Admission Requirements

An applicant may be admitted to the Graduate School as either a regular degree student or a provisional degree student. For acceptance into the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC), the following requirements must be met:

Regular Degree Students must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university of recognized standing, or have done work equivalent to that required for such a degree.
   
2. Show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by the student's previous scholastic record and letters of reference.
   
3. Have had adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field.
   
4. Have at least a 3.00 (B) undergraduate grade point average.

Students who do not meet the requirements for admission as regular degree students may be recommended for provisional degree status. With the concurrence of the dean of the Graduate School, these students are admitted to a probationary period of one or two semesters of full-time study or the equivalent for part-time students. At the end of the specified probationary period, provisional degree students must be either admitted to regular degree status or dismissed from the graduate program to which they were provisionally admitted. To change to regular degree status, a student must maintain a 3.25 grade point average in 12 hours of graduate course work.

Students with undergraduate degrees in the natural sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics) and engineering are encouraged to apply. The general background expected of incoming graduate students includes:

1. Undergraduate courses in calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and computer programming.
2. 1 year sequences of undergraduate physics (calculus based) and chemistry.

Upper-level undergraduate degrees in physics, chemistry, and mathematics are strongly recommended. Undergraduate courses in atmospheric science or oceanography are useful but not required as part of the undergraduate background. Students with undergraduate degrees in other fields, such as Biology, Environmental Science, Geography or Geology, are also invited to apply, provided they meet the standards given above. Exceptional students who might be lacking some math and/or physics coursework are encouraged to apply; these students will be considered on an individual basis and advised about ways to supplement their coursework to obtain the necessary skills.

Application Procedures

An applicant for admission must present complete application materials that include:

1. Parts I and II of the graduate application.
2. Two official transcripts of all academic work complete to date.
3. A $50 non-refundable application fee for domestic applicants. The fee for international applicants is $70.
4. Four letters of reference.
5. Test scores from the verbal, quantitative, and analytical/writing sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
6. Provide a personal statement of academic interests (see Part II of application).

For admission in the fall semester with full consideration for financial assistance from the department, complete domestic applications must be received by January 15 and international applications by December 1.  Late applications will be considered until all positions are filled.

Financial Support Available:
Department financial support is in the form of teaching assistantships (TA), research assistantships (RA), and/or fellowship money. Please include a short note with your application asking to be included in the pool for these forms of financial support from the department or indicating that you have your own financial support.

Application Deadlines:
Fall admission: YES
Domestic application deadline: January 15*
International application deadline: December 1*

Spring admission: YES
Domestic application deadline: October 1
International application deadline: October 1

*For admission in the fall semester with full consideration for financial support from the department, complete domestic applications must be received by January 15 and international applications by December 1. Late applications will be considered until all postions are filled.

Contact Information:
Requests for admission to the Graduate School for graduate work in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences should be addressed to:

Graduate Program Assistant
ATOC - 311 UCB
Stadium Room 255, Gate 7
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0311 USA

Phone: (303) 492-6633
Fax: (303) 492-3524
Email: paosasst@colorado.edu