Student Services
Yasasha Ridel is the Astronomy Department’s Graduate Student Affairs Adviser. She can assist with issues pertaining to the Astronomy Department graduate and undergraduate programs.
The Graduate Division oversees general campus requirements, fees, and processing; please visit their website for more information.
Graduate Admissions FAQ
Please make sure to read through our How to Apply page for information about graduate admissions.
Do you offer Part-Time or Evening programs?
At this time all of our degree programs are full-time.
Is it possible to apply to two different graduate programs?
The University does not allow applicants to apply to two programs simultaneously unless an established concurrent degree program exists between the two departments/schools; Currently, Astronomy is not part of an established concurrent degree program.
If I applied before do I still need to create a new application for a new application cycle?
Yes; previously submitted applications cannot be reactivated and you need to create a new application and pay the application fee. This is true for all graduate applicants without exception.
What courses should I take to be accepted? What kind of scores should I get to qualify?
While many of our applicants have a background in Astronomy and Physics, we encourage all interested applicants to submit an application. The department looks at numerous aspects of an application and does not solely rely on test scores to determine acceptance. If you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to contact Yasasha Ridel, the department’s graduate adviser.
Can the TOEFL be waived?
Please visit Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements website for their current policy regarding Evidence of English Language Proficiency.
Can I submit my test scores early? What if they are late?
If you have any concerns about submitting required test scores please contact Yasasha Ridel.
What is the cost of the graduate program?
Please visit our Tuition and Financial Aid pages for more information regarding costs for our programs.
What are recent graduates doing now?
Many of our students have gone to to pursue careers in academia and research at numerous schools and institutes that include Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Hawaii IfA, SETI, University of Washington, Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Caltech, NASA, JPL, UT Austin, University of Toronto, American Museum of Natural History, UCLA, UC Irvine, University of Arizona, Penn State, NRAO, and Carnegie Observatories.
Our students have also found success in the private and public sectors at companies and branches that include Apple, Facebook, Square, Yammer, the American Astronomical Society, Pivotal Labs, Popular Science Magazine, the Department of Homeland Security, Aerospace Corporation, and Bright Power.