Here, you will find answers to the most common questions that prospective graduate students ask us. If you don’t find an answer to your question on this page, please contact the Academic Services Office to ask us directly!
[expand title=”What are the admission requirements?
“]
The department follows the UF Graduate Admission requirements. Two separate UF units review your application for admission: the UF Office of Graduate Admissions and the Materials Science & Engineering Department. The Office of Graduate Admissions determines your eligibility for admission to the university, and the department determines your eligibility for our graduate program. The UF Graduate Admission requirements can be found here: Grad School – How to Apply, and the departmental admission requirements can be found here: Prospective Grad Students.
[/expand]
[expand title=”When is the application deadline?
“]
Ph.D. Candidates
The department offers Ph.D. admission for Fall semesters only. The deadline for Ph.D. applications is December 5th.
M.S. Candidates
M.S. applications are considered for Fall, Spring, and Summer C terms. The priority application deadline for M.S. programs is January 5th. While our department accepts M.S. applications on a rolling basis, we strongly encourage applicants to submit by the suggested deadlines.
- Fall – January 5th
- Spring – August 1st
- Summer C – December 1st
[/expand]
[expand title=”Is the GRE required?
“]
No, the GRE is not required.
[/expand]
[expand title=”Can I defer my admission?
“]
Students are allowed to defer their admission up to a year from the start of the term for which they originally applied. Students must notify advising@mse.ufl.edu by the drop/add deadline of their admit term to request a deferment.
[/expand]
[expand title=”Can I still submit my application after the deadline?
“]
Yes. Qualified applications received after the deadlines will be considered on a space-available basis.
[/expand]
[expand title=”How long does the admission process take?
“]
The admission process depends on various factors. Graduate applications are not reviewed for admission purposes until the application is complete. Fall classes start at the end of August each year and Spring classes begin around the first week of January. Applications and supporting documents must be completed in time for the graduate admission office and department to render a decision and to provide admission letters to the applicant. Students should periodically check their email and the status of their applications.
[/expand]
[expand title=”What is the general timeframe for completing the graduate program?
“]
Master’s students typically take one to two years to complete the program, while Ph.D. students typically take four to five years to complete their degrees.
[/expand]
[expand title=”What research opportunities are available?
“]
Students who pursue a master’s or Ph.D. conduct state-of-the-art research under the supervision of our top research faculty. A list of faculty members within our department and their research areas can be found on our Faculty Research Areas page. Students can also view individual faculty profiles on our faculty page.
[/expand]
[expand title=”Does the graduate program provide financial support??
“]
M.S. Candidates
For M.S. candidates, financial support is limited. The EDGE M.S. program is a fully self-funded program in which tuition is offered at a discounted rate. As such, EDGE students cannot be considered for assistantships or fellowships. There are some funding opportunities for residential M.S. students; however, the department and college of engineering do not provide scholarships or fellowships that provide full support for tuition and stipend costs. The department provides the Achievement Award Scholarship to offset out-of-state tuition fees for residential M.S. students who are classified as non-FL residents (international and domestic). M.S. applicants do not need to formally apply to be considered for this scholarship, as students are automatically considered and are notified of their eligibility for the award upon admission.
A limited number of M.S. students are able to obtain a research assistantship after they arrive on campus, but there is no guarantee of this, and it is up to the individual student to pursue assistantship opportunities upon arrival. The faculty member will elect to financially support the student via the assistantship, which will provide a stipend and tuition support. The individual faculty member coordinates these assistantships, as they are not facilitated by the graduate program or admissions committee. Approximately 2-5 percent of Master’s degree students are able to obtain assistantships after arriving.
Ph.D. Candidates
All applicants (international or domestic) who are admitted to our Ph.D. program are offered a fellowship, a research assistantship, or a combination of the two. Fellowships are provided by UF Graduate School and distributed at the departmental level. Graduate Research Assistantships are typically offered for students who are matched directly with a Doctoral Advisor who will provide financial support. Fellowships and Assistantships include a stipend, a tuition waiver (to the student), and health insurance. Students do not need to apply to be considered for these internal Fellowships or Assistantships. Please see additional information on fellowships. Applicants will be notified upon admission if they are awarded a fellowship or assistantship.
[/expand]
[expand title=”I submitted my transcripts online, but my application status shows them as not received. What should I do?
“]
The application status portal is manually completed by the Office of Admissions, and it could take some time. Please allow a few weeks for your application status to be updated.
[/expand]
[expand title=”I have a previous degree from an English-speaking institution, do I still need to submit TOEFL (English Proficiency) Scores?
