Frequently Asked Questions

General Admissions FAQ

1. How do I apply to Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) at UT?
2. Can I have my application fee waived?
3. What is the minimum GPA requirement to apply to the MS&E Program?
4. What is the minimum GRE score needed for admittance to MS&E at UT?
5. How long are my GRE scores good for?
6. When will I find out if I am admitted?
7. What is the typical applications/admissions timeline?
8. How do I find out if all my materials arrived and my application is complete?
9. What are my odds of getting admitted?
10. Do you have any written materials that you can send me?
11. How many students are admitted to MS&E each year?
12. How many hours are required to graduate?
13. I applied last semester and was not admitted, what is the application procedure for me?
14. I’d like to transfer from another UT Graduate program, what is the procedure?
15. What are the educational qualifications for admittance into the MS&E program?
16. What is the required coursework for the MS&E program?
17. How do I calculate my GPA?
18. Should I take a GRE subject test?
19. What types of careers can I expect to find after graduation?
20. What are student opinions of the MS&E program at UT?
21. What is the word limit on the electronic SOP & CV/RESUME using ApplyTexas.org?
22. Can I send a paper SOP, CV/RESUME or Reference letter using the PDF document on the GIAC website?
23. How/When will I get my UT EID?
24. How/When do I apply for financial aid?
25. I’ve already submitted a complete application, but I need to update my CV. How can I do that?

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International Applicant Admissions FAQ

1. What language scores are acceptable from international applicants?
2. What is the minimum TOEFL/IELTS score required for MS&E at UT?
3. Do I need to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores?
4. How long are my TOEFL/IELTS scores good for?
5. Do I need to send financial statements to you?
6. How/When can I apply for financial aid?
7. What types of funding can I apply for?
8. Can I send my application materials to a friend in the U.S. and ask them to send them to you?
9. How many international applications do you admit each admissions cycle?
10. What if my test scores arrive after the application deadline?
11. Do you admit international students to the master’s program?

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1. How do I apply to Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) at UT?
Detailed application instructions are available on the CSE Graduation Application Website.

2. Can I have my application fee waived?
No, a completed application requires the application fee.  The MS&E program does not grant any fee waivers.
The Office of Graduate Studies may grant a fee waiver on the basis of documented financial need.  For more information on requesting an application fee waiver through OGS please visit: http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/admissions/fee_waiver.html

3. What is the minimum GPA requirement to apply to the MS&E Program.
Generally, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 in upper-division and graduate courses. GPAs above the minimum do not guarantee admission into the MS&E Program.  For more information on admissions requirements visit the Requirements of Graduate Admission page.

4. What is the minimum GRE score needed for admittance to MS&E at UT?
There is no minimum score used by MS&E. We carefully evaluate each completed application as a whole. More information on test scores may be found on the Graduate School page.

5. How long are my GRE scores acceptable?
GRE scores are considered current for five years. We will accept scores on exams taken in the last five years.

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6. When will I find out if I am admitted?
You can check your status online by logging in with your EID at:https://utdirect.utexas.edu/admissions/status_check.WBX
All admitted applicants will be contacted directly by MS&E via email notifying them of their admittance and requesting further information. Students denied admittance to MS&E will be notified by GIAC and online.
Because of the large volume of applications we receive each year and because of legal requirements, we cannot provide any additional information to applicants that are not offered admission. We receive and must turn away many highly qualified applicants each year.

7. What is the typical applications/admissions timeline?
Application deadlines for Summer/Fall are December 15th and Spring is October 1st. We strive to complete admissions for Fall by May 1st and for the Spring by December 1st but unfortunately the extremely high volume of applications sometimes forces us to extend these dates. Please be patient and wait for us to contact you.

8. How do I find out if all my materials arrived and my application is complete?
The application status check website https://utdirect.utexas.edu/admissions/status_check.WBX will provide you a list of all your application materials and information on their status.  You can also use this site to remind your references of missing letters of reference.
If you choose to disregard our online submission policies and procedure and submit your documents to us by other means then we will not provide document status information.

Generally, the less you hear from us, the better. We will contact you if your application is missing anything. We will also send you an email when your file is complete. Please do not send emails or call to ask about this since this takes time away from preparing your files for review. If you are very concerned about items lost in transit, send your mail certified or with delivery confirmation.

