The admission to candidacy milestone is where a PhD student identifies his or her course plan and topic area and doctoral committee for his or her dissertation research. Admission to candidacy is generally applied for after a student completes the qualifier requirements. Students are recommended to complete the application for candidacy as soon as possible no later than the start of their third year in the PhD program. The application must include a short description (usually around five pages) of the thesis question, research plan, and expected contribution of the student's dissertation research.

The admission to candidacy application must identify four members of the student's doctoral committee who have approved of the student's course and research plans after having met with the student, preferably as a group.

The admission to candidacy application forms should be obtained from the Graduate Coordinator, signed by the advisor and other doctoral committee members, and submitted to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies of the College.