Admission to Graduate Studies

Connect deep thinking to bold doing in the University of Georgia College of Engineering. Our rigorous, adaptive curriculum and vibrant research environment prepare you to tackle the world’s greatest challenges. We’re committed to preparing a new generation of engineers for success in a range of careers.

Students  holding a B.S. degree or M.S. in engineering from an ABET accredited program or a B.S. or M.S. in a related field from an accredited institution are invited to apply for admission. Students with degrees in non-engineering disciplines may be asked to take additional selected course work to adequately prepare them for their studies.

Admission Requirements

Base requirements for consideration for admission to the College of Engineering’s Graduate Programs are listed below. Specific degree programs and emphasis areas may add additional requirements.

Completion of a B.S. and M.S. (for Ph.D. applicants) with minimum GPA of 3.00 (out of 4.00) from an ABET accredited program or program in a related field. The average undergraduate GPA and graduate GPA of recent accepted students is 3.4 and 3.6, respectively.

UGA will accept satisfactory scores on either the TOEFL or IELTS language proficiency examinations. Scores must be reported to UGA electronically by the testing agency.

  • The minimum TOEFL score requirement: overall score of 80 with at least 20 on speaking and writing
  • The minimum IELTS score requirement: overall band-width of 6.5, with no single band (score) below 6.0

Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores that are not more than two years old. Applicants who have received degrees from accredited institutions in the U.S. or from institutions in countries where English is the primary language (see list here) are usually are not required to submit scores. If such an applicant received the degree more than two years prior to application to the Graduate School and has been residing/working in a country where the primary language is not English, he or she must submit current scores.

Direct PhD Admission

Exceptional and highly motivated students with a B.S. degree who have not completed an M.S. degree may apply for direct admission to a Ph.D. program provided they have demonstrated research experience. The student’s desire and suitability to enter a Ph.D. program should be clearly articulated in their statement of purpose and in accompanying letters of recommendation.

Required Application Materials

  1. Submit an official online application to the UGA Graduate School.
  2. Unofficial transcripts are required for the review process. If accepted, you must submit official transcripts prior to matriculation.
  3. Statement of purpose to include your goals in pursuing graduate study, research experience, names of faculty with whom you’d like to work, as well as explanations for any perceived deficiencies in your application.
  4. Contact information for three references and three recommendation letters from the references who can speak to your academic record and/or research experiences.
  5. International students may be required to show English language proficiency and proof of finances; see the UGA Graduate School site for details.
  6. GRE scores may be submitted using the UGA institutional code 5813.

*The UGA College of Engineering has waived the GRE requirement for all applicants for Spring 2025 and Fall 2025.

Application Deadlines

Full consideration for financial support will be given to applications received by the following deadlines:

  • Fall: December 15
  • Spring: September 15

We will still consider all applications received by the following UGA Graduate School deadlines:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Fall Semester – July 1
  • Spring Semester – November 15

International Applicants:

  • Fall Semester – April 15
  • Spring Semester – October 15

Application Fee Waivers

The UGA Graduate School offers application fee waivers to students who participate in certain programs. Please review the UGA Graduate School website for more information.

Funding Opportunities

All applicants are considered for Research Assistantships, which provide a tuition waiver and a stipend. We strongly encourage applicants to review our online faculty directory and browse our faculty expertise directory, then contact those faculty members whose research aligns with their interests. Applicants should ask faculty directly about Research Assistantship opportunities that may be available. The College also offers Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships to qualified students. For additional information, please visit the Graduate Student Funding page.



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