toronto physics phd admissions

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Physical & Mathematical Sciences Admission Category

Students in physical and mathematical sciences investigate the natural laws and processes of non-living matter. From the high-tech world of quantum optics and biophysics to the intricate problems of black holes and chaotic dynamics, our programs will introduce you to the research and issues that impact the world around us.

Physical & Mathematical Sciences Programs

Why Study Physical & Mathematical Sciences

Physical & Mathematical Sciences Careers

Applying to physical & mathematical sciences, admission requirements.

OUAC Admission Code: TPG (Physical & Mathematical Sciences)

Supplementary Application Form Required: No

Admission Category Prerequisites: English and Calculus

Approximate Admission Range:  Mid to high 80s

Admission Requirements by Curriculum:

• Ontario High School and Other Canadian Provinces
• US High School Admission Requirements
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Admission Requirements
• British Patterned Admission Requirements
• Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Admission Requirements
• Other International School Admission Requirements

It is important to note that in addition to the courses required for admission into the Physical & Mathematical Sciences admission category listed above (English and mathematics/calculus), some programs of study may require you to take additional specific high school subjects in order to take specific courses in first year, or for entry into that program in second year.

For example, if you are interested in astronomy and physics, you will not only need English and mathematics/calculus (which are required for admission into Physical & Mathematical Sciences), but you will also need grade 12 physics or equivalent to be able to enrol in this program.

Transitioning from an admission category to a program of study

Since you are admitted to the general Physical & Mathematical Sciences admission category, during your first year you will not be enrolled in a specific program of study. This means that during your first year, you are able to explore a number of different areas of study. You apply to a program (e.g. major in astronomy and physics) at the end of your first year, and can combine programs outside of your own admission category , excluding programs in Rotman Commerce.

To prepare for admission into your program of study at the end of first year:

Step 1: Search for your desired program of study (e.g. major in astronomy and physics) in the table in the "Physical & Mathematical Sciences (H.B.Sc.)" section below

Step 2: Find the high school subject prerequisites for your desired program of study listed under Subject(s) Required in Addition to English

Step 3:  These prerequisites subjects allow you to enrol in introductory first year courses needed for your program of study selection at the end of first year. You can find these courses listed under Program Area in the Academic Calendar

Program List

Whether you're a math whiz or a science enthusiast – or a little bit of both – discover the program of study that's right for you from the list below.

Physical & Mathematical Sciences (H.B.Sc.)

Bio: Biology; C: Calculus; Ch: Chemistry; Ph: Physics

Rec.: Recommended but not required

Why Study Physical & Mathematical Sciences at Arts & Science?

Learn from the Best in Canada

Home to the Fields Institute, an international centre for math research, we have the top mathematics department in Canada. With award-winning faculty like Professor Alison Gibbs, a 3M National Teaching Fellow , you'll be learning from some of the best instructors in Canada.

Unique Learning Opportunities

Students can gain hands-on experience in our world-class facilities, including our state-of-the-art labs and astronomy observatory . Beyond the classroom, you'll have access to research opportunities inside and beyond the classroom through programs like the Summer Undergraduate Research Program and the Research Opportunities Program . Eligible students will also have the chance to gain 12-20 months of paid work experience and specialized professional development training through the Arts & Science Internship Program .

#1 in Canada for graduate employability — recruiters from top companies have consistently ranked U of T as #1 in Canada and among the best in the world at preparing its students for the workplace. With a science degree from a world-renowned university, you will have a competitive advantage when applying for jobs in fields such as:

• Actuarial science
• Conservation
• Energy sector
• Financial services
• Healthcare services
• Information technology
• Project management
• Software development  

Use Career Navigator to explore more careers in the mathematical and physical sciences.

From exploring space to developing innovative tech solutions and medical treatments, Arts & Science alumni are making an impact. Read some of their stories below.

A&S alumna Fazila Seker launches tool to help surgeons pinpoint breast cancer tumours

A&S alumnus and mentor Petar Tomic encourages physics students to step outside the box

A&S alumna Sara Seager: A shortcut through campus revealed her path to the stars

From Mars exploration to Earth conservation: alumni mentor Julius Lindsay helps physics students navigate career options

A&S alumna and UN Champion of the Earth Katharine Hayhoe

Alumna Katie Harris is over the moon for space medicine

You have to understand how things work together, how to communicate them in a way that people can understand and how to get results. That's what you do in physics — you get a problem and use tools to solve it. Where I am today is largely because of my physics background. — Julius Lindsay, BSc 2006

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School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Calendar

Physics: introduction, faculty affiliation.

Arts and Science

Degree Programs

• Master of Science in Physics (University of Toronto) / Master in Physics (Sapienza Università di Roma) / Master in Physics (Université Paris-Saclay);
• Master of Science in Physics (University of Toronto) / Master in Physics (Sapienza Università di Roma) / Master in Physics (Universidade do Porto)

Collaborative Specializations

The following collaborative specializations are available to students in participating degree programs as listed below:

• Physics, MSc, PhD

The Department of Physics carries out research in experimental and theoretical physics in the following fields: atomic and molecular physics; biological physics; earth, atmospheric, and planetary physics; quantum optics and quantum information; quantum condensed matter physics; and subatomic physics and astrophysics. The department is involved in many collaborative efforts and has close ties to institutes worldwide.

Contact and Address

Web: www.physics.utoronto.ca Email: [email protected] Telephone: (416) 978-2945 Fax: (416) 978-1547

Department of Physics University of Toronto Room 315, McLennan Physical Labs Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7 Canada

Physics: Graduate Faculty

Full members, members emeriti, associate members, physics: physics msc.

The Master of Science (MSc) program is directed primarily to qualified students seeking a career in scientific research, with an emphasis on doctoral-stream studies. The MSc can be taken both with or without a thesis, the latter being the norm.

MSc Program (Coursework Plus MSc Research Report)

Minimum admission requirements.

Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Physics' additional admission requirements stated below.

An appropriate bachelor's degree with a final-year average equivalent to at least a University of Toronto mid-B.

Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

Completion Requirements

Students normally complete the program requirements as follows:

graduate lecture courses (3.0 full-course equivalents [FCEs]);

a Research Report, which consists of a 6000-series research course appropriate to the field of physics (1.0 FCE) and PHY3400Y (1.0 FCE).

MSc students are expected to attend the weekly general colloquium conducted by the department.

The residence requirement is one year, whereby students must be on campus full-time and consequently in geographical proximity to be able to participate fully in the University activities associated with the program.

MSc Program (Coursework Plus MSc Research Project)

graduate lecture courses (2.0 FCEs);

a 6000-series research course appropriate to the field of physics (1.0 FCE);

a Research Project, which consists of a 7000-series seminar course appropriate to the field of physics (1.0 FCE) and PHY3400Y (1.0 FCE).

Physics: Physics MSc (Dual Degree: MSc / Master in Physics (Sapienza Università di Roma; Université Paris-Saclay))

Dual degree program: master of science in physics (university of toronto) / master in physics (sapienza università di roma) / master in physics (université paris-saclay), program description.

