Graduate Admissions

Earn your graduate degree at McKelvey Engineering

As a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis you will be an integral part of cutting-edge research with the freedom to explore your interests in a supportive academic community. Opportunities inside and outside the lab and faculty mentoring will prepare you to solve problems and work collaboratively to tackle the largest challenges the world faces today.

Join a community of world-class researchers

Learn more below about our academic programs, graduate student life and opportunities at McKelvey Engineering.

Request information

Deadline for all PhD programs: Dec. 15, 2022
Deadline for full-time master's programs: March 1, 2023

WashU is a leader in STEM education for women

^No. 16

Top STEM schools for women (Forbes)

30_%

of doctoral students are women

40_%

of first-year students are women

Meet our women faculty

Find the right program for you

Learn about our Women & Engineering initiative

Connect with us at an upcoming info session

Full support and funding

Our PhD students are fully-funded, including full tuition support and health insurance.

As a doctoral candidate, you will receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses. This support is guaranteed as you continue to make satisfactory progress towards your degree.

Additionally, students may also qualify for one of the fellowships:

Master’s students are expected to be self-supporting. There are limited fellowship and research assistantship opportunities available for full-time master’s students.

Learn more about funding & support

How much more expensive are other cities?

San Francisco, CA - 128% ↑

Seattle, WA - 82% ↑

Boston, MA - 71% ↑

Chicago, IL - 39% ↑

Houston, TX - 9% ↑

See how the cost of living in STL compares (Nerd Wallet)

Student Profiles

Aahana Bajracharya

Degree pursuing: PhD in imaging science
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal

"The opportunity to perform interdisciplinary research attracted me to the imaging science doctoral program at WashU."

Allison Martinez Mejia

Degree pursuing: PhD in biomedical engineering
Hometown: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

"Besides the amazing and super collaborative research being offered, WashU was extremely welcoming to me. As I spoke to different students and faculty, I knew I would be able to find a niche in the school."

Anna Eddelbuettel

Degree pursuing: BS in biomedical engineering
Hometown: Oak Park, Illinois

"The ways that material from different courses build on one another makes each semester better than the one before! Hearing concepts from varying perspectives just makes me appreciate them more."

Diva Harsoor

Degree pursuing: BS in computer science
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

"I loved "Introduction to Systems Software." It was my first look into the low-level aspects of computing, like bit manipulation and memory management. I can write more efficient code because now I know what’s going on under the hood."

Elham Ghazizadeh

Degree pursuing: PhD in electrical engineering
Hometown: Iran

"I picked WashU because of its diverse areas of research in the ESE department and its beautiful campus."

Emma Kroll

Degree pursuing: BS in mechanical engineering
Hometown: East Brunswick, New Jersey

"As soon as I stepped foot on campus as a prospective student, I was immediately exposed to the amazing outpouring of support and the community that WashU fosters."

Grace Przybyl

Degree pursuing: BS in biomedical engineering
Hometown: Belleville, WI

"Professors and TAs want to help you; it is their job, and they're just people too. They've been where you are and know that if you're coming for help that you care about understanding the material. "

Hasima Hajdini

Degree pursuing: MS in health care operational excellence
Hometown: Bosnia

"Come and try something new, and you will be amazed by the number of new things and opportunities that will be in front of you."

Jacqueline Rogers

Degree pursuing: PhD in energy, environmental & chemical engineering
Hometown: New Jersey

"I specifically chose to pursue a graduate engineering degree in the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering because of the integrative approach to research that is encouraged. Having the opportunity to learn from faculty or fellow graduate students with different backgrounds has only enriched my experience."

Kate Padilla

Degree pursuing: PhD in materials science & engineering
Hometown: Weslaco, Texas

"One of my favorite WashU professors would have to be Emily Boyd. Whenever I have any questions about a class, my schedule, graduate school applications or just need any advice in general, she's always willing to listen and help me out in any way that she can. "

Kathryn Sarullo

Degree pursuing: PhD in computer science
Hometown: Palm Coast, Florida

"I am working under S. Joshua Swamidass, MD, applying machine-learning techniques and decision theory to chemical biology and clinical data."

Kathy Schaberg

Degree pursuing: MS in project management
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

"Do not let a lack of work experience put you off in any course. These are lessons I wish I had early in my career."

Katie Halwachs

Degree pursuing: BS in chemical engineering
Hometown: O'Fallon, Illinois

"Janie Brennan is my favorite instructor because she takes a deep interest in every individual student. She knows exactly how to challenge students to become better problem solvers, gives students the tools for success both inside and outside of the classroom, and takes time out of her busy schedule to help students."

Katy Petlyuk

Degree pursuing: BS in electrical engineering
Hometown: New York

"I really appreciated the sense of community provided by the professors, my fellow students and the Danforth Scholar Program, which I am a member of."

Khin Wai Han

Degree pursuing: MS project management
Hometown: Yangon, Myanmar

"I chose to pursue a master of project management to learn the technical details of managing a project like risk management, financial intelligence and Agile methodology. "

Maren Loe

Degree pursuing: PhD in systems science & mathematics and MD
Hometown: Apple Valley, Minnesota

"My current project is using an advanced signal processing approach to detect and characterize potential biomarkers in EEG of critically ill pediatric patients. My hope is that we'll be able to integrate my automated detection pipeline into bedside monitoring devices in order to provide additional prognostic information and improve patient care."

Maria Bandres

Degree pursuing: PhD in biomedical engineering
Hometown: Maracay, Venezuela

"I decided to get a degree in engineering because I wanted to produce new knowledge that directly addressed existing problems whose solutions would positively impact people's lives."

Neha Damaraju

Degree pursuing: BS in biomedical engineering
Hometown: Herndon, Virginia

"I came to WashU because the university offers strong academic programs and research opportunities in both of these fields and the intersection of these fields."

Shalonda Webb

Degree pursuing: MS in engineering management
Hometown: Port Arthur, Texas

"I greatly appreciate the helpfulness of the WashU staff, its facilities, and the academic and practical knowledge of WashU's professors."

Sruti Mallik

Degree pursuing: PhD in electrical engineering
Hometown: Kolkata, India

"WashU provides an excellent opportunity for collaborative research and a welcoming and friendly environment for international students."

Xuan Liu

Degree pursuing: PhD in energy, environmental & chemical engineering
Hometown: China

"I have a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and I am interested in environmental research especially aerosol science and engineering. WashU's a perfect fit for me."

Yana Malysheva

Degree pursuing: PhD in computer science
Hometown: New Jersey

"I've had an interest in computer science education for many years: Both the teaching aspect, and the aspect of developing tools and content for teaching CS."

Ghiska Ramahdita

Degree pursuing: PhD in mechanical engineering
Hometown: Depok, West Java, Indonesia

"I felt the warmth of people at WashU even before I moved here. Being a part of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy gave me more opportunities to learn and grow in a flourishing environment."

Ivy Smith

Degree pursuing: PhD in computation and data science
Hometown: Canton, Mississippi

"As soon as I stepped onto the campus, I knew this was the place for me. I love the interdisciplinary nature of my program, DCDS."

Cassie Jeng

Degree pursuing: BS in systems science & engineering and computer engineering
Hometown: Clarksville, Maryland

"One of my favorite parts of WashU is that I haven't had a professor that I haven't liked. Each of my professors has offered a new perspective on engineering and education."

Discover what life is like for PhD students
at Washington University in St. Louis

Take a look inside our labs and facilities

Changing detection, diagnosis of ovarian cancer

Understanding biological pollutants in soil, air and water

Designing autonomous systems for enhanced efficiency and security

Learn more about our research and current projects

Find the right program for you

PhD programs

Master's programs

* Also offered part-time

Master's programs (part-time, evening)

* Also offered full-time