The School of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) is composed of the Department of Geophysics and Space Science and Technology, as well as the Department of Geochemistry and Planetary Science. It traces its origins back to the establishment of the Department of Applied Geophysics and the Department of Geochemistry and Rare Elements when USTC was founded in 1958. In 1978, the university restructured its departments and established the Department of Earth and Space Sciences; In December 2001, the School of Earth and Space Sciences was officially established.

The school of ESS consists of the Department of Geophysics and Space Science and Technology, the Department of Geochemistry and Planetary Sciences, and the Earth and Space Sciences Experimental Center. It offers doctoral programs in Geophysics and Geology, as well as a master's program in Atmospheric Science. Geophysics, including solid geophysics and space science and technology, is a national key discipline and ranks first in the Ministry of Education's evaluation of first-level disciplines. Geochemistry is a second-level key discipline and ranks fifth in the evaluation of first-level disciplines in Geology. The Earth and Space Sciences Experimental Teaching Center is recognized as a provincial-level undergraduate experimental teaching demonstration center in Anhui Province.

The school boasts a distinguished faculty, with 57 professors, 16 special professors, 23 associate professors, 7 associate researchers, and 7 senior engineers of associate research level. This esteemed faculty includes 3 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4 "Master Chair" professors, 15 recipients of the "National Outstanding Youth Fund," 3 "Changjiang Scholars" specially appointed professors by the Ministry of Education, 4 national candidates of the "New Century Hundred Million Talents Project," and 2 provincial famous teachers. .

Additionally, the school has access to high-level research platforms. This includes the Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory, a national-level observatory. Furthermore, there are two key laboratories affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, namely the "Key Laboratory of Crust-Materials and Environments" and the "Laboratory of Terrestrial Space Environment." Additionally, there is one provincial key laboratory, the "Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change in Anhui Province."