U WDoctor of Philosophy in PhysicsUniversity of Washington · Seattle, Washington, United States

Program Overview

Dates and tuition are specific to the 2027 intake

Please check the official program website (link below) for specific writing guidelines

Statement of purpose

One page describing academic purpose and goals.

CV or resume

Current position or activities, educational and professional experience, honors, special skills, publications or research presentations.

Personal history statement

Optional

Optional; two pages max.

Recommendation letters x 3

Submit recommender emails at least one month before the deadline.

Unofficial transcript(s)

From all prior relevant undergraduate and graduate institutions. Official transcripts if admitted.

Academic: Bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0/4.0; Or equivalent. Graduate School Policy 3.1: last 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits (or cumulative bachelor's GPA).
Prerequisites: Coursework prerequisites; Strong undergraduate physics preparation expected, including electromagnetism, classical and quantum mechanics, statistical physics, optics, and mathematical methods. Further study in condensed matter, atomic, and particle/nuclear physics is desirable. Limited core deficiencies may delay completion by as much as a year and should be remedied in the first year.
IELTS: 6.5 overall; Graduate School minimum. Recommended 7.0 overall (ELP Satisfied).
TOEFL: New scale: 4.0 overall | Old scale: 80 overall; Graduate School minimum for tests on/after 21 Jan 2026. Recommended 4.5 overall (ELP Satisfied).; Graduate School minimum (ELP Not Satisfied). Recommended 92 overall (ELP Satisfied). New 0–6 scale for tests on/after 21 Jan 2026.
GRE: Optional