Last modified: April 2, 2025
Department: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Large
Field Studied: Atmospheres,
Interiors,
Magnetospheres,
Planet Formation,
Surfaces
URL: http://eps.ucsc.edu/
State/Province: CA
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE Required: Yes
Subject GRE Required: No
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 21
Planetary Researchers: 4
Students: 36
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions: NASA Ames, SETI, USGS Menlo Park
Funding: Yes (In general, our admitted students are fully funded through fellowships, teaching assistantships, and/or research assitantships.)
Fall Application Deadline: 05 Jan
Spring Application Deadline:
Admissions URL: https://eps.ucsc.edu/graduate/appl-adm.html
Notes:
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:
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:
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 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 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: Planetary Geosciences
Display Category: USA-Canada Medium
Field Studied: Geophysics,
Surfaces
URL: https://deeps.brown.edu/
State/Province: RI
Country: USA
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Minimum GPA: None noted
General GRE Required: No
Subject GRE Required: None
Recommendations: 3
Faculty: 35
Planetary Researchers: 13
Students: 69
Admission Percentage:
Nearby Research Institutions:
Funding: Five years of guaranteed financial support
Fall Application Deadline: 15 Jan
Spring Application Deadline: N/A
Admissions URL: https://apply.graduateschool.brown.edu/apply/
Notes:
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:
