Application Process
Graduate Application Process
All applications to The Grainger College of Engineering engineering master’s and doctoral degree programs are submitted directly through the University of Illinois Graduate College. Application requirements and deadlines are determined by each degree program. Visit the degree program website to verify all admission deadlines.
Follow the steps below to complete your graduate application.
- Select the graduate program of study that best fits your skills, interests and goals, and review the requirements and deadlines for your program.
- Review the Graduate College's requirements to prepare for each stage of the application process.
- Complete the online application through the University of Illinois Graduate College.
- Carefully read all emails from the University of Illinois and The Grainger College of Engineering. Provide any additional information as needed.
- Check your application status and follow up with the Grainger College of Engineering before the application deadline to ensure all application materials were received.
Graduate Application Requirements
You must have been awarded (or are about to be awarded) a four-year bachelor's degree equivalent to that granted by the University of Illinois to be eligible for graduate programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If your undergraduate degree is a three-year program, you are not eligible for graduate-level admissions consideration at the University of Illinois.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign requires you to hold at least a 3.0/4.0 or higher GPA in your undergraduate degree to be eligible for graduate studies on this campus.
You cannot apply to a master's or doctoral program if you already hold a master's or Ph.D. respectively in the field that is equivalent to the one awarded by Illinois.
International Applicants
International applicants have an additional admission requirement that they must take into consideration when submitting their application to Grainger. If your native language is not English, which includes permanent residents of the United States (those holding a green card), you must submit TOEFL or IELTS test scores. Those scores should be reported directly through ETS to Illinois; a copy of these scores will not be accepted.
- The University of Illinois has a total minimum score that is required for admission.
- Check to see if you are exempt from this English proficiency requirement based on your country of citizenship.
More information can be found on the Graduate College’s international applicants requirements.
Scholars at Risk Application Fee Waiver
The Grainger College of Engineering supports all scholars domestically and internationally. We recognize some applicants may face barriers that impact their ability to apply to graduate programs.
Eligibility criteria
To help those affected by the current war in Ukraine, The Grainger College of Engineering will provide an application fee waiver for individuals applying for the Fall 2024 admission term who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Hold primary citizenship from Ukraine.
- Complete a graduate application to one of the Grainger Engineering graduate programs.
- Meet minimum admission eligibility criteria for the selected program.
A limited number of additional Grainger Engineering Scholars at Risk application fee waivers are available to other applicants experiencing extenuating circumstances and who meet minimum admission criteria for their selected programs.
Application deadline
The deadline to submit a fee waiver request is five (5) business days prior to the application deadline. Only one fee waiver request per applicant will be considered. Applicants denied a fee waiver will need to pay an application fee to submit their application.
Application process
To request an application fee waiver, follow these steps when completing a graduate application:
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In the ‘Application Fee Waiver’ section, select “Yes” when responding to the question: “Please indicate if you are eligible for an application fee waiver.”
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Select “Grainger Engineering Scholars at Risk” from the list of designated fee waiver programs.
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Provide a short (250-500 words) statement describing the reason for your request.
Your Path to Grainger Engineering Begins Here
Submit your Grainger Engineering graduate application and take the first step toward an academic experience that will bring a lifetime of professional and personal growth.