Im an international student, looking forward to continuing my studies for a Phd in physics in a US university.

Question

i want to apply to many universities so my chances are more to be acceped. How much do they need for a GPA? I am finishing my master's degree this year in nanostructures. I am afraid that my grades arent high enough. Any help plz

Answer 1

US grad schools never really state an official required GPA.  If you feel that your GPA is low, then I would recommend getting letters of recommendations from professors and advisors.  This will greatly increase your chance of getting accepted.

Answer 2

For international students, US schools will look especially hard at your GRE scores at recommendations, since they may not know exactly how your grades compare with the rest of the applicant pool.  If your physics and math grades and board scores aren't that good, you may want to think twice about whether you really want to go to graduate school.  You will usually have to pass a very difficult qualification exam after  your first year of study.

--What hotdog says is true.  In the US, your first year is earning a master's degree (although most grads who go on to a PhD don't bother with the paperwork of getting the MS).  A lot of foreign students show up with the equivalent of an MS already in hand.  So they can retake the classes (never a bad idea, especially if your English skills are soso) or skip directly to the second year courses--specialized classes in their field.

As for getting admitted, there are a whole lot of places in the US that can give you a PhD in physics--at least 50, maybe more.  Admissions varies from extremely competitive to not especially competitive.  You should apply to a few from across the spectrum.  Don't just apply to MIT, CalTech, and Princeton.  Include some less-known places.

Answer 3

You don't need to worry, because US students haven't even do all of the basic undergraduate subjects when they start their Ph.D. The Ph.D candidates still needs to study one or two years to master the more advanced subjects before they can start with their research project.

E.g., topics such as advanced quantum mechanics, quantum mechanics of many particle systems, quantum field theory etc. are typically not covered at the undergraduate level. Also the grading system at US universities is such that you can get a high grade even if you make many mistakes at the exam.