Graduate Program Admissions

Overview and Deadlines

Thank you for your interest in the UW School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences graduate program. Founded in 1919, the School comprises one of the largest and most diverse academic fisheries and aquatic science programs in the United States. Students benefit from our faculty, whose breadth of expertise includes marine and freshwater ecology, habitat restoration, quantitative fishery management, pathology, genetics, and a number of disciplines related to physical, biological, and societal processes that bear on emerging issues of aquatic ecology, conservation and management. We no longer offer a program in Food Science.

Our current admissions cycle is for Autumn Quarter 2009, and we begin accepting applications September 1, 2008. The application submission deadlines are below.

The information contained on this web page applies to our Master’s (M.S.) and Doctoral (Ph.D.) programs. Applicants to the Ph.D. program must hold an earned master's degree prior to beginning their doctoral studies. Prospective students who will not have earned a master's degree before the start of Autumn Quarter 2009 may only apply to the M.S. program.

Please note that throughout this web page, and in conversations with faculty, students, and staff, our School is often referred to as “SAFS,” which is an acronym for the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences.

Admissions Criteria

The primary criterion for admission to the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) is the demonstrated ability of an applicant to pursue the degree program successfully. The applicant's scholastic record is of primary importance in determining this potential and includes the following minimum requirements:

  1. GPA: a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the most recent 90 quarter credits, or 60 semester credits, of college work. Note: this is a University of Washington Graduate School mandate as well as a SAFS requirement.
  2. GRE Scores: to be competitive for SAFS admission, applicants should have scores of at least 500 on the verbal, 500 on the quantitative, and 4.0 on the Analytical Writing sections of the GRE General Test. Please note that the Subject Tests are not required for SAFS admission; we only require the GRE General Test. Applicants are welcome to report scores for any Subject Tests that they have taken. However, this does not provide any advantage over those who have not taken any Subject Tests. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) will not report scores that are older than five years. Therefore, GRE scores must be less than five years old when an application is submitted.
  3. TOEFL Scores: for International students who need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), SAFS requires the minimum score indicated on one of the following tests: 580 on the written (TOEFL); 237 on the computer-based (TOEFLC); or 70 on the internet-based (TOEFLiBT) exam. Please review the Graduate School's Memorandum #8 to determine whether TOEFL scores are required for you. When required, the TOEFL must have been taken within two years of admission.

Please note that applicants admitted to SAFS typically have higher GPAs and GRE scores than indicated above; having a GPA above 3.0 and test scores in the recommended ranges does not guarantee admission.

In addition to the criteria listed above, applicants must also secure sponsorship from a faculty advisor willing to admit and fund them. Some applicants secure external funding, but they still need a faculty advisor to sponsor admission.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin contacting potential advisors in Fall 2008, and definitely no later than February 2009. You do not need to have an advisor who explicitly expressed interest in you to apply, but it is very helpful to begin searching for one earlier rather than later (i.e., do not wait until February). You should review the online faculty profiles to determine whether your research background, interests, and objectives fit with one (or more) of the SAFS faculty and contact them accordingly.

You do not necessarily need to have a specific research project in mind when you apply. However, you should have a clear idea of the type of research that you'd like to pursue and which faculty members are best suited to supervise it at SAFS.

Frequently asked questions about UW admissions policies and procedures are addressed on the UW Graduate Admissions FAQs webpage. Admissions and enrollment statistics can be found on the UW Graduate School’s website.

Funding

Adequate funding can be an important determinant of a student’s success in graduate school, therefore SAFS requires funding packages for all incoming graduate students. These can include fellowships, research or teaching assistantships, employer support, or other forms of aid (e.g., governmental sponsorship). Funding packages typically provide a monthly stipend for living expenses, health insurance, and payment for most tuition costs. Please note that student loans, personal funds/savings, or other forms of “self-funding” are not factored into funding considerations for admissions purposes in the SAFS graduate program. Students can use personal funds and student loans after being admitted. However, primary funding for admissions purposes must come from eligible sources (e.g., research or teaching assistantships, fellowships, employer support, etc.) for at least four to eight quarters of guaranteed support.

