statistics phd waitlist

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For all classes, the Department uses the electronic waitlist system once the class fills. Students seeking to enroll in an already full class can put their names on a waitlist through the on-line registration system (Wolverine Access) . A waitlist number will appear on the student’s schedule indicating their sequence spot on the electronic waitlist. However, priority on the waitlist is determined not necessarily by sequential order but by each Department’s policies. Departmental staff monitor enrollment and work with Faculty to apply appropriate departmental policies to determine which, if any, students are accepted into the class once it is full and waitlisted.The Department of Statistics must allow students who are declared in its programs the opportunity to register for Statistics classes needed to complete their programs. Any remaining seats in STATS/DATASCI courses will be available to non-Statistics students on the first day of classes each term, and permissions will be issued according to the procedure below. Instructors in the Statistics Department do not manage their waitlists and do not issue overrides.*Please note that for STATS courses, additional seats may be available in the DATASCI registration holds. STATS and DATASCI are the exact same course. Waitlists for both will be reviewed accordingly.

Permission Procedures

Students offered permission will receive an email with registration information from Wolverine Access. After receiving permission, students must add the class via Wolverine Access to become officially enrolled within the 48 hour expiration date. Also, students will not be able to register for the course (add the course) until they are issued permission and have dropped themselves from the waitlist. In all cases, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he or she is properly enrolled in a course by the expiration date.

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Department of Statistics

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• Open Positions
• PhD Program

The department encourages research in both theoretical and applied statistics. Faculty members of the department have been leaders in research on a multitude of topics that include statistical inference, statistical computing and Monte-Carlo methods, analysis of missing data, causal inference, stochastic processes, multilevel models, experimental design, network models and the interface of statistics and the social, physical, and biological sciences. A unique feature of the department lies in the fact that apart from methodological research, all the faculty members are also heavily involved in applied research, developing novel methodology that can be applied to a wide array of fields like astrophysics, biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, public policy, sociology, education and many others.

Two carefully designed special courses offered to Ph.D. students form a unique feature of our program. Among these, Stat 303 equips students with the  basic skills necessary to teach statistics , as well as to be better overall statistics communicators. Stat 399 equips them with generic skills necessary for problem solving abilities.

Our Ph.D. students often receive substantial guidance from several faculty members, not just from their primary advisors, and in several settings. For example, every Ph.D. candidate who passes the qualifying exam gives a 30 minute presentation each semester (in Stat 300 ), in which the faculty ask questions and make comments. The Department recently introduced an award for Best Post-Qualifying Talk (up to two per semester), to further encourage and reward inspired research and presentations.

PhD Program Requirements

PhD Program Admissions Process

• PhD Admissions FAQ
• AM in Statistics
• Stat 300: Research in Statistics
• Stat 303: The Art and Practice of Teaching Statistics

Need Assistance?

Admission FAQs

• What is the application deadline? What is the deadline for financial aid? Our application deadline is January 5, 2024 .
• Can I meet with you in person or talk to you on the phone? Unfortunately given the high number of applications we receive, we are unable to meet or speak with our applicants.
• What are the required application materials? Specific admission requirements for our programs can be found here .
• Due to financial hardship, I cannot pay the application fee, can I still apply to your program? Yes. Many of our prospective students are eligible for fee waivers. GSAS offers a variety of application fee waivers .
• How many students do you admit each year? It varies year to year. We finalize our numbers between December – early February.
• What is the distribution of students currently enrolled in your program? (their background, GPA, standard tests, etc)? Unfortunately, we are unable to share this information.
• How many accepted students receive financial aid? All students in the Ph.D. program receive, for up to five years, a funding package consisting of tuition, fees, and a stipend. These fellowships are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success; they are contingent upon the student remaining in good academic standing. Summer support, while not guaranteed, is generally provided. Teaching and research experience are considered important aspects of the training of graduate students. Thus, graduate fellowships include some teaching and research apprenticeship. Ph.D. students are given funds to purchase a laptop PC, and additional computing resources are supplied for research projects as necessary. The Department also subsidizes up to $750 of travel expenses for students who make presentations at scientific meetings. Additional matching funds from the Graduate School Arts and Sciences are available to students who have passed the oral qualifying exam.
• Below are my grades and standardized test scores. Can I apply to your program? What are my chances of being admitted? We receive more than 450 applications a year and there are many students in our applicant pool who are qualified for our program. However, we can only admit a few top students. Before seeing the entire applicant pool, we cannot comment on admission probabilities.
• What is the minimum GPA for admissions? While we don’t have a GPA threshold, we will carefully review applicants’ transcripts and grades obtained in individual courses.
• Is there a minimum GRE requirement? The general GRE exam is waived for the 2023 – 2024 application cycle.
• Can I upload a copy of my GRE score to the application? Yes, but make sure you arrange for ETS to send the official score to GSAS.
• Is the GRE math subject exam required? No, we do not require the GRE math subject exam.
• What is the minimum TOEFL or IELTS  requirement? The Columbia GSAS minimum requirements for TOEFL and IELTS are: 100 (IBT), 600 (PBT) TOEFL, or 7.5 IELTS
•  I took the TOEFL and IELTS more than two years ago; is my score valid? Scores more than two years old are not accepted. Applicants are strongly urged to make arrangements to take these examinations early in the fall and before completing their application.
• I am an international student and earned a master’s degree from a US university. Can I obtain a TOEFL or IELTS waiver? You may only request a waiver of the English proficiency requirement from GSAS by submitting the English Proficiency Waiver Request form and if you meet any of the criteria described here .
• My transcript is not in English. What should I do? You have to submit a notarized translated copy along with the original transcript.

You may apply concurrently to a program housed at GSAS and to programs housed at other divisions of the University. However, since GSAS does not share application materials with other divisions, you must complete the application requirements for each school.

When will I receive a decision on my application? Notification of decisions for all PhD applicants generally takes place by the end of March.

Notification of MA decisions varies by department and application deadlines. Some MA decisions are sent out in early spring; others may be released as late as mid-August.

Can I apply to both MA Statistics and PhD statistics simultaneously?  For any given entry term, applicants may elect to apply to up to two programs—either one PhD program and one MA program, or two MA programs—by submitting a single (combined) application to the Graduate School.  Applicants who attempt to submit more than one GSAS application for the same entry term will be required to withdraw one of the applications.

The Graduate School permits applicants to be reviewed by a second program if they do not receive an offer of admission from their first-choice program, with the following restrictions:

• This option is only available for fall-term applicants.
• Applicants will be able to view and opt for a second choice (if applicable) after selecting their first choice. Applicants should not submit a second application. (Note: Selecting a second choice will not affect the consideration of your application by your first choice.)
• Applicants must upload a separate Statement of Purpose and submit any additional supporting materials required by the second program. Transcripts, letters, and test scores should only be submitted once.
• An application will be forwarded to the second-choice program only after the first-choice program has completed its review and rendered its decision. An application file will not be reviewed concurrently by both programs.
• Programs may stop considering second-choice applications at any time during the season; GSAS cannot guarantee that your application will receive a second review.

GSAS Office of Admissions

Columbia University 

107 Low Library, MC 4303

535 West 116th Street 

New York, NY 10027

Academic FAQs

• How many years does it take to pursue a Ph.D. degree in your program? Our students usually graduate in 4‐6 years.
• Can the Ph.D. be pursued part-time? No, all of our students are full-time students. We do not offer a part-time option.
• What’s the minimum hours/week commitment needed for the successful completion of the Ph.D.? Once a student receives admission, if the student has an external fellowship, then the student will be exempted from teaching responsibilities, for the duration of the fellowship. Students can use their extra time to engage in other activities. However, please note that our program has course enrollment plus research requirements and these cannot be waived.
• One of the requirements is to have knowledge of linear algebra (through the level of MATH V2020 at Columbia) and advanced calculus (through the level of MATH V1201). I studied these topics; how do I know if I meet the knowledge content requirement? We interview our top candidates and based on the information on your transcripts and your grades, if we are not sure about what you covered in your courses we will ask you during the interview.
• Can I contact faculty members to learn more about their research and hopefully gain their support? Yes, you are more than welcome to contact faculty members and discuss your research interests with them. However, please note that all the applications are processed by a central admission committee, and individual faculty members cannot and will not guarantee admission to our program.
• How do I find out which professors are taking on new students to mentor this year?  Applications are evaluated through a central admissions committee. Openings in individual faculty groups are not considered during the admissions process. Therefore, we suggest contacting the faculty members you would like to work with and asking if they are planning to take on new students.

For more information please contact us at [email protected] .

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DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS Columbia University Room 1005 SSW, MC 4690 1255 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10027 Phone: 212.851.2132 Fax: 212.851.2164

Department of Statistics and Data Science

Ph.d. admissions.

The Ph.D. program admits only a small number of new students each year.  We received more than 300 applications for the Fall 2024 cohort; in general, we hope to make 15-18 offers and obtain an entering class of about six to eight students.

All applications for this program should be submitted directly to the Yale Graduate School Office of Admissions through the online application page.

Application requirements and guidelines

Scores from the GRE General Test are now optional.  A GRE Subject Test is also optional, although the Mathematics Subject Test is not recommended for students whose undergraduate major was not Mathematics. 

All applicants should have a strong mathematical background, including advanced calculus, linear algebra, elementary probability theory, and at least one course providing an introduction to mathematical statistics. An undergraduate major may be in statistics, mathematics, computer science, or in a subject in which significant statistical problems may arise.

For those whose native language is not English, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required. A strong command of English is essential for success at Yale.  This requirement is waived only for applicants who, prior to matriculation at Yale, will have received a baccalaureate degree or its international equivalent with three years of residency from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction.

The offer of admission typically includes full tuition ($48,300 in 2023-24) and a generous stipend (roughly $40,300 for 2023-24) for five years.  Consult the Graduate School’s financial assistance page (UPDATE NEEDED) for additional detail on living costs and funding.

For incoming students whose TOEFL scores fall below the level required to satisfy the Graduate School’s Oral English Proficiency Standard, the Graduate School provides a stipend for support during a three week Immersive English Program , held late in summer on the Yale campus.

Tuition and Living Costs  (UPDATE NEEDED)

Ph.D. in Statistics

Our doctoral program in statistics gives future researchers preparation to teach and lead in academic and industry careers.

Program Description

Degree type.

approximately 5 years

The relatively new Ph.D. in Statistics strives to be an exemplar of graduate training in statistics. Students are exposed to cutting edge statistical methodology through the modern curriculum and have the opportunity to work with multiple faculty members to take a deeper dive into special topics, gain experience in working in interdisciplinary teams and learn research skills through flexible research electives. Graduates of our program are prepared to be leaders in statistics and machine learning in both academia and industry.

The Ph.D. in Statistics is expected to take approximately five years to complete, and students participate as full-time graduate students.  Some students are able to finish the program in four years, but all admitted students are guaranteed five years of financial support.  

Within our program, students learn from global leaders in statistics and data sciences and have:

20 credits of required courses in statistical theory and methods, computation, and applications

18 credits of research electives working with two or more faculty members, elective coursework (optional), and a guided reading course

Dissertation research

Coursework Timeline

Year 1: focus on core learning.

The first year consists of the core courses:

• SDS 384.2 Mathematical Statistics I
• SDS 383C Statistical Modeling I
• SDS 387 Linear Models
• SDS 384.11 Theoretical Statistics
• SDS 383D Statistical Modeling II
• SDS 386D Monte Carlo Methods

In addition to the core courses, students of the first year are expected to participate in SDS 190 Readings in Statistics. This class focuses on learning how to read scientific papers and how to grasp the main ideas, as well as on practicing presentations and getting familiar with important statistics literature.

At the end of the first year, students are expected to take a written preliminary exam. The examination has two purposes: to assess the student’s strengths and weaknesses and to determine whether the student should continue in the Ph.D. program. The exam covers the core material covered in the core courses and it consists of two parts: a 3-hour closed book in-class portion and a take-home applied statistics component. The in-class portion is scheduled at the end of the Spring Semester after final exams (usually late May). The take-home problem is distributed at the end of the in-class exam, with a due-time 24 hours later. 