“]
The TOEFL (English proficiency) Exemptions are granted if applicants:
- Have successfully completed one academic year in a degree-seeking program at a recognized/regionally accredited university or college in the United State or a country where English is the official language.
- Hold an earned equivalent of associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. degree from a recognized/regionally accredited college or university in the United States or country where English is the official language.
[/expand]
[expand title=”What is the minimum TOEFL score requirement?
“]
For TOEFL (English Proficiency) requirements, please visit Grad School – International Applicants webpage.
[/expand]
[expand title=”Where do I submit my transcripts?
“]
If possible, we strongly recommend sending your official transcripts and test scores electronically, as this is the fastest delivery method. UF accepts electronic transcripts through FASTER, Parchment, National Student Clearing House, ScribbleSoft, e-Scrip Safe, Credential Solutions, SCOIR, or Transcripts Plus. When ordering your official documents, be sure to save any order confirmations for future reference.
If you cannot send electronic transcripts or test scores, you’ll want to send or forward your official documents in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution to the University of Florida’s Office of Admissions at:
Office of Admissions
201 Criser Hall, PO BOX 114000
Gainesville, FL 32611-4000
Unofficial transcripts may also be considered for initial review; however, official transcripts are required to finalize your admissions record. Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded when submitting your graduate application or through the transcript upload option in the application status portal.
[/expand]
[expand title=”Is it possible to earn the M.S. degree while pursuing a Ph.D. degree?
“]
Yes! Please contact the Academic Services Office to discuss this.
[/expand]
[expand title=”The Master’s degree has two options: Thesis and Non-Thesis. What is the difference between the two?
“]
The MSE and NE Master of Science degrees, Thesis and Non-Thesis, require 30 credits of coursework.
For the thesis degree, students are required to have a minimum of five credits of supervised research (EMA6971/ENU6971). Students are also required to form a committee that will consist of the research advisor and two additional faculty members. The final Thesis Defense examination for the M.S. thesis degree is a public defense with open questioning followed by a closed session with private questioning by members of the supervisory committee. Students should coordinate an appropriate time for the thesis defense with their committee. The focus of the oral examination is on the content of the presentation and oral communication skills.
For non-thesis, students may take up to five credit hours of supervised research (EMA6910/ENU6910); however, it is not required. For the non-thesis degree, the graduate coordinator is designated as the graduate committee chair. No other members are required. M.S. non-thesis students satisfy the final exam requirement by submitting a technical paper.
More information on the MS degrees can be found here:
[/expand]
[expand title=”Can I take classes online?
“]
The department offers the M.S. degree in materials science and engineering online through the UF EDGE (Electronic Delivery of Gator Engineering) Program. Our Ph.D. programs and the nuclear M.S. degree are offered on-campus only.
In the M.S. MSE EDGE program, students with an undergraduate engineering degree who are working full-time can complete the course in as short as 18 months or choose a longer completion time to accommodate their work schedule. The requirements are the same as our on-campus M.S. in MSE (Non-Thesis) program, but courses are offered asynchronously via streaming video and downloaded for offline viewing. Students interested in completing their Master of Science (Non-Thesis) degree via distance learning must be admitted into the EDGE graduate program in materials science and engineering.
[/expand]
[expand title=”How much does it cost?
“]
Current tuition and fee rates for on-campus students may be found here.
Current tuition and fee rates for EDGE (online) students may be found here.
[/expand]
[expand title=”Can credits from previous universities I’ve attended be transferred?
“]
Graduate-level courses from another university may be considered for transfer to count towards the M.S. or Ph.D. degree, with the approval of your supervisory chair or the Graduate Coordinator. For the M.S. program, up to nine credits may be transferred. For the Ph.D. program, up to 30 credits may be transferred. All work transferred must be coursework completed with a grade of B or better. To initiate the transfer of credit process, students must contact the Academic Services Office. The Graduate School will make the final decision. Petitions for transfer of credit for a master’s degree must be made during the student’s first term of enrollment. Petitions for transfer of credit for a Ph.D. degree must be made no later than the third term of Ph.D. study. Typically, transfer coursework older than seven years will not be accepted.
[/expand]
[expand title=”How do I begin the application process?
“]
View our Step-by-Step Guide to Applying to the Graduate Program.
[/expand]
[expand title=”I have other questions not listed in the FAQs. Where should I go?
“]
Are you interested in the MSE EDGE M.S. (Non-Thesis) program? Make sure you view the EDGE FAQs.
You may also view our Graduate Handbooks, which provide in-depth information on our graduate program requirements.
If you’re still in need of assistance, feel free to reach out to the MSE-NE Academic Services Office at (352) 846-3312 or via e-mail.
[/expand]