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Apply to our Graduate Program

  • One person in a laboratory outfit (mask, safety glasses, and lab coat) putting a sample into a lab appliance

    PhD student Priyanka Bose working in Dr. Megan S. Duncan’s Experimental Petrology Lab

  • One person standing next to and discussing a scientific poster

    Graduate student Ethan Conley presenting his poster during VT Hazards Research Day, April 2022, for which he won first place among student submissions

  • A group of students listening to explanations of a teacher, while standing on a big rock at the shore of a river

    Dr. Mark Caddick discussing melting and deformation of the lower crust during the Study Abroad program in the Maggia Valley, close to the Swiss-Italian border (October 2018)

  • Group of seven people sitting around a table in a conference room

    Computational Geofluids Lab led by Dr. Ryan Pollyea (not in photo) discussing managed aquifer recharge and injection-induced earthquakes

  • Scanning Electron Microscopy

    One person next to lab equipment and two monitors showing lab results

    Graduate Student Rui Serra Maia studies a sample on the Scanning Electron Microscope in Dr. F. Marc Michel’s Lab

  • Collage of four pictures showing a group of graduate students in robes, two students investigating specimen, several people beneath a dinosaur skeleton in the Museum of Geosciences and a group of people listening to a talk in the same Museum

    A balance of studies, research and outreach in the Geosciences Department

Our Graduate Program offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in one of our many Research Areas. Admission into the program is contingent on a faculty member agreeing to serve as your advisor and mentor. We strongly recommend that you contact the faculty in your area of interest to inquire about opportunities in their research group well in advance of the application deadline.

Apply to our Graduate Program

For your graduate application you will need:

  • A written statement (double-spaced, two-page maximum) that describes your academic and personal achievements, your research interests, and your career goals and aspirations.
  • Resume/CV.
  • Transcripts from previous academic institutions.
  • Three letters of recommendation

(No GRE required)

The application deadline for fall admission is January 5th and for spring admission is September 1st. Prospective students are required to have all materials, including recommendation letters, submitted by the deadline.

Apply for Graduate Admission


How are applications to our Graduate Program evaluated?

Applications are reviewed by our Graduate Admissions & Recruitment Committee using an evaluation rubric that addresses previous academic preparation, potential for success in our program, and communication of research interests and career aspirations. Applications are reviewed by multiple members of the committee and by faculty members interested in recruiting the applicant. All components of the application (written statement, transcripts from previous institutions, letters of recommendation, etc.) are used in the evaluation. Final decisions on admissions are based on this evaluation, available funding support, and a faculty member agreeing to serve as the advisor.

Do you want to learn more?

If you have additional questions about our graduate program or the admissions process, please visit our advising page or contact: April Newcomer, Advising & Enrollment Manager, 540-231-8824 apriln@vt.edu. You can also contact the Chair of the Graduate Admissions & Recruitment Committee: Dr. Brian Romans, romans@vt.edu.

Current Graduate Student Resources