Year 2: Transitioning from Student to Researcher

In the second year of the program, students take the following courses totaling 9 credit hours each semester:

• Required: SDS 190 Readings in Statistics (1 credit hour)
• Required: SDS 389/489 Research Elective* (3 or 4 credit hours) in which the student engages in independent research under the guidance of a member of the Statistics Graduate Studies Committee
• One or more elective courses selected from approved electives ; and/or
• One or more sections of SDS 289/389/489 Research Elective* (2 to 4 credit hours) in which the student engages in independent research with a member(s) of the Statistics Graduate Studies Committee OR guided readings/self-study in an area of statistics or machine learning. 
• Internship course (0 or 1 credit hour; for international students to obtain Curricular Practical Training; contact Graduate Coordinator for appropriate course options)
• GRS 097 Teaching Assistant Fundamentals or NSC 088L Introduction to Evidence-Based Teaching (0 credit hours; for TA and AI preparation)

* Research electives allow students to explore different advising possibilities by working for a semester with a particular professor. These projects can also serve as the beginning of a dissertation research path. No more than six credit hours of research electives can be taken with a single faculty member in a semester.

Year 3: Advance to Candidacy

Students are encouraged to attend conferences, give presentations, as well as to develop their dissertation research. At the end of the second year or during their third year, students are expected to present their plan of study for the dissertation in an Oral candidacy exam. During this exam, students should demonstrate their research proficiency to their Ph.D. committee members. Students who successfully complete the candidacy exam can apply for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. once they have completed their required coursework and satisfied departmental requirements. The steps to advance to candidacy are:

• Discuss potential candidacy exam topics with advisor
• Propose Ph.D. committee: the proposed committee must follow the Graduate School and departmental regulations on committee membership for what will become the Ph.D. Dissertation Committee
•   Application for candidacy

Year 4+: Dissertation Completion and Defense

Students are encouraged to attend conferences, give presentations, as well as to develop their dissertation research. Moreover, they are expected to present part of their work in the framework of the department's Ph.D. poster session.

Students who are admitted to candidacy will be expected to complete and defend their Ph.D. thesis before their Ph.D. committee to be awarded the degree. The final examination, which is oral, is administered only after all coursework, research and dissertation requirements have been fulfilled. It is expected that students will be prepared to defend by the end of their fifth year in the doctoral program.

General Information and Expectations for All Ph.D. students

• 2023-24 Student Handbook
• Annual Review At the end of every spring semester, students in their second year and beyond are expected to fill out an annual review form distributed by the Graduate Program Administrator. 
• Seminar Series All students are expected to attend the SDS Seminar Series
• SDS 189R Course Description (when taken for internship)
• Internship Course Registration form
• Intel Corporation
• Berry Consultants

Attending Conferences 

Students are encouraged to attend conferences to share their work. All research-related travel while in student status require prior authorization.

• Request for Travel Authorization (both domestic and international travel)
• Request for Authorization for International Travel  

PhD Program information

The Statistics PhD program is rigorous, yet welcoming to students with interdisciplinary interests and different levels of preparation. Students in the PhD program take core courses on the theory and application of probability and statistics during their first year. The second year typically includes additional course work and a transition to research leading to a dissertation. PhD thesis topics are diverse and varied, reflecting the scope of faculty research interests. Many students are involved in interdisciplinary research. Students may also have the option to pursue a designated emphasis (DE) which is an interdisciplinary specialization:  Designated Emphasis in Computational and Genomic Biology ,  Designated Emphasis in Computational Precision Health ,  Designated Emphasis in Computational and Data Science and Engineering . The program requires four semesters of residence.

Normal progress entails:

Year 1 . Perform satisfactorily in preliminary coursework. In the summer, students are required to embark on a short-term research project, internship, graduate student instructorship, reading course, or on another research activity. Years 2-3 . Continue coursework. Find a thesis advisor and an area for the oral qualifying exam. Formally choose a chair for qualifying exam committee, who will also serve as faculty mentor separate from the thesis advisor.  Pass the oral qualifying exam and advance to candidacy by the end of Year 3. Present research at BSTARS each year. Years 4-5 . Finish the thesis and give a lecture based on it in a department seminar.

Program Requirements

• Qualifying Exam

Course work and evaluation

Preliminary stage: the first year.

Effective Fall 2019, students are expected to take four semester-long courses for a letter grade during their first year which should be selected from the core first-year PhD courses offered in the department: Probability (204/205A, 205B,), Theoretical Statistics (210A, 210B), and Applied Statistics (215A, 215B). These requirements can be altered by a member of the PhD Program Committee (in consultation with the faculty mentor and by submitting a graduate student petition ) in the following cases:

• Students primarily focused on probability will be allowed to substitute one semester of the four required semester-long courses with an appropriate course from outside the department.
• Students may request to postpone one semester of the core PhD courses and complete it in the second year, in which case they must take a relevant graduate course in their first year in its place. In all cases, students must complete the first year requirements in their second year as well as maintain the overall expectations of second year coursework, described below. Some examples in which such a request might be approved are described in the course guidance below.
• Students arriving with advanced standing, having completed equivalent coursework at another institution prior to joining the program, may be allowed to take other relevant graduate courses at UC Berkeley to satisfy some or all of the first year requirements

Requirements on course work beyond the first year

Students entering the program before 2022 are required to take five additional graduate courses beyond the four required in the first year, resulting in a total of nine graduate courses required for completion of their PhD. In their second year, students are required to take three graduate courses, at least two of them from the department offerings, and in their third year, they are required to take at least two graduate courses. Students are allowed to change the timing of these five courses with approval of their faculty mentor. Of the nine required graduate courses, students are required to take for credit a total of 24 semester hours of courses offered by the Statistics department numbered 204-272 inclusive. The Head Graduate Advisor (in consultation with the faculty mentor and after submission of a graduate student petition) may consent to substitute courses at a comparable level in other disciplines for some of these departmental graduate courses. In addition, the HGA may waive part of this unit requirement.

Starting with the cohort entering in the 2022-23 academic year , students are required to take at least three additional graduate courses beyond the four required in the first year, resulting in a total of seven graduate courses required for completion of their PhD. Of the seven required graduate courses, five of these courses must be from courses offered by the Statistics department and numbered 204-272, inclusive. With these reduced requirements, there is an expectation of very few waivers from the HGA. We emphasize that these are minimum requirements, and we expect that students will take additional classes of interest, for example on a S/U basis, to further their breadth of knowledge. 

For courses to count toward the coursework requirements students must receive at least a B+ in the course (courses taken S/U do not count, except for STAT 272 which is only offered S/U).  Courses that are research credits, directed study, reading groups, or departmental seminars do not satisfy coursework requirements (for courses offered by the Statistics department the course should be numbered 204-272 to satisfy the requirements). Upper-division undergraduate courses in other departments can be counted toward course requirements with the permission of the Head Graduate Advisor. This will normally only be approved if the courses provide necessary breadth in an application area relevant to the student’s thesis research.

First year course work: For the purposes of satisfactory progression in the first year, grades in the core PhD courses are evaluated as: A+: Excellent performance in PhD program A: Good performance in PhD program A-: Satisfactory performance B+: Performance marginal, needs improvement B: Unsatisfactory performance First year and beyond: At the end of each year, students must meet with his or her faculty mentor to review their progress and assess whether the student is meeting expected milestones. The result of this meeting should be the completion of the student’s annual review form, signed by the mentor ( available here ). If the student has a thesis advisor, the thesis advisor must also sign the annual review form.

Guidance on choosing course work

Choice of courses in the first year: Students enrolling in the fall of 2019 or later are required to take four semesters of the core PhD courses, at least three of which must be taken in their first year. Students have two options for how to schedule their four core courses:

• Option 1 -- Complete Four Core Courses in 1st year: In this option, students would take four core courses in the first year, usually finishing the complete sequence of two of the three sequences.  Students following this option who are primarily interested in statistics would normally take the 210A,B sequence (Theoretical Statistics) and then one of the 205A,B sequence (Probability) or the 215A,B sequence (Applied Statistics), based on their interests, though students are allowed to mix and match, where feasible. Students who opt for taking the full 210AB sequence in the first year should be aware that 210B requires some graduate-level probability concepts that are normally introduced in 205A (or 204).
• Option 2 -- Postponement of one semester of a core course to the second year: In this option, students would take three of the core courses in the first year plus another graduate course, and take the remaining core course in their second year. An example would be a student who wanted to take courses in each of the three sequences. Such a student could take the full year of one sequence and the first semester of another sequence in the first year, and the first semester of the last sequence in the second year (e.g. 210A, 215AB in the first year, and then 204 or 205A in the second year). This would also be a good option for students who would prefer to take 210A and 215A in their first semester but are concerned about their preparation for 210B in the spring semester.  Similarly, a student with strong interests in another discipline, might postpone one of the spring core PhD courses to the second year in order to take a course in that discipline in the first year.  Students who are less mathematically prepared might also be allowed to take the upper division (under-graduate) courses Math 104 and/or 105 in their first year in preparation for 205A and/or 210B in their second year. Students who wish to take this option should consult with their faculty mentor, and then must submit a graduate student petition to the PhD Committee to request permission for  postponement. Such postponement requests will be generally approved for only one course. At all times, students must take four approved graduate courses for a letter grade in their first year.

After the first year: Students with interests primarily in statistics are expected to take at least one semester of each of the core PhD sequences during their studies. Therefore at least one semester (if not both semesters) of the remaining core sequence would normally be completed during the second year. The remaining curriculum for the second and third years would be filled out with further graduate courses in Statistics and with courses from other departments. Students are expected to acquire some experience and proficiency in computing. Students are also expected to attend at least one departmental seminar per week. The precise program of study will be decided in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor.

Remark. Stat 204 is a graduate level probability course that is an alternative to 205AB series that covers probability concepts most commonly found in the applications of probability. It is not taught all years, but does fulfill the requirements of the first year core PhD courses. Students taking Stat 204, who wish to continue in Stat 205B, can do so (after obtaining the approval of the 205B instructor), by taking an intensive one month reading course over winter break.

Designated Emphasis: Students with a Designated Emphasis in Computational and Genomic Biology or Designated Emphasis in Computational and Data Science and Engineering should, like other statistics students, acquire a firm foundation in statistics and probability, with a program of study similar to those above. These programs have additional requirements as well. Interested students should consult with the graduate advisor of these programs. 

Starting in the Fall of 2019, PhD students are required in their first year to take four semesters of the core PhD courses. Students intending to specialize in Probability, however, have the option to substitute an advanced mathematics class for one of these four courses. Such students will thus be required to take Stat 205A/B in the first year,  at least one of Stat 210A/B or Stat 215A/B in the first year, in addition to an advanced mathematics course. This substitute course will be selected in consultation with their faculty mentor, with some possible courses suggested below. Students arriving with advanced coursework equivalent to that of 205AB can obtain permission to substitute in other advanced probability and mathematics coursework during their first year, and should consult with the PhD committee for such a waiver.

During their second and third years, students with a probability focus are expected to take advanced probability courses (e.g., Stat 206 and Stat 260) to fulfill the coursework requirements that follow the first year. Students are also expected to attend at least one departmental seminar per week, usually the probability seminar. If they are not sufficiently familiar with measure theory and functional analysis, then they should take one or both of Math 202A and Math 202B. Other recommended courses from the department of Mathematics or EECS include:

Math 204, 222 (ODE, PDE) Math 205 (Complex Analysis) Math 258 (Classical harmonic analysis) EE 229 (Information Theory and Coding) CS 271 (Randomness and computation)

The Qualifying Examination 

The oral qualifying examination is meant to determine whether the student is ready to enter the research phase of graduate studies. It consists of a 50-minute lecture by the student on a topic selected jointly by the student and the thesis advisor. The examination committee consists of at least four faculty members to be approved by the department.  At least two members of the committee must consist of faculty from the Statistics and must be members of the Academic Senate. The chair must be a member of the student’s degree-granting program.

Qualifying Exam Chair. For qualifying exam committees formed in the Fall of 2019 or later, the qualifying exam chair will also serve as the student’s departmental mentor, unless a student already has two thesis advisors. The student must select a qualifying exam chair and obtain their agreement to serve as their qualifying exam chair and faculty mentor. The student's prospective thesis advisor cannot chair the examination committee. Selection of the chair can be done well in advance of the qualifying exam and the rest of the qualifying committee, and because the qualifying exam chair also serves as the student’s departmental mentor (unless the student has co-advisors), the chair is expected to be selected by the beginning of the third year or at the beginning of the semester of the qualifying exam, whichever comes earlier. For more details regarding the selection of the Qualifying Exam Chair, see the "Mentoring" tab.  

