Prospective Students
Degrees Offered
The Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Masters of Science (M.S. Plan I and III) degrees. Funding is available to those students intending to pursue the Ph.D. degree. A full description of the separate degree requirements is provided here.
Fall 2027 Application Deadline: December 1, 2026
Application Process
All graduate cohorts begin in the fall semester, and applications are due December 1. Applicants must have a BS in Chemistry or a related field, a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and show potential to succeed in the core classes by demonstrating good grades in organic chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and/or other related courses. Applicants are encouraged to identify the faculty members whose research interests them and reach out to them before applying. Please also see About the Graduate Program for a list of faculty who are currently accepting graduate students.
To Apply:
- Read the instructions
- Create an account and fill out the application form
- Upload all required documents, such as a letter of intent, CV/resume, undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) transcripts, and three recommendation letters.
- International students are encouraged to visit UNM International Admissions and review UNM's English proficiency requirements
Application Fee Waiver
To be considered for an application fee waiver, please fill out this form and upload all required documents.
The fee waiver deadline for Fall 2027 admission is November 1, 2026. If approved, you will hear from us by November 20. Do not submit your application on the UNM portal before hearing from us regarding the status of your fee waiver. The fee waiver cannot be given after you have submitted your application on the UNM portal.
If you have any questions, please email ccbgrad@unm.edu.
Funding
Ph.D. graduate students in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology receive support from the department in the form of teaching assistantships. Generally, a student will be responsible for three laboratory sessions of 3 hours each. In addition to a stipend, all graduate teaching assistants are granted a full waiver of tuition for the academic year.
After the first year, students may receive aid in the form of research assistantships. These are provided from the resources generated by the student's research advisor. Alternatively, a student may continue to be assigned to a teaching appointment. Summer support is available in the form of research or teaching assistantships for students making satisfactory progress towards an advanced degree. Learn more about funding for graduate students here.
While we cannot offer graduate teaching assistantships to students admitted to our Master's program, many of our Master's students later continue to our Ph.D. program, which includes the financial benefits listed above.
Visit Graduate Studies to learn more about UNM and its graduate school.
