Applying to the PhD Program

Deadlines for Admission

These deadlines are for receipt of applications for admission to the Astronomy graduate program starting in the Autumn Semester of 2026:

  • Domestic Students: 2025 December 10 
  • International Students: 2025 December 10

We strongly encourage applicants to get all materials (including reference letters) to Ohio State at least one week ahead of the nominal deadline. Applications should be complete by the deadline. The only components of the application that are allowed to be submitted after the nominal deadline are the optional General and Physics GRE scores.  These exams should be taken before the deadline, and scores should be submitted to OSU as soon as they are available.  Applications that arrive after the deadline may or may not be considered. If you are interested in our program but cannot get everything in by the deadline above, please contact the Astronomy Department Graduate Admissions chair.

Successful applicants are submitted for University Fellowships giving you freedom in your first year. Successful applicants who are not awarded University Fellowships will be offered financial support as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants; we fully support all of our graduate students from entry through completion of their PhDs.

Fellowships and Outside Support

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to apply for outside fellowships that offer tuition and/or stipend support during graduate school. For domestic students, these include:

International students are encouraged to apply for outside funding such as the Fulbright Program for Foreign Students.

Admission Criteria

Our goal in admissions is to select outstanding students who will benefit from and add to the Ohio State Astronomy program. We base our admissions decisions on submitted materials including:

  • Official transcripts from all colleges attended
  • Three (3) Letters of recommendation
  • Statement of Intent and supplementary materials
  • CV, including any bibliography

No one of these factors dominates, though letters of recommendation from people who can describe your suitability for the Ohio State Astronomy program and preparation for research, in general, are especially helpful to us. We have no pre-defined thresholds on any indicator, and we use all materials holistically when evaluating applicants.

Note that we primarily select students based on their overall potential without regard for whom they might work with. This differs from some programs where admission is tied to particular research groups.

Minimum Requirements for Admission

  • An earned 4-year baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university prior to beginning graduate studies.
  • A minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) in all prior undergraduate and graduate-level work.
  • Credentials documenting prerequisite academic work that gives evidence of your ability to pursue a graduate program in astrophysics.
  • All students should include a paragraph outlining their undergraduate physics preparation in their statement of intent. This may include a description of advanced physics classes taken, including textbooks used, and the grades earned in those courses.
  • The GRE General is not required for applications received in 2025 for admission in Autumn 2026.
  • The Physics GRE is not required for applicants in 2025 for admission in Autumn 2026. Since the Fall of 2018, the GRE subject test in Physics has been optional.

Statement of Intent

The statement of intent is your opportunity to highlight your strengths and your research and academic fit to the OSU astronomy department. Statements are typically about two pages in length. We suggest that you address the following questions:

  • What is your long-term career goal in astronomy?
  • What areas and techniques of astrophysics are you currently interested in?
  • Why do you consider the OSU department a good match for your goals?
  • What is your physics, astrophysics, and math background?
  • What do you consider your strengths as a researcher and scientist?
  • Discuss an experience where you had to overcome adversity, work towards a long-term goal, or work with individuals with differing perspectives.
  • Do you have strengths not otherwise highlighted in your application?

Online Application Materials

All application materials for the Ohio State Graduate School are available online at the Ohio State Graduate Admissions Webpage.

Please be careful to apply under the correct category (Domestic or International). 

English Proficiency

International applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum English Proficiency Requirements are at least 550 on the paper-based (213 on the computer-based) TOEFL, equivalent to a total score of 79 on the internet-based TOEFL (IBT); or (less common) 82 on the MELAB or 7.0 on the IELTS exams.

Applicants who are citizens of or who have received a bachelor's degree (or higher) from one of these English-speaking countries are exempt: Australia, Belize, the British Caribbean, British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales, and the United States. If you are in the process of getting a bachelor's degree from one of these countries, you may still receive email reminders about English language proficiency tests. You do not need to respond.  You will stop getting the emails once we receive documentation of your degree.

Fee Waivers

There are limited opportunities for fee waivers. The Ohio State Graduate School, as part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance, has a fee waiver program for students who bring qualities and experience that will enhance the diversity of graduate students at OSU. Applications for these waivers are made through  Ohio State Graduate Admissions, not the Astronomy Department. They have their own internal deadline. More information about fee waivers is available from the Ohio State Graduate Admissions and the Big Ten Academic Alliance. 

Additional Information

Please also feel free to send an e-mail to the current Graduate Admissions Chair.