Frequently Asked Questions

Students who have questions about the program, application process or application should first confer with their program of application. Some commonly asked questions, with their solutions, can be found below.

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General Information

Admission Requirements

You can find admission requirements for all graduate students as well as international student requirements here. Some programs have more stringent requirements, please consult with your program of interest. A list of schools and programs can be found here.

GRE requirements for 2024

For 2024 admissions, Rice generally is not requiring the GRE. However, individual degree programs have the option of recommending, strongly recommending, or requiring the general GRE. See the Programs of Study page or reach out to your program of admission for specific requirements.

Request Information

Please fill out our interest form here to receive more information on graduate study at Rice. For additional information, reach out to your program(s) of interest. A list of schools and programs can be found here.

Campus Tours

Group campus tours are available online and also in-person through the Rice Welcome Center.

Additionally, a graduate student virtual 360° tour may be found here.

Tuition Information

Tuition costs for all graduate programs can be found here.

• Ph.D. students generally do not pay tuition and are offered a stipend that supports the cost of living in Houston. There is no separate application needed for this financial support; the only application needed is your application for graduate study.
• Master’s programs are tuition-based; typically scholarships are not provided. Financial aid questions can be directed to Rice’s Office of Financial Aid.

Contact

Please carefully review all FAQ and related information for support. For specific questions about a graduate program or application to a graduate program, please directly contact the program directly. A list of contacts is here.

For technical issues with the application, please email gradsys@rice.edu.

Application Information

Access Application

Applications open on or around September 1 for admission the following year. The application can be accessed at gradapply.rice.edu. A list of degree programs can be found here.

Deadlines

Graduate application deadlines vary by program. For fall admission, most program deadlines occur in the preceding December or January. Please consult with your program of interest for specific deadlines. Some programs accept applications for the spring term, most of these deadlines occur in November. Please visit program websites for specific spring deadlines.

Accommodations for Extreme Circumstances

We hope you are safe and well. When severe circumstances arise, it may be difficult to complete an application to graduate school by the deadline. We offer some flexibility to prospective graduate students affected by extreme conditions such as: the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods); political unrest or armed conflict; sweeping network or power outages; or labor disputes and shortages. If you are facing a situation of this nature, we understand this is a stressful time for you. We hope you are able to address your immediate needs and those of your family, friends and colleagues.

Due to severe circumstances, test administrations may be delayed or unavailable. Please be in contact with your program of interest if circumstances in your community preclude you from being able to meet the application requirements.

Official Transcripts

All official transcripts must be sent directly to the program to which you intend to apply. For a listing of contacts, please visit the program mail stop directory. You may also upload an unofficial transcript directly within your online application.

Rice University accepts transcripts delivered electronically through Parchment. Programs are able to receive transcripts through other online services as well.

Applicants from Chinese institutions can request and submit official transcripts directly through CHESICC. Requests are processed by CHESICC and will be sent electronically to be associated with your application. If submitting through CHESICC you will not need to submit a paper copy of your transcript. Go here to get started.

Fee Waivers

For 2024, Rice will waive application fees for doctoral applicants who are graduates of institutions in Texas and bordering states Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico or who have a permanent address in these states. This does not include programs in the Jones School of Business.

Application fee waivers are also granted to graduate applicants of:

• The Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Fellows
• EducationUSA Mentees
• Fulbright Scholars
• GEM Fellowship applicants
• Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium presenters
• Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers
• McNair Scholars
• Mellon Mays Fellows
• National GEM Consortium Fellows
• National Name Exchange participants
• Opportunity Fund Scholars
• Vietnam Education Foundation Fellows

Editing the Application

Applicants are expected to proofread and verify all documents have been uploaded before submitting the application. Some programs will permit important minor edits to your application. Please contact the program you are applying to regarding editing your application. Applicants are able to replace time-sensitive documents (such as a c.v. or resume) directly through the application portal without assistance. Applicants are also able to add recommenders to your application even after the application has been submitted.

Application Status Updates

We make every effort to keep you informed of your application status via the application portal and to make timely decisions. Please note that not all programs will be able to respond to status requests.