Paperwork and Application. Students at the point of taking a qualifying exam are assumed to have already found a thesis advisor and to should have already submitted the internal departmental form to the Graduate Student Services Advisor ( found here ).  Selection of a qualifying exam chair requires that the faculty member formally agree by signing the internal department form ( found here ) and the student must submit this form to the Graduate Student Services Advisor.  In order to apply to take the exam, the student must submit the Application for the Qualifying Exam via CalCentral at least three weeks prior to the exam. If the student passes the exam, they can then officially advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. If the student fails the exam, the committee may vote to allow a second attempt. Regulations of the Graduate Division permit at most two attempts to pass the oral qualifying exam. After passing the exam, the student must submit the Application for Candidacy via CalCentral .

The Doctoral Thesis

The Ph.D. degree is granted upon completion of an original thesis acceptable to a committee of at least three faculty members. The majority or at least half of the committee must consist of faculty from Statistics and must be members of the Academic Senate. The thesis should be presented at an appropriate seminar in the department prior to filing with the Dean of the Graduate Division. See Alumni if you would like to view thesis titles of former PhD Students.

Graduate Division offers various resources, including a workshop, on how to write a thesis, from beginning to end. Requirements for the format of the thesis are rather strict. For workshop dates and guidelines for submitting a dissertation, visit the Graduate Division website.

Students who have advanced from candidacy (i.e. have taken their qualifying exam and submitted the advancement to candidacy application) must have a joint meeting with their QE chair and their PhD advisor to discuss their thesis progression; if students are co-advised, this should be a joint meeting with their co-advisors. This annual review is required by Graduate Division.  For more information regarding this requirement, please see  https://grad.berkeley.edu/ policy/degrees-policy/#f35- annual-review-of-doctoral- candidates .

Teaching Requirement

For students enrolled in the graduate program before Fall 2016, students are required to serve as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) for a minimum of 20 hours (equivalent to a 50% GSI appointment) during a regular academic semester by the end of their third year in the program.

Effective with the Fall 2016 entering class, students are required to serve as a GSI for a minimum of two 50% GSI appointment during the regular academic semesters prior to graduation (20 hours a week is equivalent to a 50% GSI appointment for a semester) for Statistics courses numbered 150 and above. Exceptions to this policy are routinely made by the department.

Each spring, the department hosts an annual conference called BSTARS . Both students and industry alliance partners present research in the form of posters and lightning talks. All students in their second year and beyond are required to present a poster at BSTARS each year. This requirement is intended to acclimate students to presenting their research and allow the department generally to see the fruits of their research. It is also an opportunity for less advanced students to see examples of research of more senior students. However, any students who do not yet have research to present can be exempted at the request of their thesis advisor (or their faculty mentors if an advisor has not yet been determined).

Mentoring for PhD Students

Initial Mentoring: PhD students will be assigned a faculty mentor in the summer before their first year. This faculty mentor at this stage is not expected to be the student’s PhD advisor nor even have research interests that closely align with the student. The job of this faculty mentor is primarily to advise the student on how to find a thesis advisor and in selecting appropriate courses, as well as other degree-related topics such as applying for fellowships.  Students should meet with their faculty mentors twice a semester. This faculty member will be the designated faculty mentor for the student during roughly their first two years, at which point students will find a qualifying exam chair who will take over the role of mentoring the student.

Research-focused mentoring : Once students have found a thesis advisor, that person will naturally be the faculty member most directly overseeing the student’s progression. However, students will also choose an additional faculty member to serve as a the chair of their qualifying exam and who will also serve as a faculty mentor for the student and as a member of his/her thesis committee. (For students who have two thesis advisors, however, there is not an additional faculty mentor, and the quals chair does NOT serve as the faculty mentor).

The student will be responsible for identifying and asking a faculty member to be the chair of his/her quals committee. Students should determine their qualifying exam chair either at the beginning of the semester of the qualifying exam or in the fall semester of the third year, whichever is earlier. Students are expected to have narrowed in on a thesis advisor and research topic by the fall semester of their third year (and may have already taken qualifying exams), but in the case where this has not happened, such students should find a quals chair as soon as feasible afterward to serve as faculty mentor.

Students are required to meet with their QE chair once a semester during the academic year. In the fall, this meeting will generally be just a meeting with the student and the QE chair, but in the spring it must be a joint meeting with the student, the QE chair, and the PhD advisor. If students are co-advised, this should be a joint meeting with their co-advisors.

If there is a need for a substitute faculty mentor (e.g. existing faculty mentor is on sabbatical or there has been a significant shift in research direction), the student should bring this to the attention of the PhD Committee for assistance.

PhD Student Forms:

Important milestones: .

Each of these milestones is not complete until you have filled out the requisite form and submitted it to the GSAO. If you are not meeting these milestones by the below deadline, you need to meet with the Head Graduate Advisor to ask for an extension. Otherwise, you will be in danger of not being in good academic standing and being ineligible for continued funding (including GSI or GSR appointments, and many fellowships). 

Identify PhD Advisor†	End of 2nd year
Identify Research Mentor (QE Chair) OR Co-Advisor†	Fall semester of 3rd year
Pass Qualifying Exam and Advance to Candidacy	End of 3rd year
Thesis Submission	End of 4th or 5th year

†Students who are considering a co-advisor, should have at least one advisor formally identified by the end of the second year; the co-advisor should be identified by the end of the fall semester of the 3rd year in lieu of finding a Research Mentor/QE Chair.

Expected Progress Reviews: 

Spring 1st year	Annual Progress Review	Faculty Mentor
	Review of 1st year progress	Head Graduate Advisor
Spring 2nd year	Annual Progress Review	Faculty Mentor or Thesis Advisor(s) (if identified)
Fall 3+ year	Research progress report*	Research mentor**
Spring 3+ year	Annual Progress Review*	Jointly with PhD advisor(s) and Research mentor

* These meetings do not need to be held in the semester that you take your Qualifying Exam, since the relevant people should be members of your exam committee and will discuss your research progress during your qualifying exam

** If you are being co-advised by someone who is not your primary advisor because your primary advisor cannot be your sole advisor, you should be meeting with that person like a research mentor, if not more frequently, to keep them apprised of your progress. However, if both of your co-advisors are leading your research (perhaps independently) and meeting with you frequently throughout the semester, you do not need to give a fall research progress report.

• Graduate Studies

Ph.D. Program

The PhD program prepares students for research careers in theory and application of probability and statistics in academic and non-academic (e.g., industry, government) settings.  Students might elect to pursue either the general Statistics track of the program (the default), or one of the four specialized tracks that take advantage of UW’s interdisciplinary environment: Statistical Genetics (StatGen), Statistics in the Social Sciences (CSSS), Machine Learning and Big Data (MLBD), and Advanced Data Science (ADS). 

Admission Requirements

For application requirements and procedures, please see the graduate programs applications page .

Recommended Preparation

The Department of Statistics at the University of Washington is committed to providing a world-class education in statistics. As such, having some mathematical background is necessary to complete our core courses. This background includes linear algebra at the level of UW’s MATH 318 or 340, advanced calculus at the level of MATH 327 and 328, and introductory probability at the level of MATH 394 and 395. Real analysis at the level of UW’s MATH 424, 425, and 426 is also helpful, though not required. Descriptions of these courses can be found in the UW Course Catalog . We also recognize that some exceptional candidates will lack the needed mathematical background but succeed in our program. Admission for such applicants will involve a collaborative curriculum design process with the Graduate Program Coordinator to allow them to make up the necessary courses. 

While not a requirement, prior background in computing and data analysis is advantageous for admission to our program. In particular, programming experience at the level of UW’s CSE 142 is expected.  Additionally, our coursework assumes familiarity with a high-level programming language such as R or Python. 

Graduation Requirements 

This is a summary of the department-specific graduation requirements. For additional details on the department-specific requirements, please consult the  Ph.D. Student Handbook .  For previous versions of the Handbook, please contact the Graduate Student Advisor .  In addition, please see also the University-wide requirements at  Instructions, Policies & Procedures for Graduate Students  and  UW Doctoral Degrees .  

General Statistics Track

• Core courses: Advanced statistical theory (STAT 581, STAT 582 and STAT 583), statistical methodology (STAT 570 and STAT 571), statistical computing (STAT 534), and measure theory (either STAT 559 or MATH 574-575-576).  
• Elective courses: A minimum of four approved 500-level classes that form a coherent set, as approved in writing by the Graduate Program Coordinator.  A list of elective courses that have already been pre-approved or pre-denied can be found here .
• M.S. Theory Exam: The syllabus of the exam is available here .
• Research Prelim Exam. Requires enrollment in STAT 572. 
• Consulting.  Requires enrollment in STAT 599. 
• Applied Data Analysis Project.  Requires enrollment in 3 credits of STAT 597. 
• Statistics seminar participation: Students must attend the Statistics Department seminar and enroll in STAT 590 for at least 8 quarters. 
• Teaching requirement: All Ph.D. students must satisfactorily serve as a Teaching Assistant for at least one quarter. 
• General Exam. 
• Dissertation Credits.  A minimum of 27 credits of STAT 800, spread over at least three quarters. 
• Passage of the Dissertation Defense. 

Statistical Genetics (StatGen) Track

Students pursuing the Statistical Genetics (StatGen) Ph.D. track are required to take BIOST/STAT 550 and BIOST/STAT 551, GENOME 562 and GENOME 540 or GENOME 541. These courses may be counted as the four required Ph.D.-level electives. Additionally, students are expected to participate in the Statistical Genetics Seminar (BIOST581) in addition to participating in the statistics seminar (STAT 590). Finally, students in the Statistics Statistical Genetics Ph.D. pathway may take STAT 516-517 instead of STAT 570-571 for their Statistical Methodology core requirement. This is a transcriptable program option, i.e., the fact that the student completed the requirements will be noted in their transcript.

Statistics in the Social Sciences (CSSS) Track

Students in the Statistics in the Social Sciences (CSSS) Ph.D. track  are required to take four numerically graded 500-level courses, including at least two CSSS courses or STAT courses cross-listed with CSSS, and at most two discipline-specific social science courses that together form a coherent program of study. Additionally, students must complete at least three quarters of participation (one credit per quarter) in the CS&SS seminar (CSSS 590). This is not a transcriptable option, i.e., the fact that the student completed the requirements will not be noted in their transcript.

Machine Learning and Big Data Track

Students in the Machine Learning and Big Data (MLBD) Ph.D. track are required to take the following courses: one foundational machine learning course (STAT 535), one advanced machine learning course (either STAT 538 or STAT 548 / CSE 547), one breadth course (either on databases, CSE 544, or data visualization, CSE 512), and one additional elective course (STAT 538, STAT 548, CSE 515, CSE 512, CSE 544 or EE 578). At most two of these four courses may be counted as part of the four required PhD-level electives. Students pursuing this track are not required to take STAT 583 and can use STAT 571 to satisfy the Applied Data Analysis Project requirement. This is not a transcriptable option, i.e., the fact that the student completed the requirements will not be noted in their transcript. 

Advanced Data Science (ADS) Track

Students in the Advanced Data Science (ADS) Ph.D. track are required to take the same coursework as students in the Machine Learning and Big Data track. They are also not required to take STAT 583 and can use STAT 571 to satisfy the Applied Data Analysis Project requirement. The only difference in terms of requirements between the MLBD and the ADS tracks is that students in the ADS track must also register for at least 4 quarters of the weekly eScience Community Seminar (CHEM E 599). Also, unlike the MLBD track, the ADS is a transcriptable program option, i.e., the fact that the student completed the requirements will be noted in their transcript. 

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

PhD Program

Wharton’s PhD program in Statistics provides the foundational education that allows students to engage both cutting-edge theory and applied problems. These include problems from a wide variety of fields within Wharton, such as finance, marketing, and public policy, as well as fields across the rest of the University such as biostatistics within the Medical School and computer science within the Engineering School.

