Application Information

Learn more about our EaES departmental admission requirements.
Academic Credentials A degree (Baccalaureate or Masters) in Earth science, environmental science, other natural or physical sciences, or engineering is strongly recommended. Students from other disciplines are also encouraged to apply if their educational backgrounds and interests align with our program and course prerequisites.
Course Prerequisites
  • Chemistry (1 year)
  • Physics (1 year); OR Physics (1 semester) and Biology (1 semester)
  • Calculus (1 year)
Note: Highly qualified students lacking in one or more of the prerequisites may be considered for admission under “limited standing” with specific additional prescribed courses.

Note: Students entering with an MS degree in the sciences can receive up to 32 hours of credit toward the PhD.
Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
English Proficiency For international students, one of the following English competency tests is required:

  • TOEFL 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Test); 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21 (revised Paper-Delivered Test), OR,
  • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56
For International Students UIC's International Admission Requirements
Use the above link to find credential guidelines, degree qualifications, and English proficiency requirements based on the country or territory in which you studied.

Students applying to our EaES degree program will submit an UIC’s Online Graduate Program Application following the guidelines from UIC’s Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions. The application fee can be paid online with a credit card at the time of your application submission. Application fee waivers are available for certain applicants.

  • Complete and submit the application and fee. After submitting the application, you will receive an email within 2-3 business days indicating that you can log back into the application system to begin uploading your application materials.
  • In the online portal, upload required EaES materials, academic credentials, and initiate online requests for letters of recommendation. Application Checklist items will populate based upon our program requirements and will display in your application record.
  • Note that all application information, including uploaded material, does not have to be completed at one time. View the system checklist as often as needed to see what materials have been successfully uploaded and verified as received by the EaES department.

We request MS and PhD applicants answer EaES Guided Prompts for Personal Statement that will inform us about your research interests, experiences, and goals. These answers should be submitted in a single document as the personal statement file in the online application.

Please answer the 5 questions listed on the EaES Guided Prompts for Personal Statement. Answers to each prompt are limited to 350 words. Your answers will serve the place of a more open-ended personal statement.

The deadline is January 15 for Fall Admission and July 15 for Spring Admission. Most financial aid decisions are made by early March for Fall Admission and by early September for Spring Admission. Earlier submission is encouraged. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies if you wish to apply after the deadlines.

EaES uses the following rubric to evaluate applicants. Please use this rubric to help you reflect on the information you are providing in your application and through your personal statement. Remember, the personal statement should be specific to our EaES Guided Prompts for Personal Statement.

Categories 3 - High 2 - Medium 1 - Low
Academic Preparation High GPA in STEM courses; received an academic honor; numerous relevant technical skills Modest GPA in STEM courses; concerning grades have a reasonable explanation; fewer technical skills Lower GPA, particularly in STEM courses; no reasonable explanations for low grades; limited technical skills
Scholarly Potential Clear commitment to and enthusiasm for research AND experience equivalent to a senior thesis Clear commitment to and enthusiasm for research, BUT experience less than a senior thesis Signals that an advanced degree is more of a next step than a clear passion
Alignment with Program Discusses how research interests align with 1 or more faculty AND stated career goals align with program training Simply states that research interests align with 1 or more faculty AND stated career goals align with program training Limited alignment with faculty research interests OR limited evidence of alignment between career goals and program training
Realistic Self-Appraisal Clearly describes strengths, identifies areas of knowledge/skills growth, AND provides clear evidence of effort on self-development Basic statements about strengths and areas of growth AND does seek positive and negative feedback Over- or understates abilities; indications that self- assessment or learning from experiences are limited
Preference for Long-Term Goals Clearly communicates long- range goals beyond the degree AND has a record of engaging in long-term endeavors Clearly communicates long- range goals beyond the degree OR has a record of engaging in long-term endeavors Goals are short range (e.g., specific coursework); limited history of engagement in long-term projects

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Application Checklist Heading link

How to Submit to UIC Description
Application Form for Graduate Program Online Form Forms include personal information, contact information, planned course of study, and test scores (if applicable).
EaES Guided Prompts for Personal Statement Upload Instead of an open ended Personal Statement, please answer the 5 questions found in our Guided Prompts document.
Official Transcripts/ Academic Documents in PDF Upload Hard copies are required ONLY if an applicant is admitted.
3 Letters of Recommendation Submit Contact Information through Online Form Letters must be written by professors or employers who can and should address the applicant’s academic and research ability. Inform recommenders that their letters must be on institutional letterhead and signed.
GRE General Exam Scores
(GRE Scores are no longer required) 		We have recently removed the GRE requirement. You do not need to submit your scores.
Application for Graduate Appointment Upload Complete this form, but exclude the personal statement. Please upload the personal statement separately.
Résumé or Curriculum Vitae Optional Upload You may upload a résumé or CV if you would like to include it in your full application.
English Proficiency Exam For International Students Only Please view UIC's International Admission Requirements to see if an English Proficiency Exam is required. If it is, send the score to UIC – code R1851.