What to Wear to a Grad School Interview
If you’re reading this post, it’s probably because you’re headed to a grad school interview soon—CONGRATULATIONS! That’s the first big step on your way to reaching your dreams of attending graduate school! There are two types of grad school interviews (more on those below), and both are a great time to share your research interests and impress your potential future program.
(In case you haven’t met me yet—Hi, I’m Kimi! I got my Master’s and PhD in atmospheric sciences, so I know a thing or two about grad school. 😉)
A great first impression starts with wearing an outfit appropriate for the situation, and to help you out, I shared tips for what to wear to a grad school interview along with 10 outfit ideas to inspire you. I bet you could build most if not all of these outfits with pieces you already own in your closet! I want you to go into your grad school interview feeling confident on the inside because you’re wearing an outfit that projects confidence on the outside.
What To Wear To A Grad School Interview
Types of Graduate School Interviews
There are two types of grad school interviews, and the outfit ideas I rounded up below will work for both! The first type of grad school interview is an admissions interview. This interview happens prior to being accepted by the school and/or program you applied to, and it’s a chance for the program to get to know you and how you and your research interests fit with theirs. You may have a more formal interview session with professors or admissions committee asking questions you need to prepare for.
The second type of grad school interview is the one I’m most familiar with: when you visit a school after being accepted to “interview” the program yourself and see how well you vibe with the professors, other students, the school, the city, the environment, etc. Of the two types of interviews, I think the latter is less nerve-wracking, because at that point you have an offer from the program you’re visiting and they’re trying to impress you.
What to Wear to Each Type of Interview
If you have the first type of grad school interview, which is likely a more typical interview, you might opt for a more formal outfit, especially on the day of your actual interview: think a structured blazer, trousers, pant suit, button-down shirt, pump, loafer, etc. (If you’re a guy or lean masculine, you could wear a tie with a shirt with a collar.) If your trip to the school is longer than just a single day to interview, it’s fine to dress a bit for the other events! I’d recommend dressing “smart casual”: dark wash denim, black ponte pants, midi skirt, wrap dress, etc.
If you’ve received an offer and are visiting your top schools to see which one is the best fit (a.k.a. you’re interviewing the program), you probably don’t need to wear formal outfits unless you attend an event that specifically calls for it (and I personally can’t think of any formal event I attended on my visits!). Instead, I’d put together a “smart casual” outfit: something slightly more dressed up than what you would think of when you think of a casual outfit.
Instead of wearing your ripped jeans, grab a pair of dark wash denim and wear it with a favorite sweater. Skip the pant suit and wear a comfy pair of trousers or ponte pants. Wear items that fit you well and that give you confidence!
Is your grad school interview virtual? Read my tips on what to wear to a virtual interview!
Below are 10 grad school interview outfit ideas to inspire you!
Grad School Interview Outfit Ideas
Layer a sweater over a collared shirt
Ponte pants were my go-to in grad school! They’re so comfy; they feel like leggings yet are polished enough to wear to a more important event like a grad school interview. I like wearing mine with longer tops; pick a long, sleeveless shirt with a collar and layer a slightly oversized sweater over it. The shirt instantly takes this outfit up a notch.
Dress up a simple sweater + dark wash jeans
Honestly, you can never go wrong with a simple cashmere sweater and a pair of dark wash denim. (If you don’t like or wear skinny jeans anymore, straight leg jeans would work perfectly!) Dress this base outfit up with a fancy pair of pumps, a coordinating belt, and fun jewelry. If it’s chilly out, I’d wear this outfit with a long wool camel coat.
Knit blazer + colorful pants + Boss Boots
You don’t have to dress in all black (or grey… or dark blue) for your grad school interview if you don’t want to! Dress up a pair of colorful pants to inject some of your personality. I always feel more confident when I wear a blazer (a knit blazer like this one is so comfy!) and this pair of pointed black ankle boots; I call them my boss boots!
Bodysuit Tucked into Paperbag Pants
My loose paperbag pants are as close to trousers as I have, and either pant option works perfectly in a grad school interview outfit. For either pant option, because they’re quite voluminous, I recommend balancing the volume by wearing a slim-fitting top, like a bodysuit (you can always wear a blazer over top, too). Finish it off with a pair of flats or pumps!
Monochrome Layers + Textures
This is one of my very favorite outfits from my grad school years! Even though I wore this to present at a conference, it would also work well if I was visiting a graduate school for an interview! Pick one color family and wear a full outfit made up of that color family. Mix up the textures to make it more interesting! Don’t forget the tights if it’s chilly out.
Blazer + Stretchy Pants + Platform Sandals
I build a lot of my outfits from the pants up. For a grad school interview, comfort will be key, so I recommend a pair of stretchy pants like the Everlane Dream Pant (they honestly feel like sweatpants!). They’re super easy to dress up with a basic tee, blazer, and platform sandals. I like minimal accessories but you can play around with those, too!
Simple Silk Shell + Striped Midi Skirt
If you don’t already have a simple shell tank top (silk or some other fabric) in your wardrobe and anticipate lots of conferences and presentations in your future, I recommend adding one! They’re an excellent staple that work well with midi skirts (as seen here) as well as under blazers in a pant suit or faux suit. You could jazz this outfit up with a fun necklace.
Sweater Blazer + Matching Your Shoes and Bag
The black and white striped tee and black denim are both wardrobe staples that can be easily dressed up for an interview. I love this color combination: black, white, camel, and cognac brown. You can’t ever go wrong with matching your shoes to your bag! (Be sure to bring a few necessities along with you to your interview, including snacks.)
Linen Blazer + Striped Linen Midi Skirt
Rosie says hi! This is another outfit perfect for a grad school interview in a warm location. The base outfit is a basic white v-neck tee and striped linen-blend midi skirt that I dressed up with a neutral linen blazer (wearing linen in the heat is the only way I survive it) and brown flats. You could always accessorize this outfit more if that’s your jam!
Monochrome White for Warm Weather
Here’s one more grad school interview outfit for warm weather! This one is perfect if you don’t want to wear a dress or skirt. Pair your white jeans (skinny, kick crop, straight leg, wide leg) with a white textured top and top it off with a similarly neutral blazer for the A/C indoors. Finish it off with a sleek pair of sandals or flats (ballet flats or loafers)!