The University of Toronto MSc in Physics participates in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) program of the QUAntum Research Master Education Network (QUARMEN). This dual degree program provides a pathway for students to complete degrees at the Université Paris-Saclay (France) and Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" (Italy). At the University of Toronto, students complete the Master of Science (MSc) in Physics’ Option 2: Coursework plus MSc Research Project. Students are not eligible to take the other options.

In the Fall session of Year 1, students register in the Laurea Magistrale in Fisica at Sapienza Università di Roma. In the Winter and Summer sessions of Year 1, students register in the Master de physique at Université Paris-Saclay. In Year 2, students attend all three sessions (Fall, Winter, Summer) at the University of Toronto and complete Option 2 of the MSc in Physics.

Upon successful completion of the degree program, students who participate in EMJM and attend the University of Toronto as part of their participation in QUARMEN will receive three parchments, including the MSc in Physics degree from the University of Toronto.

Master of Science in Physics Program Department of Physics, University of Toronto Email: [email protected]

Master of Physics (Le Master de physique) Program Université Paris-Saclay Email: [email protected]

Application Process

• Applicants must apply through the QUARMEN admissions website . Applicants are then jointly selected and admitted by a Selection Board composed of at least one appointed faculty member from each partner institution.
• All applicants who are admitted to the dual degree program must then also complete the application on U of T’s School of Graduate Studies online admissions application system .
• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the regular admission requirements of the MSc in Physics and the overall admission requirements of QUARMEN.

Program Length

6 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F/W/S)

Physics: Physics MSc (Dual Degree: MSc / Master in Physics (Sapienza Università di Roma; Universidade do Porto))

Dual degree program: master of science in physics (university of toronto) / master in physics (sapienza università di roma) / master in physics (universidade do porto).

The University of Toronto MSc in Physics participates in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) program of the QUAntum Research Master Education Network (QUARMEN). This dual degree program provides a pathway for students to complete degrees at Universidade do Porto (Portugal) and Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" (Italy). At the University of Toronto, students complete the Master of Science (MSc) in Physics’ Option 2: Coursework plus MSc Research Project. Students are not eligible to take the other options.

In the Fall session of Year 1, students register in the Laurea Magistrale in Fisica (Master's Degree in Physics) at Sapienza Università di Roma. In the Winter and Summer sessions of Year 1, students register in the Mestrado em Física (Master in Physics) at Universidade do Porto (Portugal). In Year 2, students attend all three sessions (Fall, Winter, Summer) at the University of Toronto and complete Option 2 of the MSc in Physics.

Physics: Physics PhD

The Department of Physics offers excellent quality and breadth of research fields. Its internationally leading research teams, in both theory and experiment, operate across a broad spectrum of topics as well as collaborative specializations in interdisciplinary subjects. Graduates work in government, industry, and education around the world.

Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of two routes: 1) following completion of an appropriate master's degree; 2) direct entry after completing a bachelor's degree.

PhD Program

An appropriate University of Toronto master's degree with an average of at least B+ or demonstrated comparable research competence.

The core of the PhD program is an original investigation, the results of which are embodied in a thesis. Lecture courses constitute a subsidiary but important part of the program. Consult the department for details.

Complete 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) : graduate lecture courses and a thesis . Course credit will normally be given towards the PhD for all graduate lecture courses taken during a master's program in this department. Students who have completed an appropriate MSc elsewhere and are entering the PhD program will generally be given a course credit of up to 2.0 FCEs in graduate lecture courses towards their PhD course requirement.

Complete a qualifying oral examination . Students must complete the qualifying examination within eight months. Students who fail at the first attempt have the opportunity to take the examination again within a time period specified by the examination committee.

Students are expected to attend the weekly general colloquium conducted by the department.

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Outstanding applicants may be considered directly from undergraduate programs. Normally, these applicants will have an undergraduate average of A or higher.

Complete 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) : graduate lecture courses and a thesis .

Students must complete a qualifying oral examination within 20 months. Students who fail at the first attempt have the opportunity to take the examination again within a time period specified by the examination committee.

Physics: Physics MSc, PhD Courses

All courses are not given every year. Please check the departmental brochure or website for course availability .

Introductory Courses

General Courses

Professional Development

Specialized Courses

Report Course for MSc Students

Seminar Courses

Research Courses

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Qualifying Exams

PhD Degree Direct-Entry

The direct-entry PhD degree (PhD U) is designed for students entering with a qualifying bachelor’s degree. It is structured as a five year doctoral program which in its first year combines coursework with intensive research providing the foundation of a well-rounded one year master’s program curriculum.

Students are required to complete five graduate   elective half- course s (or equivalent 2.5 FCE). Standard elective  course s are 0.5 FCE and the modular  course s, also referred to as mini-courses, are 0.25 FCE.

The prescribed timeline for completion of the five graduate elective half courses equivalent is by the end of the second year. The maximum carry forward for completion in the subsequent year is 0.5 FCE. More courses may be taken for credit or audited as appropriate.

These  course s are selected from the AST preparatory (1000 series) and the elective (2000 series), or specialized graduate  course s (3000 series). Note that JAS1101H Astrostatistics is offered jointly with Statistics and counts as a departmental  course .

A maximum of 1.0 FCE may be substituted from graduate courses offered outside of the department. Note that the course must be in a cognate discipline at the equivalent level and is subject to approval of the associate chair, graduate. The requested  course  should be within the context of a full  study  plan as related to your research goals (i.e. it should be in a complementary area). Note that some courses offered by the Physics Department are pre-approved for inclusion in your course plan. Please consult the graduate courses page for current offerings and the list of approved affinity physics courses.

Students are immediately engaged in research through the required research course series AST 1501Y and AST 1500Y, each in a separate area under the supervision of a different faculty member. The research courses are weighted as full courses (1.0 FCE). AST 1501Y is completed during the fall and winter sessions of the first year, and AST 1500Y the following summer. Projects should be feasible and interesting, clearly defined, and ultimately publishable. Each research course culminates with a final report (ApJ Letter length or actual draft of paper for submission) and project presentation.

The PhD Qualifying Examinations are comprised of two parts: general knowledge literature qualifying exams and thesis proposal. Both parts must be successfully completed in order to continue in the doctoral program.

The Literature Qualifying Exams are taken in four sections which are scheduled throughout the first two years of the program as synced with the end of fall and winter sessions. The student has the flexbility to determine the pacing. The Thesis Proposal Examination should be held in June or July of the second year after the General Knowledge Examination.

The core of the program is a doctoral thesis embodying the results of original investigation conducted by the candidate. The thesis should constitute a significant contribution to the knowledge of the field and must be based on research conducted while registered for the PhD program.

A thesis should have a coherent topic with an introduction presenting the general theme of the research and a conclusion summarizing and integrating the major findings. Nonetheless, it may contain a collection of several papers which may be expanded or supplemented by unpublished material and scholarly notes.

PhD Degree (4-Year Track)

This track is a four-year program focused on a doctoral thesis project for students who enter with an MSc degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics or in another appropriate discipline deemed equivalent. There is no minimum course requirement in the four-year program except for courses deemed necessary by the student’s PhD supervisory committee. Students must successfully complete the two parts of the PhD qualifying examinations (general knowledge and thesis proposal) in the summer session of the first year.

