Applications and Admissions

We encourage early application to the College of Optical Sciences; admission to our programs is very competitive. Questions? Visit our Application FAQs.

Undergraduate Program

Information about undergraduate admission, including admissions requirements and the online application, are available at the UA Admissions website. For more information about majoring in optical sciences and the Bachelor of Science in Optical Sciences and Engineering degree, please contact Allison Huff at allison@optics.arizona.edu or by telephone 520-626-6737.

Nondegree Courses

Applicants to nondegree graduate courses submit applications to the UA Graduate College. You can do so entirely online.

For more information about individual program requirements or completing an application, please contact Gail Varin at gail@optics.arizona.edu or by telephone 520-626-0888. Additional Graduate College information is available online.

Application Requirements

A grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required for admissions to the Graduate College at the University of Arizona. In addition, applicants should hold a bachelor's degree in optics, engineering, physics, mathematics or other related field. Before beginning optics graduate-level coursework, students should have taken four semesters of advanced mathematics including calculus, vector calculus and differential equations. A course in linear algebra is also recommended.

Graduate Programs

Applicants to the Graduate Certificate, M.S. in Optical Sciences, M.S. in Optical Sciences via Distance, M.S. in PCE, Dual Degree and Ph.D. in Optical Sciences programs submit applications to the UA Graduate College. You can do so entirely online; application instructions are available.

For more information about individual degree program requirements or completing an application, please contact Gail Varin at gail@optics.arizona.edu or by telephone 520-626-0888.

International English Requirements

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores are required for international applicants, except those applying to the distance learning graduate certificate program. Applicants to the College of Optical Sciences must have a score of at least 600 paper based (PB); or 80 internet based (iBT). Submit your scores to the University of Arizona (use code number 4832). All reported scores must be dated within two years of the proposed date of enrollment.

Those who completed the IELTS must have a minimum score of 7.

Application Deadlines

The deadline for Ph.D. applicants desiring funding is Jan. 1 for fall semester. Graduate Certificate and M.S. in Optical Sciences applications without funding requests can be submitted for fall or spring semester consideration (fall applications must be completed by July 1; spring by Dec. 1). Early submission of applications is recommended.

The College of Optical Sciences generally does not accept and admit new Ph.D. program students for the spring or summer semesters. Graduate Certificate and M.S. applications are accepted for both fall and spring semesters.

The admissions committee reviews all completed applications. Applicants will be e-mailed as soon as decisions have been made by the Committee. The review process is ongoing with decisions made weekly for several weeks.

New Graduate Student Funding

Nearly all first-year Ph.D. students are offered funding packages, which may include research or teaching assistantships, fellowships, scholarships or nonresident tuition waivers. Students will seek positions within research groups and will continue to be funded throughout their academic career as research assistants. Admitted students may also sign up each semester to be considered for a teaching assistant position.

A .50 full-time equivalent (half-time; 20 hours per week) teaching or research assistant position includes a stipend, a full tuition waiver and student health insurance. A .25 FTE (quarter-time; 10 hours a week) includes a stipend, a waiver of half tuition and student health insurance.

Less funding is available for admitted M.S. students. When available, master's degree funding generally consists of a graduate tuition scholarship that waives nonresident tuition fees.

Students are notified as soon as new funding opportunities are available, and they are always encouraged to seek other sources of scholarship.

WRGP/WICHE Tuition Benefit

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education was established to promote the sharing of higher education resources among Western states. Through the Western Regional Graduate Program, residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming are eligible to enroll at resident rates of tuition. You must be formally admitted to a graduate program to qualify (students admitted to the Graduate Certificate program are not eligible).

Newly admitted students qualifying for WICHE/WRGP will need to submit residency documents (such as voter registration card or driver's license) to the Academic Programs office prior to the start of their first semester in order to be eligible.