Last modified: April 1, 2025
Department: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Asteroids,
Astrobiology,
Atmospheres,
Comets,
Cosmochemistry,
Exoplanets,
Geochemistry,
Interiors,
Mars,
Meteorites,
Moon,
Optical Astronomy,
Planet Formation,
Planetary Dynamics,
Planetary Evolution,
Planetary Science,
Small Bodies,
Space Plasma Physics,
Surfaces,
Volcanology
URL: http://www.lpl.arizona.edu
State/Province: AZ
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: N/A
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: N/A
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 35
Planetary Researchers: 35
Students: 48
Admission Percentage: 12%
Nearby Research Institutions: Planetary Science Institute; National Optical Astronomy Observatory; University of Arizona Depts. of Astronomy/Steward Observatory, Atmospheric Sciences, Geosciences; College of Optical Sciences; College of Engineering; Biosphere 2
Funding: Up to five (5) years of financial support towards completion of the Ph.D. (GRA or GTA)
Fall Application Deadline: 13 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/admissions
Notes: Applicants should have completed an undergraduate major in a physical science such as astronomy, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, geology, mathematics, or physics. However, admission is based on the overall demonstrated capability and preparation of the applicant.
Last modified: April 1, 2025
Department: Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Asteroids,
Astrobiology,
Atmospheres,
Exoplanets,
Geology,
Icy Satellites,
Instrumentation,
Mars,
Mercury,
Moon,
Planet Formation,
Planetary Dynamics,
Remote Sensing,
Surfaces
URL: http://www.eaps.purdue.edu/research/planetary-science/index.html
State/Province: IN
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 15
Planetary Researchers: 15
Students: 34
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions: Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Indiana University Bloomington, Albion College, Notre Dame University
Funding: TA or RA typically offered to all admitted students
Fall Application Deadline: 2 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: 1 Sep
Admissions URL: https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/prospective/gradrequirements/westlafayette/eas.html
Notes:
Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Astronomy & Planetary Science
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Asteroids,
Astrobiology,
Exoplanets,
Geochemistry,
Geology,
Instrumentation,
Planetary Evolution,
Planetary Science,
Pluto/KBOs,
Remote Sensing,
Small Bodies,
Surfaces
URL: https://nau.edu/astronomy-and-planetary-science
State/Province: AZ
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 14
Planetary Researchers: 10
Students: 27
Admission Percentage: ~10%
Nearby Research Institutions: Lowell Observatory, USGS/Astrogeology
Funding: Students typically receive full-tuition waivers, a GTA or GRA stipend, and health insurance
Fall Application Deadline: 1 Dec
Spring Application Deadline:
Admissions URL: https://nau.edu/astronomy-and-planetary-science/phd-astronomy-planetary-science/
Notes:
Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology,
Atmospheres,
Exoplanets,
Geophysics,
Hydrodynamics,
Instrumentation,
Planetary Dynamics,
Planetary Evolution,
Rings,
Small Bodies
URL: http://eapsweb.mit.edu/
State/Province: MA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: Physics optional
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 49
Planetary Researchers: 13
Students: ~170
Admission Percentage: 15–20%
Nearby Research Institutions: Harvard, Tufts, Boston Univiversity, Boston College, among many others
Funding: EAPS PhD students receive financial support that includes a stipend, full tuition, and health insurance via RA or TA
Fall Application Deadline: 01 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://eaps.mit.edu/education/graduate-program/graduate-admissions/
Notes: Our department is very interdisciplinary, with researchers in all areas of geophysical sciences. We actively foster communication among the various research groups.
Last modified: April 1, 2025
Department: Physics
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Astrobiology,
Space Plasma Physics
URL: http://www.physics.ku.edu/
State/Province: KS
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: Optional
Subject GRE Required: Optional
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 31
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: 73
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Funding: TA, RA, Fellowship cover most for duration of studies
Fall Application Deadline: 16 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: 01 Oct
Admissions URL: https://physics.ku.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions
Notes:
Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Physics and Space Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Astrobiology,
Atmospheres,
Exoplanets,
In-Situ Resource Utilization,
Instrumentation,
Jupiter,
Mars,
Meteorites,
Neptune,
Planetary Science,
Saturn,
Space Plasma Physics,
Uranus
URL: https://www.fit.edu/aerospace-physics-and-space-sciences/
State/Province: FL
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3
General GRE Required: Recommended
Subject GRE Required: Physics recommended but not required
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 17
Planetary Researchers: 8
Students: ~40
Admission Percentage: ~15%
Nearby Research Institutions: Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Funding: TA and RA available with separate application
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Jan
Spring Application Deadline:
Admissions URL: https://www.fit.edu/admission/applying/graduate/
Notes: 3.2 GPA is recommended for PhD students
Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology,
Atmospheres,
Exoplanets,
Infrared Astronomy,
Instrumentation,
Interiors,
Ionospheres,
Mars,
Optical Astronomy,
Planetary Evolution,
Rings,
Small Bodies,
Surfaces
URL: https://astro.cornell.edu/
State/Province: NY
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA:
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 20
Planetary Researchers: 14
Students: 34
Admission Percentage: a few %
Nearby Research Institutions:
Funding: Guaranteed through RAs, TAs, and fellowships
Fall Application Deadline: 1 Dec
Spring Application Deadline:
Admissions URL: https://astro.cornell.edu/graduate-how-to-apply
Notes: The Field of Space Sciences and Astronomy draws faculty from several Cornell departments including Astronomy, Physics, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Geological Sciences, Applied Physics, Engineering etc. The majority of the faculty are housed within the Astronomy Dept.
Last modified: April 1, 2025
Department: Geological and Planetary Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Asteroids,
Astrobiology,
Atmospheres,
Climate,
Comets,
Cosmochemistry,
Dust,
Exoplanets,
Geobiology,
Geochemistry,
Geology,
Geophysics,
Hydrodynamics,
Infrared Astronomy,
Instrumentation,
Interiors,
Ionospheres,
Kuiper Belt Objects,
Magnetospheres,
Mars,
Meteorites,
Moon,
Optical Astronomy,
Planet Formation,
Planetary Dynamics,
Planetary Evolution,
Pluto/KBOs,
Radio Astronomy,
Remote Sensing,
Rings,
Saturn,
Small Bodies,
Space Plasma Physics,
Surfaces,
Venus,
Volcanology
URL: https://www.gps.caltech.edu/
State/Province: CA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 41
Planetary Researchers: 11
Students: 135
Admission Percentage: 10%
Nearby Research Institutions: JPL
Funding: Guaranteed funding for first 5 terms
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://www.gps.caltech.edu/academics/graduate-program/graduate-admissions-and-entrance-procedures
Notes: Exoplanet research can be pursued in Planetary Sciences or Astronomy
Last modified: April 1, 2025
Department: School of Earth and Space Exploration
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Astrobiology,
Geobiology,
Geophysics,
Planetary Science,
Surfaces
URL: http://sese.asu.edu/
State/Province: AZ
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 79
Planetary Researchers: 31
Students: 85
Admission Percentage: ~20%
Nearby Research Institutions:
Funding: TA or RA typically offered to all admitted students
Fall Application Deadline: 01 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: 01 Oct
Admissions URL: https://sese.asu.edu/admission/graduate-admission
Notes:
