Graduate admissions in chemistry

Master of Arts

Application to the Master of Arts in Chemistry program.

Ph.D. program

Application to the Ph.D. program

Upon creating your application, an application fee waiver will be applied to your Ph.D. in Chemistry application. After the waiver is applied, you can submit your application. 

• Requirements for applicants residing in the U.S.

  The Department of Chemistry strongly recommends all application materials be submitted by Dec. 31. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed until all available positions have been filled.

  Please submit the following:

  • Online application
  • Statement of interest describing the following points in three pages or fewer:
    • Describe why you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry and your long-term career goals
    • Describe any previous research experiences you have had
    • Describe why you are interested in Wayne State University, and state which research groups you are interested in and why
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. If the Graduate School informs you that international transcript evaluation is required, please ignore them. If you are accepted and this evaluation is needed, the chemistry department will contact you to initiate the process without cost to you. If you pay for the service yourself, we cannot reimburse you.
  • Three letters of recommendation (online submission preferred)

  For applicants without a bachelor's or master's from a college or university within the United States

  Include a copy of your visa, passport, and I-94. If you are offered admission, F-1 and J-1 students must contact their international student's office to get released into the "Intl Grad Admissions/Wayne State Univ" section of SEVIS. Without the release, Wayne State University cannot process a new I-20 or DS-2019.

• Requirements for international applicants

  The Department of Chemistry strongly recommends all application materials be submitted by the beginning of December. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed until all available positions have been filled.

  Please submit the following:

  • Online application
  • Answer the faculty of interest question by reviewing our research faculty and listing the faculty whose research you are interested in
  • Statement of interest describing the following points in no more than two pages:
    • Describe why you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry and your long-term career goals
    • Describe any previous research experiences you have had
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. An international transcript evaluation is not required until after a final decision is made on your application. If you are accepted and this evaluation is needed, the chemistry department will contact you to initiate the process
  • Three letters of recommendation (online submission preferred)
  • Proof of language proficiency (if English is not your first language and your degree is not from an American or English-speaking Canadian university/college)
    • Presentation of a language proficiency exam is required
    • Successful applicants typically present TOEFL iBT composite scores equal or better than 90 with all subsection scores equal to or better than 20
    • We will accept IELTS and/or the MELAB if the TOEFL is not an option
    • The test must have been taken less than two years prior to the admission date
  • For GRE, and TOEFL (or IELTS, MELAB), scores, please upload a copy of your report along with your application and ask ETS to send an official copy
    • For TOEFL, the institution code is 1898 and the department code is 62
    • Minimum TOEFL requirements are 79 iBT, 213 computer, 550 paper. We will also accept IELTS and/or the MELAB in place of the TOEFL exam. The minimum IELTS overall band score is 6.5, and the minimum MELAB score is 85. While these minimums are university requirements, they are often not competitive, depending upon the applicant pool. However, scores below these minimums cannot be considered for admission
    • For GRE, the institution code is 1898 and the department code is 0301
• Acceptance into the program

  The Department of Chemistry reviews completed applications on a rolling basis. When an applicant undergoes the first review, they are admitted, placed on hold for further review, or denied. The weight of the decision is based on several variables including the strength of the recommendation letters, how well the statement of interest addresses the criteria listed in the instructions, and GPA. For international applicants, significant weight is also placed on TOEFL scores.

• Financial support

  The chemistry department provides 12 months of financial support to nearly all students during each year of program tenure through a combination of teaching and research assistantships. Included in this support is the payment of up to 10 credits of tuition each semester and full family health and dental insurance. Typical teaching assistants receive stipends (in addition to tuition and health insurance benefits) between $24,500 and $27,500. This generous support allows our students to concentrate on research and full-time study.

  During the first year of study, most students are supported with a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) After the first year, financial support is generally provided by a combination of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships, allowing students to concentrate on dissertation research.

  Visit scholarships and financial aid for more information.

Contact 💬

Melissa Rochon, academic services officer
chemgrad@wayne.edu