The majority of SAFS graduate students are funded by half-time (50%) research assistantships (RA-ships) paid from faculty research grants. An advisor can also fund students using half-time (50%) teaching assistantships (TA-ships) for courses they teach, but this is usually in conjunction with RA-ships for quarters in which TA-ships are not available. For example, a graduate student might TA for 2 quarters and then be funded as an RA for 6 quarters.

A limited number of SAFS scholarships for outstanding entering students are available and normally are awarded in the form of eight quarters worth of 50% research assistantships. All applicants are automatically evaluated for SAFS scholarships by the Recruitment, Admissions, and Scholarship Committee (RASC), but only top applicants in the overall pool are eligible (usually around the 90th percentile).

No additional application materials are needed to be considered for scholarship or assistantship funding within SAFS. RASC reviews all regular application materials for scholarship eligibility, and faculty advisors automatically consider applicants for any available teaching assistantships and grant-funded research assistantships, before sponsoring an applicant’s admission.

The salary and benefits for research and teaching assistantships are outlined below for the 2008–09 academic year. Depending upon various factors, salaries may increase on an annual basis (normally 3–5%).

The UW Financial Aid Office publishes a cost of attendance estimate for the nine-month academic year. Please keep in mind that out-of-state (i.e., non-resident) tuition is waived each quarter a student holds an eligible research or teaching assistantship.

Some students may receive financial support from their agency (i.e., employer) or they may be international students with scholarships from their home countries. In these cases, applicable external funding is normally used before any internal SAFS funding.

The UW Graduate School provides additional information about fellowships and assistantships and other funding opportunities, including external awards. Grants.gov is a resource for Federal funding opportunities. Students are strongly encouraged to apply for non-SAFS grants, fellowships, and scholarships before and during their time at SAFS because external funding may increase their chance of securing a faculty sponsor for admission to SAFS by satisfying our funding requirement, and it often creates some flexibility in their research when funding is not tied to their advisor’s research grant(s).

Application Process

To be considered for admission, you will need to apply to the UW Office of Graduate Admissions via the online application, which will also ask you to send additional materials directly to the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS). Further instructions are detailed step-by-step during the online application process, but an overview is listed below.

Our application deadlines are:

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. We begin mailing admission offers in early March, and all applicants will receive notification of an admission decision by April 15th. An Application Timeline is also detailed on this webpage.

Please completely read all instructions before beginning the admissions process:

  1. APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE SCHOOL (“GRADUATE ADMISSIONS”). On or after September 1, 2008, apply online by following the instructions at http://www.grad.washington.edu/admissions/.
  2. ONE OFFICIAL COPY OF TRANSCRIPT(S) FROM ALL COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES YOU HAVE ATTENDED SENT DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL OF AQUATIC AND FISHERY SCIENCES. Transcripts may read "Issued to Student" if they are sealed in the Registrar’s envelope and signed or stamped on the seal. Registrar’s offices may also send transcripts directly to SAFS. Our address is:

University of Washington
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
Graduate Student Admissions
1122 NE Boat St., Box 355020
Seattle, WA 98195-5020

If you are taking classes at the time of application, please send unofficial transcripts from the institution you currently attend by the application deadline. You should then follow-up by sending official transcripts that include your final grades as soon as they are available. If you applied for admission last year and would like to use the official transcripts from that application, please email safs@u.washington.edu and specify the name of each institution. We can forward your transcripts to this year’s application file. Please note that we cannot forward transcripts from applications prior to last year because most applications and supporting documents are destroyed after one year.

