What is the availability of financial aid? The department offers a limited number of research and teaching assistantships. All students who receive research and/or teaching assistantships are supported throughout the term of their degree program. Requests for research assistantships can be made directly to faculty members.
How are admission decisions made? Admissions decisions are made by the Ph.D. Admission Committee and is based on a number of factors, including past academic performance, transcripts, research experience, letters of recommendation, the student’s statement of purpose, and their performance on an English proficiency test.
What are my chances of being admitted? Admission decisions depend on both the individual qualities of the applicant and the overall strength of the applicant pool. Therefore, the Ph.D. Admission Committee does not provide preliminary assessments of qualifications or odds of admission. Review the ISE Ph.D. Admission Requirements for more details.
How long does the admissions process take? The admissions process can take several months. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required materials are submitted to both the graduate school and the department. Early submission speeds up the process. To ensure full consideration, submit applications by the posted deadlines and review the ISE Graduate Admissions Information page for more details.
Is it better to apply for fall or spring admission to the doctoral program? Students applying to the doctoral program are strongly encouraged to apply for fall admission. Spring admissions are rare because they conflict with the natural sequence of first-year courses. If you wish to apply for spring admission, submit your application by the deadline to ensure full consideration. Doctoral students are not admitted during summer semesters. Review the ISE Doctoral Program Admission Guidelines for more information.
How do I check my admission status? Check the status of your application through the UF Office of Admissions Application Status Portal. If you cannot access your status through the system, contact the ISE Academic Advising team at grad-advisors@ise.ufl.edu. Please allow sufficient time for a response due to the high volume of inquiries and applications.
FAQ for Current PhD Students
Can I take undergraduate courses and apply them towards my Ph.D. degree?
The graduate school allows graduate students to apply up to 6 credits of undergraduate work towards a graduate degree, provided that these credits are at the 3000 level or above, and are taken outside the major department (you cannot count ISE undergraduate courses).
Is there a limit on the number of ESI 6912 and EIN 6905 credits I can take?
Yes, you are limited to no more than 8 credits of ESI 6912 and no more than 9 credits of EIN 6905.
When should I name an adviser and create a committee?
You should officially name an adviser and create a committee by the end of the first year. The committee must have at least four members, and one member must be from an outside department. You should work with your chosen adviser on creating the committee.
In my first semester, I was assigned to a particular professor as a research assistant. Do I have to name this person as my adviser?
Students who come in on research assistantships must be assigned to a supervisor for their assistantship in their first semester. There is no assumption that this person will be the thesis adviser. The student is free to choose any faculty member as an adviser, provided there is mutual agreement with the adviser.
When am I officially admitted to Ph.D. candidacy?
After successfully defending the Dissertation Proposal, the student will be admitted to candidacy.
I would like to earn a Master’s degree on my way to the Ph.D.; can this be done?
This can be done, but the student must fulfill all of the requirements for the Master’s degree. Please see our Master’s program description and the FAQ section for current Master’s degree students for the requirements for this degree. This must be done before the Dissertation Proposal Defense, and it is highly recommended that students complete this before the end of the second year.
When should I take the Qualifying Exam?
The Qualifying Exam for Ph.D. students with a Master’s degree must be taken by the end of the first year of graduate study unless prior permission is received by appeal to the graduate committee. The Qualifying Exam for Ph.D. students with a Bachelor’s degree can be taken by the end of the second year of graduate study with the approval of the graduate committee.
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