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
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.
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
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
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
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:
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
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:
Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Institute of Geophysics and Planetology
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Cosmochemistry,
Geochemistry,
Geology,
Instrumentation,
Mars,
Moon,
Remote Sensing
URL: http://www.higp.hawaii.edu/
State/Province: HI
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: No
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 42
Planetary Researchers: 16
Students: 18
Admission Percentage: ~15–20%
Nearby Research Institutions: University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy
Funding: Most students funded on research assistantships, rest on teaching assistantships
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: 15 Aug
Admissions URL: https://www.higp.hawaii.edu/index.php/teaching/graduate-admissions-information/
Notes:
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
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:
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 1, 2025
Department: School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Atmospheres,
Climate,
Geochemistry,
Geophysics,
Ionospheres,
Magnetospheres,
Remote Sensing,
Surfaces
URL: https://eas.gatech.edu/
State/Province: GA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 35
Planetary Researchers: 9
Students: 90–100
Admission Percentage: 25%
Nearby Research Institutions: UGA, GA State Univ, DNR, USGS
Funding: Almost all full-time students are offered GRA/GTA funding, which is $35,000/year.
Fall Application Deadline: 1 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://eas.gatech.edu/research/space-planetary-science
Notes:
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
