Last updated on 5/30/25 for Fall 2026 Admissions.
Master’s Program
We offer a Master's program for students seeking to strengthen their mathematical foundations. The application process for the Master's program is the same as for the PhD.
PhD Program
The Department of Mathematics offers a PhD program for students interested in careers using advanced mathematics. Since all entry-level graduate courses are year-long sequences beginning in the autumn, applications for admission are accepted only for autumn quarter. Applications must be complete by December 10, 2025 for admission the following autumn. Please use the UW Online Application Portal.
Follow the links below to read about admission requirements and application procedures.
Application Materials
Transcripts: Information regarding all prior undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Official documents are required for admitted students.
Resume or CV: Upload a 1-2 page PDF document to the application website. The following components should be included:
- employment history (including internships, part time jobs, research assistantships, and teaching experience)
- special math programs you have participated in (such as Research Experiences for Undergraduates)
- honors and awards
- publications
- special skills
Personal Statement: On the application website, you will be asked to upload a Personal Statement as a PDF document. The suggested length is roughly 1000 words. Some of the topics you could address are the following (you're not expected to cover all of these topics):
- Describe a recent mathematical experience that influenced your decision to apply to graduate school in math.
- What academic or scholarly experience has been most challenging for you, and how did you handle it?
- Describe aspects of your personal history — such as cultural, educational, economic, or family background, or prior work experience — that have influenced your intellectual development, interests, career plans, and goals.
- Have you done anything to make the world a better place (start a math club, help people with homework,...)?
Letters of Recommendation: You will be asked to enter the names and contact information (affiliation, email, phone), for at least three letters of recommendation. Individuals will be contacted as soon as you enter them into the application. Please ask your recommenders early enough so that they can submit their letters by the application deadline. We cannot guarantee letters received after this date will be included in application review.
Application Fee: The University of Washington Graduate School Admissions Office charges a nonrefundable application fee to process your application. See the Graduate School’s application page for more details.
Application Fee Waivers: The University of Washington offers fee waivers for graduate school applications under some circumstances. The following is a list of the fee waiver programs that we are currently aware of. All waiver requests must be submitted at least 5 days before the application deadline. If approved, you will need to submit your application in the portal by the deadline.
- Need-based: US applicants who qualify on the basis of financial need can request a fee waiver from the Graduate School as part of their online application. International applicants are not eligible for need-based fee waivers. More information is available on the Graduate School’s fee waiver instructions page.
- UW recognized programs: The University of Washington Graduate School offers fee waivers for McNair Scholars and PPIA Fellows who have submitted documentation. See the fee waiver instructions page for more details.
- UW Math Department recognized programs: The Math Department offers fee waivers for Math Alliance Predoctoral Scholars and participants in MSRI-UP. To request a Math Department program related waiver, send an email to gradmath@uw.edu with documentation of your membership in the specific program.
DO NOT REQUEST THE WAIVER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
International applicants who are not native English speakers are also required to provide evidence of English proficiency in order to receive financial support. Please see International Applicants for details regarding the English proficiency requirements for graduate admission and TA appointments.
TOEFL Scores: If you are required to submit TOEFL scores as an international applicant, request ETS to electronically send your official scores to the University of Washington using Institution Code 4854. (Department code is not required.) In order for your scores to arrive by the application deadline, you need to complete the tests no later than two weeks before.
Funding
Most of our students are funded by teaching assistantships (TA's), some are funded by research assistantships (RA's), and some have fellowships from outside of UW. See Teaching Assistantships for more information.
International Applicants
The English Language Proficiency Requirements for International Applicants
Note: An international applicant is one who is not a US citizen and does not hold a US Permanent Resident Visa ("green card" or "immigrant"). This definition includes students who hold US visas, such as F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, H1-B, or any other non-immigrant classifications. The Graduate School’s International Applicant Information is a helpful resource. We will summarize the requirements below.
In addition to the materials that all applicants must submit, international applicants who are not native speakers of English need to provide evidence of English language proficiency. Our graduate students are supported through teaching assistantships. If your native language is not English, to qualify for admission with financial support you must also have either
- a Bachelor's degree from an institution in an English-speaking country listed in Memo #15/Policy 5.2 (note that the University's list of English-speaking countries is quite limited and does not include, for example, India or Hong Kong);
- a score of 92 or higher on the TOEFL-iBT and either a score of at least 26 on the speaking section of the TOEFL-iBT or else a score of at least 7.0 on the speaking section of the IELTS.
NOTE: If you spoke English in your home during the first six years of your childhood, and it was the language in which you received instruction in school through age 13, you are considered a native English speaker.
You should not apply if you do not meet the English language requirement.
If you have further questions about applying to our program, please contact us at gradmath@uw.edu. Thanks for your interest in our programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I don't have an undergraduate degree in mathematics, can I be admitted to the UW Math Graduate Program?
The University of Washington requires a bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution for admission to any graduate program. Your degree does NOT have to be in mathematics. People have successfully made the transition to a Math PhD from Computer Science, Physics, Statistics, Electrical Engineering, and other fields. It does take a strong commitment. To have a realistic chance of admission to our program leading to a successful degree, you need to have completed coursework equivalent to an undergraduate math degree with good grades and at least one strong recommendation from an instructor in a rigorous advanced math course.
Is it OK to submit a recommendation from someone who is not a math instructor?
Yes, especially as a fourth letter of recommendation. If for some reason you cannot get three recommendations from people who have been the instructors of mathematics courses you have taken, then go ahead and have someone else (such as a professor in another course or a job supervisor) send us a recommendation. The most useful recommendations are those from faculty who have been your instructors in advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate math courses and who know you rather well. It is also helpful to have a letter from an instructor in an REU program (Research Experience for Undergraduates) or someone else who can write about your mathematical studies or activities that go beyond ordinary coursework.
I've done graduate work at another university. Can I get transfer credits or be exempted from some courses or exams?
We welcome students who have already taken graduate courses or who already have Master's degrees. Any exemption requests from incoming students will be considered by the faculty just prior to matriculation.
Does the UW Math Department have a mathematics education graduate program?
No. Many members of the Math Department are involved in studying mathematics education issues and in outreach to the schools. Graduate students often participate in these programs and discussions. We do not offer a math education degree. The College of Education does offer such a degree.
I'm an international applicant. Must I take the TOEFL?
If you have a bachelor's degree from a US institution, no. If you are a native English speaker from the University's list of English-speaking countries, no. (Note that the University's list of English-speaking countries is quite limited and does not include, for example, India or Hong Kong). Otherwise, you probably need to take the TOEFL. See International Applicants for more details.
I was admitted for this year but I'd like to postpone my entrance into the program. Can I defer my admission to a later year?
Deferrals for a maximum of one year are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please discuss any requests for deferral with the chair of the Graduate Admissions Committee.
I have a question not answered here. Whom should I contact?
Send e-mail to gradmath@uw.edu if you have any more questions.