Fall Semester: Prior to June 1st for United States applicants (though we recommend having the applications submitted for fall consideration in March) ; March 1st for international applicants.  We try to have all of our decisions made by the June 1st deadline.

Spring Semester: Prior to October 15th for United States applicants; September 1st for international applicants.  We try to have all of our decisions made by the October 15th deadline.

The statement of purpose, reference letters, transcripts, test scores, and other miscellaneous application materials need to be submitted before reviews can be completed.

The statement should focus on you and your goals. You should include your short-term goals (graduate school) long-term goals (career), how your short-term goals help achieve your long-term goals, why you are interested in this field of study, what excites you about it, why you have chosen this particular university, and what specific professor you would like to work with and why.

Students considering graduate study in Marine Biology should have a strong background in biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, ecology, evolution, or a related field. Students considering Oceanography should have strengths within the subdiscipline they are considering (i.e. physics/math/computing, chemistry, biology/ecology, geology).  Students are admitted on the basis of their academic qualifications, research experience, and the ability of the program to provide mentorship in their particular area of research interest. Students must contact potential faculty advisors before applying.

In Fisheries, we conduct a holistic review of a student’s application to look for evidence of potential success as a graduate student.  To do this, we review undergraduate preparation, research and employment experience, letters of recommendation, and statements of purpose, however, we no longer require GREs.  We highly recommend that prior to applying, you inquire about graduate student opportunities with several faculty and indicate in your statement of purpose whether you have identified a potential project and advisor.

First, the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) Academic Programs Manager or Coordinator will work closely with the central UAF Admissions Office to collect all application materials. The Coordinator enters the applicant’s information into the CFOS-internal applicant database which is accessible to CFOS faculty online. Once all application materials are received, the Coordinator will notify the faculty that the file is ready for review.

(Note: Occasionally, faculty may review application files that have at least two of the three required letters of recommendation. Also, while official transcripts are required, the unofficial transcripts may be used in the interim until the official transcripts arrive at the UAF Admissions Office. This helps to speed up the departmental review process. Some faculty advisors may request you to take the GRE test for evaluation.)

A minimum of three faculty members then review each file. The Fisheries, Oceanography, or Marine Biology Department Chair assesses the faculty reviews of each applicant and compiles a recommendation to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs to either accept or deny the applicant. Next, the Associate Dean evaluates all the applicant’s materials, faculty reviews, and the Department Chair’s recommendation. The Associate Dean then makes a final recommendation to the Graduate School Dean to either accept or deny the student.

Finally, the applicant’s file and the Associate Dean’s final recommendation are forwarded to the UAF Graduate School Dean who makes the final decision of acceptance or denial. The Graduate School then coordinates with the UAF Admissions Office to prepare an official letter addressed to the student with notification of the final decision. 

Have more questions about the application review process? Please e-mail CFOS Academic Programs at academics@cfos.uaf.edu.

Our students conduct their research, take their courses and complete their degrees in a variety of places throughout Alaska and beyond.  Many students opt to be based at one of our campuses in Fairbanks and Juneau while others rely on distance delivery of courses and never step foot on our campuses.

Prospective students are encouraged to do some preliminary research on CFOS faculty by viewing their web pages. A list of faculty who may serve as a graduate student’s major advisor can be found here: Fisheries, Marine Biology, or Oceanography.

If a faculty’s research and area of expertise match your interests, we recommend contacting the faculty member directly to discuss potential graduate projects and to see if the faculty/advisor is taking new students. If the faculty expresses interest in taking you on as a graduate student, you should mention this in your Statement of Goals/Purpose. When your application materials are received, we will know which faculty member(s) to contact for a written review of your application file. This helps to streamline the departmental review process substantially.

In fact, contacting faculty directly and gaining their interest in you is the #1 action you can take as an applicant to greatly increase your chances of acceptance to a graduate program at CFOS. If a faculty member wishes to accept you as their student, they will champion your application file and recommend you for acceptance to the UAF Graduate School. Only in very rare circumstances are students accepted without a major advisor having already been identified.