9. What are my chances of being admitted? Can I complete a pre-application?
We do not have a pre-application and cannot provide information about your chances of acceptance because the MS&E faculty admission committee makes decisions on all applications and does not determine admittance until the entire application is received and reviewed. The committee reviews each student’s entire application package. All applications are then considered in the context of the space and financial resources available for accommodating new students in a particular year.

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10. Do you have any written materials that you can send me?
Everything we have about the Materials Science & Engineering Graduate Program is on this web site. If you have questions that are not addressed here, then please feel free to e-mail the Materials Science & Engineering Graduate Coordinator .

11. How many students are admitted to MS&E each year?
In a typical year we may admit 20-40 students. The actual number depends on many factors including but not limited to faculty availability, quality of applicants, and availability of funding sources.

12. How many credit hours are required to graduate?
An M.S.E. with thesis requires 30 credit hours minimum.
The number of hours required to receive a Ph.D. vary drastically based on the program of work that a student’s Dissertation Committee decides upon.  In general, at the minimum, a student must take required deficiency courses, 9 hours of Core Courses, 9 hours of Thrust Area Courses, and a number of Advanced Electives courses.
For more information on the degree requirements please refer to our Student Handbook . This information is updated annually.

13. I applied to the UT MS&E Graduate Program previously and was not admitted, what is the application procedure for me if I wish to apply again?
If you intend to reapply within one year of your previous application, you will need to complete a new application, send new transcripts, and pay another fee. Test scores and recommendation letters will carry over from the previous application although you are free to update recommendations and/or send new test scores. If it has been over a year since you last applied, you will have to resubmit everything.Please make sure you submit your best effort in all the application materials in order to make your application stand apart from the large number of other applications we receive each semester.

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14. I’d like to transfer from another UT Graduate program, what is the procedure?
Please follow all of our MS&E application instructions and Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) instructions but rather than submitting the standard electronic to GIAC you should
a. submit the Change of Graduate Major form.
b. submit your CV and Statement of Purpose via emial to the Graduate Coordinator as PDF attachments
Be sure to observe the same deadlines.

15. What are the educational qualifications for admittance into the MS&E program?
There are no specific requirements for admission to the MS&E program but applicants would benefit greatly from having a B.S. degree in the physical sciences (chemistry, physics) or engineering disciplines. Generally, these majors have similar requirements for math (calculus and differential equations), chemistry and physics (for scientists and engineers) that are the underpinnings of MS&E. Biology and non-science majors generally have not completed these courses.
More information may be found online: http://www.tmi.utexas.edu/mse-masters-and-ph-d-programs/

16. What is the required coursework for the MS&E program?
Our coursework requirements are outlined in our MS&E Student Handbook which is updated annually. Course descriptions and Current course offerings are also available online.  For more information please review the UT Course Schedule.

17. How do I calculate my GPA?
All grade point average (GPA) information should be provided on a 4-point scale.  ONLY upper division undergraduate and graduate courses should be used in this calculation.
NOTE: GIAC will compute your official GPA after you submit your electronic application.
To compute your GPA, convert to a 4.0 scale: take the total number of credit hours of A and multiply by 4, multiply the number of the credit hours of B by 3, C by 2, D by 1 and F by 0.  Add these grade points and divide by the total number of credit hours.
More information may be found on the Office of Graduate Studies website .

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18. Do your require that I take a GRE subject test?
No, we do not require the GRE subject test in any subject.

19. What types of careers can I expect to find after graduation?
Graduates of the MS&E Program at UT Austin have an exceptional range of job opportunities within the high technology sector, academia, or at national laboratories both in Austin and throughout the US and abroad.  More information may be found on our  Alumni Careers page:http://www.tmi.utexas.edu/alumni_careers.html

20. What are student opinions of the MS&E program at UT?
Some of our recent graduates have contributed to the MS&E Alumni Careers page to share their experiences and opinions with prospective applicants:http://www.tmi.utexas.edu/alumni_careers.html

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21. How do I submit electronic versions of my Statement of Purpose (SOP) & CV/RESUME ?
Detailed application instructions are available on the CSE Graduation Application Website.

22. Can I send a paper SOP, CV/RESUME or Reference letter using the PDF document on the GIAC website?
These forms are only for individuals transferring from one UT Austin graduate program to another.  If you are applying as a new graduate student then you MUST use the online essay submission system.

