Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants are welcome to apply to multiple departments. However, admission into one degree program is not transferable to another program. A new/additional application account for each program of study must be completed, including supporting documents and the payment of an application fee.

Admission is based on the strength of the entire application package and not a single element such as test scores or GPA. Obtaining a specific score on the GRE/TOEFL or a high GPA does not guarantee admission. Therefore, we do not have published minimum score requirements.

International applicants are ineligible for part-time programs or conditional admission.

The TOEFL requirement can be waived during the application process with a minimum of 3 years of documented study at a US institution or an institution in a country where English is the primary language. Please remember that, based on the evaluation of your application package, we retain the right to require English testing upon arrival and you may be required to take additional English classes. If you are recommended to take English classes, the cost of the courses will be your responsibility.

Official test scores must be reported at the time of application. Official transcripts are not required to be reported until an offer of admission is accepted. >> View Information for Accepted Students

GRE – 6929, TOEFL - 6929

PhD applicants: All full-time PhD applications are reviewed for full financial support. Most offers of financial support are renewed annually as long as the student is making satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree.

• Chancellor's Graduate Fellowship (for engineering PhD diversity applicants)
• Olin Fellowship (for engineering women PhD students)

Master’s applicants: Master’s students are expected to be self-supporting, but may be eligible for limited institutional financial assistance.

Recommenders should include faculty members, supervisors or work colleagues. Prior to entering a recommender in your application, you should ask the recommender if they will be able to give you a recommendation and inform them of the application deadline. Please do not use family, friends or other students.

If you need to resend a recommendation request, please log back into your application. Go to the recommendation section, check the box by the recommender's name and resend.

A curriculum vitae (CV) is very similar to a resume in terms of most key formatting. Some countries refer to the CV the same way we refer to a resume. In the United States, a CV is distinct from a resume in the sense that it is used primarily in academic and research circles or in medical careers. CVs are more comprehensive than resumes because they can go beyond one page, and therefore do not need to be as tailored.

After you submit your application you may return to your application account as many times as you like. You may find it helpful to log back into your application to periodically check the status of the supporting documents the University has received to-date throughout the process. Please note that the Letters of Recommendation section of the application does not update automatically once submissions are complete; thus there may be a short delay of 1-2 business days before the section is updated to reflect completion.

As soon as we receive all the necessary supporting documents, both the applicant and the department will be notified via email that the application is complete for review.

For many departments, the application review period does not begin until after the application deadline. As soon as an admission decision is made, notification will be sent via email to log into your application to view the decision letter. We appreciate your patience during the review process.
PhD decisions will be completed by March 15.