives, Riemann integral, sequences and series of functions, power series, Fourier series.
• Differential Geometry 120A : Curves in 3-space, Frenet formulas, surfaces in 3-space, normal curvature. Gaussian curvature. Congruence of curves and surfaces. Intrinsic geometry of surfaces, isometrics, geodesics, Gauss/Bonnet theorem.
• Ordinary Differential Equations 135AB : Systems of differential equations; linear systems with constant coefficients, analytic coefficients, periodic coefficients, and linear systems with regular singular points; existence and uniqueness results; linear boundary and eigenvalue problems; two-dimensional autonomous systems, phase/plane analysis, stability and asymptotic behavior of solutions.
• Applied Numerical Methods 151AB : Introduction to numerical methods with emphasis on algorithms, analysis of algorithms, and computer implementation issues. Solution of non-linear equations, numerical differentiation, integration, and interpolation. Numerical solution of differential equations.
• Three letters of recommendation with preferably all, but always at least 2, from mathematicians who are familiar with the student’s work.

The GRE Math Subject test . 

A General Recommendation:

The UCLA Mathematics Department encourages students to change their educational institution between their Bachelor and PhD degrees to broaden their horizons. In particular, no admissions advantage is given to UCLA undergraduates.

international students

Dear Prospective Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in graduate studies in the Department of Mathematics at UCLA. Applications are accepted for the Fall quarter only. The application deadline is December 15. The application review process begins late December; please ensure that all supporting documents, including reference letters and test scores, are received by that time. Please read all the information very carefully. In addition to the requirements below, return to Graduate Admissions for complete details.

Please note: THE UCLA Graduate Admissions Application fee is MANDATORY!! If the application fee is not paid, the UCLA Admissions Office cannot process the application.

Please note: DO NOT send publications.

Financial Support: International students are supported through a mix of fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships. Support is normally guaranteed for four years. A 5th year of support is usually provided if the student is in good standing and advanced to candidacy. Guaranteed support normally provides income that is enough for living expenses (exact amounts vary from year to year), and in addition provides full registration fees, health insurance, and non-resident tuition. All applicants are automatically considered for this financial support; no separate application is required. Students who have access to other means of support, for example scholarships from their own governments or international organizations, should apply for those separately.

Students whose first language is not English must pass UCLA’s “Test of Oral Proficiency” (TOP) before they can become teaching assistants at UCLA. Offers of support for international students are conditioned on passing this exam within the first year.

Required Tests

• GRE: Math Subject Test
• TOEFL/IELTS: Your TOEFL score on the paper and pencil test must be at least 560 (600 is recommended) or at least 87 on the internet-based test. Your IELTS Academic overall band score should be at least 7.0. 7.0 is the  minimum  required.
• TOP (Test of Oral Proficiency):  Minimum score of 6.4 is a provisional pass permitting the student to TA.

frequently asked questions

Thank you for your interest in graduate studies in the Department of Mathematics at UCLA. Applications are accepted for the fall quarter only. The application deadline is December 15. The application review process begins late December; please ensure that all supporting documents, including reference letters and test scores, are received by that time. Please return to Graduate Admissions for more detailed information or email  [email protected]  for very specific questions.

The on-line University application must be submitted by December 15. We will accept scores, letters and other materials after the December 15th deadline, but your application package will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed if we do not have all materials by the end of the second week in January.

Not really.  Three letters are sufficient for the review committee to get a sense of your abilities and strengths. 

Either way is acceptable as long as they are officially sealed when we receive them.

International applicants that have received a Bachelor’s degree or higher from a university located in the United States, or from another country in which English is both the spoken language and the medium of instruction are exempted from the TOEFL.  Please include this information in your application package.

It is University policy that you score at least a 560 on the pencil and paper test, 220 on the electronic test, or 87 on the iBT.

Students who wish to apply for admission to our graduate program for the 2024-2025 academic year are to submit a GRE Math subject test score report as part of their application package. However, students are NOT required to submit the GRE General test score.

Please note that admissions to the M.A. and M.A.T. programs have been suspended until further notice. 

Be aware that when we talk about a successful applicant, numbers are only one part of the total package. That being said; the minimum GPA is 3.5 for a PhD and 3.2 for a Master’s, and although there is no minimum GRE, you must keep in mind that admission is very competitive and the higher your score, the better.  On the average, those we offer admission to have GRE subject scores in or above the 80th percentile. Our GPA range is from about 3.6 to 4.0, though again there can be exceptions. Keep in mind that we look at the entire package and although we have a minimum, the average is higher. Also, there is no score at any level, which insures admission.

