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. 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.
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 undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) grade point averages, scores on the general Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), three letters of recommendation, relevant training and experience in ecology or environmental science, and individual potential for achievement. TOEFL scores are required for international applicants.
Step 4. Admission & Funding Decisions
We attempt to make admission decisions within 6-8 weeks of your application. Our admission decision is forwarded to the Graduate School, which will send you an official letter of admission. 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, resume, 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 by EES to submit GRE scores, although some faculty mentors may request GRE scores when making decisions on graduate student placement within research groups.
Prerequisite Coursework
We recognize that students come from varied backgrounds and have differing aims in their graduate training. Any prerequisite coursework will be specified by your EES faculty advisor. 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.
Deadlines and Timing
Most applications are for admission during the fall semester. While we may accept applications at any time, we encourage applicants to apply by January 15th for full consideration for the fall. 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.
Financial Support
You should work with your EES faculty advisor to arrange a fellowship or graduate research or teaching assistantship. Please see our Funding page for more information.
Applying to Two Programs
You are not prohibited from applying to more than one graduate program, 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.