  1. OFFICIAL GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS (GRE) GENERAL TEST SCORES: GRE scores must be received by UW Graduate Admissions by December 15, 2008. (see the Admissions Criteria section for recommended GRE score ranges at SAFS.) Scores are sent electronically from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to the UW Graduate Admissions Office on a weekly basis. We recommend that the GRE General Test be taken by early November. Our GRE institution code is 4854. There is no department code to report to ETS; our institution code (4854) is sufficient. GRE scores must be less than five years old, otherwise ETS will not report them. GRE Subject tests (e.g., Biology) are not required by SAFS, but you are welcome to report these scores if available. Information about GRE testing can be found on the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website; please contact ETS directly for testing questions, including when your official scores will be ready. If your GRE test date is after November 15, please self-report your Verbal and Quantitative scores in your online application and have ETS send the official scores as soon as possible. No offer of admission will be made until official scores are received for all sections of the GRE General Test. Please update SAFS if there are any issues by sending an email to safs@u.washington.edu.
  2. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – OFFICIAL TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) SCORES. Please review the Graduate School's Memorandum #8 to determine whether TOEFL scores are required for you. The TOEFL must have been taken within two years of admission, and our institution code is 4854. SAFS requires these minimum scores on one of the following tests: 580 on the written (TOEFL); 237 on the computer-based (TOEFLC); or 70 on the internet-based (TOEFLiBT) exam
  3. INFORMATION SUMMARY FOR SCHOOL OF AQUATIC & FISHERY SCIENCES. This supplemental form will be uploaded during the online application process (i.e., do not print and mail it). The information provided on this form is reviewed by a SAFS committee for scholarship and funding purposes. No additional application for SAFS-based financial assistance is required. Applicants are considered for all available SAFS funding opportunities during the review process:
    School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences Graduate Information Summary (pdf)
  4. FUNDING DOCUMENTATION. (See the Funding section above for more information about internal SAFS funding.) If you plan to receive funding from an external (i.e., non-SAFS) source and have related documentation, such as a fellowship award letter, you should scan and upload it during the online application process. International students funded by their home countries should provide this documentation as soon as it becomes available. If you already submitted your application online, you should scan and email funding documents to safs@u.washington.edu.
  5. THREE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. We strongly recommend three letters of recommendation, but we will route your file for review with only two letters, if necessary. All letters of recommendation are requested electronically during the online application process. The application system will immediately email recommenders after you enter their contact information; further instructions for uploading and transmitting their recommendations will be included in that email. Please do not select the “postal mail” option; we only accept electronic recommendations. If a recommender insists upon submitting a hardcopy, please email safs@u.washington.edu for further instructions and a cover sheet. Hardcopies will only be accepted in extenuating circumstances. Recommendations should be from faculty or scientists familiar with your academic achievements and/or research experience. Applicants who have been out of school for some time may include recommendations from employers, but all efforts should be made to include at least one letter from academic faculty.
  6. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. During the online application process, you will be asked to submit a statement of your educational and professional goals/objectives. You can upload this into the application as a Word, PDF, RTF, or plain text document. The format for the Statement of Purpose is below.
    1. Two pages maximum, 12-point font, single -spaced, and one-inch margins.
    2. Explain how your past experience (research, volunteer, or education) might facilitate your graduate studies
    3. Discuss why you specifically want to attend SAFS, including the aspects of our graduate programs that makes SAFS one of your top choices.
    4. Identify any faculty whom you would like as potential advisors and explain why.
    5. Include your research interests, your ideas regarding potential research projects while at SAFS, and what you hope to accomplish during and after your program at SAFS, if you were admitted.
  1. RESUME OR CURRICULUM VITAE. You will be asked to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) listing a summary of your education, accomplishments, and experiences including: (a) awards and scholarships (prizes, honors upon graduation, honorary society membership, etc.) and dates awarded; (b) research experience (description, name of adviser, and dates); (c) relevant employment and professional experience (description and dates); (d) special skills (computer/software, specialized instruments, etc.); and (e) a list of publications (including papers that have been submitted or are in preparation), if applicable. You may use any format you like and upload it as a Word, PDF, RTF, or plain text document.
  2. PUBLICATIONS: If you have published any scientific papers or reports, or have manuscripts in preparation, please scan and upload each document as a PDF.
  3. OPTIONAL PERSONAL STATEMENT. During the online application process, you can submit an optional personal statement. This is not the same as your Statement of Purpose or resume/curriculum vitae. Instead, this helps provide a more personal and in-depth biographical context to your application by providing us with information such as financial hardship during your studies, whether you are a first generation college student, and other information that may be relevant to your past academic performance. Applicants who do not choose to submit this optional statement will not be penalized. Listed below are the instructions that appear in the online application:

Consistent with our goal of enhancing the intellectual and social enrichment of the University community, the University of Washington actively seeks and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. Please provide a statement, no more than two pages in length, about your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development. The statement should address educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages that you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals. Please note that this is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals.

