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.
Application Process
All graduate cohorts begin in the fall semester, and our priority application deadline is December 1, 2026 for Fall 2027 admission. Applications received after the priority deadline will still be considered on a rolling basis.
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 describe these research interests in the required cover letter. 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.
Review of fee waiver applications for Fall 2027 admission will be on a rolling basis and begin on November 1, 2026. We will inform you if we can offer a fee waiver within approximately two weeks of when you submitted the form. If you are applying for a fee waiver, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need a Master’s degree before applying for the PhD program?
No. Master’s degree is not required. But PhD applicants must have a BS in Chemistry or a related field.
Can I apply for a fee waiver?
Yes. Application fee waiver instructions are here. Please do this by the deadline to make sure your fee waiver application is reviewed.
Do I have to apply for a fee waiver before submitting my application to UNM?
No, you don’t have to. You can always submit an application and pay the application fee yourself.
How do I know which faculty are accepting PhD students?
Every faculty member listed here is accepting one or more PhD students. During your first semester, you will have an opportunity to rotate in different labs before deciding which lab you want to join.
Do all accepted students receive financial support?
Yes, all Ph.D. graduate students in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology receive teaching assistantships (TA) or research assistantships (RA) from the department. See Funding above for more details.
Are international students eligible for the same funding?
Yes, all students accepted into the Chemistry PhD program, regardless of their citizenship, are eligible for TA and RA support.
Do I have to contact any faculty members before or during my application?
Contacting faculty is optional and does not necessarily improve your chance of admission to our PhD program. An independent graduate recruitment committee reviews every application. You are encouraged to indicate faculty whose research is well-aligned with your interests in your cover letter.
If you are applying for our Master’s program Plan I, which includes research and a master's thesis, please contact a prospective research lab before submitting your application.
Can I apply for a Master’s program instead of a PhD?
Yes. Note that Master’s students are not supported by TA positions, so you would be responsible for tuition and living costs. Before applying, please contact a prospective research lab to ask whether they are going to accept a Master’s student and whether a research assistantship is available.
Visit Graduate Studies to learn more about UNM and its graduate school.
