Apply to Graduate School
We admit students during both Fall and Spring semesters. For preferential consideration, please submit application materials (as follow) for Fall admission by January 15th; for Spring admission by October 1st. However, please send materials early as admission decisions are made shortly after the indicated dates, and an application that is missing a component risks being rejected. Exceptional students are encouraged to submit materials early as you may qualify for special assistantships that are determined before the application deadline.
We encourage you to contact individual faculty members whose research interests match yours before submitting your application. The Department has 20 full time faculty members with wide geoscientific research interests (https://geoscience.unlv.edu/people/department-faculty/), and also contains state-of-the-art laboratory facilities including geochronology, stable isotope, environmental, metal stable isotope, elemental chemistry, SEM, and microprobe instrumentation. A full list can be found at https://geoscience.unlv.edu/facilities/list-of-geoscience-facilities/ Up until a student is admitted, our Recruitment & Admissions team can be reached at gradadmissions@unlv.edu. Dr. Dave Beasley (garland.beasley@unlv.edu) is our Recruitment and Admissions Specialist and can assist with your application procedure.
Become a UNLV graduate student
Find here the UNLV geoscience flyers for our M.S. and Ph.D. programs.
Admission Requirements Include the Following:
1. A Bachelor’s or MS degree in Geoscience, or an appropriate related field.
2. A minimum overall grade point average of 3.0. In rare cases, a student with a GPA less than 3.0 may be admitted.
3. In order to be admitted without conditions the applicants should have received a B.S. or M.S. degree in Geoscience or a related field and have consulted with their prospective advisors for proper classes to take if there is any deficiency.
4. It is not required, but strongly encouraged, that you complete a FAFSA application and indicate that you want the results sent to UNLV as the University has scholarship money that is awarded to incoming students that is based on your GPA and your financial need. Because financial need is determined by your FAFSA scores, you can only receive these funds if you have a FAFSA report on file at UNLV. This opportunity is only available for U.S. citizens.
5. For international applicants whose native language is not English, a proof of English proficiency is required. Please check the requirements here: https://www.unlv.edu/graduatecollege/english-proficiency.
To apply, please follow the instructions regarding admission provided on the Graduate College website: https://www.unlv.edu/graduatecollege
Please arrange three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals competent to comment on your promise as a graduate student. You can input their names and email addresses in the on-line Graduate Rebel Gateway system and the system will automatically trigger an email to ask them to complete the reference letter. However, because your professor/supervisor may be busy or forget about it, please do check with them to make sure they have sent out the reference letter.
Please load the following items directly to the Rebel Gateway system when you are completing the online application:
1. A Statement of Purpose: This is a 1-2 page essay describing your reasons for considering graduate study, your goals after completion of the graduate degree, your specific area(s) and potential advisor(s) of interest;
2. A brief, one-page (maximum two-page) CV containing your address and contact information.
3. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended.
All application materials are available on-line. Once you have completed each of the above steps, your application is complete! You do not need to send a separate application to the Geoscience Department or College of Sciences. Assistantships, Fellowships and Scholarships are automatically considered; you do not need to send a separate application.