Skip to main content

Apply Now

The Department of Chemistry offers a rigorous education with many opportunities for engaging, hands-on research.

Applications for Fall are due January 15 and are free for domestic students

Application requirements:

  • Three recommendations from people who know the prospective student’s academic record and potential for graduate study. Interfolio may be used.
  • Click here for the English Proficiency Requirements for International Students
  • The GRE is not required.
  • Statement of purpose (personal statement) should focus on research accomplishments and aspirations, and may include figures and chemical structures. Please also identify 3-5 specific faculty research programs of interest to you, why they are of interest (scientifically), and what skills and background you possess that will advance research progress in these programs. There is no maximum length but it should be a minimum of 1-2 pages.
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • Legible, unofficial copies of transcripts should be uploaded to the application for review purposes. Upon recommendation of admission, the University requires that official transcripts that document all prior conferred/awarded degrees be on file in the student’s permanent record at NC State. The transcript(s) must include a statement of any degree(s) awarded.

Additional application requirements can be found in the NC State Graduate Handbook.

The Chemistry Department pays the application fee for domestic applicants only. Domestic applications will be finished when the payment screen is reached, so supply no payment information. For international applicants, please go here.

Foreign Applicants ONLY: TOEFL, IELTS & Duolingo General Score Requirements:

Provide TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a total score of at least 80 on the Internet-based Test (iBT). Minimum test scores for each section:
Listening: 18 points
Reading: 18 points
Writing: 18 points
Speaking: 18 points for admission, 23 points for TA appointment where TA has direct verbal interactions with students, 26 points for TA appointment where TA presents lectures in the class or laboratory. NOTE: The current computer- and paper-based versions of the TOEFL test will be given until the iBT version is implemented in a particular location. Computer-based TOEFL scores must be 213 or higher (with at least 17 on three sections and no section score below 13). The paper-based test requires a score of 550 or higher (with scores of 50 on at least two of the three sections and no section score below 45).


Provide IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores with an overall band score of at least 6.5. Minimum test scores for each section are listed below:
Listening: 6.5
Reading: 6.5
Writing: 6.5
Speaking: 6.5 for admission, 7.0 for TA appointment

Provide Duolingo with a total score of 110 or better, and with Conversation and Production section scores of 110 or better. A minimum score of 115 in the Production or Conversation assessment is needed to be a TA.