For detailed instructions on
how to apply for admission to the graduate school to study hydrogeology at KU, please refer to the informational page
on the KU Geology website:
Before deciding to apply there are several issues students should consider.
- Do the research projects underway at KU match your research interests?
- Is there a faculty member I wish to work with?
- What is the funding situation?
- Are there advantages in getting my application submitted early?
- Can I visit the campus?
- How are grad students evaluated for admission?
Do the research projects at KU match your interests?
At any time there are several different research projects underway within the hydrogeology group at KU.
These projects are summarized on the faculty webpages that can be found by following the links on the
"People" page (see top menu). Review the projects in progress and give some thought to the ones that appeal. Have
a look at any publications that pertain to your interests, and think about what you might do to further the research.
Your ideas may help shape your thesis work. Regardless, this will make a
strong positive impression on possible supervisors.
Supervisors
If a suitable research project is identified, the faculty member in charge will be a strong candidate
to be your thesis advisor. It is a good idea to make contact with these faculty members and discuss
potential involvement, and to become acquainted with the people you would be working with.
Having a faculty advocate increases chances of admission and funding, especially if the faculty member
has grant money for student support.
Funding
Financial support for students at KU is available as research assistantships (GRAs), funded through
research grants held by the faculty, or teaching assistantships (GTAs) that are awarded by the
Department of Geology. Fellowships (see applying early, below) and various
supplementary awards are also available. Support begins at about
$18K for 9 months and may be increased with scholarships available within the Department. Funding is
awarded for 2 years for M.S. degrees and 4 years for Ph.D. degrees.
All students are evaluated for admission based on criteria related to merit, not available funding. Therefore,
qualifying students who can arrange their own support through fellowships or scholarships may be able to take
advantage of an offer of admission without financial support, and in this way increase the possibility
they can begin their studies at KU. We highly encourage students with outside funding
to apply and avail themselves of this opportunity.
Applying early
Applying early may help with funding your time at KU. We have here a full-ride, 4 year Fellowship for
doctoral students with leadership potential and an
entrepreneurial spirit. The Self Fellowship comes with a development program to prepare students for
a leadership role in their careers after graduate school. Early applicants (November) can be evaluated for
the Fellowship and guided through the application process. Decisions are made in February, so applications received
after January 1 are at a disadvantage. Students interested in this opportunity should visit the
Self Fellowship
website and review the criteria for selection.
Applying early or even making contact with the faculty early is a great idea in general, since it alerts the
faculty an applicant's interest and allows time to explore both research and funding opportunities.
Visit KU
Before deciding on a university for graduate work, it is highly desirable to visit the campus and meet the people.
Students identified for admission, with complete applications, are encouraged to talk to faculty about the possibility
of a visit to the Lawrence campus at our expense. The Department of Geology will contribute up to $400 toward
the expenses of the trip. Additional expenses may be covered by faculty members, pending the availability of funds.
If you can't make it in person, you can take a
virtual tour of the campus.
How students are evaluated in the admission process
Students are evaluated on the basis of GPAs, GRE scores, and the more subjective criteria such as strength of
reference letters, difficulty of courses on the transcripts, the quality of the personal statement,
research experience, publications, and demonstrated writing proficiency.
Not all applicants are strong in all these areas, but these are the criteria by which they are ranked.
The top ranked students are the first to receive offers of admission with funding.
There are no official minimums for GRE scores, though individual faculty may set personal limits. GPAs are generally
expected to be greater than 3.0 to qualify for regular admission, but that is a minimum and most students are expected
to exceed this minimum. In unusual cases, highly qualified students with GPAs lower than 3.0 may be admitted
on probation, which grants them one term to demonstrate they can complete their graduate courses with a GPA greater than
3.5.
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