When is the application deadline?

Applicants need to complete and submit the ECE application to Graduate School by December 1 for Summer or Fall in the following year.

Does applying early improve my chances for consideration?

Although applicants are advised to complete and submit your application in a timely matter, applying early does not provide an advantage in consideration and review. The admissions committee begins reviewing completed applications in December.

The application to Texas ECE is not on Apply Texas. Where is it located?

Applicants to Graduate School in Engineering at UT-Austin use the custom application for graduate students in Engineering that is located on the Cockrell School website (link can be found HERE) Application Grad Students in Engineering UT. Make sure to select "Electrical and Computer Engineering (MSE, PhD)" for your major. The name of the major includes "MSE/PhD" to indicate the ECE department at UT-Austin offers both a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) degree and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Applicants select their ultimate degree goal, and do not apply for both degrees at the same time.

If I apply late, will my application be considered?

Applications received after the deadline may be considered at the discretion of the admissions committee.

Will recommendations be considered if they are late?

We understand that recommendations sometimes come in after the application deadline. This is common and they will be accepted.

Is the GRE required?

Applicants to Texas ECE are not required to submit GRE scores with your application to Graduate School. The admissions committee will not be considering GRE scores during the admissions review process. Applicants may leave the fields for GRE scores blank on the application form.

Do International Students need to take TOEFL?

International student applicants need either to be native-born, or receive your Bachelor’s from a university in one of the countries listed at the link below to be exempt from the TOEFL exam (or IELTS). Students who did not receive your Bachelor’s from a university in a qualifying country are required to submit official TOEFL.

Qualifying Countries for TOEFL Waiver

Are the supporting materials to my application complete?

After you have completed and submitted your application to Graduate School, the Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) will send you the link to your application status portal. Your status portal will have a checklist of items that you need to complete, and directions for doing so.

If I am a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Applicant, do I qualify for an application fee waiver?

If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (USPR) applicant to Texas ECE, you qualify for a waiver of the application fee if you are the recipient or award scholar (or applicant to) one of the fellowships from the list below. The application form includes a survey of these external fellowships that allow USPR applicants to eligible for an application fee waiver.

GEM
McNair
NSF
NDSEG
Ford
Soros Foundation
AAUW Selected Professionals
GFSD

If I am an International Applicant, do I qualify for an application fee waiver?

Texas ECE is unable to provide for an application fee waiver for our International applicants.

Is there an additional application for financial support that I have to complete?

No separate application is required in order to be considered for financial support. The admissions committee evaluates applicants concurrently for consideration for admission and financial support. Applicants admitted to our PhD program receive full financial support for the duration of your PhD study, which can include some combination of a graduate research assistantship (GRA), teaching assistantship (TA) and/or fellowship.

Can I apply for both Master’s and PhD?

Applicants to the Texas ECE major are required to choose to apply to our Master’s program, or to our PhD program. Applicants are not permitted to submit more than one application to ECE. In some rare cases, the admissions committee may decide to evaluate an applicant for both Master’s and PhD, e.g. to admit a student who applied for a PhD into the MSE program instead.

A student can change ECE degree programs after coming to UT-Austin, possibly. A student in the MSE program can apply for admission into the PhD program while at UT (see below). A student admitted into the PhD program can choose to obtain an MSE along the way if they do not already have a master's degree in the same (or related) field, although typically over a longer time period than a student within the MSE program. Students within the PhD program receive funding (see above), but are expected to participate in research and thus take fewer courses each semester from the beginning, which will delay completion of their MSE coursework.

Is a Master’s required in order to apply to the PhD program?

The Master’s degree (MSE) is not required in order to obtain the PhD. Students entering the PhD program without a Master’s in the same (or related) field can also choose to pursue the MSE along the way, by using much (or all) of the same instruction-based (classroom) coursework for both degrees.

Similarly, a student in good standing who is awarded the ECE Master’s degree could be admitted later to the PhD program for continuing study. PhD students with a master’s degree from another school may be able to count up to 6 approved semester-long graduate courses (up to 9 approved quarter-long graduate courses) from their non-UT-Austin Master’s degree toward the ECE PhD degree. Coursework earned on the quarter system is normally calculated at two-thirds of the credit for courses offered during a term.

Can I apply to more than one track of study?

Applicants to our major are required to select a primary track of study, and can also select a second-choice track. Applicants are considered for admission to the primary track of study. In some rare cases, the admissions committee may decide to evaluate an applicant for his or her second-choice track.

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