Application Information

Thank you for your interest in the graduate program of the Department of Chemistry at UIC. We look forward to receiving your application and appreciate your interest in doing graduate work in chemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago. We have a research faculty of 27, 15 postdoctoral research associates, and a diverse group of over 150 graduate students who study problems in biochemistry, analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. For detailed information regarding our current research, please access our home page.

All of the items listed below would be needed to submit a complete application. If you need clarification or additional information, please send your questions to Dr. Daesung Lee (dsunglee@uic.edu), Director of Graduate Studies, can also answer your questions.

FEES

Concerning entry for the graduate class during the Fall semester, the $70 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!

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:

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.

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.

Submitting your application and deadlines

Applications are reviewed as soon as they are complete. For fullest consideration, both for admission and potential University Fellowship awards, submit your application and all supporting documents before January 1.

The deadline to receive all application materials from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or international students who are applying for entry in the Fall semester is February 15.