Frequently Asked Questions

General Program Questions

How many credit hours are required to graduate?
  • Masters: An MSE with Thesis requires 30 credit hours (24 coursework hours + 6 thesis hours)
  • Doctorate: The number of hours required to receive a Ph.D. vary based on the program of work that a student's dissertation committee decides on.
  • For more information of the degree requirements please refer to our Student Handbook.
What is the required coursework for the MS&E Program?
  • Specific coursework can be reviewed here. All MS&E PhD students are required to take four Core courses and three Thrust courses to complete their coursework. Core courses must be completed with a total GPA of 3.3 or better to be eligible for candidacy.
Where can I find information about the MS&E Faculty?
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 throughout the US and abroad. Our alumni work at companies like Apple, Intel, General Motors, Tesla, and Applied Materials and hold academic positions at universities such as Purdue and Stanford. Some go on to work in positions at national laboratories like Sandia and Lawrence Livermore.

Before You Apply

Do you have any written materials you can send to me?
  • No, all of the necessary information can be found here on our website or on the Graduate School's Admissions pages. If you have any questions that we have not addressed please feel free to e-mail the MS&E Graduate Coordinator: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Do we admit Master's students?
  • Since our program is heavily research-based and our students are directly admitted to labs, we tend to admit only Ph.D. students. Only under special circumstances and when initiated by faculty members, students wanting a terminal master's may be admitted. At this time, M.S. students are not being admitted and M.S. inquiries might go unanswered. It is the responsibility of the applicant to reach out to faculty and inquire about such positions.
Do you admit international students to the Master’s program?
  • Yes, both degree plans are open to domestic and international students, but terminal master's students (those seeking only a master's) are only admitted in special circumstances.
What are my chances of being admitted? Is there a pre-admission screening process?
  • No, there is no pre-admission screening process. We cannot tell you whether or not you will likely be admitted. Many factors - including available funding, which faculty are recruiting in any given semester, and research specialties, strength of application - go into admission decisions and it is therefore impossible to tell if one student might be admitted over another. Our admissions committee reviews completed applications immediately following the deadlines taking all factors into consideration.
What are the educational qualifications for admission 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 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 usually have not completed these courses.
What is the minimum GPA required to apply to the MS&E Program?
  • The Graduate School requires a 3.0/4.0 in upper-division courses to apply. GPAs below a 3.0 may, in rare cases, be admitted with conditions. GPAs above the minimum do not guarantee admission to the program. For more information on admissions requirements visit the Office of Graduate Admissions Eligibility for Admission Consideration.
Can I apply for my second masters or doctorate in materials with your program?
  • No. We do not admit students who already have a graduate degree in a similar field for a duplicate second degree. Masters students interested in a PhD are welcome, but students seeking a second Masters or second PhD who already hold that degree in a similar field (metallurgy, materials, ceramics, polymers, etc.) should not apply.
What is the minimum GRE Score needed for admission to the MS&E Program?
  • MS&E no longer requires the GRE for admission consideration. However, you may still send your scores to be included in your application. Scores sent in will be included in consideration of the overall application. For more information on test scores see the Graduate School.
What are the minimum scores on English exams (International Students only) to be considered for the MS&E Program?

  • The Graduate School requires a score of 79 (internet based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) OR a 6.5 on the Academic Examination of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) OR a 115 overall score for the Duolingo English Test (DET). Scores above the minimum do not guarantee admission and please keep in mind that TOEFL scores are only valid for 2 years following the test date. The Graduate School does not accept expired test scores. You can find more about what tests are accepted, where to send them, and exemptions at the Admission's page for International Students. *The Graduate School will be accepting both the new and old TOEFL scores for the next 2 years during the TOEFL's transition.*

Can I have any of my test scores waived?

  • For purposes of the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET requirement, international applicants are exempt only if they are from a country where English is the sole official language and the primary conversational language of the country. In some countries, English is but one of the officially recognized languages or it is not the primary language used to communicate outside of the classroom. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from an institution in the U.S. or a qualifying country. The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master's—but not a bachelor's—degree from a similar institution. You can find more about this at the Admissions' page for International Students.

    Students from the following countries are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement:

    • American Samoa
    • Australia
    • Bahamas
    • Barbados
    • Belize
    • Canada (except Quebec)
    • Dominica
    • Ghana
    • Grenada
    • Grand Cayman
    • Guyana
    • India
    • Ireland
    • Jamaica
    • Kenya
    • Liberia
    • New Zealand
    • Nigeria
    • Singapore
    • Trinidad/Tobago
    • Turks and Caicos Islands
    • United Kingdom
    • U.S. Pacific Trust
  • GRE scores are no longer required for MS&E applications.  
What are the application deadlines?
  • Spring admissions: September 15th for admission the following Spring
  • Fall admissions: December 1st for the next academic year
  • These deadlines are for both domestic and international students.
  • These deadlines are for *all* application materials. Because of the highly competitive nature of our program and short timelines, we cannot accept late materials. Please plan accordingly and begin your application well before the deadline.
Do you accept transfer students?
  • No, we do not. We only accept transfers from other UT Austin programs in some circumstances, which is considered a "change of major" by the Graduate School. Generally speaking you will need to complete your current program and apply to ours like everyone else, or apply as a new student.
Do you require a word or page limit for the Statement of Purpose?
  • No, we do not have a required page or word limit for the Statement of Purpose.
Do you offer application fee waivers?
  • No, as a department, we do not offer fee waivers. Our Graduate School handles fee waivers for domestic students. You can find more information here. Fee waivers are not available for international students.
How many letters of recommendation are required?
  • We require three (3) letters of recommendation for your application. Please be mindful that all letters must be submitted via the application portal, so emailed or mailed letters will not be accepted.
Do we need to contact faculty members before applying?
  • While it is not a requirement to contact any faculty or lab prior to applying, a supervisor plays an important role in a student’s research and progression during their time here, and it is important that your research interests match those of any proposed supervisors. You can find out more about the research our faculty conducts either under the Research headings or under the Faculty Directory on our website. 

