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Application Information

The online application opens soon for Fall 2026 admission to graduate programs at William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences, located at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).  Prospective students may apply to one of our three graduate marine science degree programs:

Key Dates

  • September 15, 2025 - Application opens
  • December 1, 2025 - Deadline for submission of the online application, this includes:
    • Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
    • All three letters of recommendation from your references
    • Responses to the required block questions
    • Resume or CV
    • The online payment of the $44 (US) non-refundable application fee. The application is not complete until the fee has been paid or waived.
    • No late applications are accepted.
  • December 5, 2025 - Application review by faculty begins
  • April 1, 2026 - Latest date for notification of admission
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Application Components

  • Carefully read this Application Instructions document.
  • Prior to matriculation, M.S. or M.A. applicants must complete a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, and Ph.D. applicants must complete a Master's degree from an accredited institution. Students interested in pursuing our M.S. to Ph.D. bypass track need only to have completed a Bachelor's degree. 
  • There is no minimum GPA requirement for admission to the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences, however, most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
  • Unofficial transcripts uploaded for all completed course work (official transcripts will be required if you are accepted to the program)
  • Resumé or CV
  • Block question responses
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Non-refundable application fee of $44 (US).  The application is not complete until the fee has been paid or waived.

GRE Scores

GRE scores are not required for admission to the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences.  They are not used by the Admission Committee nor the Office for Academic Affairs to evaluate or rank applicants, and cannot be submitted through the application website.  Individual faculty members may wish to see unofficial GRE scores, but they will not be shared with the Admissions Committee or other faculty members.  We recommend that applicants for the M.S. or Ph.D. programs contact prospective faculty advisors to inquire if they wish to see GRE scores.  Applicants for the M.A. program do not need to submit unofficial GRE scores to the M.A. Program Director.

M.S. & Ph.D. Applicants Only

As you apply, please review descriptions of the research programs of our faculty and contact faculty members with whom you share research interests.  Discuss with them specific research areas, funding opportunities, and program information. You will be required to name prospective advisor(s) as part of your application.

Apply to the Batten School

Apply Now!