Major areas of departmental research include: analysis of observational studies; Bayesian inference, bioinformatics; decision theory; game theory; high dimensional inference; information theory; machine learning; model selection; nonparametric function estimation; and time series analysis.

Students typically have a strong undergraduate background in mathematics. Knowledge of linear algebra and advanced calculus is required, and experience with real analysis is helpful. Although some exposure to undergraduate probability and statistics is expected, skills in mathematics and computer science are more important. Graduates of the department typically take positions in academia, government, financial services, and bio-pharmaceutical industries.

Apply online here .

Department of Statistics and Data Science

The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Academic Research Building 265 South 37th Street, 3rd & 4th Floors Philadelphia, PA 19104-1686

Phone: (215) 898-8222

• Contact Information
• Course Descriptions
• Course Schedule
• Doctoral Inside: Resources for Current PhD Students
• Penn Career Services
• Apply to Wharton
• Financial Aid

Cornell University does not offer a separate Masters of Science (MS) degree program in the field of Statistics. Applicants interested in obtaining a masters-level degree in statistics should consider applying to Cornell's MPS Program in Applied Statistics.

Choosing a Field of Study

There are many graduate fields of study at Cornell University. The best choice of graduate field in which to pursue a degree depends on your major interests. Statistics is a subject that lies at the interface of theory, applications, and computing. Statisticians must therefore possess a broad spectrum of skills, including expertise in statistical theory, study design, data analysis, probability, computing, and mathematics. Statisticians must also be expert communicators, with the ability to formulate complex research questions in appropriate statistical terms, explain statistical concepts and methods to their collaborators, and assist them in properly communicating their results. If the study of statistics is your major interest then you should seriously consider applying to the Field of Statistics.

There are also several related fields that may fit even better with your interests and career goals. For example, if you are mainly interested in mathematics and computation as they relate to modeling genetics and other biological processes (e.g, protein structure and function, computational neuroscience, biomechanics, population genetics, high throughput genetic scanning), you might consider the Field of Computational Biology . You may wish to consider applying to the Field of Electrical and Computer Engineering if you are interested in the applications of probability and statistics to signal processing, data compression, information theory, and image processing. Those with a background in the social sciences might wish to consider the Field of Industrial and Labor Relations with a major or minor in the subject of Economic and Social Statistics. Strong interest and training in mathematics or probability might lead you to choose the Field of Mathematics . Lastly, if you have a strong mathematics background and an interest in general problem-solving techniques (e.g., optimization and simulation) or applied stochastic processes (e.g., mathematical finance, queuing theory, traffic theory, and inventory theory) you should consider the Field of Operations Research .

Residency Requirements

Students admitted to PhD program must be "in residence" for at least four semesters, although it is generally expected that a PhD will require between 8 and 10 semesters to complete. The chair of your Special Committee awards one residence unit after the satisfactory completion of each semester of full-time study. Fractional units may be awarded for unsatisfactory progress.

Your Advisor and Special Committee

The Director of Graduate Studies is in charge of general issues pertaining to graduate students in the field of Statistics. Upon arrival, a temporary Special Committee is also declared for you, consisting of the Director of Graduate Studies (chair) and two other faculty members in the field of Statistics. This temporary committee shall remain in place until you form your own Special Committee for the purposes of writing your doctoral dissertation. The chair of your Special Committee serves as your primary academic advisor; however, you should always feel free to contact and/or chat with any of the graduate faculty in the field of Statistics.

The formation of a Special Committee for your dissertation research should serve your objective of writing the best possible dissertation. The Graduate School requires that this committee contain at least three members that simultaneously represent a certain combination of subjects and concentrations. The chair of the committee is your principal dissertation advisor and always represents a specified concentration within the subject & field of Statistics. The Graduate School additionally requires PhD students to have at least two minor subjects represented on your special committee. For students in the field of Statistics, these remaining two members must either represent (i) a second concentration within the subject of Statistics, and one external minor subject; or, (ii) two external minor subjects. Each minor advisor must agree to serve on your special committee; as a result, the identification of these minor members should occur at least 6 months prior to your A examination.

Some examples of external minors include Computational Biology, Demography, Computer Science, Economics, Epidemiology, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Operations Research. The declaration of an external minor entails selecting (i) a field other than Statistics in which to minor; (ii) a subject & concentration within the specified field; and, (iii) a minor advisor representing this field/subject/concentration that will work with you in setting the minor requirements. Typically, external minors involve gaining knowledge in 3-5 graduate courses in the specified field/subject, though expectations can vary by field and even by the choice of advisor. While any choice of external minor subject is technically acceptable, the requirement that the minor representative serve on your Special Committee strongly suggests that the ideal choice(s) should share some natural connection with your choice of dissertation topic.

The fields, subjects and concentrations represented on your committee must be officially recognized by the Graduate School ; the Degrees, Subjects & Concentrations tab listed under each field of study provides this information. Information on the concentrations available for committee members chosen to represent the subject of Statistics can be found on the Graduate School webpage . 

Statistics PhD Travel Support

The Department of Statistics and Data Science has established a fund for professional travel for graduate students. The intent of the Department is to encourage travel that enhances the Statistics community at Cornell by providing funding for graduate students in statistics that will be presenting at conferences. Please review the Graduate Student Travel Award Policy website for more information. 

Completion of the PhD Degree

In addition to the specified residency requirements, students must meet all program requirements as outlined in Program Course Requirements and Timetables and Evaluations and Examinations, as well as complete a doctoral dissertation approved by your Special Committee. The target time to PhD completion is between 4 and 5 years; the actual time to completion varies by student.

Students should consult both the Guide to Graduate Study and Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty (available at www.gradschool.cornell.edu ) for further information on all academic and procedural matters pertinent to pursuing a graduate degree at Cornell University.

PhD in Statistics

Program description.

The Ph.D. program in statistics prepares students for a career pursuing research in either academia or industry.  The program provides rigorous classroom training in the theory, methodology, and application of statistics, and provides the opportunity to work with faculty on advanced research topics over a wide range of theory and application areas. To enter, students need a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, or a closely related discipline. Students graduating with a PhD in Statistics are expected to:

• Demonstrate an understanding the core principles of Probability Theory, Estimation Theory, and Statistical Methods.
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct original research in statistics.
• Demonstrate the ability to present research-level statistics in a formal lecture

Requirements for the Ph.D. (Statistics Track)

Course Work A Ph.D. student in our department must complete sixteen courses for the Ph.D. At most, four of these courses may be transferred from another institution. If the Ph.D. student is admitted to the program at the post-Master’s level, then eight courses are usually required.

Qualifying Examinations First, all Ph.D. students in the statistics track must take the following two-semester sequences: MA779 and MA780 (Probability Theory I and II), MA781 (Estimation Theory) and MA782 (Hypothesis Testing), and MA750 and MA751 (Advanced Statistical Methods I and II). Then, to qualify a student to begin work on a PhD dissertation, they must pass two of the following three exams at the PhD level: probability, mathematical statistics, and applied statistics. The probability and mathematical statistics exams are offered every September and the applied statistics exam is offered every April.

• PhD Exam in Probability: This exam covers the material covered in MA779 and MA780 (Probability Theory I and II).
• PhD Exam in Mathematical Statistics: This exam covers material covered in MA781 (Estimation Theory) and MA782 (Hypothesis Testing).
• PhD Exam in Applied Statistics: This exam covers the same material as the M.A. Applied exam and is offered at the same time, except that in order to pass it at the PhD level a student must correctly solve all four problems.

Note: Students concentrating in probability may choose to do so either through the statistics track or through the mathematics track. If a student wishes to do so through the mathematics track, the course and exam requirements are different. Details are available here .

Dissertation The dissertation is the major requirement for a Ph.D. student. After the student has completed all course work, the Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the student, selects a three-member dissertation committee. One member of this committee is designated by the Director of Graduate Studies as the Major Advisor for the student. Once completed, the dissertation must be defended in an oral examination conducted by at least five members of the Department.

The Dissertation and Final Oral Examination follows the   GRS General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree .

Satisfactory Progress Toward the Degree Upon entering the graduate program, each student should consult the Director of Graduate Studies (Prof. David Rohrlich) and the Associate Director of the Program in Statistics (Prof. Konstantinos Spiliopoulos). Initially, the Associate Director of the Program in Statistics will serve as the default advisor to the student. Eventually the student’s advisor will be determined in conjunction with their dissertation research. The Associate Director of the Program in Statistics, who will be able to guide the student through the course selection and possible directed study, should be consulted often, as should the Director of Graduate Studies. Indeed, the Department considers it important that each student progress in a timely manner toward the degree. Each M.A. student must have completed the examination by the end of their second year in the program, while a Ph.D. student must have completed the qualifying examination by the third year. Students entering the Ph.D. program with an M.A. degree must have completed the qualifying examination by October of the second year. Failure to meet these deadlines may jeopardize financial aid. Some flexibility in the deadlines is possible upon petition to the graduate committee in cases of inadequate preparation.

Students enrolled in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) are expected to adhere to a number of policies at the university, college, and departmental levels. View the policies on the Academic Bulletin and GRS website .

Residency Post-BA students must complete all of the requirements for a Ph.D. within seven years of enrolling in the program and post-MA students must complete all requirements within five years. This total time limit is set by the Graduate School. Students needing extra time must petition the Graduate School. Also, financial aid is not guaranteed after the student’s fifth year in the program.

Financial Aid

As with all Ph.D. students in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, the main source of financial aid for graduate students studying statistics is a Teaching Fellowship. These awards carry a stipend as well as tuition remission for six courses per year. Teaching Fellows are required to assist a faculty member who is teaching a course, usually a large lecture section of an introductory statistics course. Generally, the Teaching Fellow is responsible for conducting a number of discussion sections consisting of approximately twenty-five students each, as well as for holding office hours and assisting with grading. The Teaching Fellowship usually entails about twenty hours of work per week. For that reason, Teaching Fellows enroll in at most three courses per semester. A Teaching Fellow Seminar is conducted to help new Teaching Fellows develop as instructors and to promote the continuing development of experienced Teaching Fellows.

Other sources of financial aid include University Fellowships and Research Assistantships. The University Fellowships are one-year awards for outstanding students and are service-free. They carry stipends plus full tuition remission. Students do not need to apply for these fellowships. Research Assistantships are linked to research done with individual faculty, and are paid for through those faculty members’ grants. As a result, except on rare occasions, Research Assistantships typically are awarded to students in their second year and beyond, after student and faculty have had sufficient time to determine mutuality of their research interests.

Regular reviews of the performance of Teaching Fellows and Research Assistants in their duties as well as their course work are conducted by members of the Department’s Graduate Committee.

Ph.D. Program Milestones

The department considers it essential that each student progress in a timely manner toward completion of the degree. The following are the deadlines for achieving the milestones described in the Degree Requirements and constitute the basis for evaluating satisfactory progress towards the Ph.D. These deadlines are not to be construed as expected times to complete the various milestones, but rather as upper bounds. In other words,   a student in good standing expecting to complete   the degree within the five years of guaranteed funding will meet these milestones by the much e arlier target dates indicated below.   Failure to achieve these milestones in a timely manner may affectfinancial aid.

• Target: April of Year 1
• Deadline: April of Year 2
• Target: Spring of Year 2 post-BA/Spring of Year 1 post-MA
• Deadline: End of Year 3 post-BA/Fall of Year 2 post-MA
• Target: Spring of Year 2
• Deadline: End of Year 3
• Target: Spring of Year 2 or Fall of Year 3 post-BA/October of Year 2 post-MA
• Deadline: End of Year 3 post-BA/October of Year 2 post-MA
• Target: end of Year 3
• Deadline: End of Year 4
• Target: End of Year 5
• Deadline: End of Year 6

If you have any questions regarding our PhD program in Statistics, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Statistics PhD Admissions

Application Deadline for Autumn 2025-26: Wednesday, December 4, 2024 (11:59pm PST)

Applicants may not matriculate in any other quarter.

Application Review

File review begins promptly after the application deadline. Internal applications will be evaluated at the same time as the external applications: there is no separate review process for internal applicants. Please be aware that the Graduate Admissions Committee is not required to review incomplete applications.

We advise applicants to take required tests well before the application deadline.