The Statement is your opportunity to explain your reasons for pursuing graduate study in mathematics, and to let us get a sense of who you are.  You may mention any relevant facts about your education or experience with mathematics that are not apparent in the other materials you submit.  You might want to note what kind of mathematics you find interesting and wish to pursue in graduate school, and what you plan to do after obtaining a Ph.D. It may include information about your background, interests, or career goals, and how UCLA might help you meet those career and educational goals.  There is no specific length, but one or two pages are typical.

Your application will be accepted if we receive your scores by the end of the first week in January.

Admission decisions are based on an applicant’s entire package.  Weaknesses in one area may be offset by strengths in another. The committee weighs many factors in addition to GPAs.  These may include the breadth of your undergraduate courses, your letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and GRE subject score.

You may apply for admission to our program before your actual degree date as long as you have your Bachelor degree by the fall enrollment date.

The UCLA code is 4837 and the Mathematics department code is 0703.

One of the most important things you can do is to get to know your professors. You want to have letters of recommendation that tell us knowledgeably and personally about your qualifications and abilities. Your letters of recommendation should attest to the fact that you have the potential and mathematical background to be a research mathematician. It is already expected that all applicants to UCLA have a solid preparation in undergraduate math, with strong grades and GRE scores, that allows them at a minimum to pass our Basic Qualifying Exam in their first year. What we would also like to see in addition is that you have potential for advanced mathematical research. This can be demonstrated through courses that are heavy in proof oriented math, honors and graduate courses, a senior research project, a senior thesis, or a summer REU program.

You will receive an official letter by the first week of March.

School of Graduate Studies

Mathematics, program overview, quick facts, master of science, program description.

The MSc is a research-oriented program. Opportunities for graduate study and research are available in most of the main areas of pure and applied mathematics. There is a large selection of graduate courses and seminars, a diverse student body of domestic and international students, and yet classes are small and the ratio of graduate students to faculty is low.

Many recent graduates are engaged in university teaching, and a significant number hold administrative positions in universities or in the professional communities. Others are pursuing careers in industry (technological or financial) or in government.

The MSc program is offered:

for students with a complete undergraduate background in mathematics:

12 months full-time

24 months part-time

for students who do not have a complete undergraduate background in mathematics. This option is not available on a part-time basis:

16 months full-time

24 months full-time

Provisional admission to the PhD program may be granted at the time of admission to the master's program.

MSc Program (12-Month Full-Time and 24-Month Part-Time)

Minimum admission requirements.

Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Mathematics' additional admission requirements stated below.

Evidence of an excellent academic background and mathematical ability.

Program Requirements

Students must complete the program in one of two ways:

3.0 approved full-course equivalents (FCEs) and a supervised research project (MAT4000Y), or its equivalent, or

2.0 approved FCEs and an acceptable thesis. Two approved half-year courses are considered the equivalent of a full-year course.

With approval, two prerequisite undergraduate half courses can be substituted for 0.5 graduate FCE.

Students may, with approval, take courses outside the department as part of a coherent program.

Students who undertake the MSc part-time must, at a minimum, satisfy the requirements of the 12-month program.

Students who plan to continue to the PhD program may select 2.0 FCEs in core courses from the approved list in the PhD program requirements section. Students who obtain a grade of A– or higher in each of the corresponding core courses may count coursework towards the PhD comprehensive examination requirement in the particular subject areas.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S); 6 sessions part-time

3 years full-time; 6 years part-time

MSc Program (16-Month Full-Time)

Students who do not have a complete undergraduate background in mathematics may be accepted into the 16-month program. This possibility may interest students who have some background in a subject in which mathematics is applied and/or who are interested in industrial applications of mathematics.

Students must complete the program full-time in one of two ways:

Students must also complete an approved selection of prerequisites and other courses: an additional 2.0 FCEs in Year 2, 3, or 4 undergraduate courses in any of the following subjects: algebra, analysis, partial differential equations, probability, and topology.

4 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F)

3 years full-time

MSc Program (24-Month Full-Time)

Students who do not have a complete undergraduate background in mathematics may be accepted into the 24-month program. This possibility may interest students who have some background in a subject in which mathematics is applied and/or who are interested in industrial applications of mathematics.

Students must also complete an approved selection of prerequisites and other courses: an additional 3.0 FCEs in Year 2, 3, or 4 undergraduate courses in any of the following subjects: algebra, analysis, partial differential equations, probability, and topology.

6 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F/W/S)

Doctor of Philosophy

The PhD is a research-oriented program consisting of coursework, comprehensive examinations, and a thesis embodying the results of original research. Opportunities for graduate study and research are available in most of the main areas of pure and applied mathematics.

Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of two routes: 1) following completion of an appropriate MA or 2) direct entry following completion of a bachelor’s degree.

PhD Program

A master's degree from a recognized university. Students must satisfy the department of their ability to do independent research at an advanced level. They must show evidence of an excellent academic background and mathematical ability.

