Can the program pay or waive my application fee?
No, sorry.
Are the GRE and TOEFL tests required for admission?
As per the Graduate School, international and domestic applicants whose first language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency, which is measured by a number of exams and/or coursework. For more information, please visit our English Language Proficiency page.
The GRE is no longer required for admission to the Applied Plant Sciences program.
Should I contact prospective advisors?
Yes, you can find faculty and their interests by clicking on the Research heading on this web page and going through the different tracks. It would be best if you read some of the prospective advisor's publications and ask specific, thoughtful questions about the research in communications with the prospective advisor.
The faculty member who matches your research interest may not have a position available at the time of contact, but may have pending grant proposals and may contact you if one of the grant proposals is funded. It helps the admissions committee match applicants with potential advisors if you mention one or two potential advisors in your application.
How are students in the program funded?
Applied Plant Sciences graduate students can be funded through fellowships that they have applied for and been granted (e.g. from the U.S. National Science Foundation or their home countries), incentive grants, or research assistantships.
Generally, research assistantships are funded through grants received by professors, so students must be accepted by those professors. Teaching assistantships are awarded through departments, and are less abundant than research assistantships.
When are the application deadlines for this program?
Apply by December 5th for admission in the fall semester of the next year. Applications received after December 5th will be considered only if space and funds are available. Applications for the spring semester, which begins in mid-January, should be submitted by October 15th to allow time for processing. International students should allow extra time for visa approval.