You may use any format you like and upload it as a Word, PDF, RTF, or plain text document. The statement should be two pages maximum and we recommend 12-point font, single or double spacing, and one inch margins. More information is available on the GO-MAP webpage.

It is not necessary that application materials arrive at SAFS at the same time (e.g., transcripts and anything else not submitted online); but these items should be postmarked or submitted in-person by the application deadline.

We strongly encourage prospective students to submit application materials as early as possible to ensure receipt and full consideration. Please note that all applications received by the deadline are considered equally. Early applications do not receive special consideration. However, late applications will not be considered.

Our mailing address for any items not submitted online is:

University of Washington
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
Graduate Student Admissions
1122 NE Boat St., Box 355020
Seattle, WA 98195-5020
Tel: 206-616-5893

Application Timeline

The usual timeline for the application process is listed below. Please keep in mind that this should be used as a guide only and is subject to change depending upon the operational needs of the Admissions Committee and the School.

Graduate Non-Matriculated Status

SAFS may grant Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM) status to students who meet the minimum criteria outlined below, on a space-available basis. Applications for GNM status are accepted for Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters. GNM application deadlines are listed on the UW Continuing Education website. The Chair of the Recruitment, Admissions, and Scholarship Committee (RASC) and the Graduate Program Coordinator make the final determination in granting GNM status for SAFS. Please note that GNM status in no way implies or guarantees subsequent admission to a graduate degree program at SAFS. A separate application process is required for the SAFS Master’s and Doctoral programs (see Admissions Criteria and Application Process sections above).

The minimum criteria for GNM status include:

Please review the GNM application deadlines before proceeding. The online application, FAQs, registration procedures, and other relevant information are on the UW Continuing Education non-degree enrollment website.

GNM students may register in SAFS courses with permission from the instructor and the SAFS Student Services Office in the Fishery Sciences Building, Room 116. Students must seek out instructors directly to obtain their signature before bringing their registration form to the SAFS Student Services Office. Only courses at the 400- or 500-level are eligible for transfer toward UW graduate degrees. The following courses are not open to GNM students: FISH 522, 600, 700, and 800. Registration in FISH 521 is permitted on a case-by-case basis (email safs@u.washington.edu for more information). All other FISH courses are available to GNM students with instructor and departmental permission (obtained via your registration form).

Students may transfer up to 12 eligible GNM credits earned at the UW toward a UW graduate degree if they are later admitted. Please see the Transfer Credit section of the UW Graduate School’s website and the Graduate School's Memorandum #37 for more information about transfer credit eligibility and restrictions.

Steps to apply for Graduate Non-Matriculated student status at SAFS

  1. APPLICATION FOR GRADUATE NON-MATRICULATED STUDENT STATUS submitted online by the applicable deadline.
  2. ONE OFFICIAL COPY OF TRANSCRIPT(S) FROM ALL COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES YOU HAVE ATTENDED SENT DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL OF AQUATIC AND FISHERY SCIENCES. Transcripts may read "Issued to Student" if they are sealed in the Registrar’s envelope and signed or stamped on the seal. Registrar’s offices may also send transcripts directly to SAFS. Our address is:

University of Washington
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
Graduate Student Admissions
1122 NE Boat St., Box 355020
Seattle, WA 98195-5020

If you are taking classes at the time of application, please send unofficial transcripts from the institution you currently attend by the application deadline. You should then follow-up by sending official transcripts that include your final grades as soon as they are available.

