Environmental Science and Management PhD
student and mentor going over lab data

Information for Prospective Students

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Application Due Dates

Applications must be submitted by December 15th. Interviews for candidates will take place in February. Accepted candidates will begin their studies in the subsequent fall semester.

Application Sequence

  1. Submit a complete application by December 15th. Partial applications are never evaluated
  2. Complete applications will be reviewed in December and January.
  3. Interviews for select candidates will be scheduled in February
  4. Admission decisions (accepted, waitlisted, declined) will be sent shortly after interviews
  5. Candidates who receive an accepted decision have until April 15th to respond to the university with their decision. After April 15th unfilled positions may potentially be offered to those who were waitlisted.

Application Checklist

All applications must be submitted to Graduate Admissions

  1. Personal essay (2 page maximum)
    • A strong personal statement will highlight your academic background, research experience, specific interests, and career goals. You should explain your motivation for pursuing a PhD and describe your readiness for doctoral research.
  2. Statement of Research Interests (2 page maximum)
    • Your research statement should describe your general research interests, propose future research directions, and explain how these align with the program’s strengths and faculty expertise. The statement should highlight the significance of the work and its potential impact on the field. The essay should include a list of faculty members with whom you have communicated and who are willing to serve as your research advisor.
  3. Resumé or CV
    • Please include publications, professional reports, and professional presentations.
  4. Transcripts (unofficial or official)
    • Transcripts must be submitted from ALL undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
    • Official transcripts will be required prior to matriculation for students who are accepted to the program.
    • Applicants with a non-U.S. degree must submit a NACES course-by-course evaluation along with U.S. degree equivalency information of your coursework. See instructions from The Office of Graduate Admissions
  5. Three letters of reference
    • These letters should be from university faculty or professional supervisors who can attest to your potential for success in doctoral level research and coursework.
  6. English proficiency scores for international applicants
    • International students must submit one of the following official test scores (unofficial reports are not accepted):
      1. TOEFL IBT: Minimum score 83 (School Code: 2520)
      2. IELTS: Minimum score 6.5
      3. Duolingo: Minimum score 105
      4. PTE-A: Minimum score 53
      5. iTEP: Minimum score 4.5
      6. Exemptions from the English Language Proficiency Requirement:
    • You may be exempt if:
      1. You are a U.S. citizen.
      2. You are a citizen of one of the exempt countries.
      3. You provide a transcript from a U.S. regionally accredited institution showing at least one academic year of full-time enrollment (excluding ESL courses).
      4. You provide a transcript from an accredited institution in or following the curricula of an exempt country, reflecting at least one academic year of full-time enrollment (excluding ESL courses).
  7. Application fee
    • See the Graduate Admissions website for information on waivers that can be obtained by attending an Open House event

Evaluation of applications

Successful applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and/or a masters degree with a graduate grade point average of at least 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a non-U.S. degree must submit a course-by-course evaluation with U.S. degree equivalency information for bachelors and (if applicable) masters coursework from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or by Educated Choices. There is no threshold GRE score for admission. However, our current program-wide average scores are 306 (Q+V) and 4.0 for AWS. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact possible research advisors and research projects prior to submitting an application and solicit letters of reference from university faculty who can specifically address your potential to conduct doctoral-level research.

See the Graduate School’s Admission Review and Application Process FAQ’s for more information on applying to be a graduate student at Montclair State University.

The admissions committee takes a holistic approach to evaluating applications. We are interested in students whose research interests are compatible with our faculty advisors, who have demonstrated potential for conducting original, creative, independent research at the doctoral level, and who possess strong quantitative skills and written and oral communication skills. We assess your transcripts and the diversity and rigor of coursework you have completed, we assess your previous research and employment experience as detailed in your personal statement and research statement, and through candid evaluations provided by your references.