Application deadlines are December 1 for International and January 2 for Domestic

Admission to the graduate program in the Department of Astronomy is based on a holistic evaluation of each applicant's credentials. Primary evaluation criteria include evidence of motivation for research in astronomy and an appropriate background, at the undergraduate level, in relevant disciplines such as astronomy, physics, and mathematics. However, we do not consider GRE scores (neither the General nor the Subject) in our evaluation. Please do not send them.

Checklist for Applicants

Online application form.
Application fee.
At least 3 letters of recommendation.
Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate courses.

Additional Information - Contact Astronomy Graduate Admissions at astdept [at] indiana.edu or Astronomy Department, Swain Hall West 318, 727 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7105; phone: (812) 855-6911 Contact the University Graduate School at grdschl [at] indiana.edu.

Graduate School Applications for Domestic Applicants

Deadline: January 2

Domestic students apply online. There is a $70 application fee.*

Domestic applicants should arrange for official transcripts to be submitted directly to the Astronomy Department, Swain Hall West 318, 727 E 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47405-7105. Official transcripts may be submitted electronically by the issuing institution or transcript service to astdept[at]indiana.edu.

*The University Graduate School participates in several programs designed to expand participation of underrepresented minority groups in graduate education. Qualified prospective student applicants who apply through the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) FreeApp Program may receive a waiver of their University Graduate School application fee. Further information is available at the IU Graduate School admissions website and an application form is available from the BTAA website.

Graduate School Applications for International Applicants

Deadline: December 1

International students must apply online. There is a $70 application fee. A checklist of international student application steps with links may be found here: International Admissions Checklist

After submitting the online application and receiving Atlas login information, international applicants should send supporting documents to the Office of International Admissions (address below). If the graduate applicant's native language is not English, the College requires a score of at least 79 on the TOEFL iBT (delivered via the internet). Please note that the paper-based TOEFL ITP exam – sometimes called the institutional TOEFL – offered by the Intensive English Program on the Bloomington campus, cannot be used in place of the TOEFL iBT. Alternatively, an international applicant may submit the result of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination in lieu of the TOEFL iBT. The College requires a score of at least 6.5 on the IELTS for graduate admission.

More information about living in the U.S. and other related topics is available from the Office of International Services