Note that the default point of entry for graduate studies with a qualifying bachelor’s degree is the direct-entry PhD program. Degree requirements for the MSc are similar to those for the first year of the direct-entry PhD, requiring candidates to follow an approved program that includes a minimum of three graduate elective half-courses and the research course series AST1500Y and AST1501Y. Candidates in the direct-entry PhD program who have successfully completed these requirements, and who wish to terminate their studies at that point, may request consideration for award of the MSc degree.

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Length of study, admission requirements.

Application p rocedures

Tuition fees

Research & centres

Funding, scholarships, awards

Program requirements and optional emphasis

Course descriptions

Student life

Frequently Asked Questions

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is a research-based program leading to the production of a research thesis. Doctoral research at UTIAS is expected to be internationally recognized for its originality, rigour, and importance. Supervised by a faculty member, students select a research topic, develop a plan to address the topic, and implement this plan, leading to a major research thesis and contributions to the academic literature. This is the pinnacle of academic achievement, and holders of the PhD are well prepared for academic positions and leadership roles in industrial research and development.

UTIAS researchers collaborate extensively with all the major companies in the Canadian aerospace industry, and UTIAS PhD students frequently interact with industrial partners.

All PhD students at UTIAS are provided with a stipend to support living expenses, tuition and fees, and are eligible for a range of additional scholarship support .

Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of two routes: 1) following completion of an MASc degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, or chemistry; or 2) transfer from the University of Toronto MASc program.

Four years (defined as the period of time for an academically well-prepared student to complete all program requirements while registered full-time).

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies . For international students, degree and grade equivalencies can be found at the  International Degree Equivalencies directory .
• An MASc degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, or chemistry and demonstrated ability to perform advanced research. Applicants require a minimum average grade of B+ in their Master’s program, but most admitted applicants have average grades higher than this.
• Proof of English-language proficiency is required for all applicants educated outside of Canada whose native language is not English. See the  School of Graduate Studies  for additional information.

Application Procedures

Please ensure that you meet our minimum admission requirements as stated above.

Before applying, you should learn about the  UTIAS course offerings , and read the FAQs about admissions and FAQs about studying at UTIAS .

Step 1.   Submit an application on SGS Admissions Management and pay the $125 application fee (non-refundable/transferable, regardless of the circumstance). Applications will not be processed until the application fee is received. You will be prompted for your payment information after you click “submit.” Please note that there is no way to edit your application once it has been submitted.

On the SGS Admissions Management site please submit:

• Your SGS application  (personal information, academic history, etc.), and,
• Scans of complete (or most up-to-date) academic transcript(s) . Applicants must scan and upload each post-secondary institutional transcript as a PDF file. In lieu of a scanned copy of a paper transcript, applicants may upload a PDF file of their academic history from their university’s student web service. Every transcript must include its respective grading scale. You are not required to submit official (paper) transcripts until requested by the graduate office.

Step 2 .  Submit a detailed application on UTIAS Application System .

This is the most important part of the application process. If you do not complete the application on UTIAS Application System, your application will not be reviewed.

Please note:

• Applicants should monitor their PhD application progress on UTIAS Application System.

Your UTIAS Graduate Admission includes:

• Personal/general Information
• Statement of intent
• Curriculum vitae
• Academic history and detailed grades*
• Referee contact information**

Once you submit your application on UTIAS Application System you will not be able to modify it.

* You must include all marks from all years and all institutions that you have attended. If you do not provide these grades on UTIAS Application System, the review of your application will be delayed until you provide these and hence you may miss the review period.

Transcripts: The review process will take place using the scanned/electronic transcripts uploaded to SGS Admissions Management Application and grades submitted to UTIAS Application System. You will be contacted with instructions if you are required to submit official paper transcripts.

** Two reference letters are required . In general, letters of reference from academic sources are preferred. Your referees must submit their letters of reference electronically on the UTIAS Application System. Do not submit more than two referees. Only two letters will be considered. Instructions on how to submit letters of reference will be sent automatically to referees by the UTIAS Application System.

An application is not complete until both letters of reference have been submitted. It is highly recommended that applicants (1) submit their applications well in advance of the deadline and (2) confirm that their letters of reference have been submitted by logging on to the UTIAS Application System. The application status will read “received” when the application is complete including two letters of reference. Please do not forward hard copies of letters of reference to the UTIAS Graduate Office.

Indicate research preference: Applicants must classify their research interest. The UTIAS Application System will permit applicants to indicate a maximum of three areas of interest from a drop-down menu. Visit our Research & Centres  page for detailed information.

Tuition Fees

Current Fall-Winter Fees (scroll to bottom of the page and click on Graduate Studies, School of - All Graduate Programs)

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PhD in Medical Biophysics - Medical Physics Specialization

In addition to our  graduate programs , the Department of Medical Biophysics offers a CAMPEP  -accredited specialization for PhD students interested in a Medical Physics career. Medical Physics spans research, development, and clinical trials involving medical imaging and radiotherapy technologies.

In this specialization within our PhD program, students complete a thesis-based PhD, while completing a structured medical physics course curriculum. The specialized program provides a research-intensive environment that immerses students in clinical technologies pertinent to medical imaging, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy. Cutting edge research involving machine learning, theranostics, and heavy particle therapy are ongoing. Students gain skills to pursue the production of high quality research and develop leadership skills.

Upon completion of their PhD, students who fulfill the Medical Physics course curriculum receive a letter of attestation from the Program Director , certifying that all required courses and modules have been successfully completed.

More information about the program can be found below.

Admission Requirements - Medical Physics Specialization within the Medical Biophysics PhD program

Students wanting to enroll in the Medical Physics PhD Specialization must first apply to and be accepted into the Medical Biophysics PhD program . Admission consideration to the Medical Biophysics PhD requires:

completion of an appropriate master's degree from a recognized university 

a minimum A- average in the final two years of study. This is flexible for those demonstrating exceptional aptitude for research.

submission and evaluation of all supplemental application material as outlined on the  Admission Requirements and Deadlines  page of our website.

an admissions interview for all candidates who are a potential fit for the program.

To be eligible for admission to the Medical Physics PhD specialization, MBP PhD students must also have:

completed an undergraduate degree in physics or an equivalent, relevant quantitative physical or engineering science, or have least three upper level (3rd or 4th year) half-courses in traditional physics such as classical mechanics/dynamics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetic theory thermal physics, atomic/nuclear physics, optical physics, or laboratory physics. Applicants with a non-physics majors must have coursework that is equivalent to a minor in physics, as defined by the University of Toronto, involving upper-level physics (e.g., PHY356H1, PHY357H1) and calculus courses.

their supervisor's approval in order to be eligible for a transfer into the Medical Physics PhD Specialization. This type of transfer must be completed by the end of their first year of study as a PhD student.

submitted an official application to the Medical Physics Specialization within 1 year of beginning their PhD program, ideally within the first six months. See below for more information on the application process.

How to Apply to the MBP Medical Physics Specialization

Please note that in order to apply for the MBP Medical Physics Specialization, you must be enrolled in the MBP PhD program.

MBP PhD students must apply to the Medical Physics Specialization within 1 year of beginning their PhD program, ideally within the first six months. An official application to the MBP Medical Physics Specialization includes two main components:

A completed MBP Medical Physics Specialization Application Form .

