International Applicants

Admission for international applicants is very competitive. In the past three years, approximately 5% of all international applicants have been accepted. A somewhat greater proportion of international students are admitted if they have completed an undergraduate degree or master's degree at another university in the US; thus, for those international students interested in attending the graduate programs in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, please recognize that it is extremely competitive and your chances of admission are greatly improved by the successful completion of an undergraduate degree or master's degree in the U.S.

You should read our How to Apply page in addition to this page, but please note that the following instructions for international applicants are in some cases different from the requirements for US applicants.

The deadline for international applicants is December 15th for admission in the Fall of the following year. We do not admit for Spring or Summer. Paper applications are not available. Please follow the links on the How to Apply page to access the on-line application forms.

The application fee for international students is US$75. Departmental personnel are not permitted to begin processing your application until this fee is paid. We suggest that you narrow your choices of graduate schools and seriously pursue admission to only one or two top choices. The application fee may be paid by credit card, bank draft or by money order (payable to "The University of Texas at Austin").

International students who are already in the U.S. pursuing a graduate degree at another university must provide at least two letters of recommendation from that institution, one of which must come from their research advisor. This indicates to The University of Texas that the other U.S. institution is aware of the student's intention to transfer to another university.

Your application is complete when the following items have been received by the Graduate & International Admissions Center, The University of Texas at Austin, PO Box 1768, Austin, TX 78713-7608:

  • On-line application
  • Application fee ($75 for international students)
  • Original transcripts (Send duplicates or copies to the department)
  • Official GRE scores - Verbal and quantitative (math) scores. The Chemistry subject test is not currently required for admission to our program. Photocopies of GRE scores are not acceptable. (The University of Texas at Austin’s ETS institution code is R6882, and departmental codes are 0301 for Chemistry and 0202 for Biochemistry.)
  • Official TOEFL scores (minimum scores for U.T. admission: written test 550, computer-based 213)
  • Statement of purpose (May be completed on-line or submitted directly to the department at the address shown below.)
  • Three letters of recommendation using our Request for Reference form. Please ask your referees to send their letters directly to our department at the address shown below.

It is recommended that you specify in your Statement of Purpose which broad area of chemistry best describes your interests: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, or physical. Please feel free to mention interdisciplinary interests. Please also mention in your personal statement the names of any of our faculty members whose research particularly interests you. A list of our faculty and a synopsis of their research is listed on our faculty pages.

Please do not include photographs, folders, or portfolios with your application materials. It is not necessary to use any paper other than standard white paper.

If you have specific questions, please contact:
Heather Nathanson-Flowers h.flowers@mail.utexas.edu or
Penny Kile pkile@mail.utexas.edu
Graduate Office
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station A5300
Austin, TX 78712-0165
Phone: 512-471-3890
Toll-Free phone: 866-471-3890
Fax: 512-475-8839

For Program and scientific questions, contact:
Prof. Mike Krische
Graduate Admissions Chair
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
mkrische@mail.utexas.edu