Application Process
Step 1. Contact Potential EES Faculty Advisors
The EES graduate program is very competitive and selective. We encourage you to contact potential EES faculty advisors to inquire if they are accepting new students and/or have funding opportunities, prior to submitting a formal application. This is a critical step in the admissions process because no students are admitted to the program without the prior commitment of a faculty mentor. You should try to match your own areas of interest with those of your potential faculty advisor. This listing of EES faculty may be found here.
Step 2. Complete a Formal Application
If you are encouraged to apply by a potential EES faculty advisor, please follow the application instructions provided by the University of Maine Graduate School. Please be aware that, unfortunately, we are unable to offer application fee waivers under any circumstances.
Step 3. EES Faculty Advisor Selections & Review
Once your application is complete, it will be forwarded from the Graduate School to the EES program. We will verify that an EES faculty has agreed to be your advisor. Then we will evaluate your personal statement, academic qualifications, three letters of recommendation, relevant training and experience in ecology or environmental science as demonstrated in your CV, and individual potential for achievement. Demonstration of English language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE Academic English, or DuoLingo scores) is required for international applicants.
Step 4. Admission & Funding Decisions
We have a rolling admissions process and accept applications throughout the year, but it often is not possible to make a decision immediately. All applicants for fall admission will receive a decision no later than March 31. Our admission recommendation is forwarded to the Graduate School, which will send you an official letter of admission for your electronic signature. Funding is arranged through your EES faculty advisor and any funding offers will come from them.
Additional considerations
Recommended Qualifications
EES typically admits students with a GPA greater than 3.0 during their undergraduate career. The personal statement, CV, letters of recommendation, and the support of a prospective EES faculty mentor are also important, and will weigh heavily in admission decisions for students. Applicants are not required to submit GRE scores.
Prerequisite Coursework
We recognize that students come from varied backgrounds and have differing aims in their graduate training. The EES program does not have any prerequisite course requirements, but individual faculty mentors might. Incoming students who lack coursework in an area deemed important by your EES faculty advisor (e.g., chemistry, economics, physics, mathematics, biology) may be asked to make up these deficiencies in addition to the course of studies required for the M.S. or Ph.D. degree. We encourage you to communicate with your prospective advisor about this during the application process.
Deadlines and Timing
Most applications are for admission during the fall semester. However, EES faculty advisors may have funding to start during other semesters. For instance, starting in the spring or summer semesters may be advantageous for getting an extra field season of data collection. We encourage you to communicate with your prospective advisor about this during the application process.
Financial Support
Most of our graduate students are supported (stipend, tuition waiver, and partial health insurance waiver) by grants awarded to faculty members. You should discuss potential fellowship, graduate research assistantship, and teaching assistantship possibilities with your prospective advisor during the application process. Please see our Funding page for more information.
Applying to Two Programs
You are not prohibited from applying to more than one graduate program at the University of Maine, but this requires careful coordination on your part, so that your application does not get lost in the shuffle. You should inform the Graduate School of your intent and alert the Graduate Coordinators in each program, so that they know that the file is being reviewed in two places.
Campus Tours
If you wish to visit the campus, you should contact your prospective EES faculty advisor for assistance in arranging times to meet with them, see research facilities, meet current graduate students, and/or sit in on graduate seminars.