Decisions Announced: by mid-February

NB: If you are considering applying to our PhD program, please also consider applying to be a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. The deadline to apply for this prestigious fellowship for 2025-26 is October 9, 2024, at 1pm PST. For more details see the Knight-Hennessy program overview .

Application Requirements and Procedures

Financial support, phd admissions faq.

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

March 12, 2021

Life on a PhD Waitlist: Is There Anything You Can Do?

Anyone who’s been on an admission waitlist can tell you that it’s a frustrating place to be! On the other hand, the fact that the committee has waitlisted you shows that you’re very close to the top of their admit list. 

Consider the fact that your materials have been read, brought into the committee room, and heavily debated by a group of faculty in comparison with other applicant materials. The fact that you were not rejected outright means that someone on the committee advocated for you based on genuine interest in your research goals and confidence in your capacity to succeed in a PhD program. Thought it’s a painful position to be in, remember that this signal of confidence is something to celebrate! 

If you’ve been waitlisted by a PhD program, what should you know, and what can you do?

There are some important things to consider and be aware of when you’ve been waitlisted at a PhD program.

Do you want to stay on the PhD waitlist?

First, consider whether you want to stay on the waitlist. Ask yourself:

• Do you have other offers?
• Is this your top-choice school?
• Is it the only school you were waitlisted at (with rejections everywhere else)?
• Has anyone from the department reached out to you privately to express genuine interest in your research goals? 

If you definitely want to stay on the waitlist, look carefully at the correspondence you received from the program and see whether there’s anything you need to do or to let them know. For example, do you need to confirm that you want to remain on the waitlist? If so, you can take that as an opportunity to briefly affirm your interest in their program with a formally written Letter of Continued Interest that covers topics like: 

• If the program truly is your first choice and you did not demonstrate that in your application materials, now is your chance to clearly state that you would halt any other admissions processes if offered a spot in the program. 
• Furthermore, this would be a good opportunity to provide a few details about what specific aspects of the program (courses, faculty research, university resources) truly will support your concrete research goals. 

Most PhD programs aren’t interested in having a lot of contact from you, and you don’t want to turn them off by being overly chatty, so make sure that you compose a formal and efficient explanation of your continued interest in a letter that is a maximum of 1-page in length, single spaced, and in 12-point font. If you have letterhead from a current employer or university, now is the time to use it. Remember to keep your letter short and to-the-point, and certainly don’t send the committee any other unasked-for materials. Conversely, if they ask for academic updates since your application deadline, be sure that you supply them!

If a professor from the program has contacted you personally with a note expressing interest in your work or providing additional explanation about your placement on the waitlist, politely ask that professor if he or she might have time to schedule an appointment with you to discuss research interests (not your chances of admission). In a given year, professors aren’t always able to take on additional students due to personal, professional, or institutional reasons, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t interested in your work. It can’t hurt to initiate a dialogue about your research and, if you keep the conversation to research, you have the chance to give the faculty member even more confidence in your capacity to handle academic stress with poise. Just by listening, you might also learn something about what parameters shaped the composition of the admitted cohort that were out of your control. 

The PhD notification timeline

Second, understand the timeline you’re dealing with. For most U.S. PhD programs, April 15 is the final date for accepted students to provide notification of intent to enroll. Schools require a commitment from admitted students by that deadline in order to fill their cohort. If there’s movement off the waitlist, you can expect to hear something as April 15 approaches (and even slightly afterward) as the department solidifies its final list of incoming PhD students.

Another thing to keep in mind: if you’ve received notification that you’re on a waitlist, you’re dealing with a program that is at least being transparent about its waitlisting procedures. In many cases, you could be on a waitlist and not even know it. Most programs start letting admitted and rejected students know their status in late February or early March, but as they wait to learn which admitted students will say yes or no, the process lasts until mid-April or later. 

Many schools will rank candidates below their “admit” list, but not send a notification of any kind unless a space opens up – in other words, you might not hear anything at all from the school until they determine, in April, whether they have space for you. (Talk about frustrating!) Schools that do this will send their final rejection notifications in April, too.

If you’re on the waitlist and you haven’t heard anything as April 15 approaches, you can consider contacting the admissions chair to ask what your rank is on the waitlist – that will give you a clearer picture of whether you have a realistic chance.

Financial Implications of the PhD waitlist

Third, consider whether there would be any financial aid or funding implications to being admitted to a program late (if you do decide to remain on the waitlist and are admitted). Some programs may have distributed all of their fellowship funds early to students at the top of their list. If you are in a position to accept a spot in the cohort without funding, it is worth mentioning this in your letter of continued interest. Many universities will only admit the number of PhD students for whom they can guarantee a five-year funding package, which includes teaching appointments. However, if the committee knows that you are willing to pay for the degree on your own or have secured extramural grants to support your research, they may open an additional space in their cohort. As you progress through the degree, you can search for additional teaching opportunities and grant applications to support you. 

Bottom line

Unfortunately, being on the waitlist does require some patience, but the fact that you’re waitlisted at a very competitive program means that your application is strong, and that the admissions cycle isn’t over yet. And of course, if you aren’t admitted in the final stages of the cycle but you’re certain that the PhD is your path, keep in mind that the doctoral degree is just the beginning of a lifelong research career. If you were placed on the waitlist, that means the committee believed you were qualified for the degree. Though aspects of the admissions process over which you have no control (like the candidate pool, annual funding, availability of certain advisors, or institutional parameters) may have knocked you out of the running this year, those variables are not likely to be the same next year.  

Do you need help making sense of your waitlist status and determining your next admissions move? Accepted’s expert advisors can help you with that (and with any other element of your PhD application). Check out our Waitlist Services for more information on how we can help you get ACCEPTED.

Related Resources:

• Plotting Your Way to a PhD: 8 Topics in PhD Admissions , a free guide
• How to Be a Competitive PhD Applicant and Apply to the Best Programs for You
• Your Guide to Getting off the Waitlist in 2021

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DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE

Phd program, phd program overview.

The doctoral program in Statistics and Data Science is designed to provide students with comprehensive training in theory and methodology in statistics and data science, and their applications to problems in a wide range of fields. The program is flexible and may be arranged to reflect students' interests and career goals. Cross-disciplinary work is encouraged. The PhD program prepares students for careers as university teachers and researchers as well as research statisticians and data scientists in industry, government and the non-profit sector.

Requirements

Students are required to fulfill the Department requirements in addition to those specified by The Graduate School (TGS).

From the Graduate School’s webpage outlining the general requirements for a PhD :

In order to receive a doctoral degree, students must:

• Complete all required coursework. .
• Gain admittance to candidacy.
• Submit a prospectus to be approved by a faculty committee.
• Present a dissertation with original research. Review the Dissertation Publication page for more information.
• Complete the necessary teaching requirement
• Submit necessary forms to file for graduation
• Complete degree requirements within the approved timeline

PhD degrees must be approved by the student's academic program. Consult with your program directly regarding specific degree requirements.

The Department requires that students in the Statistics and Data Science PhD program:

• Meet the department minimum residency requirement of 2 years
• STAT 344-0 Statistical Computing
• STAT 350-0 Regression Analysis
• STAT 353-0 Advanced Regression
• STAT 415-0 I ntroduction to Machine Learning
• STAT 420-1,2,3 Introduction to Statistical Theory and Methodology 1, 2, 3
• STAT 430-1, 2 Probability for Statistical Inference 1, 2
• STAT 440 Applied Stochastic Processes for Statistics
• STAT 457-0 Applied Bayesian Inference

Students generally complete the required coursework during their first two years in the PhD program. *note that required courses changed in the 2021-22 academic year, previous required courses can be found at the end of this page.

• Pass the Qualifying Exam. This comprehensive examination covers basic topics in statistics and data science and and is typically taken in fall quarter of the second year.

Pass the Prospectus presentation/examination and be admitted for PhD candidacy by the end of year 3 . The department requires that students must complete their Prospectus (proposal of dissertation topic) before the end of year 3, which is earlier than The Graduate School deadline of the end of year 4. The prospectus must be approved by a faculty committee comprised of a committee chair and a minimum of 2 other faculty members. Students usually first find an adviser through independent studies who will then typically serve as the committee chair. When necessary, exceptions may be made upon the approval of the committee chair and the director of graduate studies, to extend the due date of the prospectus exam until the end of year 4.

• Successfully complete and defend a doctoral dissertation. After the prospectus is approved, students begin work on the doctoral dissertation, which must demonstrate an original contribution to a chosen area of specialization. A final examination (thesis defense) is given based on the dissertation. Students typically complete the PhD program in 5 years.
• Attend all seminars in the department and participate in other research activities . In addition to these academic requirements, students are expected to participate in other research activities and attend all department seminars every year they are in the program.

Optional MS degree en route to PhD

Students admitted to the Statistics and Data Science PhD program can obtain an optional MS (Master of Science) degree en route to their PhD. The MS degree requires 12 courses: STAT 350-0 Regression Analysis, STAT 353 Advanced Regression, STAT 420-1,2,3 Introduction to Statistical Theory and Methodology 1, 2, 3, STAT 415-0 I ntroduction to Machine Learning , and at least 6 more courses approved by the department of which two must be 400 level STAT elective courses, no more than 3 can be approved non-STAT courses.

*Prior to 2021-2022, the course requirements for the PhD were:

• STAT 351-0 Design and Analysis of Experiments
• STAT 425 Sampling Theory and Applications
• MATH 450-1,2 Probability 1, 2 or MATH 450-1 Probability 1 and IEMS 460-1,2 Stochastic Processes 1, 2
• Six additional 300/400 graduate-level Statistics courses, at least two must be 400 -level

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Our Ph.D. in Statistics Data Science program offers you the opportunity to hone your skills in mathematical reasoning, statistical modeling, computation, and methodology development.

Through this new doctoral program, you will gain a thorough understanding of probability and statistics as well as machine learning methods. You’ll apply statistical methods and theory to real-world data challenges in an interdisciplinary manner. This program will expose you to cutting-edge research and developments in statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence and data sense, preparing you for statistics and data science careers in academia, the public sector and industry.

Jump to:   Admission & Degree Requirements   |  Application Deadlines   |  Research Areas   |  Faculty  

Admission & Degree Requirements

Admission to this program is highly competitive and selective. We require you to submit the following with your application. 

All transcripts from undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) institutions. 

Three letters of recommendation.

Personal statement: Include research interests;do not exceed three pages.

GRE General test score (required but can be waived for students currently enrolled in or have already earned the MS in Statistics degree in UD)

GRE subject test in Mathematics or other STEM fields (optional).

Language scores (for international students whose native language is not English, and who have not received a degree at a U.S. college or university). A score of 100 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or equivalently 7.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). 

A department graduate committee will decide who is admitted to the program in compliance with University policies and procedures. The committee reserves the right to interview the applicants.

Students with an MS degree in Statistics or related fields are eligible for a 4-year accelerated track with a reduced course load. Eligibility is determined by the admission committee.

You must have, or expect to have a bachelor’s degree or higher in statistics, mathematics or a related field from an accredited college of university, by the date of admission.

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Regular admission is for each fall semester. Applicants must submit their application via the online link no later than February 1 .

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The Statistics faculty within the department engage in a broad range of research topics. Our expertise spans classical statistical problems, such as hypothesis testing, high-dimensional data analysis, dimension reduction, time-series analysis, and nonparametric statistics, as well as contemporary topics, including network modeling, graph learning, neural networks, computational statistics, and optimization. Additionally, our faculty are actively involved in data-driven research applications across diverse fields, such as large language models, image data analysis, financial forecasting, health sciences, biology, and animal science.

The program also offers students the flexibility to pursue research in collaboration with our affiliated faculty or any other University of Delaware faculty whose work is closely aligned with statistics and data science. This interdisciplinary approach provides a unique opportunity for students to tailor their research experience to their academic and professional interests.

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Dr. Wei Qian

Dr. Jing Qiu

Dr. Cencheng Shen

Dr. Peng Zhao

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Dr. Rahmat Beheshiti

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SPH does not require the GRE for its master’s and doctoral degree programs. Learn more about our decision regarding the GRE .

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View admissions requirements .

Program-Specific Prerequisites

Prospective applicants should have taken at least:

• Three semesters of calculus (including multivariable calculus)
• One semester of linear algebra

A year (two semesters) of coursework in undergraduate-level probability and mathematical statistics is strongly recommended. Real analysis or an equivalent proof-based course is recommended. Experience with a programming language (e.g., R, Java, C, Python) and exposure to applied statistics is helpful, but not required.

