Admissions for PhD in Applied Mathematics

Requirements

All applicants must establish adequate preparation for graduate studies in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences as demonstrated by at least one of the following:

• A baccalaureate degree or master's degree (not necessarily in mathematics) from an accredited college or university, or completion of work equivalent to the baccalaureate degree or master's degree given at CU Denver with at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA);

or 

• Sufficiently high performance on the GRE subject test in mathematics, or completion of at least 12 credit hours of graduate-level mathematical coursework. 

In addition, students must have taken a minimum of 30 semester hours of undergraduate mathematics, at least 24 of which are upper division courses with a grade of B- or better. These courses must include:

• one semester of advanced calculus or real analysis (or equivalent)
• one semester of linear algebra
• one semester of one of the following:
  • abstract algebra
  • differential equations
  • discrete mathematics
  • probability

Subject to approval by the Graduate Committee, students who do not satisfy all of the above admission requirements may be admitted as a provisional degree student with the understanding that deficiencies must be removed within one year of entry into the program. Undergraduate credits earned for deficiency coursework cannot be applied to a graduate degree. 

Additional factors that can strengthen the application include 

• Strong performance within an MS degree program in Mathematics or related area
• Research activities and experience, including publications in reputable, refereed venues, conference presentations, and/or software development expertise
• GRE subject test in Mathematics
• Minor or second major or M.S. in an area related to student's focus

​Requirements (International Students)

• By University policy, International students must provide financial documentation and certified English translations of all records and references not in English. By graduate school rules, applicants whose native language is not English must satisfy the English language requirement in one of the following ways:
• Submit scores from the Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL, iBT) or from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).   The minimum acceptable scores can be found under "English Proficiency Testing" .
• Complete a baccalaureate or graduate-level degree at an accredited college or university where the language of instruction and the national language is English.
• Complete at least 2 semesters (minimum of 30 credits) at an accredited college or university in the United States as a full-time student with a "B" average (3.0 GPA) or higher.
• Additional requirements and documentation may also be required by the Office of International Education. For details and procedures, students should consult the Office of International Affairs

Application Files

A complete application packet includes two official transcripts, at least two letters of recommendation, your online application, and application fee. The application and letters of recommendation should be submitted online through the university application system.

Teaching Assistantships

To be considered for a Teaching Assistantship​, the application packet must be accompanied by a letter indicating interest in an assistantship and citing prior teaching or tutoring experience. At least one letter of recommendation should address the applicant's teaching potential. When considering requests for teaching assistantships, the primary criterion used is academic excellence. Other factors include the ability to teach lower division mathematics courses, quality of faculty recommendations, and more.

Please see our Scholarships and Financing page for more details and other opportunities to help fund your graduate studies.

Target Dates

The application package should be received by the Graduate Committee of the Department of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences by the target dates below to be guaranteed full consideration. Applications received after the target date may still be considered for admission, depending on space availability.

Admission to the PhD program is usually restricted to the Fall Semester.

Apply Now

Applications for domestic and international students are accepted online only at:

Apply Online Now

If you do not see the term you want available, you can apply anyway and let us know - we may be able to move your application.

Returning Students

If you are a former graduate student and want to apply for readmission, follow the instructions here.