Submission of post-secondary transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs taken, including your most up-to-date MBP transcript. Please note, any transcripts written in a language other than English must include an English translation.

Once completed, the application form and transcripts are to be emailed to [email protected] .

Please be advised that an application make take several weeks to process. Should you have any questions during this time, please direct them to [email protected] .

Courses - Medical Physics PhD Specialization

In addition to the mandatory course requirements of the MBP PhD program, students enrolled in the MBP PhD Medical Physics Specialization will be required to complete the following courses:

MBP 1023H: Clinical Radiation Physics and Dosimetry

MBP 1301H: Radiation Oncology: Clinical & Experimental Radiobiology

MBP 1407H: Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Overview

MBP 1411H: Overview of Medical Imaging

MBP 1412H: Ultrasound Overview

MBP 1415H: Radiotherapy Physics

MBP 1416H: Anatomy & Physiology (for Non-Specialists or Physicists)

MBP 1417H: Introduction to Health Physics

Please note that modules are available to all MBP students with suitable prerequisites. They can be taken pre-emptively by MBP MSc students who are considering reclassification into the PhD Specialization.

For more information about courses, including detailed course descriptions, please refer to the MBP Course Modules page .

CAMPEP Accredited Postgraduate Information

CAMPEP (Commission on the Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs) and SDAMPP (Society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs) require all medical physics education programs to post and maintain data regarding student statistics as indicated below.

Medical Physics Student Organization

The Medical Physics Student Organization (MPSO) is a graduate student-led group that strives to provide professional development and mentorship opportunities for graduate students interested in pursuing a career as an accredited Medical Physicist. The group was created with the simultaneous launch of the Medical Physics CAMPEP PhD Specialization within the Department of Medical Biophysics in September 2023. 

Learn more on the MPSO website .

For inquiries related to the the PhD Medical Physics Specialization, please contact Program Director  Dr. Jean-Pierre Bissonnette .

Subscribe to our Email List for prospective Graduate Students.

Admission Requirements

Master's of science (msc).

• Admission is based on academic record, an essay summarizing backgroud strenghts and scientific aims, a curriculum vitae (CV), and at least two confidential letters of reference.
• Applicant must have an appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognized university with an average of  at least A- in the last two years of study and with courses such as biology, biochemistry, calculus, organic and physical chemistry, general physics and physiology.
• Physical stream students from undergraduate programs in physics, mathematics, engineering and other sciences are encouraged to apply to the MSc program.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of three routes:

• following completion of an appropriate MSc degree;
• transfer from the University of Toronto MSc program; or
• direct entry after completing a bachelor's degree

PhD (following completion of a MSc)

• Admission is based on academic record, a statement summarizing background strengths and scientific aims, a curriculum vitae (CV), and at least two confidential letter of reference.
• Applicants may be admitted to the PhD program after completion of an appropriate MSc degree program with an average of at least A- from a recognized university.  Students with excellent research experience are encourage to apply.
• Applicants should have taken courses such as biology, biochemistry, calculus, organiz and physical chemistry, general physics, and physiology.

PhD (Transfer)

• Students may be admitted via transfer from the University of Toronto MSc program in Physiology.  Transfer from the MSc into the PhD program is encouraged for students who have made substantial progress in their research and have demonstrated the desire and potential to meet the requirements of a rigorous research training program.  Such students will have fulfilled all course requirements for the MSc with at least an A- average and have demonstrated potential for publication of their work.  Student with excellent research that continues, or is consistent with, work already underway.  Too large a project for the MSc is not a reason for transfer to the PhD.

PhD (Direct Entry)

• For exceptional students with an A- standing in appropriate courses taken during the two preceding undergraduate years, direct entry into the doctoral program is possible.  However, this will require specific approval by the Graduate Studies Committee.  Students with excellent research experience are encouraged to apply.
• Applicants should have taken courses such as biology, biochemistry, calculus, organic and physical chemistry, general physics, and physiology.

English Proficiency Requirements

As English is the primary language of instruction and communication at the University of Toronto, applicants must demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency in English, regardless of their citizenship status or country of origin. 

Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.   Minimum score requirements must be met before students are considered for the graduate program. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of their application.

TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language Web:  www.toefl.org

Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) Web:  www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/testing/melab/ Required score: 95

International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) Web:  www.ielts.org Required score: 8.0 (Academic) with at least 6.5 for each component.

Certificate of English Proficiency (COPE) Web:  www.copetest.com Required score: 86 minimum total with at least 22 each component and 32 in writing. (Prior to 2008:  5 minimum total with at least 2 in writing, 2 in one of the other components and 1 in one of the other components)

School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto International ESL Program - Academic Preparation Course Web:  http://english.learn.utoronto.ca/ Required score: a final grade of 'B' in the highest level (Level 60) ************** Lower scores are not acceptable , and applicants are encouraged to improve their scores before applying for admission to the Department of Physiology.  Electronically reported test scores should be sent directly by the testing agency to the University of Toronto (Enrolment Services).  The only test for which U of T will accept paper scores is MELAB (see below).​​ When the language of instruction and examination has been in English, there must be an official statement from the applicant's home university, or a notation on the official transcript, clearly stating that fact.  At the discretion of the Physiology Graduate Studies Committee, applicants may be exempted from providing further proof of English Language Facility.

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Questions by a First Year UofToronto Physics Student on Grad Admissions

• Thread starter Ege Artan
• Start date Dec 1, 2023
• Tags Grad school Theoretical physicist
• Dec 1, 2023
• Higher-order topological simulation unlocks new potential in quantum computers
• Using a gamma ray burst to search for violations of Einstein's relativity postulates
• Researchers present new diagnostic tool for laser-plasma accelerator using metal foil as 3D scanner

A PF Asteroid

Ege Artan said: 1st Question: Does course load matter a lot? Will taking 5 shared courses from our grad school and having a more than usual math load benefit me in the application (note: I really want to take these courses the content interests me)?

2nd Question: I am currently aiming a GPA of 4.0 and will probably achieve around 3.8 this semester. Will 3.8 GPA be enough for the competitive applications?

3rd Question: I am planning and really want to start doing some research, I just love the process. But not everything in life is based on our wishes, will it be sufficient enough if I have 1 or 2 publishes before the applications and working on another one in my final year?

4th Question: Will pGRE scores be useful during applications, most unis say they don't require pGRE and they won't even consider GRE, is this cap?

5th Question: I want to partake in the Putnam competition and currently studying for it. Will Putnam be useful in my application? As with the other stuff, I have fun doing this and don't want to stop doing it due to it potentially not being important in applications.

6th Question: How much importance do extracurriculars have? Is becoming a leader in clubs carry that much importance in applications? Will it be good enough if I just do what I love and just attend the club activities and be a regular member?

7th Question: Final question, I heard that LORs carry immense importance, from which professors or people should I get my LORs from?

All in all, what should I generally do and be careful about in undergrad to achieve my dreams of becoming a theoretical physicist and get into a good academic institution?