If your goal is to obtain a PhD in biostatistics, we encourage you to apply directly to the PhD program, even if you don’t already hold a master’s degree. If you are not admitted to the PhD and do not hold a previous master’s degree in statistics or biostatistics, you will be considered for admission to the master’s program if you indicate your interest on your SOPHAS application.

Students are admitted to start in the fall semester only.

Standardized Tests

International students must demonstrate English proficiency. This is typically accomplished by taking the TOEFL; a minimum score of 100 is required to be considered for admission. More information on English proficiency for international applicants is available here .

Admissions Process

The admissions committee reviews applicants on their record of academic achievement, demonstrated academic potential, letters of recommendation, background and experience, and other factors. Most PhD admissions decisions are made in December and January, and students who are admitted may be invited to attend an in-person recruiting event in mid-February.

Strong candidates who are not admitted initially may be placed on our admissions waitlist. The Division abides by the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants so that the deadline for accepting financial aid offers is April 15. The Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science does not conduct interviews with applicants as part of the review process.

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In a typical year, the Division admits 25 to 30 students (20 percent of the total PhD applications received) to achieve an incoming PhD class of eight to 12 students.

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Priority Funding Deadline: December 1 Final Deadline: February 1

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• Mathematics and Statistics

Waitlisted for Stanford's PhD in Stats

By hopesandprayers February 8, 2019 in Mathematics and Statistics

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hopesandprayers

My situation is exactly as the title states.  I'm wondering if anyone has had an experience where they've gotten in off the waitlist (and I recognize it's unlikely for anyone to say no to the best stats program in the world, but I am still curious lmao).

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I'm sure you've looked, but I only saw one person who reported getting in off the waitlist in the last few years, an international student in 2015 who got accepted on April 14th after being waitlisted on February 7th of 2015.  I'd guess from the relative paucity of people reporting being waitlisted that Stanford has a pretty short waitlist, so you don't have many people to compete against.

Anecdotally, people do turn Stanford down.  Over the summer, one professor we talked to told me that they left Stanford because they just didn't like the program, and at their new program met someone else who had (prior to enrolling) turned Stanford down for similar reasons.  That was a while ago, and I don't really know anything about what issues they had with Stanford, but whatever those issues were aren't the point -- students will even turn down Stanford if they perceive somewhere else to be a better fit for them as a person, or if they have a specific research mentor they want to work with somewhere else, or any number of other factors.  You're not guaranteed to get into Stanford, but given the apparent small size of the waitlist, you're in a good position.  Find somewhere that's a good fit for you, and if Stanford calls, go find out if it's a good fit for you, and if it is, then congratulations!

Thanks for the detailed reply! I've been accepted at Chicago and Duke and the rest are pending, so I'm not desperate to go to Stanford but I really would love to.  We'll see how it all falls but I'm not going to get my hopes up at this rate.

insert_name_here

I know of people who have gotten in off the waitlist in the past, so it does happen (unlike other schools, which seldom use their waitlist). FYI, people regularly turn down Stanford. I've heard that students admitted to both Berkeley and Stanford tend to split around 50-50.

Hi, @hopesandprayers! I also got waitlisted for Stanford and was accepted to Chicago, but didn't get into Duke (my undergrad university). I've heard it's nearly impossible to get off Stanford's waitlist, but we'll see what happens. 

@MathStat  congrats on Chicago! Fingers crossed for the both of us, and good luck on your other applications! @insert_name_here , thanks for the info and I really hope that will hold this year too lol

Schweinchen

Ditto here. Maybe I'll see you all on visit day.

On 2/8/2019 at 9:34 AM, MathStat said: Hi, @hopesandprayers! I also got waitlisted for Stanford and was accepted to Chicago, but didn't get into Duke (my undergrad university). I've heard it's nearly impossible to get off Stanford's waitlist, but we'll see what happens. 

Do you say that because people don't tend to get in after the first round at Duke? Or are you close enough to adcoms that they let you know?

Hey @ galois. I think you should not worry that much. It is indeed the second one in my case and the fact that I was not a very good match for Duke in terms of my preparation and interests. 

You still have a chance! Good luck!!

I was accepted to Stanford (and everywhere I applied), but I have not yet decided where I'd go. People will start turning down offers in March. There is still hope and good luck!

• parukia911 , Statboy , Bayesian1701 and 4 others

10 hours ago, Cauchy said: I was accepted to Stanford (and everywhere I applied), but I have not yet decided where I'd go. People will start turning down offers in March. There is still hope and good luck!

Congratulations @Cauchy !  Your decision is obviously a really awesome problem to have, and I'll keep my sliver of hope for now.  Also @MathStat  and @Schweinchen  feel free to hmu if you guys wanna get in touch before Chicago's visit day if you're going

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Department of Statistics

Admissions faqs.

Revised 9/14/23

General Application Fee Application GRE TOEFL, IELTS, and the English-language requirement Transcripts, grades, and GPA Letters of recommendation Prerequisites Costs and financial aid After you have applied Visits and interviews Visas Earning an MS while enrolled in BA, BS, or PhD program at the University of Chicago Further questions

• GRE institution: 1832
• GRE department: 0705
• TOEFL institution: 1832
• TOEFL department: 59

I want to take a course with a STAT code. Do I need to apply to the Department of Statistics? We handle course registration only for our own MS and PhD students. If you are a student in another program at the University of Chicago, you may register for STAT-coded courses through your home department. If you are not a student at the University of Chicago, you may register for STAT-coded courses through the Graham School.

Should I apply to the MS program, the PhD program, or both? Read our discussion here . If you are unsure of which program is a better fit for you, you can apply to the PhD program and ask to be considered for the MS program if you are not admitted. Once you have created a PhD application, go to the "Statistics Supplement" tab; answer "Yes" to other question in the third section. Please note that there are steps required to finalize consideration for the MS program, including paying an extra application fee, select the option on the supplement and pay the fee. If you complete all required steps, we will then consider you for the PhD program, and if we decide you are not a good fit for the PhD program, we will then consider you for the MS program.

How do I apply to the College, to earn a BA or BS? We handle only MS and PhD applications. College Admissions handles all undergraduate applications.

Do I apply to the department as a whole, to a specific degree program, to a specialization, or to work with a specific professor? You apply to a degree program, MS or PhD. You may apply to both using a single application . You are welcome to discuss your interest in a particular specialization or professor in your application, but that does not bind you to pursuing that specialization or working with that professor if you enroll.

Can I apply to multiple programs at the University of Chicago? Yes. You may apply to both our MS and our PhD program using a single application . You may apply to other programs within the Physical Sciences Division using multiple applications within the same application account . You may apply to programs outside of the Physical Sciences Division, though you will need to create an application account for each division or school .

Do you offer degrees in computation, applied math, biostatistics, financial mathematics, economics, business, computer science, or any other field? We offer an MS in Statistics and a PhD in Statistics. In either program, you can specialize in a specific type of statistics, such as biostatistics, but your degree would still be in statistics. We do have the Computational and Applied Mathematics Initiative (CAMI), for which we are actively recruiting students and faculty. CAMI students still earn degrees in statistics; however, if you are interested in a CAMI field, you should discuss your interest in your candidate statement. If your interests are primarily in another discipline with a strong statistical component, you are welcome to apply to the Department of Statistics, but you may also want to consider additional University of Chicago programs, such as Public Health Sciences , Financial Mathematics , Economics , Business , Computer Science , and others .

What is the application deadline? Can I apply after the deadline? The application is closed . The deadline for the application and all supporting materials, such as score reports and letters of recommendation, was January 4, 2024. You may not apply after the deadline.

Do you have rolling admissions? Are all applications considered together? We do not have rolling admissions. All applications are due January 4th. We consider all applications together; we do not give special consideration to application that are submitted early.

Can I start classes at any time during the year, or just in autumn? Because of the structure of our course sequences, all students begin in autumn.

Can I study part-time? All PhD students must study full-time. It is theoretically possible for an MS student to study part-time, but due to the scheduling of classes, it is very unusual. We are not able to sponsor visas for part-time students. If you are interested in part-time study, you are welcome to apply. If admitted, you should discuss with us how the program would fit into your schedule.

Do you have evening, weekend, or online programs? No.

When do classes begin and end? Autumn classes begin in late September. First-year students must be on campus before classes begin for orientation. The University of Chicago is on a quarter system (four terms per year). In most cases, MS students do not need to be on campus for Summer Quarter, but PhD students do. The full academic calendar is available online .

How long does it take to graduate? The MS program takes between one and two years, depending on a student’s level of preparation and choice of electives. The PhD program takes between three and five years. Read our discussion here.

How will I know which classes to take? Will classes be too easy or too hard for me? Every student is assigned a faculty advisor, who helps with course selection. Some students find it useful to take introductory courses before certain required courses. Other students are guided directly to advanced courses. Faculty advisors work with students to find appropriate courses.

I am enrolled in another graduate program. Can I transfer? You are welcome to apply. In your candidate statement, please explain why you are interested in transferring. We do not award transfer credit. However, your experience in another program may allow you to take more advanced classes in our program.

Are most of your students from outside the United States? Are most of them from China? Though the numbers vary from year to year, generally about 80% of our students are from outside the United States and about 50% of our students are from China.

What is your admission rate? Our admission rate is usually between 10% and 20%. It varies depending on the size and strength of our applicant pool. The PhD program always has a lower admission rate than the MS program.

Application fee

How much does it cost to apply? The application fee is $90. The fee is nonrefundable. Please read the 2023-2024 Graduate Admissions Application Fee Policies  regarding Application Fee Policy, Waivers, Refunds, and Levels.

If I apply to multiple programs, do I have to pay multiple fees? You may apply to multiple programs , but you must pay an application fee for each program.

How do I apply for a fee waiver? There is a fee waiver request within our application.  All application fee waivers must be requested after submission. Applicants should not pay the application fee while waiting for their waiver request to be reviewed, since their application fee will not be refunded if they pay before the waiver is processed.

Application

I applied to the University of Chicago or began an application before. How do I reactivate my old application? Try  logging in  with your existing credentials. If this does not work, email  [email protected]  for help. Do not create a new account unless instructed to do so.

I made a mistake in my application. Should I start a new application? Should I create a new account? No, this can cause serious problems in your application. Most mistakes can be fixed without creating a new application or account. If you cannot fix your mistake, email  [email protected]  for help.

How should I send my application materials? Can I mail or fax them? Our entire application process is online. We do not accept materials by mail or fax. If you have paper materials, please scan and upload them to your online application. If we need any paper materials from you, such as official transcripts, we will request these the summer before you enroll. If your referee is having trouble uploading a letter of recommendation, please have him or her email  [email protected]  for help.

How do I submit my resume or CV? Use the "Resume/CV" tab in the online application.

How long should my candidate statement be? What should I write about? Your statement should be one or two pages, roughly 250-500 words. Read our full discussion  here .

I have special circumstances to explain, such as low grades on my transcript or a disciplinary matter. Should I write about these in my candidate statement? Write a separate, short explanation. You may upload this and any other supplemental documents on the "Statistics Supplement" tab of the online application.

We strongly recommend the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)  General Test  of all applicants.   In addition, it is strongly encouraged that applicants to the doctoral program take the  GRE Mathematics Subject Test . 

What is your minimum GRE score? What is the average? Do you weigh all three sections equally?

We have no minimum for the GRE. Most applicants score above the 90th percentile of the quantitative section of the GRE. We are less concerned about the verbal and analytical writing sections.

Do you require any GRE subject tests?

We do not require any GRE subject tests. We strongly recommend that applicants to the PhD program take the math subject test. We do not expect applicants to the MS program to take any subject tests.

Do you accept the GMAT or any other tests in lieu of the GRE?

You are welcome to submit other test scores to supplement your application. We strongly recommend that applicants to the PhD program take the math subject test. We do not expect applicants to the MS program to take any subject tests. No other test may be used as a substitute for the GRE.

Do you require official score reports? Should I submit my application even if I don’t have official GRE scores yet?

You may self-report your scores in your online application. Please do not delay your application submission just to wait for an official score report. However, we must receive your official score report directly from ETS before we make a final decision on your application.