Have more questions about the application review process? Please e-mail the Academic Programs Assistant for CFOS at academics@cfos.uaf.edu.

The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Fisheries Program no longer requires applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test.  As of 2021, UAF Faculty Senate has put a hold on requiring GRE scores for other graduate programs.  The termination of that hold is not known at this time; however, individual faculty advisors for the Marine Biology or Oceanography program may request that you take the GRE test in order for you to be considered.  They may also ask for writing samples.  This is determined on a case-by-case basis.  If the GRE test is requested, an applicant must have scored at the 55 percentile or better in at least two of the three areas (verbal, quantitative, written) of the GRE.  Once UAF reinstates the GRE requirement, the Marine Biology program will require the GRE test.

On average, students actively enrolled in a master’s degree program in CFOS complete their degree in three years. There is a maximum time limit of seven years to complete an M.S. at UAF.

For the 2022-2023 academic year, an MS student receives a bi-weekly stipend of $912.00.  During the summer months, this typically increases two-fold depending on funding and hours worked.  This is an important discussion topic to have with your potential advisor.  All UAF CFOS TAs include a six-credit tuition award, obligate UAF fees, and graduate student health insurance.  The RAs include a six-nine credit award (depending on funding in the grant), obligate UAF Fees, and graduate student health insurance. Personal expenses including parking, personal mail, rent, food, and textbooks are the responsibility of the student.  In some cases, computers and software are supported by research grants while in other cases the student may be responsible for them.  Please check with potential faculty advisors to determine whether computers and software will be covered by a research grant.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, an MS student receives a bi-weekly stipend of $970.40.  During the summer months, this typically increases two-fold depending on funding and hours worked.  This is an important discussion topic to have with your potential advisor.  All UAF CFOS TAs include a six-credit tuition award, obligate UAF fees, and graduate student health insurance.  The RAs include a six-nine credit award (depending on funding in the grant), obligate UAF Fees, and graduate student health insurance. Personal expenses including parking, personal mail, rent, food, and textbooks are the responsibility of the student.  In some cases, computers and software are supported by research grants while in other cases the student may be responsible for them.  Please check with potential faculty advisors to determine whether computers and software will be covered by a research grant.

On average, students actively enrolled in a Ph.D. degree program in CFOS complete their degree in five to six years. There is a maximum time limit of 10 years to complete a Ph.D. at UAF.

For the 2022-2023 academic year, a Ph.D. student entering the program without an MS will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $912.00 (Note: The Marine Biology program will not accept Ph.D. applicants without an MS degree, and the Fisheries program will do so only in exceptional circumstances). A Ph.D. student entering the program with an MS degree will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $982.80. During the summer months, this typically increases two-fold depending on funding and hours worked.  This is an important discussion topic to have with your potential advisor.  All UAF CFOS TAs include a six-credit tuition award, obligate UAF fees, and graduate student health insurance.  The RAs include a six-nine credit award (depending on funding in the grant), obligate UAF Fees, and graduate student health insurance. Personal expenses including parking, personal mail, rent, food, and textbooks are the responsibility of the student.  In some cases, computers and software are supported by research grants while in other cases the student may be responsible for them.  Please check with potential faculty advisors to determine whether computers and software will be covered by a research grant.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, a Ph.D. student entering the program without an MS will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $970.40. A Ph.D. student entering the program with an MS degree will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $1044.80. During the summer months, this typically increases two-fold depending on funding and hours worked.  This is an important discussion topic to have with your potential advisor.  All UAF CFOS TAs include a six-credit tuition award, obligate UAF fees, and graduate student health insurance.  The RAs include a six-nine credit award (depending on funding in the grant), obligate UAF Fees, and graduate student health insurance. Personal expenses including parking, personal mail, rent, food, and textbooks are the responsibility of the student.  In some cases, computers and software are supported by research grants while in other cases the student may be responsible for them.  Please check with potential faculty advisors to determine whether computers and software will be covered by a research grant.

Totally awesome, but don’t feel intimidated, most do not bite.