Graduate Admissions

Application Deadlines

Applicants for admission to our graduate programs must complete the following steps by the indicated deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

We do not offer summer admissions for graduate programs. 

Applications for spring and fall semesters open annually in late July. 

We do not review any applications until after the application deadline has passed.

PhD Program Deadlines

• Fall admission: December 15 of the preceding year
• Spring admission: September 1
  • Please be advised that we admit very few students for the spring semester and focus more on fall admissions.

MS, MSEE and ME Program Deadlines

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

General Application Steps

1. Complete the Online Application, which includes submitting your resumé/CV.  

   • Please double-check that you are applying to the correct program. We cannot switch you between programs after you apply. If you wish to move from a traditional MS to a PMP program or vice-versa, you must complete one semester in the program of entry with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have advisor permission from both programs to switch.
   • 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.

2. Pay the $60 application fee ($80 for international applicants). We cannot process your application without the application fee.

   • 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. 

     • If you are undocumented and/or a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiary, please contact gradadm@colorado.edu to inquire about possible fee waivers. 

     •  International students who want to be considered an international application fee waiver should complete the Fall 2024 International Application Fee Waiver Form. Please Note: We receive many requests, but we cannot guarantee all applicants will receive a fee waiver.

     • The ECEE department will review other PhD applicant need-based fee waiver requests up until November 15. Applicants who have financial hardship can fill out this form. Faculty will review all submissions, but there is no guarantee of receiving a fee waiver. You do not need to email specific faculty regarding a fee waiver; you do need to complete this form to be considered.

3. Submit your English proficiency test scores, if you are an international student. Refer to the CU Boulder English Proficiency Requirements for details. Please note that proof of English proficiency is a federal regulation in order to obtain an F-1 student visa.

   • We accept unofficial test scores, please see the link above for all specific details. 

4. Submit three letters of recommendation. Requests will be sent to your recommenders when you enter them in the online application.​

   • Letters from former instructors are preferred. Letters from work supervisors and/or work colleagues who have their own higher education degrees are also acceptable.
   • Do not submit more than three letters. 

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. Applicants for graduate study in electrical engineering must hold at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an institution comparable to the University of Colorado in electrical engineering or a related STEM field. Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended is considered to be a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of your admission or dismissal from the university. If you are admitted, you must submit official transcripts following the graduate school’s Admitted Students instructions.

   • You must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0). However, admission to the graduate programs is competitive, and a GPA at this level will not ensure admission. Competitive applications to PhD and the traditional MS degree typically have a 3.5 or higher GPA.
   • International applicants: The “Foreign Transcript Evaluation” item on the checklist prompts us to do an evaluation of your non-U.S. academic work, after your transcripts have been received. It is entirely an internal item; you do not need to do anything to complete it. You do not need to ask a third-party credential evaluator to review your transcripts.

6. Upload your Statement of Purpose in the Online Application. The 500-750 word statement should include why you want to pursue graduate work in electrical or computer engineering and what you would like to do after you have received your degree.

GRE scores are optional for all applicants in all application cycles. 

After You Apply

Twenty-four hours after you receive the email confirming that your application was successfully submitted, you will be able to check your application status using the same login credentials as the application. Learn how to access your checklist at the Graduate Admissions website. If you have any problems checking your status or questions about your application, please contact ecegrad@colorado.edu.

Our faculty do not review any applications until the application deadline for that semester has passed. Decisions are not first-submitted, first-decided. Rather, decisions are made after careful consideration of all applicants, side by side, over a period of time. Decisions are not necessarily issued in the order an application was received.

PhD Application Decision Dates

• Spring: You will be notified of your application decision by mid-November
• Fall: You will be notified of your application decision by April 15

Master's Application Decision Dates 

• Spring: You will be notified of your application decision by mid-November
• Fall: You will be notified of your application decision by April 30