View information below for the program prerequisites, application requirements and opportunities for funding your degree.

Program Prerequisites

All students are required to have completed college-level courses that address the fundamentals and principles of chemistry, biology, and algebra prior to admission. Applicants must have achieved a grade of "B" or better in this curriculum in order to be eligible for admission into our program. The recommended cumulative grade point average (GPA) for MS or PhD students is a minimum of 3.0 or higher.

The following prerequisites can be fulfilled at Oklahoma State University:

• Algebra: MATH 1513: College Algebra
• Biology: BIOL 1114: Introductory Biology
• Chemistry: CHEM 1215: General Chemistry

Application Requirements

No GRE required to apply.

Prospective students applying to the Environmental Science Graduate Program complete an online application with the OSU Graduate College that includes the following:

• A non-refundable application fee.
• One original transcript from each college or university attended. For MS or PhD applicants, the cumulative grade point average (GPA) must be 3.0 or higher. All transcripts should be scans of official transcripts showing the college’s or registrar’s original seal and any degrees completed.
• TOEFL/IELTS (if required to establish English proficiency). A minimum iBT TOEFL score of 79 (or 550 paper based), or a minimum IELTS overall score of 6.5 is required.
• Current and complete resume or Curriculum Vita. For PhD applicants, this should include the citation of the completed Master’s thesis.
• A Goal Statement (1-2 pages) explaining how prior academic and professional experiences have prepared the applicant for graduate-level study and how the degree program will contribute to the applicant’s career aspirations and desired areas of competency.
• Three letters of recommendation. These should be from individuals who know the student professionally, including academic advisors and former professors who can address applicant’s academic record and potential for successful graduate-level work.
• An Agreement to Advise Statement from an OSU faculty member who will serve as the student’s advisor and Committee Chair; this can be in the form of an email from the advisor to esgp@okstate.edu. Applicants can be provisionally admitted with a temporary advisor, with the understanding that a permanent advisor must be identified to continue in the program.
• No GRE required.

International Applicants

Applicants who are not U.S. citizens may be asked to participate in an interview via Skype or similar videoconferencing tools.

The Graduate College requires a financial statement for international applicants expecting to be F1 or J1 visa holders. This Financial Guarantee documents the availability of sufficient financial resources to meet the student’s prospective educational and living expenses while in the U.S. This document must be completed before a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) can be issued. Prospective students should contact an Admissions Officer in the Graduate College for more information.

Application Deadlines

Applicants are urged to submit their application materials well in advance of the deadlines below to ensure sufficient time for recommenders to submit letters of reference. Only complete, fully-submitted applications will be reviewed for admission. Assistantships are usually available only during the fall admission cycle. International applications may take additional time to process.

Funding Your Degree

Students who are pursuing MS (with thesis) or PhD degrees may be eligible for assistantships to help fund their graduate studies in the Environmental Science Graduate Program. Possible sources of funding include:

1. Environmental Science Program Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA)
   1. Applicants are evaluated upon acceptance for an assistantship. There is no need to apply separately.
   2. Only the strongest applications will potentially receive funding. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
   3. Assistantships are usually available only in the fall admission cycle.
   4. Funding includes a tuition waiver and stipend.
2. Advisor Funding
   1. Your advisor may choose to appoint you to either a Research or Teaching Assistantship, if funds are available.
   2. Stipends vary by department, but all include a tuition waiver.
3. Other funding options may be available; for more information, refer to the Graduate College page on Financing Graduate School.