Graduate Admissions Information

Minimum Application Eligibility Requirement (PhD & Master's)

Our minimum eligibility requirement to apply to any of our graduate programs is a GPA of 3.0 of higher from an accredited Bachelor of Science (BS) STEM program, preferably in Engineering or Natural/Physical Sciences. Please note, admission to our graduate programs is competitive, and GPA is one of many factors reviewed in the application process. Simply having a GPA above 3.0/a BS degree does not ensure admission. 

Online Application Requirements (PhD and Master's)

1. Complete the Online Application  
2. Pay the application fee. It is $60 for domestic applicants and $80 for international applicants. We cannot process your application without the application fee. 
3. If you are an international applicant, submit your English proficiency test scores. Refer to the CU Boulder English Proficiency Requirements for details. 
4. Submit three letters of recommendation. 
5. Upload unofficial copies of your transcripts from every undergraduate and graduate institution that you attended, regardless of length of attendance and whether you completed the degree or courses. If you are admitted, you must submit official transcripts from these same institutions.
6. Upload your Statement of Purpose. This statement should be no longer than 750 words and should address your academic and career goals and how our program will benefit you.

Frequently Asked Application Questions

Is the GRE required? No, the GRE is optional. We do not consider it a strong indicator of applicant success.

Fee Waivers

• Fee Waiver Information, Master's Applicants: We are not able to provide any application fee waivers for applicants to our master's program (traditional and professional).
• Fee Waiver Information, PhD Applicants:
  • The College offers application fee waivers as listed. This includes fee waivers for qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents until November 15 annually.

Do I need to secure an advisor/funding before applying to the PhD? No. All faculty in your area of interest will review your application for admittance to their group. All our PhD offers include funding, unless the applicant has other stated means (tuition remission with employer, home country government scholarships, etc.) You only need to complete the one application.

Does ECEE consider WICHE for residency? Yes, but only for PhD applicants. If you are a PhD applicant and current WICHE state resident, select the WRGP option on your application when you apply. This is reviewed by our tuition classification department when you are admitted to the program.

Can I submit more than 3 letters of recommendation? No. We will only accept 3. 

Who should write my letters of recommendation? Letters from former instructors are preferred; if you are a PhD applicant, letters from those who can evaluate your research ability are helpful. Letters from work supervisors and/or work colleagues who have their own higher education degrees are also acceptable, especially if you have spent time working in industry/out of academia.

Do I need to have WES or another service complete a Foreign Transcript Evaluation? No. You do not need to ask a third-party credential evaluator to review your transcripts. Our International Admissions Team will evaluate your transcript. 

Can my statement of purpose be longer than 750 words? No. Please adhere to the word limit. Being concise and direct is essential, especially when our faculty review hundreds of applications. 

Common Application Mistakes to Avoid

• Be sure you are applying to the correct university in your Statement of Purpose. 
• Double-check that you are applying to the correct graduate program in our department. We cannot switch you between programs after you apply. 

Deadlines & Decisions

We have two annual admission cycles, Fall and Spring. There is no admission for Summer.

The application cycle opens annually in late July for both Fall and Spring.

All application materials must be received by the application deadline for the application to move forward in the review process. We do not accept late applications.

We do not review any applications until after the application deadline has passed. You will be able to check your application status in your Application Portal. Decisions are made after careful consideration of all applicants. Decisions are not issued in the order an application was received.

PhD Application Deadlines

• Spring Admission: September 1
  • Please be advised that we admit very few students for the Spring semester and focus more on Fall admissions. We do not recommend applying for Spring unless specifically requested by an ECEE faculty member.
• Fall Admission: December 15 of the preceding year

PhD Application Decisions Released

• Spring Admission: You will be notified of your application decision by mid-October
• Fall Admission: You will be notified of your application decision by mid-March

All Master's Degree Program Application Deadlines

• Fall Admission: February 15
• Spring Admission: September 1

All Master's Degree Program Decisions Released

• Spring Admission: You will be notified of your application decision by end of October
• Fall Admission: You will be notified of your application decision by April 30