Admissions

Graduate Admissions

The Cockrell School of Engineering processes all engineering applications through a centralized system online, and the university’s Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) processes test scores and transcripts. Please read the following information completely before beginning your application. If you have any questions, please EMAIL the Graduate Coordinator. Email is preferred over phone calls.

Refer to MyStatus for any and all information regarding your application.

Application Deadlines

Spring: September 1           Summer: December 15           Fall: December 15

Online Application Procedure

Applicants must submit all of the following materials by the appropriate deadline. NOTE: Once you submit your documents online they cannot be deleted or edited. Therefore, please be sure your documents are correct before you upload them.

All applicants to the graduate program must apply using the Cockrell School of Engineering graduate application. Please follow the instructions on the Cockrell School of Engineering webpage. Do not use the ApplyTexas application.  Applicants must select a specific area of research when filling out the application. 

If you have problems with the application, such as inability to upload documents, you may be using a browser that is incompatible with the UT website. If that occurs, please check the web guidelines information site.

Application fee

The fee is $65 for U.S. and Permanent Residents and $90 for International students.

Official GRE score sent by ETS

Official GRE scores are required for 2024 applications; scores should be sent to UT from the ETS.

Official TOEFL or IELTS score sent by ETS

Required for international students unless they have an undergraduate degree from an English speaking country.  An MS from a U.S. university does not qualify for a TOEFL or IELTS waiver. The ETS code for TOEFL is 6882.
https://gradschool.utexas.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/international-students

Official transcripts

Applicants should upload one copy of the official academic transcript from every senior college they have attended. Transcripts are not required from junior colleges and community colleges. See instructions for uploading the pdf of transcript(s).

Transcript Submission FAQ

Statement of Purpose (SOP)

Submit online with your application. If you do not wish to be considered for financial aid or have your own funding or fellowship, please indicate so in your Statement of Purpose.

Resume

Suggested, but not required. You may upload your resume onto the Cockrell graduate application.

Three letters of recommendation, preferably from academic sources.

When you complete the "References" portion of the online application for admission, you will list the names and email addresses of those you have asked to recommend you. Be sure that the email addresses are current and accurate. You will be asked to inform us if you are going to waive the right to view your letters after they are submitted. Please indicate this waiver by answering the associated question on the application for admission. After you submit the application online, GIAC will send an e-mail message to the addresses you provided and ask your recommenders to visit a web site where they can complete a questionnaire and upload their letter of recommendation. Your recommenders will be informed if you have not waived your right to view their letters of recommendation.

To monitor and maintain your requests for reference, please go to MyStatus. There you can monitor the status of your pending recommendations, resend a Request for Reference email to your recommenders, add a new recommender, and revise your FERPA (right to view) status from retained to waived. If you have additional questions about online recommendation letters, email gradref@austin.utexas.edu. Online submission of recommendations is strongly preferred, but we will accept paper recommendations if absolutely necessary.

Class ranking if available

The department would also like to know your class rank (eg. 3rd out of 40 Civil Engineering seniors), if available.

FYI

All application materials should be submitted online unless prior approval to submit paper documents has been given by the graduate coordinator. Please do not send CDs, copies of research papers, portfolios, or theses- they will not be reviewed by the faculty.

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. It is the applicant's sole responsibility to ensure that all documents have been received by the stated deadline. Once all your materials are complete in both GIAC and the department, your application will be reviewed by the faculty in your area of specialization. The faculty try their best to make all admissions and financial aid decisions by March 31 for fall and summer applicants, though it may be as late as mid-late April in some cases. Per the Council of Graduate Schools resolution, April 15 is the deadline for accepting or declining aid offers for the fall semester. Decisions for spring admission are usually made by the end of October or early November.

Prerequisites: The majority of our applicants have an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering or Architectural Engineering. However, exceptional candidates with other undergraduate degrees can be considered for admission to the graduate program. If admitted, such students are usually required to take additional undergraduate courses before beginning graduate level work. The courses required will depend on the student’s background and educational goals. Each student's required courses are evaluated on an individual basis but, as a minimum, the following undergraduate courses generally are required before graduate courses can be taken.