HOW TO APPLY

This page contains important information on the College of Marine Science's application process. Please read this entire page carefully to ensure your application is processed correctly. If you have any questions about the application process please contact Monica Mion at 727-553-3504 or Dawna Ishler at 727-553-3944.
Printable Application Process (.pdf)

Application Deadlines:

Mailing Address:

Please mail all application materials (explained in the application checklist section) to the address below. Do NOT mail your application materials to the Tampa Campus, this will cause a delay in processing your application. It is best to submit your online application before mailing other materials to our office. Once you apply online you will receive your University ID number that begins with a "U". Please include this number where possible on items that you are mailing to our office.

College of Marine Science
Department of Academic Affairs
140 7th Avenue South, MSL 119
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Application Checklist

Submit the following: (Click on each item for details or scroll down)

1. Review Program Admissions Requirements
2. Review Faculty Research
3. Complete the Online Application
4. Make Online Payment of $30.00
5. Research Interest Statement
6. CV or Resume
7. 3 Letters of Recommendation
8. Official Transcripts of Grades
9. GRE Scores
10. TOEFL Scores (for non-native English speakers)
11. International Forms (for international students)

1. Review Program Admission Requirements: read below...

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited university (preferable
  majors include biology, chemistry, geology, physics or math). Master’s degree in one of the above sciences highly preferable for Ph.D. applicants.
• Have earned a “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) average or better in all work attempted while registered as an upper division student working for a baccalaureate degree. (Having these scores does not guarantee admission to our program.)
• Have completed all of the coursework listed on the Undergraduate Preparation page.
• Have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) within 5 years preceding application. Minimum scores generally considered acceptable by the college are: Verbal = 500, Quantitative = 600.
  For Applicants to the Marine Resource Assessment program: Preference will be given to students with minimum scores of: Verbal=550 and Quantitative=700. (Having these scores does not guarantee admission to our program.)
• Have the commitment of a Marine Science faculty member to serve as advisor during the student’s graduate studies.

Note: Please note the Marine Resource Assessment program has additional admissions guidelines- please visit the MRA Admissions Guidelines for more information.

2. Review Faculty Research:

We encourage you to visit our Faculty Web pages and make direct contact with any of our faculty who may be doing research of particular interest to you. Ultimately, admission into our program depends not only upon GPA, GRE and TOEFL scores, but also upon the ability of an individual faculty member to accept new students based on the time, space and financial resources the faculty member may have available. All CMS Faculty listed (under Biological, Chemical, Geological, and Physical Oceanography) may serve as major professors for the concentration in Marine Resource Assessment.

3. Online Application:

• Graduate Application (Apply online)
  You will be asked to create a login id and password to access the online application using FACTS.org. Before you visit the online application, use the following tips to ensure that you answer the questions correctly:
  • For the question "Select the campus you wish to attend":
    - Choose the "Tampa" or "St Petersburg" campus, even though our program is physically located on the St. Petersburg campus, the College of Marine Science is a "Tampa" program that is offered on the St. Petersburg campus, therefore our programs can be found under either listing
  • For the question "What is your planned major":
    - For the Masters of Science program, choose "Marine Science - M.S.",
    - For the Doctorate program, choose "Marine Science - Ph.D."

4. Payment of $30.00

via credit card or e-check (submitted electronically along with online application).

5. Research Interest Statement

Describe your specific research interests in marine science and indicate the Faculty members in our college whose research programs are of interest to you. (1-2 typewritten pages; include special talents, jobs, and experiences). Please use this Essay Template (.doc).

6. CV or Resume

7. Three Letters of Recommendation

Letters should be mailed directly from your support person to our office, or enclosed in a sealed/signed envelope. The letter can be addressed to "Admissions Committee". To ensure the letter is filed correctly, please include the following on the letter: the applicants name, USF Id number, and the semester term the applicant is applying for. We prefer mailed letters, however If your support person would like to send their letter of support via email, please send it to: dishler@usf.edu. You can call 727-553-3944 to confirm that we received it.

8. Official Transcripts of Grades

One official transcript from all institutions of higher learning where you have earned a degree is required, but applicants may also provide unofficial copies of transcripts to expedite the processing of their applications. Any admissions granted using unofficial transcripts will not be finalized until official transcripts are received in a sealed envelope from the Office of the Registrar where they attended. If you are applying while still completing an undergraduate degree, you must submit transcripts of at least six (6) semesters of completed undergraduate work. Final transcripts showing the award of a bachelor’s degree will be required if an applicant is admitted and enrolls. If you have attended USF as a degree-seeking student, you do not have to submit your USF transcripts.

International Transcripts: All transcripts must be in English; it is the applicant’s responsibility to have foreign transcripts translated and evaluated* before submitting them as part of their graduate application packet. Please visit the Foreign Transcript Evaluations Services Listing of acceptable evaluators.

9. Graduate Record Exam scores (GRE - verbal/quantitative)  

• Contact ETS at http://www.ets.org/ to find a testing location and have your scores sent electronically from ETS to USF. The institution code for USF is 5828.
• Since test scores are received electronically and can take 4-6 weeks to process, please send copies of your GRE score reports with your application materials.
• The GRE scores generally considered acceptable by the College are as follows: Verbal = 500, Quantitative = 600. 
  For Applicants for the Marine Resource Assessment program: Preference will be given to students with minimum scores of: Verbal=550 and Quantitative=700.
  (Having these scores does not guarantee admission to our program.)

10. TOEFL exam scores (For non-native English speakers) 

• Contact ETS at http://www.ets.org/ to find a testing location and have your scores sent electronically from ETS to USF. The institution code for USF is 5828.
• Since test scores are received electronically and can take 4-6 weeks to process, please send copies of your GRE score reports with your application materials.
• Applicants whose native language is not English or who have not earned a degree in the United States must also submit TOEFL scores earned within two (2) years of the desired term of entry. A minimum total score of 79 on the internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test are required. Applications submitted with TOEFL scores that do not meet the minimum requirements will be denied with no exceptions.
• The TOEFL requirement may be waived if the applicant meets one of the following conditions:
  • Has scored 500 or higher on the GRE Verbal Test
  • Has earned a college degree at a U.S. institution of higher learning
  • Has earned a college degree from an institution whose language of instruction is English (must be noted on the transcript).
  • Has scored 6.5 on International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

11. International Forms (for International Students Only)-

Please visit the USF Graduate Admissions web site to complete the Financial Support Requirements Form and for more helpful information for International Applicants.

Questions?

We are here to help you. If you have any questions please contact us:

Monica Mion
727-553-3504
email: advisor@marine.usf.edu

-or –

Dawna Ishler
727-553-3944
email: dishler@admin.usf.edu