Application Information

Application checklist:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of Intent (Helpful Hints)
• CV or Resume
• Transcripts -- unofficial*
• English Proficiency Examination (TOEFL or IELTS): Required for all students who were not educated in English -- unofficial*
• The Subject and General GRE scores are not required or accepted for applications in 2025.

All application materials must be submitted electronically. Paper copies will not be accepted by the graduate school. The Notre Dame institution code is 1841.

*Unofficial copies of applicant transcripts and exam scores (i.e., submitted online by the applicant) will be accepted for evaluation purposes. However, official copies of transcripts and exam scores (i.e., sent directly to Notre Dame by the institution or organization) will be required if admitted.

Admissions Information:

• Applications should be submitted by December 15th for full consideration. We admit primarily students who start in the fall.
• Applications are evaluated by a physics and astronomy admissions committee consisting of 10 faculty members who represent the primary research areas of the department plus the graduate student coordinator. Applications are evaluated based on academic preparation and performance, research experience, letters of recommendation, statement of intent, and alignment with the department's research directions. Additionally, selected applicants will be invited to participate in an online interview, after which final candidates for admission will be recommended to the department chair. The department chair reviews the recommendations and makes the final decisions. If the decision is positive, candidates are informed that the department has recommended them to the Graduate School for admission. The official admission offer is then sent to the candidates by the Graduate School.
• While an application may be submitted before TOEFL/IELTS scores are available, the evaluation and a decision on admission cannot be made until these scores have been submitted. 
• Applicants with strong academic records will be automatically considered for internal fellowships offered through Notre Dame.
• We value diversity in our department, welcoming in particular applicants from underrepresented groups in physics (e.g., women and minorities). The Graduate School, at their discretion, will pay the application fee for minority applicants who are U.S. citizens. The Department of Physics and Astronomy also provides a very limited number of application fee waivers. If you previously submitted an application you should receive a decision prior to the application deadline of December 15th. For questions, please contact Lori Fuson, Graduate Program Coordinator. 
• Admitted students residing in the U.S. will be invited to a campus visit during the spring.
• Students are not admitted to work with a specific research advisor. However, the recommendations of funded research advisors are considered strongly by the admissions committee. Because of the breadth of the research areas in the department, we are a good option for students who are undecided on their research area. We do need to know whether a student has a preference for experiment or for theory.
• Entering graduate students are assumed to have a preparation which includes background at the level represented by the following text books: Basic Physics (Resnick, Halliday and Krane, Physics, Vols. 1 and 2); Classical Mechanics (Taylor); Quantum Mechanics (Griffiths); Electrodynamics (Griffiths); Thermal Physics (Schroeder).