• Dec 2, 2023

A PF Universe

Vanadium 50 said: Some comments: A 3.8 is good, but it is a lot easier to fall below 3.5 if you start from a 3.8 than a 4.0. Taking a lot of grad classes and not getting A's and the occasional B will demonstrate that you cannot handle grad-level work. Be careful. LORs are more important than publications. There are students who seem more concerned about checking off a box on their next application than actually learning anything. Don't be taht student. At some point in your life you will want to do things because you want to do things, not because they look good on your resume. If not now, when?

Choppy said: Take it one year at a time. It's good to think about graduate school now, but also make you're you're keeping as many doors open as you can. Your tastes might change. You might discover that you really love another branch of physics, or that some other direction is right for you.

"Take it one year at a time." To me, this is good advice. Based on your posts here in this thread, I would say you have a much more developed "plan" for the future than most. But, you are only starting, you're in your first year of undergrad. The advice is, be open to changing your plan as your studies evolve. Your interests may change, be open to recognizing that if / when it happens.  

gmax137 said: "Take it one year at a time." To me, this is good advice. Based on your posts here in this thread, I would say you have a much more developed "plan" for the future than most. But, you are only starting, you're in your first year of undergrad. The advice is, be open to changing your plan as your studies evolve. Your interests may change, be open to recognizing that if / when it happens.

Ege Artan said: For example lets say I want to do "x" in 3rd year but I had to do "y" in 2nd year. What if I miss "y"

I'm hearing a lot of pushback. While it is possible that we "just don't get it", if that were the case, why ask us? The probability that you end up doing something other than theoretical physics as you describe it are greater than 99%. People I know who started their freshman year in college hoping to be a theoretical physicist ended up becoming doctors, lawyers, experimental physicists, stay-at-home moms, technical writers, internet millionaires, executive in Fortune 500 companies, military officers, high school teachers, English professors, playwrights, and more. All of them discovered something they'd rather be doing. Eisenhower once said "Planning is important. Plans, however, are worthless."  

Vanadium 50 said: I'm hearing a lot of pushback. While it is possible that we "just don't get it", if that were the case, why ask us? The probability that you end up doing something other than theoretical physics as you describe it are greater than 99%. People I know who started their freshman year in college hoping to be a theoretical physicist ended up becoming doctors, lawyers, experimental physicists, stay-at-home moms, technical writers, internet millionaires, executive in Fortune 500 companies, military officers, high school teachers, English professors, playwrights, and more. All of them discovered something they'd rather be doing. Eisenhower once said "Planning is important. Plans, however, are worthless."

gmax137 said: Well I think that's a valid reason to do some planning ahead. But, what if you're in the middle of 2nd year Y and you begin to realize that 3rd year X is no longer something you care about? All I'm saying is, don't panic! Adapt! Don't be a hostage to the plans you make when you're 18 years old.

Ege Artan said: Aren't these sufficient enough to say that I will probably, go into that field? If not, then what will make it sufficient enough to make me decide on pursuing that? If these are not enough, what hint will be sufficient enough to settle down on something in life? As someone who loves philosophy and debates, I can see that this argument can be expanded and said that a person will never ever settle on what they want to do in life. If so, why pursue something anyway, if I won't be beneficial to humanity and help humanity make progress?

Choppy said: There's no litmus test that will tell you for certain what field you'll end up going into. Don't worry, I'm not telling you to give up. Quite the contrary. You've found something you like. Pursue it as best you can. It seems like you're on the right track. The point is just to keep an open mind. One challenge that a lot of theoreticians face is a lot of competition for very few positions. Roughly an order of magnitude more PhDs are produced than there are tenured professor positions. And once you get into a pool of competitive PhDs, there are a lot of uncontrollable factors that can determine who gets those positions. It's not all about being smart, and passionate, and hard-working... just about everyone in the pool has such qualities. Those 10% who move on into academic careers may just have happened to pick the right topic at the right time. So just keep an open mind and develop some skills that you can market in the commercial world as a backup plan.

• Dec 3, 2023

To survive in industry, you need what are called soft skills (people, etc.). I had the chance to hire a very good, intelligent theorist on my team years ago. We didn't extend an offer because there was no way they would fit in with the existing team, the personal dynamic just wasn't there. The common thread in this is that you are a freshman, plan, but obsessing over what to do for graduate school 3-4 years down the road is premature. Obsessing about missing some mid-term goal is also not conducive to learning in general, living with regrets sucks.  

A PF Mountain

Dr Transport said: To survive in industry, you need what are called soft skills (people, etc.). I had the chance to hire a very good, intelligent theorist on my team years ago. We didn't extend an offer because there was no way they would fit in with the existing team, the personal dynamic just wasn't there. The common thread in this is that you are a freshman, plan, but obsessing over what to do for graduate school 3-4 years down the road is premature. Obsessing about missing some mid-term goal is also not conducive to learning in general, living with regrets sucks.

Ege Artan said: 2nd Question: I am currently aiming a GPA of 4.0 and will probably achieve around 3.8 this semester. Will 3.8 GPA be enough for the competitive applications?

Ege Artan said: 3rd Question: I am planning and really want to start doing some research, I just love the process. But not everything in life is based on our wishes, will it be sufficient enough if I have 1 or 2 publishes before the applications and working on another one in my final year?

Ege Artan said: 4th Question: Will pGRE scores be useful during applications, most unis say they don't require pGRE and they won't even consider GRE, is this cap?

Ege Artan said: 5th Question: I want to partake in the Putnam competition and currently studying for it. Will Putnam be useful in my application? As with the other stuff, I have fun doing this and don't want to stop doing it due to it potentially not being important in applications.

Ege Artan said: 6th Question: How much importance do extracurriculars have? Is becoming a leader in clubs carry that much importance in applications? Will it be good enough if I just do what I love and just attend the club activities and be a regular member?

Ege Artan said: 7th Question: Final question, I heard that LORs carry immense importance, from which professors or people should I get my LORs from?

Ege Artan said: What are these "qualities" exactly? Where should I begin with to develop some artificial (not through pursuing what I love but rather pursuing to live, and not be an unemployed theorist) qualities? What is mostly needed in the industry?

• to come up to speed very quickly
• to really understand the physical and computational bases for the "standard" analysis methods we used
• to pass this deeper knowledge on to the other engineers
• to come up with good innovative solutions to our client's problems
• to work with little or no supervision

StatGuy2000 said: Just as an aside, has your company ever hired theorists in any roles?

• Dec 4, 2023

Ege Artan said: How do you think I should find the sweet spot? A sweet spot of planning ahead so that I will achieve stuff I want now in the future, but also not get too drowned in my plans to become effectively blind to any changes in what I want to do or it becomes too late or hard to adapt to changes?

