Field Studied: Planet Formation

Brigham Young University, Provo

Last modified: April 1, 2025
Department: Physics and Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Brown Dwarfs, Comets, Exoplanets, Geology, Infrared Astronomy, Kuiper Belt Objects, Ocean Worlds (Titan, Enceladus, Europa), Optical Astronomy, Planet Formation, Planetary Dynamics, Pluto/KBOs
URL: https://www.physics.byu.edu/
State/Province: UT
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: Recommended
Subject GRE Required: Physics, may be waived for MS degree—contact department for details
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 47
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: ~50
Admission Percentage: 40% (entire program)
Nearby Research Institutions:
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Guaranteed TA funding
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://gradstudies.prod.brigham-young.psdops.com/admissions/applying
Notes: BYU welcomes students of all faith. Each student that attends BYU agrees to abide by the honor code and the dress and grooming standards. These expectations can be found at the admissions URL address and prospective applicants should read these requirements when considering whether or not to apply to BYU.

University of Leicester

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Physics & Astronomy
Display Category: International
Field Studied: Atmospheres, Auroras, Brown Dwarfs, Climate, Exoplanets, Geochemistry, Infrared Astronomy, Instrumentation, Ionospheres, Jupiter, Magnetospheres, Mars, Neptune, Planet Formation, Planetary Dynamics, Planetary Science, Remote Sensing, Saturn, Space Plasma Physics, Uranus, UV Astronomy, X-Ray Astronomy
URL: https://le.ac.uk/physics
State/Province:
Country: United Kingdom
Degrees Offered: MPhil, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.3
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 2
Faculty: 43
Planetary Researchers: 17
Students: ~90
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions: University of Nottingham, University of Birmingham, University of Warwick, University of Loughborough, University of Coventry
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Funding available for UK/EU students
Fall Application Deadline: 20 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://le.ac.uk/physics/study/research-degrees
Notes: Although students can apply at any time, funded positions starting in October are typically decided upon in mid-March.

Wesleyan University

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Planetary Sciences Group
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Cosmochemistry, Exoplanets, Interiors, Mars, Meteorites, Planet Formation, Remote Sensing, Surfaces, Venus
URL: http://www.wesleyan.edu/planetary/
State/Province: CT
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MA
Minimum GPA:
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: Physics recommended for Astronomy
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 7
Planetary Researchers: 7
Students: 8
Admission Percentage: 10%
Nearby Research Institutions: Yale Univ., many research Institute in CT and nearby Boston
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: All admitted students guaranteed funding as TAs
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Feb for E&ES; 1 Mar for Astronomy
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: http://www.wesleyan.edu/planetary/Graduate.html
Notes: Planetary Science students come from astronomy or earth sciences

Vanderbilt University

Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Physics & Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Exoplanets, Planet Formation
URL: http://as.vanderbilt.edu/astronomy/
State/Province: TN
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 6
Planetary Researchers: 1
Students: 28
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: PhD students receive 5 years of financial support including annual stipend, full tuition waiver, College-paid premiums for individual student health insurance
Fall Application Deadline: 07 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://as.vanderbilt.edu/physics-astronomy/phd-astrophysics-admissions/
Notes:

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 Toledo

Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Physics and Astronomy 
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Planet Formation
URL: https://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/physast/
State/Province: OH
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 2.7
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 2
Faculty: 15
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: 74
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: Successful applicants to Ph.D. program typically receive an offer of admission including an assistantship (TA, RA, GA) and tuition waiver
Fall Application Deadline: 06 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://www.utoledo.edu/graduate/apply/
Notes:

University of Texas, Austin

Last modified: April 3, 2025
Department: Astronomy Program
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Asteroids, Atmospheres, Comets, Exoplanets, Instrumentation, Kuiper Belt Objects, Planet Formation, Planetary Science
URL: https://astronomy.utexas.edu/
State/Province: TX
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: 3
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: No
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 20
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: 50
Admission Percentage: ~10%
Nearby Research Institutions: McDonald Observatory
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: New students are usually employed as TA; RA arranged with graduate advisor
Fall Application Deadline: 1 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/admissions
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 Maryland, College Park

Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Astronomy
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Asteroids, Comets, Dust, Exoplanets, Infrared Astronomy, Instrumentation, Meteorites, Moon, Optical Astronomy, Planet Formation, Planetary Dynamics, Planetary Evolution, Pluto/KBOs, Radio Astronomy, Remote Sensing, Rings, Small Bodies, Space Plasma Physics, Surfaces, X-Ray Astronomy
URL: http://www.astro.umd.edu/
State/Province: MD
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: PhD
Minimum GPA: 3
General GRE Required: Optional
Subject GRE Required: Physics (optional)
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 19
Planetary Researchers: 3
Students: 37
Admission Percentage: ~5%
Nearby Research Institutions: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Institution, US Naval Observatory, Space Telescope Science Institute
Contact Email: [email protected]
Funding: The department provides full funding (with tuition waivers) for up to six years while students maintain adequate progress toward degree completion.
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Dec
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://www.astro.umd.edu/graduate/admissions.html
Notes: