johns hopkins phd application

Masks Strongly Recommended but Not Required in Maryland, Starting Immediately

Due to the downward trend in respiratory viruses in Maryland, masking is no longer required but remains strongly recommended in Johns Hopkins Medicine clinical locations in Maryland. Read more .

Vaccines
Masking Guidelines
Visitor Guidelines

Graduate Programs

School of medicine graduate admissions.

Congratulations on taking the next step in your biomedical career. As one of the world’s preeminent research institutions, we offer 23 programs in a range of concentrations. These programs are taught by an internationally recognized and award-winning faculty committed to developing the next generation of biomedical scientists. Our campus includes state-of-the-art facilities along with a wealth of historical resources, all in a vibrant yet charming urban setting.

Connect with Us

To learn more about our graduate programs, please complete the form below . You will receive emails from the programs you are interested in, plus advice about completing our admissions applications. You may opt out of these emails at any time.

Application for Graduate Programs taught on-campus

Application for Graduate Programs taught in an online format

Vivien Thomas Ph.D. Scholars

The Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI) is a new endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically black college and university (HBCU) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. More information about VTSI PhD programs . Eligible JHU Ph.D. Programs (pdf)

View other graduate degree programs at Johns Hopkins University.

Admissions FAQ

Where can i find links to all of the graduate programs, have you received my application materials, how does the admissions process work, is my application complete, where can i find the application deadlines, i received a degree from an institution where instruction was conducted in english however; i am not a u.s. citizen. am i still required to take the toefl or ielts exam, does the graduate programs have rolling admissions, my class grades aren't available yet., when will a decision be made on my application, will i be interviewed, what are the minimum gre scores required for admission, my gre scores won't be available until after the deadline., what is the minimum toefl score required for admission, do i need to submit official transcripts, can i send one set of materials if i am applied to multiple programs, can i make changes to the application or my cv after submission.

Graduate Admissions

Application management.

Johns Hopkins University
Address Baltimore, Maryland
Phone number 410-516-8000
Schools & Divisions
Admissions & Aid
Research & Faculty
Campus Life
Contact the University
University Policies and Statements
Title IX Information and Resources
Higher Education Act Disclosures
Emergency Contact Information

Menu Close
Search

PhD Program

We are proud of the quality of PhD students we attract and the training they receive. All of our students receive support, including an annual stipend, in the form of external and internal competitive fellowships, research fellowships, or teaching fellowships. As a PhD candidate, you will share in the excitement of discovery as you collaborate with our faculty on cutting-edge research . You will also acquire strong independent research skills and begin to develop your own reputation as a member of the research community.

Because the advisor-graduate relationship is the cornerstone of a successful PhD experience, all new PhD candidates are carefully matched with faculty advisors based on mutual research interests. In addition, an active three-person PhD committee is created for each PhD student to provide cogent advice throughout your degree program.

You will find the work here challenging and personally rewarding. Students who complete our PhD program are well-prepared for careers in academia, research, government, and industry. Please visit the Graduate Admissions information page for application requirements, deadlines, and other important information.

Application Deadlines:

The PhD deadline for fall is December 15th. (No recruiting for spring admissions.)
The application will be available for submission on or around August 15.

To learn more about the PhD admissions process, please visit our PhD Admissions FAQ page .

Apply today

Learn more about the graduate admissions process and start your application.

For Current Students

Policies, resources, forms, course information, FAQs, and services for graduate students.

William H. Miller III Department of Physics & Astronomy

Admissions and Transfers

Graduate Courses
Degree Forms and Requirements
Research and Advising
Graduate Student Examination Guide
Career Services for PhD Students
Summer Support and Internships
Graduate Program Statistics

The application deadline for students wishing to matriculate in September is the preceding December 15 . All applications must be submitted online through the Graduate Admissions portal .

A complete application will include:

Statement of purpose. We look for a thoughtful, well-written statement that shows the ability to overcome challenges, dedication to attain chosen goals, a capacity for creativity, an understanding of physics and/or astronomy, and any other indication of potential for research.
Three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters should help us evaluate your capacity for research, the most important criterion for admission.
Transcripts of all previous work. Transcripts submitted with the application may be unofficial transcripts. Successful applicants who accept the offer of admission must supply an official transcript before they can begin the PhD program at JHU. In the case of students in the final year of their bachelors program, the official transcript must show completion of all coursework required for the degree.
TOEFL or IELTS for international students. A reproduction is acceptable. Johns Hopkins prefers a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based) or 100 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
$75 non-refundable application fee. The application fee may be waived .

Note: submission of General GRE and Physics GRE scores is optional.

Other useful information

The University maintains an interactive JHU PhD program statistics explorer . To find our program, first select “School of Arts & Sciences — Natural Sciences” under the “Choose Division” drop-down menu, and then choose “Physics and Astronomy” under the “Choose Program” drop-down menu.
As part of the program of study, all graduate students are appointed as teaching or research assistants, positions which provide tuition, living stipend, and benefits (health coverage, etc).
Applicants are admitted only as full-time candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). There is no separate Masters Degree program and no provision for part-time students. However, a Masters degree is awarded as a stage of the PhD program.
Applicants from HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions are encouraged to consider JHU’s Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative . Applications must be submitted by Dec. 1 to be considered.
Offers of admission are made by early February with a decision deadline of April 15.
Students who are accepted to PhD programs at JHU can apply to receive a $1500 need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to JHU.

Policy for transfer applications for PhD students

Most PhD students coming into the JHU P&A graduate program follow the application process described above. However, in exceptional cases when the student is collaborating with a JHU P&A faculty member and their proposed or ongoing thesis work will take place with the JHU P&A faculty on the JHU campus, the department will consider a transfer application.

Only students in good standing in another PhD program will be considered for a transfer.
Only students with a long-standing (>=1 year) collaborative relationship with a full-time JHU P&A tenure-track or research-track faculty member will be considered for a transfer.
The transfer application must include clearly stated academic and / or research reasons for the transfer request and why a visiting student status is insufficient.
The transfer application must include the student’s CV, statement of research plans at JHU and what stage of the JHU program the student would like to transfer into ( see this page ), statement about previous research, undergraduate and graduate transcripts, application for waivers of any core graduate courses in the PhD program (including syllabi of the courses already taken that may qualify for the waiver), a recommendation letter from the prospective JHU advisor, and two additional recommendation letters.
Transfer applications will be reviewed by the graduate program committee and by the admissions committee. Additional materials (such as standardized test scores from previous graduate applications) may be requested. Any requirements in 1-4 will be waived only in exceptional circumstances.
The committee will not consider transfer for students within a year of graduation due to the Johns Hopkins University residency requirements .

Transfer applicants should expect the process to be rigorous, and they will be expected to satisfy the standards of both the admissions committee and the graduate program committee. If the transfer is recommended by both committees, the application is forwarded to the Department Chair for final approval.

Transfer applicants can apply at any time during the year by email directly to the academic programs coordinator Ms. Kelley Key ( [email protected] ) and arrange for the letters of recommendation to be sent directly to her as well. No materials (other than the recommendation letters) will be accepted from anybody other than the student applicant. Enrollment in the beginning of the fall, spring or summer terms is possible. Decisions can usually be made within 4-6 weeks after all the materials have been received, but additional time will be required for registration and visa.

All other students must apply through the standard application process.

Additional information

For additional information, please contact our Academic Program Administrator Kelley Key: Email: [email protected] Telephone: 410-516-7344 Fax: 410-516-7239

Application Deadlines & Requirements

Deadlines & Requirements for First-Year Applicants

After choosing an admissions plan ( Early Decision I, Early Decision II , or Regular Decision), make sure to review all application steps before submitting your materials by the required deadline.

Johns Hopkins University is a QuestBridge College Partner. See dates, deadlines, and requirements at apply.jhu.edu/questbridge .

If you’re interested in applying to the Peabody Institute, visit peabody.jhu.edu for application requirements and deadlines.

First-Year Applicant Eligibility

Students who are currently in high school.
Students who have graduated high school or earned a GED and have less than 12 semester-based credits from another institution. This does not include college credit earned while in high school.

If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree, you are not eligible to apply for undergraduate admission to Hopkins. We encourage you to explore our graduate programs for more opportunities to pursue your interests.

Deadlines & Important Dates

Application checklist, submit through the common application or coalition on scoir, your completed application.

A completed application through Common Application or Coalition on Scoir will include your high school transcript, activities list inclusive of family or work responsibilities, list of academic achievements and honors, personal essay (known as the personal statement), parent or guardian information, the Hopkins supplement, and optional standardized test scores.

