I have compiled this list of questions I routinely receive by phone and email. Please email me if you have any other questions.

Graduate Coordinator
(graduate@physics.utexas.edu)

1. Question: Do I need to send GRE, TOEFL and GRE Subject test scores to the department?
2. Question: Is it ok if my scores arrive after the deadline?
3. Question: Can I just send copies of my scores?
4. Question: Do you accept fee waivers?
5. Question: How do I apply for financial aid?
6. Question: What is the amount of financial award given to students?
7. Question: Can you tell me my chances for admissions before I apply?
8. Question: Do I need to send transcripts to the department or to GIAC?
9. Question: Will I receive summer support?
10. Question: Can I send all my application materials to the department?
11. Question: I submitted my statement of purpose online, do I need to mail it in also?
12. Question: What is the address for GIAC?
13. Question: Do I need to send in the Certificate of Financial Responsibility when I apply? (This pertains to International applicants only)
14. Question: Do I need a physics bachelors degree to apply to the physics PhD program?
15. Question: May I send more than 3 recommendation letters?
16. Question: Can I submit the letters of recommendation online?
17. Question: Can I apply for a masters degree only?
18. Question: Do you offer a PhD in Applied Physics?
19. Question: Can I be waived from the TOEFL? (This pertains to International applicants only.)
20. Question: How do I find out if all my materials arrived and my application is complete?
21. Question: When will I hear if I am accepted?

2. Question: Is it ok if my scores arrive after the deadline?
Answer: It should be ok if your scores arrive within a couple of weeks after the deadline. Any longer than this and we may begin the review process and your scores will not be in your file in time. We still review your other items but this will hurt your chances if scores are missing.

3. Question: Can I just send copies of my scores?
Answer: You may just send copies but your file will never be officially complete with our admissions office (GIAC). It will always show up as pending or incomplete when you check the online status. We will still review your application without official scores but priority in the review will go to students who fully complete their application with official scores. If you are chosen for admission you will have to promptly send the official scores in order to be fully admitted.

4. Question: Do you accept fee waivers?
Answer: Yes, you may apply without submitting the application fee. We will however, give priority to those that do pay the fee and submit a full application. All applications are reviewed if nearly all applications materials have been sent. If you are selected for admission you will have to pay the fee to accept our admissions offer. All students are admitted with an offer of financial aid.

5. Question: How do I apply for financial aid?
Answer: There is no department application for financial aid. All students are considered for financial support and those admitted are offered a teaching assistant position.

6. Question: What is the amount of financial award given to students?
Answer: All admitted new PhD graduate students are offered at Teaching Assistant financial award, in-state tuition waiver, and tuition reimbursement. The in-state waiver reduces tuition by about $3,200 per semester. The tuition reimbursement does not completely cover tuition costs as it is taxed income. Last year, International students paid about $1000 and U.S students paid about $800 in tuition out-of-pocket costs per semester. The TA salary totals for the 2008-2009 academic year are $16,542 for 9 months of study. Teaching Assistants also receive paid medical benefits.

7. Question: Can you tell me my chances for admissions before I apply?
Answer: No. Due to the high volume of requests and applicants (approximately 500 a year) we cannot provide you with an estimate of your chances for admission. Admission is highly competitive and is moreso for International students due to the higher volume of applicants and fewer admits. For Fall 2008 admission we had approximately 237 Foreign applicants and only accepted 33 for admission. For US applicants there were approximately 174 applicants and 85 were admitted. A total of 118 were admitted with 33 new students enrolling, 16 International and 17 U.S. students.

8. Question: Do I need to send transcripts to the department or to GIAC?
Answer: Ideally you should send them to both offices. GIAC requires official transcripts. They process the transcript including verifying that they are official. They also calculate a GPA based on your junior and senior level coursework (also called upper division GPA). The department admissions committee also cares about your overall GPA and this is why we ask that additional question on the application. The department will also look at your grades in various Physics courses. You may send the department either an official or a copy of you transcript. The reason we ask for our own copy is GIAC receives thousands of transcripts (over 17,000) and it can take them up to 4 weeks to process and make the transcript available to us to view.

