Graduate Studies
Pursuing Excellence in Graduate Research and Education
The Department of Chemistry at UIC offers a dynamic and inclusive environment for graduate study and research. Our faculty lead innovative projects across analytical, chemical education, inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry, providing students with hands-on experience in state-of-the-art laboratories.
PhD Degree
Graduate students in the Department work closely with faculty research advisors in order to acquire the skills to become independent researchers and problem solvers. The faculty has been recognized by a number of prestigious awards over the past few years. Please view our research faculty page for more information.
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Requirements
ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED TO THE ONLINE APPLICATION
(Documents MUST be in PDF format.)
- Application for Graduate Study
- Original transcript and proof of degree (see discussion below)
- Application for Graduate Appointment – (Click the down arrow in the top right corner to make the form a fillable pdf)
- Personal Statement of research background and professional goals (see discussion below)
- Three letters of recommendation (see discussion below)
- GRE scores are not required
If you are an international applicant, you also need to provide:
- Certified English translation of your transcript and degree certificate
- TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-Academic report (see discussion below)
- International Student Declaration & Certification of Finances (see discussion below)
Application for Graduate Study
The Application for Graduate Study is to be completed on-line. The application fee can be paid on-line with a credit card only at the time of the submission of your application.
Original Transcripts and Proof of Degree
Credentials (transcripts, academic records, diplomas, certificates of degrees, etc) must be uploaded directly to the online application. English translations should also be uploaded if the credentials are not in English.All credentials uploaded to the online application are considered unofficial.
If you are admitted, you will be asked to submit official or attested credentials in a sealed envelope, with a certification stamp across the seal. Please do not send these official documents until we request them from you.
Application for Graduate Appointment / Statement of Purpose
The Application for Graduate Appointment form includes space for your Statement of Purpose on the second page, however, please provide your statement as a separate document.
Letters of recommendation
You will need to provide email addresses of your references. A request for a letter of recommendation will then be sent to the designated individual. The application system will keep track of requests that have been sent and when references have submitted their recommendation letter.
Letters must be written by professors or employers who can accurately comment on your academic and research ability. All letters must be signed and typed on institutional letterhead.
Fees
Concerning entry for the graduate class during the Fall semester, the $80 application fee is waived for completed and submitted applications from both domestic and international students until Dec. 15. To repeat- the application is free until this time after which a fee is applied. International students must pay an additional $100 to evaluate international course work regardless of residency, which will be reimbursed for students who accept our admission offer!
International applicants
TOEFL
Please ask ETS to send your TOEFL report to UIC. (UIC’s institutional code is 1851). The minimum TOEFL score required by the University of Illinois Chicago is 550 for the computer-based test. For the TOEFL iBT test, a minimum total score of 80 is required with minimum sub-scores as follows: Writing 21; Speaking 20; Listening 17; Reading 19. Note that the total score has been set higher than the sum of the sub-scores.
For the IELTS test, a minimum total score of 6.5 is required with the following minimum sub-scores: Listening 6.0; Writing 6.0; Reading 6.0; Speaking 6.0.
For the PTE-Academic a minimum total score of 54 is required with the following minimum sub-scores: Listening 47; Writing 56; Reading 51; Speaking 53.
Please note that the TOEFL or IELTS or PTE examinations are not required for students who have completed at least two academic years of full-time study in a country where English is the native language and in a school where English is the language of instruction within five years of the proposed date of enrollment at UIC.
International Student Declaration and Certification of Finances
It is not necessary to send your completed International Student Declaration and Certification of Finances form until you are admitted and receive an offer from the Department of Chemistry. In that case, you will receive notification requesting that you provide us with this document.
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Graduate Handbook
We ask that you take the time to review the contents of our Graduate Student Handbook to familiarize yourself with important topics such as our degree and course requirements, cumulative examination information, safety requirements, departmental seminars, and other equally significant information.
In addition, you may also review archived Graduate Student Handbooks for reference to past policies and requirements.
A devoted staff and excellent support facilities aid the research of the faculty and students. The research laboratories of the Department are housed in two buildings constructed in the late 1960s.
Program Deadlines
Submitting your application and deadlines For Fall 2026 admission to the Chemistry PhD program, applications are reviewed as soon as they are complete. For fullest consideration, including University Fellowship awards, all materials should be submitted by January 1, 2026.
Domestic & International
Domestic & International
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“Doing my PhD at the Chemistry Department at UIC was a wonderful experience. Working in a small group, like most groups at UIC, gave me the opportunity to have a lot of input and guidance from my advisor, but also enough independence to make the transition towards the next step in my career easy. The department is very diverse and supportive, and I got the opportunities to engage with other faculty members. I also had many opportunities to mentor students and hone my teaching skills.
All of those experiences are extremely valuable for building my independent career. The location of the school in the heart of Chicago made it an overall wonderful experience outside of the PhD program too. Having the opportunity to work with cutting-edge techniques while at UIC, and the proximity to Argonne National Laboratory and the chance to work there, helped me greatly transition to my postgraduate work.”
“UIC was a great place for international students (like me) to gain all the resources and experiences during my PhD program. Especially, I have realized our department (Chemistry) is run by very established professors and supportive staff who enthusiastically guide grad students to succeed in their future academic careers. Also, obtaining a PhD from UIC was fantastic since there is a very high level of diversity near the campus as well as in Chicago. Therefore, I was able to reach the beginning of my success with UIC’s strong graduate program. Thanks for your unlimited valuable support!”