CrysPhys said: It's a tricky balance between "living in the moment" and "planning for the future", but it's a balance that you should strive for. This balance of course is not static; it needs to be dynamically readjusted. There's a cliché that's apt here: plan for the destination you want to reach, but don't forget to enjoy the journey getting there. Also, should you stumble across an intractable obstacle along the way, be prepared to change your route or destination. I once served as an industry mentor for a sophomore physics undergrad. She asked me to help her develop a 10-yr plan. I smiled, and explained to her why that wouldn't be worthwhile. That's one extreme. Most other students I dealt with were on the other extreme: they were in their final undergrad or grad year and seeking advice on what to do next. If you're a first year undergrad and at least contemplating grad school, it is reasonable for you to do some planning 3 to 4 yrs out. After all, applications will typically be due ~end of first semester senior year. You don't want to be one of the myriad students who wait until the start of the senior year to start assembling an application; it'll be too late to remedy many deficiencies. E.g., prior to the start of your senior year , you should have completed research projects, nailed down references for recommendation letters, developed a candidate list of grad schools (which requires identifying what research area you want to pursue), .... If you do pursue a PhD in physics, I'll repeat the perspective I've offered many times here: the PhD is not necessarily a means to an end; it can be an end in itself. This is different, e.g., to going to med school or law school. If you do a PhD in physics, you should be motivated by the research in and of itself. After you complete your PhD, you move on. To what exactly is uncertain; too many unknowns. Maybe you'll continue your research as a postdoc and later as a professor; maybe not. Maybe you'll land an R&D position in an industry or government lab; maybe not. Maybe you'll switch out of physics entirely. Whatever the outcome, you don't want to beat yourself up, "Why did I spend all those years getting a PhD in physics? I didn't get the career I had hoped for. Instead, I'm working in X." And remember, even if you initially get the career you had hoped for, a lot can change in the decades to come, both professionally and personally. So you need to be flexible and adaptable, The ability to pivot is essential.

Not everything @ParticleGrl said, um, stood up to scrutiny. Other examples might be better.  

• Dec 5, 2023

StatGuy2000 said: I think the issue that students who have finished their PhD in physics have faced is that the experience they have developed in their research may not readily translate to any job.

• Dec 15, 2023

CrysPhys said: There is of course a wide range of experiences in a PhD physics program, some readily applicable to future jobs, some not. E.g., it makes a big difference whether you're an experimental solid-state physicist well versed in instrumentation, apparatus design, lab construction, sample preparation, data analysis, and computer programming or a theorist pondering what came before the Big Bang. The bigger issue I've often come across is the resistance of many physics PhDs to work in areas outside of physics. "I have a passion for modelling phase transitions in soft condensed matter, but I'll be damned if I have to model supply chains to earn a living."

StatGuy2000 said: So it would not be unreasonable to expect that any future job will readily make use of the time they spent in their education. Otherwise, that time would have been a waste.

CrysPhys said: If you do pursue a PhD in physics, I'll repeat the perspective I've offered many times here: the PhD is not necessarily a means to an end; it can be an end in itself. This is different, e.g., from going to med school or law school. If you do a PhD in physics, you should be motivated by the research in and of itself. After you complete your PhD, you move on. To what exactly is uncertain; too many unknowns. Maybe you'll continue your research as a postdoc and later as a professor; maybe not. Maybe you'll land an R&D position in an industry or government lab; maybe not. Maybe you'll switch out of physics entirely. Whatever the outcome, you don't want to beat yourself up, "Why did I spend all those years getting a PhD in physics? I didn't get the career I had hoped for. Instead, I'm working in X."

• Dec 29, 2023

A PF Organism

Related to Questions by a First Year UofToronto Physics Student on Grad Admissions

What gpa do i need to be competitive for graduate admissions in physics at uoft.

While there is no strict cutoff, a competitive GPA is typically around 3.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Admissions committees look for strong academic performance, especially in upper-year physics courses.

What kind of research experience is expected for admission into the Physics graduate program?

Research experience is highly valued. Ideally, you should have completed a research project or thesis and have experience working in a lab. Publications or presentations at conferences can also strengthen your application.

Do I need to take the GRE for admission to the Physics graduate program at UofT?

The GRE is not required for admission to the Physics graduate program at UofT. However, if you have taken the GRE and scored well, you may choose to submit your scores as part of your application.

What should I include in my statement of purpose for the Physics graduate program?

Your statement of purpose should outline your academic background, research experience, and specific interests in physics. It should also explain why you want to study at UofT and how your goals align with the program and faculty members' research.

How important are letters of recommendation for my application?

Letters of recommendation are crucial for your application. They provide insight into your academic abilities, research potential, and personal qualities. Aim to obtain letters from professors or researchers who know you well and can speak to your strengths and potential for success in a graduate program.

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Astronomy and astrophysics, program overview.

The graduate program in Astronomy and Astrophysics is offered by the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, leading to the Doctor of Philosophy . In some cases, the Department may admit students to the  Master of Science as preliminary phase before proceeding to the PhD.

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics is actively engaged in a wide range of observational and theoretical research on solar system dynamics, stars, stellar systems, the interstellar medium, the Galaxy, galaxies, quasars, clusters of galaxies, cosmology, and problems in general relativity. The Department has close ties with the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and the Dunlap Institute​ , which further enhance the opportunities for our students to interact with leading researchers.

Faculty and students use the major optical, radio, and satellite observing facilities of the world and are engaged in many large survey projects. We have an active experimental program using telescopes on long-duration stratospheric balloons and a complementary program designing and building instrumentation for optical, millimetre, and radio telescopes.

There are approximately 100 faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and staff in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, CITA, and Dunlap Institute. Students benefit from direct interactions with the broad range of external speakers invited to weekly seminar programs and colloquia. ​

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More information

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Our Graduate Recruitment Committee (GRC) conducts a holistic review of all application materials for indicators that the applicant possesses the essential qualities that will contribute to the successful completion of our degree program. No single factor leads to either accepting or excluding an applicant from admission. Our admissions review process considers each applicant’s academic performance to date, the potential for meaningful research contributions, and persistence in and commitment to educational success.

Your Undergraduate Degree

Prior to matriculation into the Physics graduate program, the University requires all applicants to have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or an international degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree in both length and rigor. International applicants should refer to  this GIAC site  to ensure that their educational credentials meet The Graduate School's requirements. 

No minimum undergraduate GPA is required to apply, however, in order to receive funding, the University requires a minimum of a 3.00 GPA in all upper-division or advanced course work undertaken at the undergraduate level.

No specific course work is required prior to the application for admission.  Although , the educational grounding necessary for the program is the equivalent of a full undergraduate major in physics. This should include solid courses at the intermediate-level or beyond in: classical mechanics, electromagnetism, waves, thermal and statistical physics, and quantum mechanics, as well as some study of applications in the context of modern physics. If you majored in something other than physics as an undergraduate and would like help evaluating whether your background is sufficient, please see our page on this subject for more information. Additionally, research experience is not a requirement, but it is an undeniable asset.

Application   (required)

Please, note that the State of Texas maintains a unified application system for all public institutions of higher education in the state at:  ApplyTexas.org . All application materials are processed by GIAC prior to being referred to the Department for review. This site allows you to save your work and complete the application at your own pace.

To be considered, all applications and their accompanying materials must be submitted before the yearly application deadlines of:

• 11:59 p.m. CDT on 1 October  for Spring admission
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We allow a grace period of precisely one (1) calendar week following each of the deadlines for the uploading of Letters of Recommendation by your recommenders.

The application fee must be paid as instructed by the GIAC website. The fee is $65 for United States citizens or permanent residents, and $90 for non-U.S. citizens. The Graduate School provides fee waivers to applicants who meet certain criteria. The Department is not involved in either the fee payment or fee waiver processes.

Statement of Purpose   (required)

The Statement of Purpose is not wholly equivalent to a ‘Personal Statement’ and should be no more than two pages in length. Instead, your Statement of Purpose may begin with a  brief  personal statement that amounts to  no more than one-third (1/3)  of your Statement as a whole. Please address any information that you believe your application would be incomplete without and that sheds more light on your unique potential to succeed in Physics and contribute to the University community and the field or profession.

Following, the  brief  personal statement, you should plan to answer—to some degree—the majority of the following questions:

• What are your current goals and expectations for graduate school? For your future career?
• What is your past research experience? What are your research interests? With whom might you plan to do your research at UT Physics?
• How have your educational, research, and/or professional experiences prepared you for pursuing a graduate degree in physics?

Should you choose to submit the GRE Subject Test in Physics (pGRE) scores—then the personal statement section of your Statement of Purpose must also make explicit your reasons for doing so (including the ways in which you believe these scores are essential to the success of your application as a whole). If you submit such scores and you do not include this information in your Statement of Purpose, then your scores will not be considered in our review of your application.

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Three (3) Letters of Recommendation must be submitted via ApplyTexas. The Graduate Recruitment Committee will not review more than three (3) letters. Thus, it is essential that you choose your recommenders with the utmost care. All of your recommenders should be able to speak to your knowledge, skills, or achievements in some combination of the following broad areas: course work, research, background, and personal qualities. It is also wise to choose recommenders who have a degree of knowledge regarding your development toward graduate school over time.

The ApplyTexas application will prompt you to provide contact information for each of your recommenders as part of the “Academic References” section. Once you have submitted your application and paid the application fee, the system will then send an email to each of your recommenders containing an individualized link to an online portal where they must upload their Letter of Recommendation.

If your recommenders are unable to submit their letters through the online application, please contact GIAC at:  [email protected] . Letters of Recommendation that are mailed or emailed directly to the program will not be considered.

Transcripts   (required)

Official transcripts must be submitted and reviewed by GIAC. After satisfying the application fee, you must provide an official transcript from every senior college you have attended. Even if courses taken at one institution are recorded on another college's transcript, transcripts must be submitted from the institution at which the courses were taken. Failure to list all colleges on the application and provide those transcripts will be considered an intentional omission and may lead to the cancellation of your application for admission or withdrawal of your offer of admission.

Official transcripts bear the facsimile signature of the registrar and the seal of the issuing institution. Transcripts from U.S. colleges or universities must have been produced within the last calendar year and should include the award of degree printed on the transcript unless coursework is still in progress. Transcripts written in a language other than English must be accompanied by a translation. We do not accept outside evaluations of foreign transcripts. Each transcript (mark sheet) should contain a complete record of studies at the institution from which it is issued (i.e., the subjects taken and grades [marks] earned in each subject).

Please note the department is not involved in the transcript process prior to application review. For submission options based on the sending institution please review this  GIAC site . Questions regarding transcripts should be directed to   [email protected]  (Please do not send transcripts to this address).

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The General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is  not  required and  will not  be considered as part of your application if submitted.

The GRE Subject Test in Physics (pGRE) is optional; if you choose to submit a pGRE score you must make a clear case (in your required Statement of Purpose) for why you believe it is integral to your application, otherwise, it will not be considered, as described above under “The Statement of Purpose”.

We only accept scores officially and electronically reported to The University of Texas at Austin by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), our institution code is 6882.

English Proficiency Exams   (required of international applicants only)

In addition to completing the prescribed  graduate admissions  process, international students applying to The University of Texas at Austin must submit either an official  Test of English as a Foreign Language  (TOEFL) or  International English Language Testing System  (IELTS) score report demonstrating an adequate knowledge of English. The Institutional TOEFL (ITP) and the IELTS General Training, and alternatives ( ex: Duolingo ) are not accepted.

Scores must be sent to the university by the testing agency (self-reported scores are not accepted). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) institution code for UT Austin is 6882. There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.

The minimum scores considered acceptable for admission by the Graduate School are TOEFL: 79 on the Internet-based test (iBT); IELTS: An overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination. Do not be discouraged from submitting an application if you do not meet these minimum scores.

International applicants who are from a  qualifying country  are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a  qualifying country .  The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master's—but not a bachelor's—degree from a similar institution.  For more information, please visit  this GIAC site .

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The University of Texas at Austin utilizes the online  MyStatus site  as your hub for the remainder of your application after ApplyTexas submission. This process is electronic and centralized, as such, please  do not  send any application materials directly to the department.

In an effort to increase security, multi-factor authentication (Duo) will be required to access most online services that require a UT EID login. Please make sure to  set up Duo  prior to attempting to log in to  MyStatus . Once logged on, your application will have one of the following statuses:

• Incomplete – review list of missing application items, must be completed by the deadline!
• In Review – application received by the department; you are now on the waitlist!
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• Denied – have been denied admission.

After 1 May of every year, all remaining applications with Incomplete and In Review status begin to be closed out by the department. For more information, please email  [email protected] .

Where to Find More Information   (for everyone)

For more detailed information on our various research groups, please see Explore Our Graduate Program page. For additional information regarding our program as a whole, please consult the same website (including the FAQ page).

UT Application Process Overview:

• Where to Begin provides introductory information regarding UT Austin programs and degrees offered, cost of attendance, admissions and enrollment statistics, and eligibility for admission.
• How to Apply helps you decide which type of application is for you and provides logistical details such as application fees & official score submission procedures.
• ApplyTexas is where you will start your application before the deadline.
• MyStatus is your portal for all application documents & status updates during the admissions process  after  your ApplyTexas submission. 

Please note: Admitted Master’s applicants are not awarded financial support regardless of semester.

Following your circuit through the above websites, if you then have additional questions concerning our department, its research entities, and/or the admissions process, we would be more than happy to answer them, please contact us directly at:  [email protected] . In our effort to provide you with the best possible experience, when corresponding with our office  always  include your full name and either your Applicant ID (before submitting your application) or your EID (which you will receive after ApplyTexas submission)—the EID is always preferred.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a compilation of the most commonly received questions regarding the Graduate Program, Admissions, and other graduate-related topics. Additional resource sites & contacts are provided below . If your question is not addressed here or in the other areas of this site, please email us at [email protected] .

Please note, the Department of Physics at The University of Texas at Austin no longer requires the General GRE and the GRE Subject Test in Physics (pGRE) is now optional.

Should you choose to submit the pGRE—then the personal statement section of your Statement of Purpose must also make explicit your reasons for doing so (including how you believe these scores are essential to the success of your application as a whole). If you submit such scores and you do not include this information in your Statement of Purpose, then your scores will not be considered in our review of your application.

No. We also do not make admissions comments should you send CVs or other application materials prior to applying.

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 more so for international students due to the higher volume of applicants and fewer admissions. For Fall 2020 admission, we had 182 international applicants and only accepted 42 for admission. For U.S. applicants, there were 172 applicants, and 50 were admitted. A total of 92 were admitted with 26 new students enrolling (11 international and 15 U.S. students).

