Application Type	Fall Start	Spring Start	Summer Start
Ph.D. Deadline*	December 15th	N/A	N/A
International Master’s Applicants Including those already in the U.S.	March 1st	July 15th	N/A
U.S. Citizen Master’s Applicants And permanent residents.	June 1st	November 1st	N/A
Distance Education Master’s Applicants U.S. Citizens only	June 30th	November 15th	April 1st

*The Ph.D. Priority Deadline should be used by Ph.D. program applicants for full consideration for admission. Only Ph.D. applicants with a full application received by this deadline will be considered for funding opportunities offered by the university and MAE department (assistantships and fellowships). This deadline should be used by both international and domestic Ph.D. program applicants. For more information on funding, see below.

* UPDATE: The GRE test score requirement is currently waived for all applicants.

• An international PhD applicant has a competitive English Proficiency Score:
  • TOEFL score – 18 or higher in each section with a total score of 80 in all four sections).
  • IELTS score – 6.5 or higher on each section
  • DUOLingo score  – 110 or higher total and subsection scores
    • Literacy: 110
    • Comprehension 110
    • Conversation 110 (125 for TA appointment)
    • Production 110 (125 for TA appointment)
  • NOTE: These minimums scores are a strict Graduate School requirement and applicants who do not meet this minimum should not apply.

Admission to the Master’s Program (On-Campus)

At the master’s level, an applicant will meet the minimum admission requirements for full graduate standing if all the following are satisfied:

• Overall grade point average (GPA) is at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution.
• Undergraduate major is in a technical area which satisfies the prerequisites for graduate coursework in MAE. If you do not hold a BS degree in ME or AE, see the section below, Admission Requirements for Non-Majors.
• Three satisfactory letters of recommendation.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are competitive if provided (minimum: verbal – 146, quantitative – 155, analytical writing – 3.5)

* UPDATE: The GRE test score requirement is currently waived for all applicants.

• An international MS applicant has a competitive English Proficiency Score:
  • TOEFL score – 18 or higher in each section with a total score of 80 in all four sections).
  • IELTS score – 6.5 or higher on each section
  • DUOLingo score – 110 or higher total score
    • Literacy: 110
    • Comprehension 110
    • Conversation 110 (125 for TA appointment)
    • Production 110 (125 for TA appointment)
  • NOTE: These minimums scores are a strict Graduate School requirement and applicants who do not meet this minimum should not apply.

Admission to the Accelerated BS/MS Program (On-Campus)

NC State MAE undergraduate students interested in our 5-year BS/MS program should review the requirements for entry into the Accelerated BS/MS Degree program in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering. 

Contact your MAE undergraduate academic advisor for additional information regarding this program.

Admission to the Distance Education Master’s Program (Engineering Online)

For the distance education program at the master’s level (non-thesis only), an applicant will meet the minimum admission requirements if all the following are satisfied:

• Overall grade point average (GPA) is at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution.
• Undergraduate major is in a technical area which satisfies the prerequisites for graduate coursework in MAE. If you do not hold a BS degree in ME or AE, see the section below, Admission Requirements for Non-Majors.
• Three satisfactory letters of recommendation.

Admission Requirements for Non-Majors (for MS)

Applicants with accredited BS degrees in other areas of engineering, physics, and math may be admitted to our department. See MAE Graduate Admission FAQ (Applications General section) for information about specific undergraduate courses we require for admission. Alternatively, you can enroll in online courses as a Non Degree Seeking student to meet enrollment requirements and/or show success at the graduate level prior to applying to the program. Graduate level classes taken as a Non Degree Seeking student will often apply toward the degree if admitted. Applicants cannot be admitted into the graduate program until all necessary undergraduate prerequisite courses (or equivalents) have been satisfactorily completed.

• PhD: Funding is generally offered to admitted PhD students. Funding may be in the form of teaching assistantship, research assistantship, fellowship, or a combination. All applicants applying before December 15 will be considered for funding; no additional application is required. Applicants are encouraged to reach out to faculty with research in their area of interest to enquire about research assistantships that may be available. Applicants are also encouraged to apply for external fellowship funding (e.g. NSF GRFP). Funding decisions will arrive in a separate communication from admissions decisions.
• MS: Funding is generally not offered with admission to the master’s program. However, other funding opportunities may be available for Domestic students and International Students.

You will complete your online application via the graduate school. You do not have to complete the entire application in one session. You can access your application with your PIN and password to add or alter information as many times as necessary before you submit it.

You must be prepared to provide:

•  A paid application fee

The application fee is non-refundable. Once you complete and submit the Graduate School application, you will be prompted to pay the application fee. View the current rate for the graduate admission application fee. You may pay by check, money order, or credit card.

The MAE Graduate Office offers a limited number of waivers. Students are encouraged to fill out the request form. Waiver requests are reviewed as they are received to ensure timely consideration.

• Unofficial transcript(s) with your GPA from all institutions at which you took a course that counted toward your current degree.

Unofficial transcripts should be electronically attached to your application – we do not accept mailed or emailed copies of unofficial transcripts. The NC State Graduate School will request official transcripts if/when you are admitted to the program. Official transcripts should be mailed in a sealed envelope directly to the NC State Graduate School by the college or university you attended.

• A copy of your resume or CV

Your resume or CV should be electronically attached to your application – we do not accept mailed or emailed copies of these documents. Once you attach your resume or CV, you will be unable to add a newer or updated copy. We will only consider the resume or CV that is included with your application.

• Personal statement

The personal statement must be written by you and without the aid of any AI. There  is no minimum or maximum word count requirement. Describe your career goals and research interests, work or research experience, and academic achievements, and how they demonstrate your potential for graduate study. Your may also include the key learning objectives you hope to achieve in your studies or potential research areas of interest.

• Applicable Test Scores
  • GRE test scores (waived for 2024): ETS code for our university, NC State, is 5496 (no department code required).
  • TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo test scores: for all international applicants. See Graduate School Catalog for minimums and waiver information.
    
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Preferably, current or former professors in your major-field courses should write your letters of recommendation regarding your research potential. If, however, such persons are no longer available to ask, anyone that can assess your potential for graduate study can be asked to write the letter.