Information for Prospective Graduate Students

Applied Mathematics graduate students are members of the Mathematics department and should follow the application process for the Mathematics department. Graduate students are distinguished as Applied Math students by their desire to conduct their research for their Masters or PhD. degree with a faculty member of the Applied Mathematics group. The prospective graduate student will find much useful information about the Mathematics graduate program on the Mathematics Graduate Student Information page. See the information page for current students in the graduate program for more specific information regarding graduate study in Applied Mathematics and how it differs from the general mathematics program.

The typical Applied Math graduate student will be trained in analysis, scientific computation, modern methods of applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, and in an area of physical application. The area of application will be chosen from the research interests of the core faculty as well as projects developed jointly with the associated faculty. We encourage you to review the research activities of the applied math faculty as collected on the research overview page and on individual faculty pages.

Students who wish to apply for graduate study in applied math should visit the Graduate School page for prospective students for instructions on how to apply online. While the annual application process in Mathematics does not typically close officially until April, applications must be in by January 1st for consideration for university fellowships. You are also strongly advised to submit your full application no later than January 1 to ensure full consideration for a graduate stipend and tuition remission. The University of North Carolina has discontinued the use of "hardcopy" application packets. You should select "Mathematics" as your field of study. We encourage you to also express your interest in joining the Applied Mathematics group by sending an email message to Jingfang Huang or Peter Mucha. Do not send your application directly to the Applied Mathematics group.

Note that the Mathematics subject test is not required for admission to the Mathematics graduate program, although a strong showing on this test will strengthen any application packet. Students who are specifically interested in Applied Mathematics and have because of their background elected to take the GRE subject test in a related scientific field (e.g. Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Biology, etc.) should report those scores instead.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a 1-2 page personal essay with their application describing their background and interest in applied mathematics. We are particularly interested in knowing about undergraduate research projects. The essay is also important for giving us an understanding of the applicants' motivations and experiences that led them to seek further study in the areas of applied mathematics.

Students interested in mathematical biology should also consider applying to the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Training Program. Applications to this program are handled through the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program. If you are interested in obtaining a Ph.D. in mathematics and receiving a certificate in BCB, you should send in separate applications to both the Department of Mathematics and BBSP.

Please Note! Frequently, due to heavy UNC net traffic, the online admission links can be slow. In addition, these links require you to have an encryption-supporting browser. If you cannot access these links, call the Graduate School at (919) 966-2611, or write to them at Graduate School, CB 4010 Bynum Hall, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC 27599-4010 USA.

There are special situations involved with international applications. International applicants should consult the UNC Information for International Applicants document and follow the appropriate links.

Do you still have questions? Visit our frequently asked questions page.