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Undergraduate Applicants

We welcome your application to our department, and hope you can join our community of scholars!

Incoming Students: Apply to the University at Buffalo

Incoming freshman or undergraduate transfer applicants who are interested in pursuing physics study must first apply and be accepted to the University at Buffalo.

When applying, you should indicate your intended major on the application form. All relevant information, including admissions criteria, the online application, dates and deadlines, and standardized test score requirements, can be found by visiting UB Undergraduate Admissions.

Current Students: Request to Change to the Physics Major or Minor

Submit the CAS Major/Minor Change Request form to request one of the following changes to your academic plan:

  • Add a major, minor, or certificate in the College of Arts and Sciences
  • Drop any major
  • Drop any minor

Graduate Applicants

Jump To:

Application Deadlines

January 1: Students applying by January 1 will be considered for a Presidential Scholarship or Dean's Fellowship offering additional financial support on top of being considered for a teaching assistantship (TA) 

February 1: Students applying by February 1 will be considered for a teaching assistantship (TA) as financial support

All applications to the Department of Physics close on February 1. Admission to the PhD or MS is available for Fall Semester only.

Application Instructions

To begin the application process, all applicants must complete and submit an online application. 

The following supporting materials must be included as part of the online application:

  1. Academic Transcripts and proof of degree. Please upload a copy of this document, including the English translation if applicable. (Any student who accepts an offer of admission into the Department of Physics, and has not already done so, must submit their official academic transcript(s) and proof of degree(s). With questions about this requirement, please contact Prof. Priya Banerjee, Director of Graduate Studies.) 
  2. 3 Letters of recommendation. Please request letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your past academic accomplishments and potential for future achievement. These letters must be submitted electronically. Further instructions are included in the online application. 
  3. Personal statement. Please present a brief supplementary statement providing additional information or commentary that you believe will assist the Admissions Committee in evaluating your application. This statement is designed to allow you a chance to explain what makes you particularly well suited to the study of physics at the University at Buffalo. Also, please indicate the specific area(s) you wish to specialize in.
  4. Resume or CV.

Both GRE General and GRE Physics Test scores are oprtional. If you decide to request an official GRE score report to be sent to us from ETS, the University at Buffalo code is 2925, while the department code is 0808 (GRE only).

Non-refundable application fee: $75

After you submit your UB graduate application, you’ll be prompted to make your payment online by credit card or ACH through Nelnet.

U.S. citizens or current permanent residents may request a fee waiver through the application portal after completing the graduate application and uploading all required materials.

International Applicants

In addition to the above materials, international applicants must also submit the following:

  1. TOEFL Scores. Please request a copy of official score reports from ETS and upload this document, including the English translation if applicable. Institution code: 2925. Department code: 76.
    Please note: The minimum iBT TOEFL score for admission is 79. To be considered for a teaching assistantship, a minimum iBT TOEFL score of 95 is required. 
 
If admitted, international applicants will also need to submit the following:
  1. Passport Bio-Page
  2. International Applicant Financial Form (IAFF)
  3. Financial Documentation (Per the IAFF instructions)

Contact Us

With questions about Department of Physics, or the application process, please complete the Physics Graduate Inquiry Form or contact Prof. Priya Banerjee, Director of Graduate Studies.