Application Fee (Required)
$65 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
$80 for international students.
English Proficiency Test (Required)
This program uses the Graduate School's English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Minimum Scores for Regular Admission.
Minimum Scores for Regular Admission
TOEFL iBT: 4.5 (no sub score less than 4) (or 79 for students who took the test prior to January 2026)
IELTS: 6.5 (no sub score less than 6)
Duolingo English Test: 120 (no sub score less than 110)
PTE: 59
More information is available at https://graduate.ua.edu/applicants/international-students/.
GPA (Required)
A minimum of 3.5 GPA in the students last-completed degree.
Letter of Recommendation (3 Required)
Three letters from recommenders (waived for UA graduates). Recommenders can be previous faculty or supervisors.
Resume (Required)
Statement of Purpose (Required)
A concise Statement of Purpose describing interests in an advanced degree and possible graduate study interests. Applicants interested in funding are encouraged to elaborate on their research interests and carefully read the information provided under the Funding for Students tab in catalog.
Transcript (Required)
Please upload an unofficial transcript for any institution of higher education at which you have completed 15 or more credit hours. Official transcripts must be received prior to registering for classes. International applicants: please make sure that your transcript includes a grading scheme. All others: please include a grading scheme if your university does not use a letter-based (e.g. A, A-, B) grading scheme. The minimum GPA to be considered for regular admission is a 3.0 on a 4-point scale. Students who do not meet these requirements, but who excel in other areas, may be considered for Admission with Permission to Continue.
Additional Requirements (not listed) (Recommended)
Applicants to distance learning programs only: A residence within the borders of the US or serving on a US military installation (DL applicants only).
For applicants that do not have an earned MS degree, direct-admission to the PhD program is available to applicants with a grade point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale