Application
This page applies to the Physics M.S., Physics Ph.D., Quantum Information Sciences M.S., and Quantum Information Sciences graduate certificate.
To apply to one of these programs, apply to the Graduate School:
Applicants to the separate Medical Physics M.S., Ph.D., or graduate certificate should use the official Medical Physics program for admissions information.
For current application availability, please use the Graduate School’s online application.
We are GRE-optional and require Zoom interviews for PhD applications
Application Timeline – Fall 2027
by January 8
All applications must be submitted and application fees paid or waived.
Applications that are incomplete after this date – except for letters of reference — will not be considered.
on January 9
Applicant files will begin being evaluated for interviews.
after January 15
Late letters of recommendation will no longer be accepted.
All incomplete applications will be rejected after this date.
Late January through mid-February
Zoom interviews of applicants under consideration will be conducted.
Applicants will be interviewed by two faculty, at least one of whom is on the admissions committee.
The timing of an interview request depends on when an application is reviewed and does not necessarily reflect the applicant’s merit.
If you have not received an interview request by February 8, 2027, contact the Graduate Program Director for your current status.
Mid to late-February
Informal emails for acceptances, waitlists, and rejections from the graduate director should be out. Formal emails from the graduate school usually arrive within a week after.
Final decisions on waitlisted students depend on other students either accepting or declining offers, so some decisions will occur after April 15.
TBD
Accepted domestic students, or international students currently in the US, will be invited for an optional campus visit; dates are to be arranged.
April 15
Deadline for accepting admissions with our standard financial aid package, if offers were made before April 15. However, some additional fellowships may have earlier deadlines for those particular fellowships. Offers are sometimes made after April 15 to students on the waitlist.
See the Graduate School application deadlines for more information.
We accept only online applications (no paper applications).
Application Instructions
- fill out an online application
- This includes a personal statement, which needs to include
- How do your future research interests fit with those of the faculty in the physics department?
– Which faculty are you interested in working with?
– What are your motivations for pursuing graduate school, and what are your future career goals?
– What experiences, research, or other relevant science engagement, have you had, and how have they influenced your decision to pursue graduate studies?
- How do your future research interests fit with those of the faculty in the physics department?
- This includes a personal statement, which needs to include
- pay the application fee of $80, unless you are eligible for a waiver.
- Domestic students who receive need-based financial aid are likely eligible for a waiver. Domestic students may contact Ann Bell at , with a copy of their financial aid letter, or have their University’s financial aid office contact directly.
- International students are not eligible for fee waivers. International students are defined at WFU as students needing a visa to study at Wake Forest.
- have three letters of reference sent
- have an official transcript sent (an unofficial copy is sufficient for application)
- have an official report of your TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo results sent, if required by the Graduate School (an unofficial copy is sufficient for application)
- Applicants may qualify for an English proficiency test waiver based on prior education in English. See the Graduate School’s current testing requirements for details.
FAQs
All applicants are automatically considered for financial aid. For academic year 2026-27, full-time PhD students receive a full tuition waiver and a yearly stipend of $31,236 (as a teaching assistant or research assistant) as well as Wake Forest health insurance and waiver of most mandatory fees. For the academic year 2026-27, MS students will receive a 75% tuition waiver and may receive a stipend as an RA or TA, but it is not guaranteed.
- Fall
- January 8 is the deadline for fall applications.
- Applications opened on August 1.
- Spring
- November 1 for domestic students
- October 1 for international students
The graduate school has a 3.0 minimum GPA, but this may be waived in exceptional cases and if a student has a master’s degree.
The general GRE is optional but may strengthen your application.
The subject GRE is optional but may strengthen your application
The Graduate School requires one of the following minimum scores:
TOEFL iBT – 80 for tests taken before January 21, 2026, or 4.5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026
IELTS – 6.5
Duolingo – 115
See the current Graduate School testing requirements for details.
We are not allowed to render opinions on the likelihood of admission before a student applies. The decision to admit a student is made by the Graduate Committee of the Physics Department. Many criteria go into the decision process such as the intended area of study, background and experience of the applicant, letters of recommendation, the strength of the applicant’s transcript, and if submitted performance on the GRE.
Fall application decisions are generally sent out in early to mid-February.
For an overview of faculty research interests, view our Physics Flyer or explore the Physics research areas and faculty pages.