Admissions

Degree Programs

Recruitment Presentation

Requirements

To be eligible for graduate study in mechanical engineering, students must satisfy the following minimum requirements:

  • Have a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in junior- and senior-level work and in any graduate work already completed.
  • Hold a bachelor of science degree in physical sciences (chemistry, physics) or in an engineering discipline from an accredited institution.
  • Have completed GRE (optional for 2024 admissions cycle)
  • TOEFL or IELTS (international students only)
  • Submit official transcripts from previous colleges or universities
  • Statement of Purpose - Make sure you upload your Statement of Purpose and Resume (or CV) when you come to those sections on the application. Your Statement of Purpose should be a summary of your academic and professional goals, as well as a description of the research work you have done in your past, and what research work you plan to do as a graduate student at UT. Please make sure these documents are edited to your liking before you upload them, for they cannot be deleted once they have been uploaded to your application.
  • Three Letters of Recommendation - Make sure you enter the valid e-mail address of each referee you want to submit a recommendation for you when you get to that section on the application. Please use the university domain address for each professor you are requesting a reference. Once you have completed this section of the application, a notice will be sent to each referee showing them where to go to complete a recommendation for you using our online system. Three is only the minimum number of recommendations required to accompany your application. You are welcome to add more.

Deadlines

Fall Semester

ALL materials are due by:

  • December 1st for ORIE applicants
  • December 1st for ME applicants

International Students: Because the availability of testing centers is sparse in some regions of the world, we accept official TOEFL/IELTS & GRE scores until January 15th. This means they must be submitted by then, not that you can take your exam until January 15th.

Spring Semester

Domestic & International Students: ALL materials are due by October 1st. Note that we rarely grant admission in the spring semester.

Because of the highly competitive nature of our program we do not accept late materials. Please plan accordingly and begin your application well before the deadline.

Application Fee Waiver for Graduate Applicants

In addition to the application fee waiver provided by Graduate School, the ME Department has a limited number of awards to encourage applications to the Department. These awards are mainly financial need based but could also be given to outstanding candidates who are applying to or have received certain fellowships. The survey to request a waiver of the application fee will be available on this site in August 2024. Preference will be given to those applicants interested in pursuing a Ph.D.

Please note this is an opportunity separate from the Graduate School application fee waiver. You may apply to both Graduate School and the ME Department. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact the ME Graduate Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Do not contact the Graduate School Admissions Office as they do not manage this application.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING THE SURVEY FOR AN APPLICATION FEE WAIVER

  1. First submit the request form using the link above *available August 2024*
  2. When you are ready to complete and submit your application, you may bypass the application fee and opt to pay using your status check portal. This will ensure that you are not charged for the application fee at the time you apply. The link to your application status check will be sent to you after you have applied to Graduate School. Use this link to track the status of your application fee. If your waiver is approved, you will also receive an email notification from the ME Office. 

You may qualify for a waiver of the application fee if you have received financial aid or applied for one of the following fellowships:

APPLY NOW

Due to the high volume of applications and questions we receive, we ask that you please check this page for answers to your questions prior to contacting the ME/OR Admissions Office.

General Program Questions

How many credit hours are required to graduate?
  • Masters
    • Thesis option requires 30 credit hours (24 coursework hours + 6 thesis hours)
    • Report option requires 33 credit hours (30 hours of coursework + 3 report hours)
    • Coursework option requires 36 credit hours of coursework
  • Doctorate: The number of hours required to receive a Ph.D. vary based on the program that a student's dissertation committee decides on. In addition to research and dissertation credits, a Ph.D. program of work should include at least eighteen hours (6 classes) of graduate coursework in the area of specialization for students with a master's degree or thirty-six hours (12 classes) of graduate coursework in the area of specialization for students without a master's.
  • For more information of the degree requirements refer to our Degree Information page
What is the required coursework for the ME Program?

Masters: A minimum of six required courses should be taken in your major study area. The rest can be supporting courses in closely related areas or from other departments. Certain areas have specific required courses. Please consult the Graduate Areas of Study webpage.

Doctorate: Determined by the student's supervisor and supervising committee.

For more information on course schedule, please review the University of Texas Course Schedule.

Where can I find information about the ME Faculty?

View our Faculty Directory.

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.

Is there a word limit for the Statement of Purpose?

There is no word limit for your Statement of Purpose (SOP). Your SOP should be a summary of your academic and professional goals, as well as a description of the research work you have done in your past, and what research work you plan to do as a graduate student at UT. Please make sure these documents are edited to your liking before you upload them, for they cannot be deleted once they have been uploaded to your application.

Where can I find information about minimum GRE and TOEFL (international students only) scores?

For information about GRE and TOEFL scores and waivers, visit the Graduate School Website.

There is no minimum GRE score required by ME and we do not require any special subject tests.

Average GRE scores for recently admitted ME graduate students:

  • GRE V: 590 (GRE General Test) 159 (Revised GRE Test)
  • GRE Q: 770 (GRE General Test) 163 (Revised GRE Test)

Average GRE scores for recently admitted ORIE graduate students:

  • GRE V: 570 (GRE General Test) 160 (Revised GRE Test)
  • GRE Q: 770 (GRE General Test) 163 (Revised GRE Test)

Preferred TOEFL for ME/ORIE department: 90 or above on (iBT)

Average TOEFL score for ME/ORIE admits: 106 (iBT)

Do I need to secure a faculty advisor before applying to the program?

It is not necessary to secure a faculty advisor before submitting your application materials, but we recommend connecting with potential advisors to determine whether your research interests would be a good fit. Our faculty directory can be found here.

Can I apply for my second masters or doctorate in a similar field with your program?

No. We do not admit students who already have a degree in a similar field for a second degree. Master's students interested in a Ph.D. are welcome, but students seeking a second Master's or a second Ph.D. who already hold that degree in a similar field (e.g., metallurgy, materials, ceramics, polymers, etc.) should not apply.

How many students are admitted to the ME graduate program each year?

200-230 students based on many factors including but not limited to faculty availability, quality of applicants, and funding.

We do not have a set number or percentage of domestic or international students that we admit.