Admissions and degree process

FRIB at Michigan State University is committed to providing the highest-quality graduate education in nuclear science, nuclear astrophysics, accelerator physics and related instrumentation technologies. As part of MSU’s top-ranked graduate program, the research opportunities and professional connections found with FRIB prepare you for a successful and rewarding career.

Take the next steps towards your professional goals—submit your application to MSU and start your research at FRIB!

1. Apply to MSU

Start your application

Degree requirements and coursework differ by department, so please reach out directly to the appropriate program with questions regarding application procedures and the admissions process. Once you’ve submitted your application and supporting documentation, let us know you’re interested in studying at FRIB so we can track your application.

All applications are due by 1 January. If you have extenuating circumstances that prohibit meeting the deadline, contact gradschool@frib.msu.edu. For students interested in fellowship consideration, submit your application by 15 December. 

Decisions about admission are typically made in late January, and all applicants have until 15 April to consider offers of admission that also include financial support. 

The first step to conducting graduate student research at FRIB is to apply through the appropriate academic department at MSU:

2. Study an individualized curriculum

Based on your background, the graduate advisors in each department will create an individualized curriculum for you. At FRIB, your first point of contact is the Associate Director (AD) for Education, who will discuss the various opportunities for research with you. The AD for Education will continue to serve as a contact between you, FRIB and your respective departments for the duration of your thesis studies.

3. Conduct thesis research

Graduate students at FRIB perform their research under the guidance of a faculty member. The research environment at FRIB is collaborative, with strong connections between individual research groups and across departmental boundaries. For example, within a collaboration, a professor in the MSU Department of Physics and Astronomy could supervise a chemistry student, and a professor in the MSU Department of Chemistry could supervise a physics and astronomy student. 

After selecting your area of research, you will work with faculty to form your guidance committee. Your committee will meet with you regularly to ensure satisfactory progress toward your degree and research project.

4. Develop advanced skills

To become an independent researcher, you need to develop and demonstrate advanced skills across multiple mediums. As part of their studies, all FRIB graduate students actively participate in research discussions and seminars (both at FRIB and their host department), as well as daily laboratory business.

5. Prepare for a rewarding career

FRIB prepares you to succeed, no matter your next steps!

While completing a master’s degree with FRIB, you will have the opportunity to conduct original research alongside some of the leading scientists in the field. Your research experience and connections will equip you with the skills and experience to succeed in a PhD program or a career in nuclear science.

Should you advance to become a Ph.D. candidate, you can anticipate dedicating approximately two to four years to complete and finalize the original research that forms the basis of your dissertation. The median time to a physics Ph.D. at MSU is 5.4 years; the national median time is 6.2 years. Upon completion and defense of your dissertation, you will join our large alumni network that spans multiple fields.

Learn more about our graduates’ success. 

Contact information

Have questions? We are happy to help. Please directly contact the FRIB faculty member over graduate student recruiting for your area of interest:

You can direct additional questions to gradschool@frib.msu.edu.