How long are my GRE scores valid? Do you accept expired scores?

GRE scores are valid for five years, as determined by ETS. ETS does not send expired score reports. We will not consider any scores without an official score report from ETS.

How do I send my official GRE score report to you? What are your codes?

You may send your official score report through the  ETS website . Our institution code is 1832 and our department code is 0705.

I already sent an official GRE score report. How long will it take for you to receive it? How will I know when you have received it?

It usually takes two to three weeks for us to receive your official score report from ETS. After you have submitted your application, you may log in to view your "Application Status" page, which includes a checklist of all your application materials. There will be a green check mark next to any item we have received. There will be a red ex next to any item we have not received.

I sent my GRE score report to the wrong department code. Do I need to send it again?

Probably not. Check whether we have received your official  score report . After three weeks, if we still have not received your scores, email  [email protected]  to tell us what department code you used.

I am applying to multiple programs at the University of Chicago. Do I need to send my GRE score reports multiple times?

TOEFL, IELTS, and the English-language requirement

Do I need to take the TOEFL, the IELTS, or neither? Will you waive the requirement? Applicants who do not meet the waiver criteria  here  must submit proof of English language proficiency. Only the TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic tests are accepted as proof of proficiency. The Department of Statistics requires a minimum TOEFL score of 90 overall, and a minimum IELTS scores of 7.0 overall. TOEFL or IELTS score reports are valid for two years and scores will be considered expired if the test was taken more than two years prior to the application deadline.

What is your minimum TOEFL or IELTS score? Will you waive my requirement if I scored below the minimum?

Our TOEFL minimum is 90. Our IELTS minimum is 7.0. We do not have minimum scores for each subsection.

Will you conditionally admit me if I am qualified for your program, but need a higher TOEFL or IELTS score? Can I take ESL at the University of Chicago? We do not offer conditional admission. You may take ESL at the University of Chicago. However, you must meet our minimum English-language requirement prior to applying.

Do you require official score reports? Should I submit my application even if I don’t have official TOEFL or IELTS scores yet? You may self-report your scores in your online application. Please do not delay your application submission just to wait for an official score report. However, we must receive your official score report directly from the testing agency before we make a final decision on your application.

How long are my TOEFL or IELTS scores valid? Do you accept expired scores? You must take the TOEFL or IELTS no more than two years before our application deadline of January 4, 2024. We do not accept expired scores.

How do I send my official TOEFL or IELTS score report to you? What are your codes? You may send TOEFL scores through the ETS  website . Our institution code is 1832 and our department code is 59. You may send IELTS scores through your  test center . If at all possible, have your test center send an electronic report to the University of Chicago. (IELTS does not use institution or department codes.) All scores are to be sent electronically.

I already sent an official TOEFL or IELTS score report. How long will it take for you to receive it? How will I know when you have received it? It usually takes two to three weeks for us to receive your official score report. After you have submitted your application, you may log in to view your "Application Status" page, which includes a checklist of all your application materials. There will be a green check mark next to any item we have received. There will be a red ex next to any item we have not received.

I sent my TOEFL score report to the wrong department code. Do I need to send it again? Probably not. Check whether we have received your official  score report . After three weeks, if we still have not received your scores, email  [email protected]  to tell us what department code you used.

I am applying to multiple programs at the University of Chicago. Do I need to send my TOEFL or IELTS score reports multiple times? If you are using electronic score reports, you probably do not need to send them multiple times. Check whether we have received your official  score report . After three weeks, if we still have not received your scores, email  [email protected]  to tell us what department code you used. If your IELTS test center does not offer electronic score reports, you will need to request a separate paper report for each program at the University of Chicago.

Transcripts, grades, and GPA

What is your minimum GPA requirement? What is the average? We do not have a minimum GPA requirement. We receive applications from hundreds of schools in dozens of countries, each with its own system of calculating GPA. We do not convert GPAs on to a standard scale or calculate an average.

What do you look for in a transcript? We look at your transcript as a whole, in the context of the rest of your application. We do not look at grades or GPA in isolation. For example, we are interested in whether your grades rose or fell over time, not just your overall average. A low grade in a difficult class may be more impressive than a high grade in an easy class. We are most interested in your grades in statistics and mathematics classes. We are also interested in your grades in disciplines with a strong mathematical component, such as computer science, economics, and physics. Grades in qualitative classes, such as literature and history, are rarely a major factor in admissions decisions.

I got a few low grades. Should I address them in my application? In most cases, no. If you got low grades under unusual circumstances, such as a medical emergency or a family tragedy, you may wish to submit a short explanation on the “Statistics Supplement” tab of the online application.

Do you accept transcripts that are not in English? All application materials must be in English or be accompanied by an English translation. Whenever possible, provide an official translation from your school.

Do I need to send my official transcript? During the application process, we require only unofficial transcripts. If you join our program, we will ask for official transcripts, including verification of any English translations, the summer before you arrive on campus.

Which transcripts do you require? Do you need transcripts from study abroad, non-degree work, or work I did in a program I did not complete? We need transcripts covering all your university coursework. In most cases, we need a transcript from each university you have attended, even if you transferred out or did non-degree work. The only exception is study abroad programs; if your grades from study abroad are listed on your transcript from your home university, we do not need a transcript from the university where you studied abroad.

How do I submit an updated transcript? Submit the most up-to-date transcript available at the time you apply. If your transcript will change before our application deadline of January 4, 2024, you may want to delay your application in order to include a more recent transcript. However, you may provide an updated transcript at any time after applying through your "Application Status" page. Most materials, including transcripts, should be marked "Miscellaneous".

What if my current and/or future courses do not appear on my transcript yet? There is space in the application to list your current courses. (On the "Education" tab, after you add an institution, an option will appear to add current and future courses at that institution.) You may provide further details in a transcript supplement, which you may upload on the "Statistics Supplement" tab of the online application.

How should I report my GPA in my application? You should report your GPA exactly as it appears on your official transcript. If your transcript does not include a GPA, you should leave the GPA fields of the application blank. Do not calculate your own GPA. Do not convert your GPA to a new scale.

Letters of recommendation

How many letters of recommendation are required? Can I submit more? We require three letters of recommendation. You may submit up to two additional letters if you think the circumstances warrant it. Do not submit additional letters just for the sake of having more letters.

Whom should I ask for a recommendation? Do my referees have to be professors? Can my TA, boss, or anyone else write a recommendation for me? You should select referees who know your work well and will write about your ability to succeed in our graduate statistics program. If possible, your referees should comment on your mathematical or statistical abilities, any special experience you have (such as in statistical applications), or your potential to do research. Choose your referees based on how well they know your work, not based on their job titles. We would rather read a letter from a teaching assistant who knows you well than a professor who does not know you. Letters from supervisors or other professional contacts are fine, especially if you have been out of school for several years.

Can I use a letter service to deliver my recommendations? Can I send you my recommendations myself? No, only electronic submission as the Dean's Office prefers that way instead. No, you may not send letters yourself. We need to be able to verify their authenticity.

One of my referees is having trouble submitting a letter of recommendation. What should I do? Have your referee check his or her junk mail folder for an email from our application system. Your referee may also send a letter directly to us as a PDF attachment at [email protected] . In this case, your referee must use an institutional email address (@uchicago.edu, for example). We cannot accept letters from personal email addresses (@gmail.com, for example).

Prerequisites

What are the prerequisites for the MS program? You should take calculus through the Jacobians and multivariate integrals, linear/matrix algebra, and elementary probability or statistics. For your reference, here is an example of an academic history that would satisfy our prerequisites. MATH 15100-15200-15300: Calculus I-II-III MATH 19520: Mathematical Methods for the Social Sciences MATH 19620: Linear Algebra STAT 23400: Statistical Models and Methods I f you have met some but not all of the prerequisites, you are still welcome to apply, provided you are willing to stay in the program longer in order to take some background courses.

What are the prerequisites for the PhD program? You should have completed the MS prerequisites . Additional course work in mathematics, especially real analysis, and facility with computer programming are helpful. Substantial background, through study or experience, in some area of science or other discipline involving quantitative reasoning and empirical investigation may be considered in lieu of the specific course prerequisites. An applicant’s background in mathematics and in science or another quantitative discipline is more important than his or her background in statistics.

Do I need to have experience in programming? Do I need to know S, R, S-PLUS, STATA, SAS, SPSS, Python, Perl, C/C++, Java, or any other software or language before applying? We do not have any particular programming or software prerequisites. As long as you have met our course prerequisites, you are welcome to apply. For PhD applicants, some facility with computer programming is definitely helpful, but we do not check for a background in any particular program or language.

Do I need to have research or work experience before applying? No, most of our students come directly from college.

Do I need to have a MS in order to apply for the PhD program? No, most of our students come directly from college.

Do I need to have majored in statistics, math, or a related field to apply? No, you may come to us from any major. As long as you have met our course prerequisites, you are welcome to apply.

I graduated from a three-year bachelor’s program. Am I eligible to apply? Yes, you may apply as long as you will have a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning our program.

Costs and financial aid

What is the cost of attendance? Current tuition and fee rates  are available on the Bursar’s website. Students with outside insurance coverage may opt out of the University's plan, provided they can prove their coverage is comparable.

Is financial aid available? Is funding available for international students? Our PhD students generally receive full support, including tuition, fees, health insurance, and living expenses. Our MS students generally receive a partial tuition scholarship of 10%. Departmental support is the same for domestic and international students. Read our full discussion here . Domestic applicants interested in environmental sciences may check the geoscience program at  https://voices.uchicago.edu/nrtenergyandenvironment/  for possible financial support to Statistics Masters via Teaching Assistantship.

Beyond basic support, do PhD students ever receive additional funding? Yes, we do occasionally offer additional funding to outstanding applicants. All PhD applicants are considered for McCormick Fellowships, which provide supplemental funding during the first two years of study. PhD students may apply for additional funding, such as the Harper Dissertation Fellowship, which provides several thousand dollars to assist in the final phases of dissertation writing. The David Wallace Award for Applied Statistics is given to two students each year who are working on applications of statistics in scientific domains. Other funding opportunities are often available. All applicants are considered for all funding opportunities for which they are eligible with no additional application materials. Current students receive word as funding opportunities arise throughout the year.

Can I fund my study by working as a teaching assistant, research assistant, or through a fellowship? Can I fund my study through off-campus and/or summer work? Paid teaching and research assistantships within the department are guaranteed to PhD students as part of their full funding and also as part of their professional training. Occasionally MS students may work in these positions but more often work as graders in the department or pursue similar on-campus jobs, including research assistantships, in other departments. However, if you are applying to the MS program, you should not rely on potential departmental work as a significant source of funding. International applicants in particular should not expect significant funding through work, as U.S. visa regulations prohibit students from working off-campus during the academic year and place serious limitations on summer work.

Is there a separate application for financial aid, scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships? No, all applicants are considered for departmental funding opportunities.

After you have applied

I submitted my application. What else do I need to submit? How do I know whether you have received my materials? Your file is not complete until we have received your application, your application fee or fee waiver, your transcript(s), your letters of recommendation, your official GRE score report, and, where applicable, your official TOEFL or IELTS score report. After you have submitted your application, you may log in to view your “Application Status” page, which includes a checklist of all your application materials. There will be a green check mark next to any item we have received. There will be a red ex next to any item we have not received.

I submitted the wrong application materials. Can I send a new version? You may not delete or replace materials we have already received. You may submit updated materials, such as a transcript with new grades listed, on your "Application Status" page. When in doubt, use the "Miscellaneous" label for uploads.

I have updated application materials, such as autumn grades. How do I submit these? You may submit updated materials, such as a transcript with new grades listed, on your “Application Status” page. When in doubt, use the “Miscellaneous” label for uploads.

My application is complete. When will I receive a decision? We release PhD decisions throughout February and MS decisions throughout March.

I have heard that some applicants have already received decisions. Does this mean I will not be admitted? We consider applications in batches. For example, one week we may consider all the applicants who are interested in a particular specialty or who are from a particular part of the world. We release decisions throughout February and March. If you have not received a decision from us, we are still considering your application.