How to Apply

How do I apply?
If I applied previously and was not admitted, is there a different procedure for reapplying?
  • If you are reapplying within one year of your previous application, you will need to complete a new application, send new transcripts, and pay another fee. However, your test scores and recommendation letters will carry over from the previous application. You are more than welcome to update them if you like. If it has been over a year since you last applied, you will have to resubmit everything.
How do I calculate my GPA?
  • Use the GPA Calculator on the Registrar’s page. All GPA information should be provided on a 4-point scale. Only upper division undergraduate and graduate courses should be used in this calculation. Keep in mind that the Graduate School's Admissions Office will calculate your official GPA for official admission purposes. 
How do I submit my Statement of Purpose (SOP) & CV/Resume?
  • You will upload your supporting documentation via the online application portal after you have created your account and received access to MyStatus.
Can I submit any paper versions of application materials?
  • No, we will not accept any paper copies of application materials nor anything sent to us via email. Please follow the instructions online carefully to ensure your application is completed by the deadline.
Can I have my application fee waived by the MS&E Program?
  • No, to complete your application the fee must be paid. The Admissions Office may grant a fee waiver for domestic students in rare cases based on documented financial need. Please visit their sitesite for more information on requesting a waiver.
How/when will I get my UT EID?
  • You will be assigned an EID during the application process, when you submit and application and receive an account in MyStatus. Please do not create multiple EIDs for yourself. Only the EID that is sent to you via email acknowledging receipt of your application will be linked to your academic record. Your EID will be used as an identifier from this point forward so please include it in emails to the program so that we can better assist you. For issues with an existing EID, please visit the UT EID site.
How/when do I apply for financial aid?
  • There is no separate financial application. Because we are a highly competitive program that matches our students directly with a supervisor and lab, all of our students generally receive funding. For most of our students, funding generally includes tuition benefits, healthcare, and a stipend.
Do I need to send financial statements or FAFSA information to you?
  • No, any outside financial support you apply for will be your responsibility.
What if I don't apply by the deadline??
  • Due to the short timeframe between deadlines and the next step in the admission process, we cannot accept late applications. Our applications are open for months before the deadlines, giving ample time to compete the application and submit the required documentation. We also STRONGLY suggest beginning the application process early to allow for processing time between steps.

After You Apply

Can I make edits to my application after the deadline?
  • No, your application needs to be completed by the deadline. We will not allow edits after the fact. The application is open for months before the deadline, giving ample time to complete the requirements.
How do I check the status of my application?
  • Check your MyStatus page for all application updates and decisions.
I would like to contact a faculty member, how should I proceed?
  • Using the “People” tab above, choose the faculty member whose research most closely resembles your interests. You are more than welcome to email the faculty member to introduce yourself and indicate your interest in their research group. Keep in mind that they will not give you any application assessment but they do control admissions. Be courteous and mindful that our faculty are very busy and may not reply immediately.
When will I find out if I am admitted?
  • For Fall admissions, we finalize all decisions by May 15. For Spring admissions, we finalize all decisions by November 15. You can monitor the status of your application via the MyStatus site and can email any questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All admitted applicants will be contacted directly via email notifying them of their admission and requesting further information. Students denied admission will be notified via the MyStatus site.
If I am denied, can you provide me an assessment of my application so that I can make improvements?
  • Unfortunately no. We receive an incredibly large number of applications each year and due to legal restrictions, 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.
How do I confirm that my application is complete?
  • Check the MyStatus site for application updates and completion status. You can also use this site to remind your references of missing letters of reference. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks for your test scores to be matched with your online application. If you have received confirmation from ETS or IELTS that your test scores have been received by the university and processed, but you do not see them on MyStatus, the university is probably still in the matching process.
I’ve already submitted a complete application but I need to make updates. How can I do that?
  • Any updates must be submitted through the online application portal. The only updates allowed before the deadline are document uploads to replace existing files. After the deadline, additional updates may not be viewed by the admission committee.
How many students are admitted to the MS&E graduate program each year?
  • We do not have a set number or percentage of domestic or international students that we admit. Cohorts average between 10 to 25 students based on many factors, including but not limited to faculty availability, quality of applicants, and funding.

Forms You May Need

Where can I find important MS&E program forms?