Coursework. Students must successfully complete at least 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) . Out of the following 12 core courses, students must complete 6 courses.

Core Courses

Comprehensive examinations.

Students must pass comprehensive examinations in basic mathematics before beginning an area of research. These examinations are scheduled at the start of the Fall session (usually September) and should be taken no later than the start of the third session.

Students who obtain a grade of A– or higher in each of the corresponding core courses for the general areas of mathematics will be exempted from the comprehensive examination requirement in the specific area of study.

Students must pass a qualifying oral examination or give a seminar presentation in their particular area of study before embarking on serious thesis research.

The main requirement of the degree is an acceptable thesis embodying original research of a standard that warrants publication in the research literature.

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Exceptionally strong BSc students with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher may apply for direct admission to the PhD program. Students must satisfy the department of their ability to do independent research at an advanced level. They must show evidence of an excellent academic background and mathematical ability.

• Coursework. Students must complete at least 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) . Out of the following 12 core courses, students must complete 6 courses (3.0 FCEs). Students must also complete 1.0 elective FCE.

Students must complete MAT4000Y + Supervised Research Project (1.0 FCE) or its equivalent.

Mathematical Sciences

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Undergraduate

Minimum gpa, degree requirements.

A grade of C or higher is required in each MATH or STAT course used to satisfy degree requirements for a major in mathematical sciences. At most, six credits of independent study may be used in any undergraduate degree program in mathematical sciences.

Admission Policies

Students must meet minimum GPA requirements. Probationary admission may be provided for those students with GPAs of between 2.30 and 2.49. Students who enter on probation must meet with an advisor to establish a probationary course of study. Specific details pertaining to probationary status can be found in the College of Sciences listing of the undergraduate catalog .

Transfer Policies

Transfer students must have a minimum GPA of 2.50. All students are required to meet with an advisor to determine course work that can be used to satisfy degree requirements. The last 30 credit hours must be taken at UNLV.

M.S. Program

The M.S. program in Mathematical Sciences has four areas of concentration:

• Pure Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Applied Statistics
• Teaching Mathematics

Admission Requirements

• Have a bachelor's degree with minimum 2.75 GPA for all undergraduate work (or minimum 3.00 GPA for the last 2 years of undergraduate work).
• Have completed at least 18 credit hours of upper-division mathematics or statistics courses beyond calculus.
• In addition, the applicant should also meet all the Graduate College requirements .

Application Procedure

Applicants for the M.S. program will need to submit the following:

• Online application.
• Application fee.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (for colleges and universities not in the U.S., a course-by-course evaluation of foreign credentials is required — see the Foreign Credential Evaluations page for details).
• Official TOEFL scores, if the official language of your country is not English. UNLV code is 4861.
• Statement of purpose. Please state your purpose in applying for graduate study, your intended area of specialization in mathematical sciences (if known) and any additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UNLV.
• At least 2 letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic record and potential for advanced study in the mathematical sciences.
• Application for Graduate Assistantship (if interested). Please note that we are currently unable to offer graduate assistantship to our M.S. students.

All the documents can be submitted through the online application portal .

Item 3 Can Be Mailed to

Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 451017 Las Vegas, NV 89154-1017

All application materials must be received by February 1 for Fall admission and October 1 for Spring admission.

For any questions regarding admission requirements, please contact Graduate Coordinator Dieudonne Phanord at  702-895-0361  or  [email protected] .

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program in Mathematical Sciences has four areas of concentration:

• Computational Mathematics
• For an applicant with an M.S. degree, at least 3.0 graduate GPA and at least 15 credit hours of graduate level coursework in mathematical sciences with grade of B or better.
• For an applicant without an M.S. degree, at least 3.0 undergraduate GPA or at least 3.25 undergraduate GPA in the last 2 years of mathematics coursework.
• GRE general test score of at least 770 (115 on the new scale) in the quantitative section, and at least 1100 (305 on the new scale) in the verbal + quantitative sections.
• GRE subject test in mathematics (recommended, but not required).

Admission Procedure

• Official GRE general test scores. UNLV code is 4861.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (for colleges and universities not in the U.S., a course-by-course evaluation of foreign credentials is required — see the Foreign Credential Evaluations page for details.
• Statement of purpose. Please state your purpose in applying for graduate study, your intended area of specialization in mathematical sciences (if known) and any additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study in the mathematical sciences at UNLV.
• At least 3 letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic record and potential for advanced study in the mathematical sciences.
• GRE mathematics subject test scores, if available.
• Application for Graduate Assistantship (if interested).

Item 5 Can Be Mailed To

All application materials must be received by February 1 for Fall admission and October 15 for Spring admission.