Applying to the Department of Chemistry Graduate Program

• Where can I find information about applying?
  • Please review the How To Apply website.

• How does your review process work? When will I know if I’ve been accepted?
  • We use a rolling review process due to the high number of applications we receive. The admissions committee generally starts reviewing applications in December and finishes by the end of March. Admission offers are made throughout the review process. You will be notified of your admissions status via the graduate application portal, once a decision has been made.

• Does the department conduct Zoom interviews with students?
  • Yes. The Admissions Committee may invite selected applicants to participate in a Zoom interview as part of the admissions review process. Interviews are typically conducted only for applicants the committee is considering for admission. If selected, the applicant will be contacted directly by email with interview details after their application has been reviewed.

• When and where should I have my transcripts mailed
  • Please review our Official Transcript Requirement website

• Can I contact a professor in the department prior to being admitted?
  • If you are interested in a particular professor’s research, you can email him or her directly to begin to establish contact. Nonetheless, the admissions committee reviews all applications and approves admittance into the program. Faculty members will not have an answer regarding your admissions status.

• What is the Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose? How long should it be?
  • Your Personal Statement should concisely describe how your background and life experiences - including social, economic, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges - motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree. There is no word or page limit.
    
    When preparing your Personal Statement, please address the following questions:

• • How well do your personal goals for education and research fit with the interests of our faculty and the research activities within our department? Briefly describe research areas or questions that you find interesting and identify any specific faculty, labs or research projects at MSU that are of particular interest to you.

  • How have you demonstrated your leadership skills, or your potential as a leader? For example, you might share specific examples of how you made contributions as an officer in a student organization or how you assumed a leadership role within a team or during a professional internship. You could also discuss your potential for leadership in graduate school and afterwards by sharing your career goals and discussing your capacity to make a distinctive professional or scholarly contribution in your field.

  • How have you contributed to a diverse educational community, or how will you do so as a graduate student? How have you promoted understanding among people of different backgrounds and ideas, or how will you do so as a graduate student? Examples might include service activities, leadership roles, education abroad, language study, etc.

  • If applicable, please describe any barriers or obstacles that you have overcome in pursuit of your educational or personal goals. Examples might include economic, social or health challenges, being the first in your family to attend college, family obligations, etc.

  • If applicable, please describe aspects of your personal background that will enhance the diversity of MSU's graduate student body, such as being multi-lingual, participating in a McNair or TRIO program, attending a minority-serving institution, etc.

  • If applicable, please describe anything else in your personal history, experience, or aspirations that distinguishes you from other applicants to our graduate programs.
    
    

• What is the Academic Statement? How long should it be?
  • Your Academic Statement should be a concise statement of your plans for graduate study, your career goals, and how MSU's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. If you have already been in contact with faculty or staff at MSU regarding your application for graduate studies, please list these contacts in your Academic Statement.There is no word or page limit
    
    When preparing your Academic Statement, please include the following information:

• • Briefly describe key experiences that led you to graduate studies. Examples might include research experiences, internships, coursework or extracurricular activities.

  • Share specific, relevant examples of how these experiences helped you develop skills for success as a graduate student. For instance, you might demonstrate ways that you have synthesized knowledge from the classroom, developed research skills, communicated effectively, acted as a leader, or gained skills and responsibility over time.

  • Make a clear connection between your previous experiences and your current interest in graduate studies. If your intended area of specialization in graduate school differs significantly from your previous experiences, please briefly explain why you decided to change focus.

  • If applicable, explain any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record and share unusual obstacles or hardships that you have overcome in pursuit of your educational objectives.

  • Explain how your goals for graduate study relate to your longer-term career plans, including the pursuit of additional degrees or certifications if applicable.

 

Applying for a Master's-only program

• Does the department offer a Master’s program?
  • We do not offer a Master’s only program. All applicants are considered for the Ph.D. program only. Please review the How To Apply website for more information. 

 

Applying for Spring Semester Admission

• We do not admit students in the spring. We only admit for Fall semester. University applications for Fall semester become active in early August. Please review the How To Apply website for more information. 
  

GPA and GRE Testing Requirements

• What are the GPA requirements?
  • The MSU Graduate School requires a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.The MSU Department of Chemistry considers GPA as one source of information, in context with the whole application. 

• Can I upload my unofficial GRE Score Report documentation
  • We do not require GRE scores for graduate admission. The GRE is recommended but not required. Should you want to provide your scores, there will be a section within the graduate application for you to enter those. 

Financial Support 

• What are the Graduate Student Stipend and Benefits
  • All students admitted to the Chemistry graduate program receive support for five years, either as a teaching assistant or a research assistant.  All graduate students receive a full stipend that is broken down into a bi-weekly paycheck. The stipend amount is determined on a yearly basis.
    
    In addition to this stipend, graduate students receive a full tuition waiver for all the recommended courses up to 9 credits in the fall and spring. Summer courses may be waived based on appointment type.
    
    Health insurance is also provided for the academic year for graduate students

• Applying for Financial Aid and Student Loans
  • Graduate students are able to apply for financial aid and apply for student loans should they feel the need to do so. All financial aid and student loan questions should be directed to the MSU Office of Financial Aid.

• Do I need Proof of Financial Support?
  • As a graduate applicant, you do not need to upload or provide any financial support or bank statements within your university application.

• Is it common for graduate students to receive NSF funding? Is there adequate support for students who want to apply for funding or need help with writing grants?
  • NSF graduate fellowships are small in number and the competition is stiff.  Faculty will help students write applications.  We encourage students to apply but the most important thing is for them to make progress on their research.

• Is there support for students to attend conferences?
  • Yes, both through their advisor and through some resources available from The Graduate School.
    
    

Information for International Students

• Do I need to submit any bank or financial statements into my MSU application?
  • You do not need to submit any financial statements onto your application. Should you be offered admittance and accept our offer, you will be fully supported. Therefore, we do not need any documentation of your bank statements uploaded into your application
    
    
• Are the TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo required?
  • English proficiency scores are required for all international students. Please review the English Language Proficiency Requirements website for specific information.
• How recent must my TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo score be?
  • TOEFL/IELTS/DUOLINGO scores are required by the university and scores older than 2 years will not be accepted per university guidelines.

• What is Academic Culture and English Skills (ACES) Program ?
  • All incoming international students are required to attend the Academic Culture and English Skills (ACES) Program. This is a departmental and graduate school requirement. The Academic Culture and English Skills (ACES) Program is a department-based program of intensive English language study and teaching practice for new graduate assistants who plan to be teaching assistants before they begin their fall studies. The program beings via ZOOM in early-July through early-August. Participants meet daily with ESL teachers and qualified undergraduate tutors to undergo rigorous language exercises in English language and in language training specific to their disciplines. For students to become a teaching assistant for Fall semester, they must meet the requirement of receiving a passing score on the SPEAK test.

• I received a TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo waiver, do I have to take the SPEAK test?
  • Not necessarily. If you earned a TOEFL Speaking score of 27 or higher or an IELTS Speaking score of 8.0 or higher, you have met the University's spoken English requirement and do not need to take the MSU SPEAK test. However, you are still required to attend the Academic Culture and English Skills (ACES) Program.
  •  Duolingo English Test scores do not qualify for a SPEAK test exemption. Students admitted with a Duolingo score must take the MSU SPEAK test and are also required to attend the Academic Culture and English Skills (ACES) Program.