The Hopkins supplement, which includes our supplemental essay

Class of 2028 supplemental essay prompt.

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g., race, gender, sexuality, religion, community, etc.) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins.  This can be a future goal or experience that is either academic, extracurricular, or social . (350-word limit)

An important note about the essay: In this essay question, we are looking for how an aspect of your identity or background has contributed to your personal story—your character, values, perspectives, or skills—and how you think it may shape your approach to college as a scholar, leader, or community member.

Please note that the U.S. Supreme Court recently limited the consideration of race in college admissions decisions but specifically permitted consideration of “an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life” so long as the student is “treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race.” Therefore, any part of your background, including but not limited to your race, may be discussed in your response to this essay if you so choose, but will be considered by the university based solely on how it has affected your life and your experiences as an individual.

Applying to Biomedical Engineering (BME):

If you are interested in applying to our biomedical engineering program, be sure to indicate it as your first-choice major. There is no separate application process.

Students are admitted to BME based on evaluation of credentials and space available. It is possible to be admitted to the university without acceptance to the BME major. If you are accepted into the BME major, you’ll be notified at the time of decision release. If you are admitted to the university but not to the BME major, you may select any other intended major in the Whiting School of Engineering or Krieger School of Arts & Sciences.

The $70 application fee or fee waiver

You can request a fee waiver directly through the Common Application or Coalition on Scoir. If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria on the application and need support covering the application fee, have a representative from your current high school submit our fee waiver request form .

Your standardized test scores Optional

If you choose to submit your scores, our admissions committee will consider them as additional context in our review process. You’re welcome to submit SAT, ACT, AP, IB, English language proficiency exams, or any other score you feel reflects your academic ability. Applicants aren’t at a disadvantage if they don’t submit test scores.

We will review self-reported or official test scores as part of the application. If you self-report your scores, and you are admitted and choose to enroll, you will be required to send official score reports.

Learn More About Our Testing Policy

Your signed Early Decision Agreement Early Decision I and II only

If you’re applying as an Early Decision applicant, you must submit a binding agreement to attend Hopkins if admitted.

Learn More About Applying Early Decision

Request the Following Materials From Your School

Your secondary school report.

Ask your school counselor or another school official to submit your secondary school report—which includes your counselor recommendation, transcript, and high school profile—through the Common Application or Coalition on Scoir.

Two teacher evaluations

Also known as letters of recommendation, these should be from teachers of two different academic subjects who can provide insight into you and your work. They can be submitted through the Common Application or Coalition on Scoir.

Your mid-year report Due in mid-February

When you apply, your school counselor will usually send your current transcript with few or no senior year course grades included. The mid-year school report allows us to review your grades and performance in the first half of your senior year. We’ll reach out to you and your school counselor via email when these are due.

Submit Through Your Applicant Portal

International certification of finances form international students only.

You’re considered a domestic applicant if you’re a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, eligible non-citizen , or have DACA or undocumented status.

All international students who are applying for financial aid must submit a Certification of Finances form . The link will be available in your applicant portal , which you’ll receive access to after you submit your application.

If admitted to the university, international students not applying for financial aid must document the available funding for their education by submitting the Certification of Finances form.

Important note: International students must apply for aid as first-year applicants if they think they’ll need any financial help at any time while they’re at Hopkins.

Explore Our Resources for International Students

After You Apply

Check your application status, view your financial aid checklist, and access your admissions decision through the applicant portal. You'll receive instructions for logging on after you apply.

How We Make Hopkins Financially Possible

We make it possible for talented students to join our community and explore all it has to offer through financial aid that doesn’t need to be paid back.

Additional Applicant resources

We understand that each student has a different set of questions about the application process. Use the dropdown menu below for helpful answers that may apply to you.

Support for Unique Circumstances

We understand that external circumstances like natural disasters or current events can impact your ability to complete your application. If you need support or flexibility throughout the application process, please contact your regional admissions counselor .

Admissions Tips & Advice for Your College Search

Our College Planning Guide is a quick-reference resource where you can find all of our application tips videos, advice for your college search, and financial planning resources.

Admissions Events & Tours

Our events help you understand our admissions process and prepare you to craft your strongest application. Hear directly from our admissions team at a Q&A or application workshop, and get the answers you need to apply with confidence.