Applying

To apply to the graduate program in mathematics you will need to apply to the Graduate School at the University of Kentucky following the process described below. Once your application has been submitted online, the Mathematics Department will be notified that you have applied. Your application for the graduate programs in mathematics will automatically be considered for teaching assistant positions. Note that applicants to our doctoral program are given priority for teaching assistantships. If you are applying for only a Master's degree and you do not have independent funding, then you should contact the Director of Graduate Studies prior to submitting your application.

Deadlines

Below are the application deadlines. Students almost always begin in the fall semester. If you are considering applying for admission starting in spring, please email the Director of Graduate Studies for additional information prior to applying.

  • International applications for admission and support  (15 January)
  • Domestic Applications for Fellowships  (15 January)
  • Review of application for teaching assistantships begins  (15 January)
    • Note that priority consideration for admission with a teaching assistantship is given to applicants who apply before January 15.
  • Domestic Application for Teaching Assistantships (Final deadline)  (15 May)
    • If you intend to apply for our program after January 15, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss your application status.
    • For students who have independent funding for tuition and living expenses, for example an independent fellowship or government support, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies directly to inform them of your situation.
  • Admission for fall semester  (20 July (approximate))

Frequently Asked Questions

Please review our Frequently Asked Questions page prior to submitting your application.

GRE scores (general and subject) are not required for students submitting an application. Also, GRE scores are not required for consideration for a teaching assistantship. However, please be aware that a small number of university-wide supplemental fellowships require GRE scores for consideration (these are unusual in the math department).

  • You have the option to self-report GRE scores on the application (you can also supply a future date for taking the test). If you wish to report your scores officially, we require official scores be sent from the reporting agency. If you submit them, GRE scores should be sent directly to the UK Graduate School from the Educational Testing Service (ETS); the Institution Code for the GRE for UK Graduate School is 1837.

Application Process and Requirements

To apply to the Graduate School, please follow the instructions and fill out an online application at this link: https://gradschool.uky.edu/apply. Note that the graduate school does not accept paper-based application. You will be asked to submit the following items; see the graduate school information page for more details.

  1. Transcripts from all prior educational institutions. You will be asked to upload copies of transcripts from all higher education institutions attended and, in the case of domestic students, to self-report cumulative GPA’s for each institution.  If you are offered admission and decide to enroll you will then be required to submit official transcripts to the Graduate School.
  2. Application Fee. There is an application fee that must be paid online. Specific information about this is available on the graduate school application process page: https://gradschool.uky.edu/application-process
  3. For students whose native language is not English, language proficiency test scores. All applicants whose native language is not English will be asked to self-report their scores on the application. We also require official language scores be sent to us directly from the reporting agency. The reporting codes and the minimum accepted scores can be found here: https://gradschool.uky.edu/application-process#Test%20Scores
  4. Three letters of recommendation. At least two of these letters should be from faculty in upper-division mathematics courses or others who are familiar with your work in mathematics. You will be asked to list on your application the contact information for each of your references. Please provide your references with these guidelines for recommenders.
  5. A curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. You will be asked to upload your CV to the application.
  6. A personal statement (optional but strongly recommended). Your statement of purpose should be one or two pages and should respond to the following items:
    1. Describe your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree in Mathematics. What are your career goals and how will a graduate education at the University of Kentucky help you achieve these goals?
    2. Describe how your experiences up to this point have prepared you to engage in graduate research. This can include prior research experiences, but also any other relevant experiences that have helped you develop as a mathematician and as a person (e.g., internships, volunteer work, a particular course, etc.). Given these strengths, what areas or skills are you interested in developing during your graduate training?
    3. Describe your research interests. What areas of Mathematics most interest you? Why? What areas do you think you might be interested in pursuing research in as a graduate student?
    4. Describe any personal experiences or circumstances that are relevant to how you handle academic, professional, or personal challenges.
  7. Writing sample (optional). You are invited but not required to include a sample of your mathematical writing. This is typically a report written for a course, an honors thesis, a paper resulting from an REU, a poster from a poster presentation, etc.