I am on the waitlist. When will I receive a decision? Should I send additional application materials? It is difficult to predict when you will receive a decision, as it depends on how quickly admitted applicants accept or decline their offers. When you receive a letter offering you a place on the waitlist, all you need to do is log into your application account to accept a place on the waitlist. If you have new grades on your transcript or new items on your CV, you may submit updated versions of those documents. Otherwise, you do not need to do anything. You may not submit other new materials, such as letters of recommendation or essays.

I was admitted. Can I defer my admission? We rarely allow admitted applicants to defer admission. If you feel you have special circumstances, email [email protected] to explain.

I was not admitted to the PhD program. Will you consider my application for the MS program? If you asked to be considered for the MS program in your PhD application and completed all steps to submit your MS application, we will consider you for both programs. Otherwise, we will consider you only for the program to which you applied by the application deadline.

I was not admitted. Can I apply again next year? Generally speaking, applicants who are not admitted one year will not be admitted in future years. We recommend that you apply again only if your experience has changed significantly, for example, if you have gotten a new degree.

Visits and interviews

Should I contact faculty or staff before I have received a decision? Due to the volume of applications we receive, we ask that you not contact faculty or staff. If you have something to tell us, include it in your application. If you have a question not answered here, email [email protected] . If you are admitted, we will provide contact information for faculty and staff, and we welcome you to get in touch at that time.

Should I visit campus before I have received a decision? If you happen to be in Chicagoland, you are certainly welcome to come see campus and go on a tour . However, due to the volume of applications we receive, we are not able to interview or meet with prospective students. After you are admitted, you are welcome to schedule a visit with us to meet with faculty, staff, and students.

I am not a US citizen or permanent resident. Will you sponsor my visa for part-time study? Will you sponsor my visa for ESL? No, we are only able to sponsor visas for full-time students in the Department of Statistics.

When should I apply for my I-20 or DS-2019? We will contact you in May with instructions for obtaining an I-20 or DS-2019. We will guide you through the entire visa process. You do not need to take any action prior to hearing from us. For a broad range of information about the visa process and international student life at the University of Chicago, visit the Office of International Affairs website .

Earning an MS while enrolled in BA, BS, or PhD program at the University of Chicago

I am a current PhD student at the University of Chicago. Can I simultaneously enroll in the Statistics MS program? Yes. Prior to applying, you should meet with your advisor and your Dean of Students. You will need permission from your home department to enroll in a second degree program. You will also need space in your schedule to complete your MS in Statistics in no more than three years, including taking the required courses, participating in our consulting program, and writing and presenting your MS thesis.

I am a current student in the College. Can I simultaneously enroll in the Statistics MS program? Yes. Interested student should meet with Professor Mary Sara McPeek early in third year. Applications are due no later than June 1 of third year, though you should apply earlier if at all possible. The online application closes January 4th; if you are applying after that date, just email [email protected] for instructions on submitting your application. You do not need to take the GRE. All other application requirements are the same for you as for external applicants. See our full discussion of the joint-degree program here .

Further questions

What if I have questions that are not answered above? Email us at [email protected] . Please only send questions that are not answered above.

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="statistics phd waitlist"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Doctoral program statistics.

Use this page to explore summary statistics for research doctoral programs administered by the Graduate School. Methodology and definitions are provided at the bottom of the page.   

For additional graduate statistics, survey results, and career outcomes data, see program metrics .

Methodology and Definitions

Admissions counts.

Applied, admitted and matriculated counts are reported for new, external applications only. Current students who transfer into a different graduate program at Cornell without submitting a new application are not counted here.

Individuals may defer enrollment and/or be admitted to a program that differs from the one to which they originally applied. This can cause admitted and matriculated counts to be higher than application counts in some fields. 

Admission cycles start in the summer and continue through the following spring. For example, the 2020-21 admissions year includes data from summer 2020 through spring 2021. Because these dashboards are updated annually in the fall, the most recent year will not include data from the spring.

Average Admit Rate

Admit rate is the percentage of applicants who were admitted. Highly selective programs tend to have low admit rates. The five year average provides a good indicator of typical admit rates.

Enrollment numbers are derived from the student enrollment snapshot that is captured the sixth week of each fall term. Only students who are enrolled on the census date are counted. Students on an approved leave of absence are not included.

Average Completion Rate

Completion rate is the percentage of entering doctoral students who successfully completed the degree. Completion rates are reported by entering cohort, which is defined by the first term in which a student is enrolled in their doctoral program, regardless of any prior enrollment in a master’s program. The cohorts included here entered their programs seven to twelve years ago, and thus have had adequate time to finish a doctoral degree.

Status of Students in Each Recent Entering Cohort

This graph shows the current status of students who began the doctoral program in each of the last ten academic years. Students listed as completed have received the doctoral degree. Students are considered current in their program if they are still actively pursuing the doctoral degree or are on an approved temporary leave of absence. Students listed as discontinued have either left the university without a degree or switched to a different type of degree program (in many cases a master’s degree).

Time to Degree (TTD)

Time-to-degree degree measures the time in years from the first day of a student’s initial enrollment in their doctoral program to the day of their degree conferral. Time-to-degree measures elapsed time only, not enrolled time. It does not stop and start if a student takes a leave of absence. For Master’s/PhD students, time-to-degree starts when they begin the PhD phase of their studies. If a student was enrolled in a master’s program prior to matriculating in the doctoral program, the separate time in the master’s program is not included. Because of this, time-to-degree may appear shorter in some doctoral programs where it is common to complete a master’s prior to matriculation in the doctoral program.

The median time to degree can be thought of as the “mid-point”, where half of the students completed in a time period that is less than or equal to this value. The median is not affected by extreme values or outliers. 

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PhD—Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science

A Holistic View of Nursing Science

The UW School of Nursing Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) program faculty are global leaders in nursing science. Students from all over the world create a community of scholars and learn from expert researchers. Our expert nursing scientists provide mentorship tailored to student needs using technology-driven instruction.

The UW PhD program is ideal for students with diverse backgrounds who want to become premier leaders in nursing research.

We maintain a holistic view of nursing science and our faculty’s scholarship represents a broad array of research projects and innovative methodologies. Some examples include:

• Symptom science
• Laboratory sciences
• Health promotion and disease management across the lifespan
• Policy analysis and advancement of cost-effective health care systems
• Health equity
• Innovative methodologies

Hear from #HuskyNurse Sarah McKiddy and her experience with the PhD program.

A Community of Scholars

We welcome applicants with a baccalaureate degree in any field. We encourage post-baccalaureate students, as well as most master’s and DNP students who are ready to begin intensive study of nursing science, to apply.

UW PhD students have a wide range of academic backgrounds, including:

• Public health
• Complementary and alternative medicine
• Healthcare systems and policy
• Music therapy

Our PhD program is highly individualized to create independent thinkers with demonstrated ability to articulate, investigate, and report on original research that substantially contributes to health care knowledge.

The flexible program reflects the enormous scope and impact of the latest nursing research and policymaking. Although the PhD curriculum can be completed in three years of full-time study, individual student program lengths are expected to vary.

Once offered admission as a PhD student, you are matched with a faculty adviser. Your adviser provides guidance and helps answer questions until you select a supervisory committee chair (between years one and three). Your chair then serves in an advisory capacity and as the supervisor for your dissertation.

View the PhD Sample Curriculum Grid PhD Required and Elective Courses

• Optional: Statistics Concentration

The first year of the full-time PhD program and the first two years of part-time focus on required core courses emphasizing nursing philosophy, conceptual frameworks, theory, and research methodologies.

In addition, students complete their statistics sequence and may take selected electives or engage in research or teaching practicum. Students complete the preliminary exam at the end of the first year of full-time study and the end of two years of part-time study.

Students who enter the PhD program with a BSN can earn an MS in Nursing Science during the program following successful completion of the first year of the PhD program and the preliminary examination.

After the first year of full-time study and the first two years of part-time study, courses and other scholarly activities are determined by you and your supervisory committee to comprise your individual program of study. The supervisory chair is a School of Nursing graduate faculty member whose research approach, interest, or research methods align with your proposed dissertation project.

You and your chair complete the supervisory committee by selecting faculty members from the School of Nursing, the UW at large, and other appropriate experts outside the University. This committee approves your program of study and guides you through the general examinations, dissertation research, and final defense.

The Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration requires a minimum of 14 credits of advanced statistical methods coursework above and beyond the 10 credits of statistics required for the PhD degree. Of these, two credits are fulfilled by the CSSS Seminar, and a minimum of 12 credits are fulfilled by at least four advanced statistics courses, three of which must come from the list of CSSS courses approved for the concentration.

All courses taken as part of the statistics concentration must be graded.

However, a 500-level course that is graded credit/no credit may be considered for inclusion in your Area of Concentration proposal if:

• In the course, you submit an individual project (i.e., not a group project); and
• Major course assignments are submitted to your Supervisory Committee for review

CSSS seminar: minimum two credits

A minimum of two quarters in CS&SS is required. The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .

Course	Credits
CS&SS 590: CSSS Seminar	1

Approved CSSS advanced statistics course options

The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .

Course	Credits
CS&SS 510: Maximum Likelihood Methods for the Social Sciences	5
CS&SS 526: Structural Equation Models for the Social Sciences	3
CS&SS 527: Survey Research Methods	4
CS&SS 529: Sample Survey Techniques	3
CS&SS 536: Analysis of Categorical and Count Data	3
CS&SS 544: Event History Analysis for the Social Sciences	5
CS&SS 560: Hierarchical Modeling for the Social Sciences	4
CS&SS 564: Bayesian Statistics for the Social Sciences	4
CS&SS 565: Inequality: Current Trends and Explanations	3
CS&SS 566: Causal Modeling	4
CS&SS 567: Statistical Analysis of Social Networks	4
CS&SS 568: Game Theory for Social Scientists	5
CS&SS 589: Multivariate Data Analysis for the Social Sciences	3 (max. 6)
CS&SS/POLS 591: Panel Data Analysis	TBD
CS&SS/SOC WL 594: Longitudinal Data Analysis	1-5

Variation in area of concentration coursework

One advanced methodological course in nursing, political science, psychology, public health, sociology, statistics, economics, educational psychology, social welfare, and other related fields may be considered as part of the Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration four course requirements if it contributes to the overall coherence of the student’s program of study and is consistent with the student’s research goals.

This course would be in addition to the ten credits of statistics courses required for the PhD in nursing.

Admissions Requirements

• An in-process or earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in any discipline
• A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or a 3.0 GPA for the last  60 semester/90 quarter graded college/university credits
• Meet the  Essential Behaviors for PhD Students
• International applicants   who plan on taking clinical nursing courses  must have an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license  at the time of application
• If your native language is not English,  proof of proficiency in English  (reading, writing, and comprehension)

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Statistics (MSc)

Advance your knowledge of statistics and prepare for a career that contributes to solving problems.

Why choose this program?

Built on a solid 100-year foundation, the department of Mathematics and Statistics goes beyond traditional classroom education.

We provide you with real-world experience through participation in faculty research projects, giving you the vast set of skills necessary to become leaders. 

You’ll be prepared for careers in statistics that contribute to solving today’s problems. Here, your opportunities are almost limitless — you'll learn, explore, and create at one of Canada's best universities.

You can focus your Statistics MSc in the following areas: statistical inference, robust statistics, data mining, bioinformatics, data analysis, multivariate analysis, linear and nonlinear regression, time series analysis, statistical genetics, environmental statistics, and information theory.

Graduates work in diverse areas including manufacturing, marketing, engineering, public health and technology.

Admission requirements

You'll need to meet the  Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum requirements  as well as any program-specific admissions requirements before you can apply.

Financial information

At Dalhousie, we want our students to focus on their studies, rather than worry about their personal finances. We offer competitive tuition rates and funding programs to support graduate students in almost all of our degree programs.

Program options

Thesis : Pursue independent and original research guided by a supervisor to develop and defend your thesis. 

Standard program duration:

2 years or longer

Enrolment options:

Delivery format:.

All graduate programs at Dalhousie are collaboratively delivered by a home Faculty and the  Faculty of Graduate Studies .

Contact an admissions advisor

GRADUATE COORDINATOR

Email:  [email protected]

Phone:  902-494-2572

I'm ready to apply!

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy on this page, in the event of a discrepancy,  Dalhousie's Academic Calendars  are the official reference.