Field Studied: Astrobiology

University of Washington

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Earth and Space Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology, Atmospheres, Geobiology, Geology, Mars, Space Plasma Physics, Surfaces
URL: http://www.ess.washington.edu/
State/Province: WA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 24
Planetary Researchers: 6
Students: 54
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions: many tech firms, Univ. of British Columbia (Canada), Univ. of Victoria (Canada), Dominion Astrophys. Obs. (Canada)
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: We offer all of our PhD program students financial support covering tuition, stipend, and benefits. Specifically, we guarantee 5 years of academic-year support in the form of either Teaching Assistantships (TAs) or Research Assistantships (RAs) for PhD students making satisfactory academic progress, dependent on the availability of funds.
Fall Application Deadline: 01 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://ess.uw.edu/education/graduate-program/how-to-apply/
Notes: Can earn graduate certificate in Astrobiology, or pursue a Dual-Title Ph.D in Astrobiology and ESS (http://depts.washington.edu/astrobio/drupal/)

University of Washington

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology, Exoplanets, Planet Formation, Planetary Evolution
URL: http://www.astro.washington.edu/
State/Province: WA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3
General GRE Required: Optional
Subject GRE Required: Physics optional
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 20
Planetary Researchers: 7
Students: 31
Admission Percentage: 10-20%
Nearby Research Institutions: many tech firms, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Pacific Northwest National Lab, Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, Very Long Baseline Array
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Financial support cannot be guaranteed, since the funding is partially based on research grants. However, support has been continuously available to all students making satisfactory progress toward their degrees during the normal academic calendar for as long as we can remember.
Fall Application Deadline: 09 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://astro.washington.edu/graduate-admissions
Notes: Can also pursue a graduate certificate in astrobiology or a dual-title PhD in Astrobiology and Astronomy

University of Texas, Arlington

Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Physics and Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Astrobiology, Exoplanets, Space Plasma Physics
URL: https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/science/departments/physics
State/Province: TX
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 32
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: 54
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Department or college competitive scholarships
Fall Application Deadline: 01 Feb
Spring Application Deadline: 15 Aug
Admissions URL: https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/science/departments/physics/degree-programs/graduate/how-to-apply
Notes:

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Asteroids, Astrobiology, Comets, Cosmochemistry, Geology, Infrared Astronomy, Kuiper Belt Objects, Mars, Meteorites, Moon, Ocean Worlds (Titan, Enceladus, Europa), Planetary Science, Pluto/KBOs, Remote Sensing, Small Bodies, Surfaces
URL: https://eeps.utk.edu/
State/Province: TN
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 2.7
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 18
Planetary Researchers: 9
Students: 44
Admission Percentage: 10%
Nearby Research Institutions: Oak Ridge National Lab
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Almost all are admitted with guaranteed funding.
Fall Application Deadline: 01 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: 15 Oct
Admissions URL: https://eeps.utk.edu/graduate-students/apply/
Notes:

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Asteroids, Astrobiology, Planet Formation, Radio Astronomy
URL: http://www.astro.umass.edu/index.php
State/Province: MA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: Optional
Subject GRE Required: Physics optional
Recommendations: 2
Faculty: 20
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: 26
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Nearly all of our students in the PhD program are supported by teaching and research fellowships.
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://www.umass.edu/astronomy/graduate-program
Notes:

University of Hawaii

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Institute for Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Asteroids, Astrobiology, Brown Dwarfs, Comets, Exoplanets, Infrared Astronomy, Instrumentation, Optical Astronomy, Pluto/KBOs, Small Bodies
URL: https://gradprog.ifa.hawaii.edu/
State/Province: HI
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: Optional
Subject GRE Required: Optional
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 40
Planetary Researchers: 14
Students: 39
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions: The Mauna Kea Observatories (IRTF, CFHT, Gemini, Keck, JCMT, Subaru, SMA, UH88, and UKIRT) are located on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Guaranteed through RAs and TAs
Fall Application Deadline: 1 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://gradprog.ifa.hawaii.edu/how-to-apply/
Notes: 2 recommendations are mandatory, 3 are preferred

University of Colorado

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences; Physics; Geological Sciences; Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences; Aerospace Engineering; Chemistry
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology, Atmospheres, Dust, Exoplanets, Instrumentation, Interiors, Ionospheres, Magnetospheres, Mars, Planetary Dynamics, Rings, Surfaces
URL: https://lasp.colorado.edu/our-expertise/science/planetary-lunar/
State/Province: CO
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA:
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: Physics required for some departments
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 20  (7 APS, 3 Phys, 3 Geo, 1 AaOS, 5 AE, 1 Chem) 
Planetary Researchers: 20
Students: ~50 across all departments
Admission Percentage: ~20%
Nearby Research Institutions: SWRI, SSI, UCAR
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Yes, varies with department
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: http://lasp.colorado.edu/planetary/departments.html
Notes: 21 Jan deadline for international admission; for further information, see also http://www.colorado.edu/aps/ and http://www.colorado.edu/aps/prospective-students

University of Central Florida

Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Planetary Sciences Group
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Asteroids, Astrobiology, Atmospheres, Brown Dwarfs, Comets, Dust, Exoplanets, In-Situ Resource Utilization, Infrared Astronomy, Kuiper Belt Objects, Mars, Meteorites, Moon, Optical Astronomy, Planet Formation, Planetary Evolution, Planetary Science, Remote Sensing, Rings, Small Bodies, Space Plasma Physics, Space Science, Spacecraft Development, Surfaces
URL: http://planets.ucf.edu/
State/Province: FL
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 13
Planetary Researchers: 13
Students: 33
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions: UCF Florida Space Institute, UCF CREOL, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loan
Fall Application Deadline: 01 Dec (domestic priority and all international), 01 Jul (domestic)
Spring Application Deadline: 01 Jul (international), 01 Dec (domestic)
Admissions URL: https://graduate.ucf.edu/admissions/
Notes:

University of California Berkeley

Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Earth and Planetary Science
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology, Atmospheres, Exoplanets, Geochemistry, Geology, Geophysics, Planet Formation
URL: http://eps.berkeley.edu/
State/Province: CA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: No
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 32
Planetary Researchers: 9
Students: 65
Admission Percentage: ~5%
Nearby Research Institutions: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Lab
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: In general, admitted students are fully funded, through fellowships and grants, teaching assistant, or research assistant opportunities
Fall Application Deadline: 4 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: http://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply/
Notes:

University of Arkansas

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Astrobiology, Atmospheres, Instrumentation, Spacecraft Development, Surfaces
URL: http://spacecenter.uark.edu/
State/Province: AR
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: Recommended
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 2
Faculty: 17
Planetary Researchers: 17
Students: 18
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: GA awarded by department
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: 30 Sep
Admissions URL: https://graduate-students.uark.edu/admissions/index.php
Notes: