- Department of Physics
- Academics
- Graduate
- Admission Information
Admission Information
Thank you for your interest in pursuing graduate studies in physics at Northern Illinois University (NIU).
Submit your admission application online.
If you have any questions regarding our program, contact the director of graduate studies at dgs-physics@niu.edu. For questions about the application process, email the Graduate School at gradsch@niu.edu.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Application Materials
All application materials must be submitted to the Graduate School. Do not send any documents directly to the Department of Physics.
The university-wide general requirements for a Ph.D. degree can be found in the online graduate catalog.
See the graduate manual for supplemental information on requirements for graduate degrees in physics.
Deadline Information
The application deadlines for fall and spring admissions are May 1 and Oct. 1, respectively, for international students. A limited number of teaching assistantships (TAs) is available. If you wish to be considered for a TA position, complete your application by Feb. 1 (fall applicants) or Aug. 15 (spring applicants).
To receive a TA position, a speaking subset score of 24 on the TOEFL, 7 on the IELTS, 68 on both the Oral Fluency and Pronunciation portions of the PTE Academic, or 50 on the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) administered at NIU is required for all international students for whom these tests are required by the university. View the list of exempt countries under the International Applicants section here.
Students interested in a research assistantship (RA) position should contact potential faculty mentors directly upon admission.
Payment Exemptions
Per Graduate School guidelines, the following individuals are exempt from payment of the application fee: individuals who received a GRE fee waiver, McNair Scholars, and qualified veterans under the Illinois Veterans' Grant (IVG) Program. If you believe you qualify, contact the Graduate School at gradsch@niu.edu to receive a fee-waiver code.
