Application Guidelines

A Ph.D. from MIT certifies high ability and significant accomplishment in physics. Because research is central to graduate study in physics, in your application be sure to describe your research aptitude and achievements as completely as possible. Applications are evaluated only when they are complete. It is to your advantage to have the application evaluated during the early stages of the admissions process. If you have questions about the physics materials or the graduate physics program, please contact the Education Administrator, Brian Canavan.

The application form and supporting materials should be sent to the central MIT Graduate Admissions Office. Receipt of your application will be acknowledged. Supporting materials can also be sent to the the Department of Physics Education Office, Room 4-352,  and will be added it to your application file. Applications are due January 15^th for September admissions, and on November 1^st for February Admission.

Your completed application must include:

• MIT Graduate Application Request Form

• MIT Graduate Admissions Online Graduate Application

• Department of Physics Graduate Aid Preference Form

• Your most current undergraduate transcript

• An early report of your Fall term grades

• A current graduate transcript (if applicable)

• Personal Essay
  (Your personal essay need not be long. Summarize concisely your interests, academic and scientific achievements, and any research experience. There is no need to outline the courses that you propose to take.)

• Three Letters of Recommendation
  (Letters of recommendation are extremely important to us. If you have been involved in research, please solicit recommendations from scientists with whom you have worked. Seek letters from people who can provide concrete and detailed information about you and your scientific abilities. A comment such as "he/she got an A in my course" adds little. To avoid delays, try to include them in your applications.)

• The Graduate Record Examination
  (Both the general and the physics subject tests, are required. Arrange to take these examinations so that we will receive the results by January 15th.)

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
  (Applicants whose first language is not English must take the TOEFL test.

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