Graduate Admissions and Support - University of Houston
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Graduate Admissions and Support

To be admitted to any of the graduate programs in mathematics, a student must have an undergraduate degree and demonstrated competence in mathematics.

Admission Applications:

To apply for admission for a graduate program visit the Graduate School Application webpage.

If you have questions about the admissions process please contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Alan Haynes.

 

Application Deadlines:

Application deadlines depend on the program, intended starting semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) and whether the applicant is from the US or International (not a Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States).

  • Priority Deadline: Ph.D. with Teaching Assistantship (both US and International): December 1st (Fall)
    Each fall semester we have approximately 15—20 TA positions.
    Review of applications will start shortly after December 1st and offers will be made on a continuous basis until all TA positions are filled. We usually give the first round of offers before December 25th, the second round of offers in January and the third round of offers in February. Please note: that all materials in your application (including 3 letters of recommendation and TOEFL [if required]) must be completed to receive full consideration. Applications submitted at a later date may not be granted Teaching Assistantship if TA positions have been filled by that date.
  • Regular Deadline: Ph.D. with Teaching Assistantship (both US and International): April 1 (Fall)*, October 1 (Spring) 
    The first round of offers for the Fall is made before March 15th, therefore we strongly encourage complete applications before March 1st. Applications completed after March 1st will be considered during the second and third rounds of offers.
  • Ph.D. without support:
    Fall: May 1 (International), June 1 (US applicants),
    Spring: October 15th (International), November 1st (US applicants - Early Deadline
  • Mathematics, MS & Applied Mathematics, MS:
    Fall: May 1 (International), June 1 (US applicants),
    Spring: October 15th (International), November 1st (US applicants - Early Deadline)
  • Mathematics, MA (US applicants only):
    June 1st (Fall), November 1st (Spring- Early Deadline), May 1st (Summer)
  • Statistics & Data Science, MS (Fall only):
    May 1st (International), June 1st (US applicants)

  

Application Requirements:

To be considered for admission to the Department of Mathematics Graduate Program, the following is required. These materials should be uploaded directly at CollegeNet.

  • Copies of degree diplomas and official transcripts from each college or university at which the applicant has been enrolled.
  • Three letters of reference, one of which must be from a professional mathematician. We prefer that all reference letters are from professional mathematicians.
  • A resume that includes a description of any mathematical work that the applicant has done (including teaching) and any prizes or awards received.
  • A statement of "Interests and Goals," limited to one page. This may include topics such as motivation for entering or returning to graduate school, expectations for graduate training, mathematical preferences, research interests, and/or career goals.

  

Additional Requirements for International Applicants:

 

Assistantships and Fellowships:

The Department of Mathematics provides a number of different types of financial assistance for graduate students. These include:

1. Teaching Assistantships (TA): Students are paid to tutor, conduct recitations and grade, or for similiar activities within the department as a Teaching Assistant. Teaching Assistantships are awarded primarily to Ph.D. students. All Ph.D. applications submitted before the corresponding deadline will be considered for TA support.

Every semester the department employs over 50 teaching assistants. These are graduate students in mathematics who usually either (a) tutor students in the mathematics laboratory, (b) conduct recitations for calculus classes, or (c) grade various courses. Generally, teaching assistants do not teach regular courses.

Teaching assistants receive a monthly salary and benefits for the 9-month academic year and a Doctoral Student Tuition Fellowship (DSTF) when allowed. A DSTF pays tuition and fees for 9 hours of courses each semester. Students wishing to register for more than 9 semester credit hours in a semester pay for these hours at the resident tuition rate. A DSTF can only be held for a total of five years for doctoral students.

2. Grader and Instructional Assistants (IA): A limited number of Grader and Instructional Assistant positions are awarded to Mathematics (M.S.) and Applied Mathematics (M.S.) students on a semester-by-semester basis. Mathematics (M.S.) and Applied Mathematics (M.S.) applicants who want to be considered for these positions should send their resumes and transcripts to Irina Perepelitsa.

  • Minimum Requirements:
    • 3.0 GPA or above
    • Deadline: June 31st for the Fall semester

3. Research Assistantships (RA): These positions are specifically geared toward Ph.D. students working on research projects. They are often funded by individual faculty members from research grants. RA support is intended primarily for continuing students already conducting research under the supervision of a faculty member.

4. Fellowships and Scholarships: These types of support provide a stipend and allow a student to concentrate on their courses and research work. For more details please visit our Financial Support Specifics page