9. Question: Will I receive summer support?
Answer: We typically support about 30 students in the summer with a TA position. For Fall and Spring semesters we hire approximately 120 students as teaching assistants. The university teaches far fewer summer courses so the need for TAs is very diminished. Only about 10% of new students will receive summer support in the form of a TA. There are more summer Research Assistant opportunities so it is suggested you ask Professors if they have any summer research opportunities.

10. Question: Can I send all my application materials to the department?
Answer: Yes. I prefer you mail the items to GIAC directly because of the volume of mail I receive. If you would like us to forward the items you need to send to GIAC, place them in a separate envelope and mark these materials clearly to let me know you want them forwarded. Since the volume of application materials is high and processing is slow, it will take between 2 and 6 weeks before you can confirm that GIAC has your transcripts and other materials. They will not be considered late as long as they were received in the department by the deadline. If you accidentally send materials to GIAC that should go to the department, they also forward it to us, but it does take time.

11. Question: I submitted my statement of purpose online, do I need to mail it in also?
Answer: No.

12. Question: What is the address for GIAC?
Answer:

Graduate and International Admissions Center
The University of Texas at Austin
P.O. Box 7608
Austin, Texas 78713-7608

Street Address (for overnight letter or package delivery):
GIAC
UT Austin
2608 Whitis Ave.
Austin, TX 78712-1534

Telephone: (512) 475-7390

13. Question: Do I need to send in the Certificate of Financial Responsibility when I apply? (This pertains to International applicants only)
Answer: No. You may wait until you have been accepted to send this information and you will include that we have given you a TA award as part of your income for obtaining your visa.

14. Question: Do I need a physics bachelors degree to apply to the physics PhD program?
Answer: No, although nearly all our applicants have this degree. Many of the international applicants have a Master's degree also. It is assumed that you have an undergraduate background that includes physics courses in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, atomic physics, and quantum mechanics.

15. Question: May I send more than 3 recommendation letters?
Answer: Yes, although the online system only has room for 3 referees. If you wish to send additional letters you may mail them in or have the referee email them to graduate@physics.utexas.edu.

16. Question: Can I submit the letters of recommendation online?
Answer: Yes, you can now submit recommendation letters online. This is now part of the online application.

17. Question: Can I apply for a masters degree only?
Answer: Yes, but we do not offer any financial support to masters applicants. Most of our PhD students do not earn a masters while en route to the PhD. There is an oral examination given in the 3rd year of the program and students also apply for PhD candidacy later in that year but this is not to earn a masters degree, but simply to advance in the program. If a student is making poor academic progress, they will often take a masters degree and leave before completing the PhD. Only about 2-5 students a year need to take the masters in this manner.

18. Question: Do you offer a PhD in Applied Physics?
Answer: No. You will see a major code for applied physics on the online application but please do not choose this major code. It appears there because we do offer an M.S. in Applied physics which is offered but rarely taken. We simply do not have many courses in this area on a PhD level. You may want to consider applying to an Engineering area at UT Austin instead.

19. Question: Can I be waived from the TOEFL? (This pertains to International applicants only.)
Answer: No. The only waiver is given to students who have a bachelor's degree from an English-only speaking or U.S. University. A masters degree is not enough to have a waiver. See the GIAC site here - http://www.utexas.edu/student/admissions/gradintl/intlgradreqs.html (scroll down to the middle of the page for TOEFL information) for more information on the TOEFL including minimum scores.

20. Question: How do I find out if all my materials arrived and my application is complete?
Answer: I prefer if you do not email or call to ask me this. I will be bombarded by calls and emails and cannot focus on preparing your files for review. If you are very concerned about items lost in transit send your mail certified or with delivery confirmation. Mail is usually signed in by Lisa Olds or Eric Hayes Patkowski. I tell applicants that no news from me is actually good news. If you have submitted an online application, I will contact you if I am missing items. I otherwise do not contact people when their application is complete.

21. Question: When will I hear if I am accepted?
UPDATE: International applicant decisions will not be made until late March or possibly as late as early April.

Answer: Our Graduate Recruitment Committee will begin to review applications in late January. Decisions should take place in mid February for US applicants and early March for International applicants. Please be patient as we review your materials. If you submitted a full application (application fee, official test scores, online application, etc.) you may check on your status at http://utdirect.utexas.edu/nr/appstat.html. The department mails acceptance and financial aid award letters only to those who are accepted. The admissions office will mail deny letters.