Credentials & Test Scores

Degrees required for admittance

Admittance to a Rice University graduate-degree program, with the exception of those in the School of Music, requires a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an international institution officially recognized by that country’s Ministry of Education or its equivalent as determined by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. For the Shepherd School of Music, the equivalent to the baccalaureate degree will be determined by the Shepherd School of Music.

Rice University does not accept the Higher National Diploma as an equivalent degree to the baccalaureate.

The GRE

Rice Graduate Studies is not requiring the GRE for Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 admission, but will provide students with the option of submitting those scores. However, individual Rice degree programs will recommend, strongly recommend, or require the general GRE for Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 admission. See more information.

• General GRE is recommended but not required: MEML, MMSNE, MSPE, MStat, MS in Bioscience and Health Policy, in Materials Science and Nanoengineering, and in Space Studies; PhD in Materials Science and NanoEngineering
• General GRE is strongly recommended but not required: MCEE, MME, MS in Environmental Analysis, and in Mechanical Engineering; PhD in Chemistry, in Civil Engineering, in Environmental Engineering, in Political Science, and in Statistics.
• General GRE is required: PhD in Economics

Graduate programs in the Jones School of Business generally require some standardized testing, such as GMAT, Executive Assessment or the GRE. Waivers are available for those with appropriate qualifications as described at the Jones School’s application site.

Prospective students should check in with their program of application for additional details.

Score Reporting

The GRE and TOEFL tests are administered by the Educational Testing Service. To officially report your scores, visit the ETS website to order score reports if you did not do so on your test day. The ETS institutional reporting code for Rice University is 6609. The score reports will also permit you to designate a program code as well as an institutional reporting code. Using these codes may expedite the reporting of your scores, but it is not required. You do not need to report these scores individually to programs; they should be reported electronically to Rice University using the ETS code. For IELTS, scores can be reported directly to Rice using the name "Rice University Graduate Admissions." More information on score reporting, including Duolingo reporting, is here. Please allow two weeks for your scores to be officially reported to Rice.

English Language Proficiency - TOEFL, IETLS and Duolingo

The full Rice policy on English Language Proficiency can be found here. For 2024 admission, the following tests are accepted and will be used to assess English language proficiency:

• The TOEFL IBT Home. A minimum score of 90 is required.

• IELTS indicator. A minimum score of 7 is required.

• Duolingo English Test. A minimum score of 115 is required. More.

Students who have a bachelor's degree from an institution where English is the language of instruction, please review the full English Language Proficiency policy.

Please note the above scores are the minimum requirement, though some program requirements will be higher. For 2024, Rice will not accept the ITP Plus test to evaluate English language proficiency, but scores are able to be reported to Rice as a supplemental material via Vericant. For more information on Rice's language proficiency requirements, click here.

TOEFL "MyBest Scores"

Rice does not accept TOEFL's "MyBest Scores". Rice only accepts the best composite score.

Scores Not Received

Please allow 2-4 weeks for scores to be officially reported to Rice. If your scores have not yet shown up in your application, there are three things you can do.

1) If you have used an email address for score reporting that is different than the email address tied to your application, be sure to add it as an alternate address in your application, in the biographical details section. This will allow us to more easily associate your test scores with your record.

2) You can contact the program to which you have applied and let them know that your scores are still showing pending. The program will be able to open your application and match the scores if they were not automatically matched already. A list of contacts can be found here.

3) You can also check with ETS to make sure that you sent the scores using the correct university code.

Score Validity

Please be mindful of how long your scores are valid. E.g., for the GRE, it is five years from your test date. For the TOEFL, it is two years. Scores should be valid and reportable at the time the application is submitted.

English Language Requirements and the Application Deadline

Typically, international applicants are able to submit their TOEFL / IELTS / Duolingo after the deadline. Consult with your program of application for details.

English Language Requirements and Institutions with English as Official Language

The full Rice policy on English Language Proficiency can be found here. Students who completed a degree from a university where English is the official language may be exempt from submitting TOEFL / IELTS / Duolingo scores. These students may upload a "Proof of Instruction in English" on the status page of their application. This proof is often found on the front or back of an official transcript or may be an official statement from the Registrar's Office. Students only completing coursework and not a degree in English are not exempt from submitting test scores. Consult with your program of interest for details.