Students in our department

are admitted directly into a faculty member’s research group. This faculty member will serve as their advisor during the course of study for their degree program. We only accept new graduate students into the program when:

1. a faculty member has secured financial support for the student (usually as a Research Assistant, or RA), or is sure they will have funding by the time a student begins, OR
2. a student brings independent funding, such as external scholarships or internal fellowships, and a faculty member has agreed to serve as their advisor. Some students are able to find partial support through Teaching Assistantship (TA) positions across campus. However, TA opportunities are competitive and are not necessarily easy to obtain.

All faculty recruiting new students for Research Assistant (RA) appointments for upcoming terms will be listed on our Employment and Funding Opportunities page. We recommend that prospective students reach out to potential faculty advisors within the department before submitting their applications to the program to learn more about available research opportunities in the faculty member’s research group. There are many resources available online to help guide applicants in this process, such as the article found here. Finding an appropriate advisor is important not only for securing funding, but also because the advisor will play an integral role throughout a graduate student’s experience.

Applicants who have identified one or more potential faculty advisors and wish to ensure consideration for fall or summer semesters admissions, apply by January 5. Those wishing to ensure consideration for spring semester admissions, apply by October 15. Rolling admission may also occur as new funding becomes available.

Eligible applicants will have the following credentials:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• A foundation in the basic sciences, having completed equivalents to MATH 221 (Calculus & Analytic Geometry I), STAT 301 (Introduction to Statistical Methods), CHEM 103/104 (General Chemistry with Lab), PHYSICS 103 (General Physics), and BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 (Introduction to Biology). Students missing these basic science courses may be admitted with a plan to make them up.
• A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.0 scale) on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) from the most recent bachelor’s degree institution OR with a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00. Under some circumstances, applicants with lower GPAs are admitted on probation, but this is not common.
• GRE scores are optional and may be submitted using the institutional code 1846. There is no department code needed.
• Evidence of English language proficiency, if applicable. The required proficiency scores are: TOEFL IBT 92, PBT 580; or IELTS 7.0

Application Materials

All applicants who are applying to any of the Department of Soil Science’s MS or PhD programs must start by submitting an electronic application to the Graduate School online here. After completing this step, applicants will be required to submit all of the following:

• Graduate School Application Form and Application Fee
  • All applicants must complete the Graduate School’s online application available through their website.
  • The Graduate School offers application fee grants to US citizens, permanent resident applicants and students with DACA status who can document that they participated in selected pipeline programs designed to prepare students for graduate studies or grew up in a low-income family. Application fee grant details can be found here.
  • The Department of Soil Science may offer application fee waivers in cases of financial need that do not qualify for the Graduate School fee grants. Contact Carol Duffy (cjduffy@wisc.edu) to discuss an application fee waiver.
• Supplementary Application
  • A supplementary application (embedded in the Graduate School’s electronic application) requires the applicant to select up to three departmental faculty members as potential advisors and is required to assist our admissions committee in reviewing applications.
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Applicants must submit a resume or CV electronically through the application portal.
• Transcripts
  • All applicants must upload an unofficial transcript (non-encrypted) in a PDF format to their application,
    • Any school listed on the application must have a transcript uploaded, otherwise the application will not be complete
  • Official Transcripts
    • If an applicant is recommended for admission, they will be asked to submit an official transcript to the Graduate School; official transcripts are not to be mailed to the department. Send official transcripts or academic records from each institution attended to the Graduate School (UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 217 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706)
    • International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature
    • See eligibility requirements above for degrees and GPAs.
• Statement of Purpose
  • This should introduce the applicant, describe their past education and/or related recent and current activities such as past research experience, and discuss their academic interests for graduate school and career goals.
  • The statement of purpose should not exceed two pages in length.
• Three Letters of Recommendation
  • These letters are preferably from people acquainted with the applicant’s academic, research, and/or professional qualifications.
  • Ensure the correct contact information is entered for all letter writers in the application portal. Reviewers will receive an email notification and instructions on how to submit their letter and complete an evaluation form. Reminder emails can be sent through the electronic application portal to recommenders if they misplace this email.
• Test of English Ability
  • Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL scores must be sent electronically from ETS. Use ETS institution code: 1846. There is not a department code. Paper copies of TOEFL are not acceptable. Official IELTS scores should be sent by mail to the Graduate School (UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 217 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706)
  • Applicants whose TOEFL (paper-based) test score is below 580, TOEFL computer-based test (CBT) score is below 237, TOEFL Internet-based test score is below 93, or MELAB is below 82 are required by UW-Madison to take an English assessment test upon arrival. Applicants must then register for any recommended English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) in the first semester they are enrolled.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required
  • GRE Scores are not required. If the applicant wishes to do so, they may be submitted using the institutional code 1846. There is no department code needed.

All questions regarding the admissions process and the application should be directed to the Graduate Admissions Coordinator, Carol Duffy (cjduffy@wisc.edu).