Application Process

The Department of Entomology provides graduate training in a welcoming and supportive environment. We hope you will apply to our program!

Applications for Fall 2025 admissions must be received by Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

Critical Tasks Before Applying:

Consider whether going into graduate school aligns with your career goals. You can take a look at this excellent article on the topic, but also make sure to discuss your plans with peers and faculty at your host institution.
Read this page carefully. Instructions on various elements of the application are included to help you prepare the strongest possible package.
Consult external resources providing advice for the application process for a research degree in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology (here and here). Be advised that the Department of Entomology does not require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Contact potential faculty advisors WELL BEFORE (at least 3 months) preparing and submitting your application. This will inform you on whether they are recruiting graduate students this application cycle and whether their research and mentoring style are a good fit for you.

Program Contacts

Please reach out to our Director of Graduate Studies or Graduate Coordinator if you have questions about our program.

Daniel Gruner

Professor and Director of Graduate Studies

Ready to Apply?

Applications to our M.S. and Ph.D. programs are submitted through the Graduate School website.

Application Package Requirements

1. Three Letters of Recommendation

The letters must be uploaded by letter writers, who will receive a link once their name is added to the application form. Please make sure they are aware of the application deadline (see top of page) so they submit their letters on time.

The writers should be people competent to judge the applicant's probable success in graduate school. These letters are usually from former professors or employers who are able to give an in-depth evaluation of the applicant's strengths and weaknesses with respect to academic work, research, and or other work experience. Strong letters provide explicit examples of experiences that support the qualities the letter writer wants to highlight. Letters from family members and/or friends with no direct professional or academic insight or relevance are strongly discouraged.

2. Course Transcripts (No GRE)

3. Statement of Purpose

This document includes your goals, research interests, and experiences, and their relation to the intended program of study. This essay should highlight your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in Entomology and should describe past experiences and accomplishments that bear on your goals. The review committee is particularly interested in academic work, research projects, publications, presentations, awards, and/or professional experiences that have shaped your interests and development. It is also useful to describe how the specific opportunities offered by the University of Maryland may be beneficial in pursuing your goals, especially the interests and research of one or more potential faculty advisors. The full prompt for the Statement of Purpose can be found on the Graduate School's website.

4. CV

This document needs to present your academic path, relevant work experiences, awards, prizes, publications, presentations or posters you may have authored, relevant technical abilities, relevant community-involvement activities, membership to professional societies, languages you speak, etc. Click here to learn more on some ways to build a strong CV.

5. Writing Samples (Optional)

6. Description of Research/Work Experience (Optional)

This is optional and can showcase your research or work experience, community involvement, leadership roles, and how you overcame barriers. You should think of these less as requirements and more as an additional way to define yourself to those who will be looking at your packet. They are particularly powerful as tools to describe your readiness for the challenges of graduate school. For example, how might you make clear you are ready to take on and/or develop a research project, collaborate with others, contribute to the department, interact with other students, etc.

7. Information for International Applicants (TOEFL/IELTS)

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. A stay in the USA, however, requires a visa, as well as coordinating places to stay, health insurance, travel, and more. International applicants should explore the website and contact the UMD International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) to learn what these processes entail.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information that does not guarantee attendance. Admitted international students should follow instructions on the process to obtain visas to study at the University of Maryland. See the International Admissions section of the Graduate School website for more information.

English Language Proficiency: The Graduate School offers admission with various conditions based on performance on the IELTS or TOEFL exams. Full enrollment (i.e. no conditions) requires the following scores:

TOEFL
- Total: 96
- Reading: 26
- Listening: 24
- Speaking: 22
- Writing: 24
IELTS
- Overall: 7
- Reading: 7
- Listening: 7
- Speaking: 6.5
- Writing: 7

Please see the Graduate School’s page on language proficiency requirements for more details on TOEFL/IELTS conditional admission requirements.

Application Review

Applications are reviewed annually in December for admission in the Fall semester of the following year.

Once the Department has received applications and all supporting materials from the Graduate School, a committee of Entomology faculty reviews the application packages using all available information to determine acceptability to the Graduate Program.
The committee then recommends acceptable applicants to all Entomology faculty for review. Faculty then identify the applicants they would be interested in interviewing and recruiting.
Candidates for recruitment will be invited to the Department of Entomology for an interview/recruitment event early in the Spring semester.
Once a commitment of faculty sponsorship and financial support is made, the Graduate Director recommends acceptance to the Dean of the Graduate School.
The Dean then grants acceptance if all Graduate School requirements have been met.
Note: International students must also meet minimum requirements set by the Office of International Students and Scholars Services.

Final Admission

Following approval, the applicant will receive:

An offer letter from the Department indicating the stipend level, duration of support, and amount of tuition remission.
An offer of admission from the Graduate School specifying the date of entrance.

To be admitted, the applicant must respond affirmatively to both offer letters. Changes to either offer letter, including the effective date, advisor, etc. require authorization by the Graduate Director.

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