For Prospective Students
The department typically admits 10 to 12 new students each year, and typically has a total of 50 to 55 students. We invite applications to our PhD program from all qualified applicants, and we foster a welcoming and collaborative environment. The Department would like to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply. Fee waivers are available through the Notre Dame Graduate School --- see https://graduateschool.nd.edu/admissions/faq/ for details on how to apply for fee waivers. Additional fee waivers can be granted in limited number by the Department of Mathematics, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We kindly ask that you provide the reason for which you are requesting a fee waiver when you email us. This will allow us to assess your request and provide a decision to you in the most timely manner possible — please send all requests to the Director of Graduate Admissions, Mark Behrens (mbehren1@nd.edu).
Initial admissions decisions are usually made in mid-February, but we frequently admit additional students as the process proceeds. Students in good standing are guaranteed support for 5 years, and some students receive support for a 6th year. The average time required for a student to finish a PhD is 5.4 years.
Application Information
The application deadline is January 7. Applicants should submit:
- A statement of intent
- A Curriculum vita
- A transcript
- The general and subject GRE are optional. If you want to submit these scores, you are welcome to do so. Since the pandemic, only a small fraction of our applicants have submitted GRE scores, and they have not been a major factor in our admissions decisions. We are aware that for many applicants, it is significantly more difficult to take the GRE than it was prior to the pandemic due to various restrictions. If this circumstance applies to your situation, you can submit a statement explaining the circumstances as part of your application.
- TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers of English
Applicants should arrange for three (or more) letters of recommendation. It is frequently helpful for applicants to submit a list of all relevant courses taken beyond calculus, together with texts used for the course. This is especially useful for foreign applicants.
We typically make admissions decisions by mid-February, but frequently accept additional students later in the process.
Information for Applicants: Applicants should be on track to complete an undergraduate degree in mathematics or take equivalent courses. Three year degrees from Indian universities, or physics degrees with extensive mathematical physics are acceptable qualifications. Most of our successful applicants have completed:
- Two semesters of abstract algebra, or 1 semester of abstract algebra and a semester of a course that uses abstract algebra
- Two semesters of proof-based analysis, one of which can be complex variables
- Perhaps 3 or 4 additional semesters of proof-based math courses, which are frequently drawn from subjects like topology, geometry, differential equations, combinatorics, number theory, logic, or other subjects at a similar level, provided these courses are available.
We look for applicants who have taken good advantage of the opportunities available to them as undergraduates. At some institutions, this means applicants who have taken graduate courses, and at other places, it may mean reading courses, sometimes in place of a second semester of algebra or analysis.
Congratulations to our recent graduates in their new positions!
Learn about there accomplishments here!
Contact Info
Dr. Misha Gekhtman, Director of Graduate Studies
Email: mgekhtma@nd.edu
Dr. Mark Behrens, Director of Graduate Admissions
Email: mbehren1@nd.edu
Gabrielle Cretcher, Graduate Coordinator
Email: gcretche@nd.edu
Phone: 574-631-7245