MAE Graduate Admissions

Admission to the PhD Program:

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

• Grade point average (GPA) in the applicant’s master’s program is at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution (3.5 for Direct to PhD with no prior MS)
• Three satisfactory letters of recommendation, with one letter coming from the applicant’s master’s degree advisor, if applicable.
• A record of independent research or project work.
• Performance in the master’s oral examination was satisfactory.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are competitive if provided (minimum: verbal – 146, quantitative – 155, analytical writing – 3.5)

* UPDATE: The GRE test score requirement will be waived for all 2024 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
  • DUO Lingo score  – 110 or higher
  • 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 of 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 will be waived for all 2024 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
  • DUO Lingo score – 110 or higher
  • 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):

NCSU 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 of 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. If admitted, students are often expected to take 1 to 3 remedial courses to make up for deficiencies depending on their background. These courses are typically taken in the first two semesters alongside first semester courses or before the student begins taking graduate courses. Alternatively you can enroll in online courses as a Non Degree Seeking student to meet enrollment requirements and show success at the graduate level prior to applying to the program. See MAE Graduate Admission FAQ for more (Applications General section).

Provisional admission into the graduate program may be granted while the student completes necessary 400-level courses, with full status conferred upon satisfactory completion of the remedial coursework. University regulations prohibit a graduate student from holding an assistantship or fellowship while on provisional status.

Applicants cannot be admitted into the graduate program until all of the 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. Domestic students can find funding information here, and International Students can review options here.

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. The current rate for the graduate admission application fee is here. You may pay by check, money order, or credit card.

• 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 NCSU 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 NCSU 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.

See our newly admitted students page for the TOP TEN things to do to get ready to join the MAE community.