MS/PhD Requirements and Process

Materials to be submitted with an online application:

• Transcripts: If transcripts are not in English, a copy in English and native language should be submitted. Transcripts can be unofficial but should include the name of institution and your name.
• Certificate of degree (if applicable). If COD is not in English, a copy in English and native language should be submitted.
• Resume/CV: 2 pages maximum.
• Academic Statement of Purpose that answers the following questions: (1,000 words maximum) Tips for writing your academic statement of purpose and personal statements can be found here.
  • How has your academic background, including any training, research, or other educational experiences, prepared you for graduate study?
  • What are your intellectual interests, and what scholarly questions are you interested in exploring in graduate study?
  • Are there any specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own with whom you would like to work with?
  • How will our program help you achieve your academic and professional goals?

• 2 to 4 personal statements (2 are required; 2 are optional). The prompts are listed in the portal.
• 3 letters of recommendation

International applicants only:

• Official TOEFL/IELTS submitted to the Graduate College

Eligibility

Students with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field from an accredited college in the United States or a recognized institution of higher learning aboard are eligible to apply to MechSE MS and PhD programs. Closely related fields include math, physics, and other engineering disciplines. Students do not have to have a Master’s degree to apply to the PhD program.

Students with a Master of Science (M.S) in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field from an accredited college in the United States or a recognized institution of higher learning aboard are eligible to apply to MechSE PhD programs. Closely related fields include math, physics, and other engineering disciplines.

Students who already hold a master’s degree may not apply for a second master’s degree in the same field.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

For full status admission, the Graduate College requires a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 (B average), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of a four-year undergraduate program or the last three years of a five-year program.

Our department requires a higher minimum GPA for our applicants.

• Previous undergraduate study should be 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.
• Previous graduate study should be a 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation can be submitted after you complete your application (as long as they are submitted by the deadline). These letters should come from those who can attest to your character and potential as a graduate student and researcher. This could include professors or supervisors.

Minimum admission requirements by Country

The Graduate College provides minimum requirements by country. Please refer to our GPA scale above for our minimum program requirements.  

Official TOEFL/IELTS scores

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as evidence of English proficiency.

Official scores are required to be submitted directly from the TOEFL/ETS or IELTS and must be less than two years old from the first day of class at the proposed term of entry. You should allow several weeks for the official test scores to be received by our Graduate College. We will need official test scores in order for your application to be considered complete.

TOEFL iBT: Applicants should send their official scores to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign using our institution code number 1836.

IELTS: Scores should be sent electronically via your testing center to the following account name: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Graduate

Applicants who meet one of the following criteria are exempt from the English proficiency requirement for admission as stated on the Graduate College website:

• Received a post- secondary degree from a U.S. institution (or an institution within an approved country) within 5 years of the proposed admission term.
  • Approved countries with English as the Primary Language: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, St. Kitts, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, and Zimbabwe.
• Completion of at least two years of post-secondary study in the U.S. (or an approved country) within 5 years of proposed term of initial enrollment
• Completion of at least two years of professional work experience in the U.S. (or an approved country) within 5 years of the proposed term of initial enrollment

Optional Documentation

Graduate Record Examination (GRE):

GRE test scores are not currently required for MechSE admission. The admissions committee will not review any GRE test scores submitted.

International applicants only:

Funding Documents and Passport
All international applicants requesting via eligibility documents (I-20 or DS-2019) are required to demonstrate that they have adequate financial resources to cover the cost of their education while in the United States. Our department does not require evidence of financial resources at the time of application. All funding offers will be subtracted from the total amount of funding the applicant is required to show.