The official deadline for application to the interdisciplinary doctoral program for the Fall semester (beginning September) is May 1; the official deadline for application for financial support is March 1. These deadlines are waived for qualified students, whenever this is possible. Applications for financial aid are accepted even into the summer months whenever support is still available. Foreign students, on the other hand, should be aware that the issue of I-20 and IAP-66 forms, which are needed to obtain a visa, can consume considerable time; they are advised to apply as soon as possible.

Applications should include transcripts of previous collegiate study, three letters of recommendation, and scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE General Test). Foreign students should supply a score on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Foreign applicants may be required by the university to take English language courses during their first year at Rutgers.

Admission to the doctoral program is awarded selectively by the Admissions Committee. Applicants should have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in one of the fields related to O.R. The program is intended to be small and is aimed at a highly qualified group of students. Applicants with a previous record of research and publication are especially encouraged to apply.

Part-time students with good credentials will be accepted. Students without an adequate background can take a number of undergraduate courses during their first year, and in some cases will be admitted to coursework only on a non-matriculated basis, with actual admission into the doctoral program depending on their performance.

The university no longer supplies a printed paper copy of the application form. The application forms are available online at the following web site http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/dload.shtml

You can also apply online, by going to http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/apply.shtml and follow the instructions in the web site.