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23. How/When will I get my UT EID?
You can get more information on the UT EID system at the following website:
http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/admissions/grad_eid.html
Please do not create another EID for yourself. Only the EID that will be sent to you in the email acknowledging receipt of your online application will be linked to your academic record.  In most cases you will receive your EID and temporary password via email a few days after you submit your application. Please safeguard your EID and password, they will be critical in the rest of your application.  Your EID will be used as an identifier from this point forward so please be prepared to give it each time you contact us and please include it in all emails so we can better assist you.

24. How/When do I apply for financial aid?
All students admitted to the MS&E program (unless they are self or company funded) will be provided some type of funding which is further explained at: http://www.tmi.utexas.edu/excellent-funding-opportunities-for-graduate-students/

25. I’ve already submitted a complete application, but I need to update my CV. How can I do that?
You may submit new updated copies of your CV using the Supplemental Document Upload Page at: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/ogs/forms/supp_docs.WBX

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International Applicant Admissions FAQ

1. What language scores are acceptable from international applicants?
Official TOEFL scores or the Academic Examination of the IELTS are required of all international applicants unless they have a bachelor’s degree from an institution located in the U.S. or another english-only speaking country or they are from one of the countries listed on GIAC’s International applicant page .

2. What is the minimum TOEFL score required for MS&E at UT?
The University posts a minimum acceptable score for admittance into the University on the GIACInternational applicant page . Scores above the minimum do not guarantee admission into the MS&E Program.
The MS&E admissions committee reviews all required parts of an application before making an admission decision. For this reason we cannot give any single minimum score as a “cut-off” for admission.

3. Do I need to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores?
All international applicants MUST submit one of these scores unless you have a bachelor’s degree from an institution located in the US or another English-only speaking country or you are from one of the countries listed on GIAC’s International applicant page .

4. How long are my TOEFL scores acceptable?
TOEFL are valid for 2 years from the date taken.  This means that ETS will send the scores to us within two years from the date you originally took it and not after.  If ETS will no longer report your scores to UT, you will be required to take a new test. For more information on test scores visit the Graduate School test score pages .
For more information that was not addressed here please contact the Graduate Coordinator .

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5. Do I need to send financial statements to you?
Applicants from other countries must complete a financial responsibility form. While this form is not required for consideration of your application for admission, it is necessary for preparation of the immigration document (Form I-20 or Form DS-2019) for the University of Texas at Austin. Find this form online at:http://www.utexas.edu/student/admissions/giadownload/
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE FOUND ON THE FORM - do not send this form to the MS&E office.

6. How/When can I apply for financial aid?
All students admitted to the MS&E program (unless they are self or company funded) will be provided some type of funding which is further explained at: http://www.tmi.utexas.edu/excellent-funding-opportunities-for-graduate-students/

7. What types of funding can I apply for?
All students admitted to the MS&E program (unless they are self or company funded) will be provided some type of funding which is further explained at: http://www.tmi.utexas.edu/excellent-funding-opportunities-for-graduate-students/

8. Can I send my application materials to a friend in the U.S. and ask them to send them to you?
As long as your application arrives on time and is sent directly to the correct office and all the required procedures are followed then you can have anyone send it.  Remember that all GRE, TOEFL, transcripts MUST be official.  All Letters of reference, Statements of Purpose and CV/Resumes MUST be submitted  electronically.  All MS&E Applicant Information forms MUST be submitted via email.

9. How many international applicants do you admit each admissions cycle?
We do not admit a specific number or a minimum number of international applicants. We do not have a pre-application and cannot provide information about your chances of acceptance because the MS&E faculty admission committee makes decisions on all applications and does not determine admittance until the entire application is received and reviewed. The committee reviews each student’s entire application package. All applications are then considered in the context of the space and financial resources available for accommodating new students in a particular year.

10. What if my test scores arrive after the application deadline?
As long as all of your other application materials and fees are submitted by the deadline, we will accept your test scores late. However, since your application will be considered incomplete without your test scores, we will not be able to review it until your test scores have arrived. It is in your best interest to have your test scores sent as soon as possible.
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10. Do you admit international students to the master’s program?
Yes, we do.
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