  1. OFFICIAL GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS (GRE) GENERAL TEST SCORES: effective Winter Quarter 2009 and thereafter, GRE scores must be received by the UW before SAFS can grant GNM status. The recommended scores are: 500 on the verbal, 500 on the quantitative, and 4.0 on the Analytical Writing sections of the GRE General Test. Scores are sent electronically from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to the UW Graduate Admissions Office on a weekly basis. Our GRE institution code is 4854. There is no department code to report to ETS; our institution code (4854) is sufficient. GRE scores must be less than five years old, otherwise ETS will not report them. GRE Subject tests (e.g., Biology) are not required by SAFS, but you are welcome to report these scores if available. Information about GRE testing can be found on the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website; please contact ETS directly for testing questions, including when your official scores will be ready.
  2. RESUME OR CURRICULUM VITAE. During the online application process, you will be asked to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) listing a summary of your education, accomplishments, and experiences including: (a) awards and scholarships (prizes, honors upon graduation, honorary society membership, etc.) and dates awarded; (b) research experience (description, name of adviser, and dates); (c) relevant employment and professional experience (description and dates); (d) special skills (computer/software, specialized instruments, etc.); and (e) a list of publications (including papers that have been submitted or are in preparation), if applicable. You may use any format you like and upload it as a Word, PDF, RTF, or plain text document.
  3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. During the online application process, you will be asked to submit a statement of your educational and professional goals/objectives. You can upload this into the application as a Word, PDF, RTF, or plain text document. The format for the Statement of Purpose is below.
    1. Two pages maximum, 12-point font, single-spaced, and one inch margins.
    2. Discuss why you specifically want to attend SAFS, including the aspects of our graduate programs that makes SAFS one of your top choices.
    3. Identify any faculty with whom you have had contact at SAFS.
    4. Outline the courses you plan to take as a GNM student and why.

If you want to take some classes but do not need them to count toward a future graduate degree, you may wish to consider regular non-matriculated (NM) status, which does not require an application. Regular non-matriculated students simply register for courses after obtaining instructor and departmental approval, and tuition costs are usually significantly less. But, NM credits will not count toward a UW graduate degree program if you are later admitted; only eligible GNM credits may count. Please see the UW Continuing Education non-degree enrollment website to compare regular NM status with GNM status. Their FAQs are helpful with this as well.

Information Sessions and Visiting SAFS

SAFS offers admissions information sessions as a forum for potential applications to ask questions about the admissions process and to meet any available faculty members who are able to attend the sessions. Please RSVP to safs@u.washington.edu at least one week prior to the event.

All information sessions are held in the Fishery Sciences Building on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington.

On Thursdays at 4:00pm, there is normally a current topics seminar in FSH 102, after which the attendees adjourn to a social event in our lobby called TGIT. This is a great opportunity to meet students, staff, faculty, and other members of the fisheries community. Both the seminar and TGIT are open to visitors. No registration or RSVP is necessary.

Faculty meetings: Because of the complexity of faculty schedules and the high number of applicants to our graduate programs, we ask that you arrange individual meetings with potential faculty advisors directly by emailing or calling them; faculty contact information and profiles are listed on our webpage.

Parking Information: a limited amount of metered public street parking is available, or you can park in one of the UW parking garages. More information is listed on the UW Commuter Services webpage.

Directions and Maps:

Local Hotels/Lodging Information is listed online.

Campus Tours: because of the large number of applicants and limited staff resources, SAFS cannot offer guided tours of our facilities or the campus at this time. However, guided campus tours are provided by the UW Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Food, Shopping, Arts, and Cultural Information is listed online.

Other Helpful Information

Faculty Research Profiles

A listing of current faculty research interests and recent publications.

School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences Curriculum

A listing of current SAFS courses and degree requirements is on the SAFS webpage.

Graduate Student Symposium

We encourage prospective graduate students to browse through the symposium program topics (click "program" on the GSS homepage). This annual event is produced by SAFS graduate students and represents the breadth and scope of research conducted at the School.

Support and Resources

Database of Ph.D. Research in Progress

To avoid duplicating existing student research, you can access a database on PhD research in progress worldwide.

Contact Information

Student Services Office

Email: safs@u.washington.edu
Telephone: 206-616-5893
Fax: 206-616-5020
Faculty Directory: http://fish.washington.edu/resources/faculty.html
Staff Directory: http://fish.washington.edu/resources/staff.html

Address

University of Washington
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
Graduate Student Admissions
1122 NE Boat St., Box 355020
Seattle, WA 98195-5020

The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment of individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process contact the School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences Student Services Office at (206) 543-7457 or the Disability Services Office at (206) 543-6450/V, (206) 543-6452/TTY, (206) 685-3885 (Fax) or access@u.washington.edu.

Degree and Research Programs Home

Last updated Tue, Sep 30, 2008

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