Our Graduate Recruitment Committee will begin to review applications in mid-January. Decisions should take place in l ate February for U.S. applicants and early to mid-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 through your MyStatus check page. The Department sends acceptance and financial aid award letters only to those who are admitted.

No, our admissions process is now completely online. All application materials should be submitted electronically through the MyStatus portal .

No, our admissions process is now completely paperless. All application materials should be submitted electronically through the MyStatus portal .

No. Please email us at [email protected] for further guidance.

Once you have submitted your application, you can use our self-service feature on the “My Status” website to re-send the Request for Reference email to your recommenders, if necessary. You can also use this site to supply an alternate email if your recommender’s spam filter blocks the original request, or, has removed the link. You can also add a new recommender and send the Request for Reference email or revise your FERPA (right to view) status from retained to waived.

Yes, however, please note we do not offer any financial support to Master’s applicants.

No. Most of our Ph.D. students do not earn a Master’s while en route to the Ph.D. There is an oral examination given in the third year of the program, and students also apply for Ph.D. candidacy later in that year, but this is not to earn a Master’s degree, but simply to advance in the program. If a student is making poor academic progress, he or she will often take a Master’s degree and leave before completing the Ph.D. Only about 1–2 students per year need to take the Masters' in this manner.

No, please review our main admissions page to review what is currently required. Should you need to send GRE and TOEFL scores to the University of Texas, please use university code 6882 through the ETS system.

There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.

International applicants who are from a qualifying country are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a qualifying country . The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master's—but not a bachelor's—degree from a similar institution.

Log into My Status to review the status of all your application materials.

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.

No, we can only accept scores officially reported to us electronically by ETS (code: 6882).

No. You may see a major code for Applied Physics on the online application, but please do not choose this major code. We simply do not have many courses in this area on a Ph.D. level. You might want to consider applying to an Engineering area at UT Austin instead.

Physics Department Contacts

Graduate Admissions Coordinator [email protected]

Physics Graduate Recruitment Committee Dierdre Shoemaker, Professor of Physics [email protected]

Graduate Advisor Richard Fitzpatrick, Professor of Physics [email protected] PMA 11.226 • (512) 560-7295

Graduate Program Coordinator Matt Ervin [email protected] PMA 7.326 • (512) 471-1664

Physics Graduate Representatives [email protected]

Physics (MSc, PhD)

Part of the Faculty of Science

Program Overview

Format : Full-time

Degree Earned : Master of Science or PhD

If you are looking for a challenging career with a positive social impact, this is it. Physics is an exciting, cutting-edge, multidisciplinary field in which MSc and PhD graduate degrees lead to a career in research, biomedical technology or clinical medical physics . Graduate students seeking to enter a medical physics residency program may pursue a CAMPEP accreditation in Medical Physics , which distinguishes our programs.

At a Glance

Admissions Information

• Completion of a four-year undergraduate (or equivalent) degree in physics, biology, engineering, biochemistry, chemistry, or mathematics from an accredited institution
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.33/4.33 (B+) in the last two years of study
• Statement of interest
• Transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency requirement
• Completion of a master’s degree in physics, engineering, or a related field from an accredited institution
• Minimum GPA or equivalent of 3.67/4.33 (A-)

More information on  admission requirements . Due to the competitive nature of our programs, it is not possible to offer admission to everyone who applies that meets the minimum entrance requirements for the program. 

Program-specific requirements

Check Application Deadline

Students are encouraged to submit applications prior to the first consideration date to increase their chances of securing financial support for their graduate studies. Applications received after the first consideration date will be accepted and reviewed based on spaces remaining in the program.

See application dates .

Financing Your Studies

For detailed graduate tuition and fees information please visit  Fees by Program .

For information on scholarships, awards and financing your graduate studies visit  Financing Your Studies.

Fields of Study/Research Areas

Fields of study.

• Biomedical Physics - Gain advanced training in the complex interactions of the physical and biological worlds — at the intersection of physics and medicine. The curriculum equips students to meet the large demand for individuals skilled in applying physics-based concepts and methodologies to the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.
• CAMPEP Medical Physics - Available at both the MSc and PhD levels, our programs are the only ones in the Greater Toronto Area to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education (CAMPEP).
• Complex Systems - Join an exciting, rapidly growing research area, with broad scope and potential for rich, interdisciplinary collaboration. Our program provides students with a comprehensive foundation in complex systems and interdisciplinary research methods.

Research Areas

The faculty members in the program conduct research in novel ways to model, describe, detect, image and treat diseases through computational and experimental approaches.

Medical Imaging

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Optical Imaging
• Photoacoustic Imaging
• Ultrasound Imaging

Treatment Modalities

• Laser Therapies
• Ultrasound Therapies
• Nanoparticle Mediated Therapies/Theragnostics
• Radiation Therapy and Treatment Planning

Virophysics

• Computational/Mathematical modelling of virus infections in vivo and in vitro

Health Physics

• Toxic and Trace Element Detection in Humans

Physics (MSc, PhD) graduate program calendar

Research Labs

As a student, you will have access to the following research labs:

• Virophysics Computer Laboratory
• Optical Spectroscopy Laboratory
• Biological Systems and Cell Culture Laboratory
• Biomedical Optics Laboratory
• X-ray Fluorescence Laboratory
• Innovative Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Metrology Laboratory
• Radiochemistry & Nanotechnology Laboratory

Located at St. Michael's Hospital

• Advanced Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy Laboratory
• Biomicroscopy and Cellular Imaging Laboratory 
• Photo-Acoustics Laboratory

Graduate Admissions

Admissions information and how to apply

Graduate Studies Admissions Office 11th Floor, 1 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON Telephone: 416-979-5150 Email:  [email protected]

For information specific to programs please see the program contact information below.

Program Contacts

Dr. Raffi Karshafian Graduate Program Director PhD Research areas: Ultrasound and microbubble mediated therapeutic applications in targeted drug delivery (chemotherapy) and enhancing therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy. Acoustic behaviour of microbubble contrast agents Telephone:  416-979-5000 ext. 557536 Email:  [email protected]

Sophia Finos Graduate Program Administrator Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 554670 Email:  [email protected]

"The most exciting part of my research is the potential that bench discoveries will one day impact the delivery of health care as well as advance basic science. [TMU] provides the ideal scientific and academic incubator for success and innovation." Eno Hysi, PhD candidate

Student Profile:  The Seeds of Cancer  (external link) 

Michael Moore (biomedical physics PhD alumnus) uses photoacoustic imaging to "listen" to tumour cells. Michael conducts his research at iBEST, a partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital.

Find curriculum, course descriptions and important dates for Physics (MSc, PhD).

Once you’ve made an informed choice about which program(s) you are going to apply to, preparing your application requires careful research and planning.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we understand that pursuing graduate studies is a significant financial investment. Funding comes from a combination of employment contracts (as a teaching assistant), scholarships, awards and stipends. There are a number of additional funding sources – internal and external – available to graduate students that can increase these funding levels.

As an urban innovation university, Toronto Metropolitan University offers 60+ cutting-edge, career-oriented graduate programs, as well as 125+ research centres, institutes and labs, in a wide range of disciplines. Our close connections with industry, government and community partners provide opportunities to apply your knowledge to real-world challenges and make a difference.

Department of Physics

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