A student usually takes eight to ten course during his/her first two years to prepare for the General Examination. By the autumn of the second year a student should have selected a faculty advisor and have begun work on a research problem.
      The General Examination is normally administered in the spring of the second year. This exam consists of two parts. First, each student is asked to give an hour-long seminar in which he/she presents and defends his/her work on an original research problem, then the students take a written examination covering the basics of meteorology, oceanography and geophysical fluid dynamics.
      If the student passes the General Examination, he/she pursues research for the Ph.D. thesis. This may or may not be a continuation of the research that was used as the basis for his/her General Examination seminar. Normally the thesis is finished at the end of the student's fourth year in the Program. Each thesis must be approved by the student's faculty advisor and two other faculty members who act as readers. Finally the student defends his/her thesis at the Final Public Oral Examination. Final acceptance of the dissertation is conditional on passing this examination.

Life in Princeton
      Princeton, New Jersey, is a residential community about 50 miles from both New York City and Philadelphia. A small train station on campus connects to all important trains serving the Northeastern corridor. The town has preserved its historical character by maintaining many original colonial buildings and homes.
      The University has many of its own athletic facilities for such sports as golf, tennis, basketball, sailing, soccer, swimming, and squash. The campus and nearby countryside have numerous parks and trails for hikers and cyclists. The renowned McCarter Theater presents concerts, dance programs, and professional theater. There are several museums on and near campus along with opportunities to view first-run as well as classic and foreign films.
      There are numerous employment opportunities at Princeton University as well as other neighboring colleges, research institutions, and commercial enterprises. Many people choose to commute from Princeton to New York or Philadelphia, which takes about an hour by train.

Housing
      The University provides a wide variety of housing for both married and unmarried graduate students. Nearly all is within a mile of the center of the main campus. In Princeton, University housing is generally less expensive than non-university housing.
      All students are guaranteed University housing for their first year. Access to University housing in subsequent years depends on availability. Typically students spend about three years in University housing.
      Princeton provides dormitory-style facilities for unmarried students, and both low-rise and high-rise apartments for married students. Normally unmarried students spend their first year in the Graduate College dormitory. In subsequent years, if they wish, single students may apply to share apartment-style facilities with another student.
      For current costs and other information on graduate student housing please consult the "Housing and Cost of Living for Graduate Students", which is available from the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School.

Financial Aid
All first year graduate students are supported by a Science and Engineering fellowship from Princeton University’s Graduate School (stipend plus tuition). Additional support during the next four years can be from a variety of sources, including the AOS Research Program cooperative agreement, project grants awarded to individual faculty members from industry or government, or through Assistantship in Instruction. A few University fellowships are also available. Students are also encouraged to apply for National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and/or NASA Fellowships. Various funds are also available to support summer studies, fieldwork, and other research away from campus. The average time to obtain a Ph.D. is currently 4.9 years.

Medical Insurance
All enrolled graduate students are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Plan (SHP) insurance coverage, which covers off-campus specialty care and hospitalization. Students may also elect to participate in optional vision and dental plans that provide benefits beyond those included in the SHP for an additional fee.

Applications
      A student applying to the Program is expected to have met the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics prior to enrollment. We encourage students to apply online at https://apply.embark.com/grad/princeton/23/. Information and applications forms may also be obtained by writing to the Graduate School Office. The deadline for completed applications is the first week of January. Applicants will be notified of the results in February.
      All applicants to the Program are required to submit the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The General Test (verbal, quantitativ and analytical) is required and the Subject Test is optional.