To be eligible for admission to our graduate program, the applicant must hold a BS in an appropriate major. Because of the breadth of MSE graduate programs, students with degrees in materials, ceramics, metallurgy, other engineering, mathematics, or science areas such as biology, chemistry, or physics have found ample opportunities to pursue their research and training areas of interest.

Application Deadline

• For priority consideration, applications for the fall term which starts in August should be complete prior to January 15th of each year. Graduate applications are not reviewed for admission purposes until the application is complete. Qualified applications received after January 15th will be considered on a space-available basis. 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 us to make a decision and to provide admission letters to the applicant. International applicants must allow enough time for the Office of International Students (UFIC) to process the paperwork to allow the applicant to obtain a visa.
• To be considered for departmental financial aid you should have your application complete by the January 15^th deadline for admission to the fall term which starts in August.

Admission Process

• The Department follows the UF Graduate Admissions requirements.
• Two UF units review your application to the UF Graduate School: the UF office of Graduate Admissions and the MSE Department.
• The office of Graduate Admissions determines your eligibility for admission to the university, and the department determines your eligibility for our graduate program.
• Admission is based on the entire graduate application.
• A short statement of purpose. This statement may outline your background, relevant experience, reason for pursuing graduate studies, and why you are interested in MSE at UF. The statement may also be used to describe unique academic pathways, performance or other factors that may be used in a holistic evaluation of the applicant.
• 3 letters of recommendation. These letters may evidence technical competency, academic strengths and weaknesses, and/or interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong background in engineering or science with at least a B average (GPA=3.0/4.0) for all upper-division undergraduate coursework. For reference, the first quartile and median undergraduate GPA of students entering the PhD program over the past several years has been 3.74 and 3.5, respectively, on a 4.0 scale.
• GRE scores that are acceptable to the MSE Department. For reference, the first quartile and median GRE score (verbal + quantitative) of students entering to the PhD program over the past several years has been 1390 and 1300, respectively.
• All entering students are expected to be competent with using computers to solve problems (e.g. use of spreadsheets) and present results (e.g. use of word processing and presentation software).

Who can apply?

Anyone with a Bachelor of Science degree (or a B.A. in certain circumstances) or its international equivalent in an appropriate field from an accredited college or university may apply.

The Graduate Programs Office maintains an applicant's file for only one year. For applicants who re-apply, an entire application package must be filled out with original documentation.

Minimum Test Scores/GPA

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering requires minimum test scores as listed below for entrance into the graduate program:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) = 3.0/4.0
• GRE scores that are acceptable to the MSE Department.
• TOEFL = 550 (paper) or 213 (computer) or 80 (internet).

Graduate Records Examination

All applicants must take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). Registration information and test dates can be obtained by writing to Graduate Record Examinations:

Codes for ETS:

• UF Institute Code = 5812
• MSE Dept. Code = 1403

International Student Requirements

International Students applying to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate program must:

• have a college-level education that is equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate (B.S.) degree
• be proficient in reading, writing and speaking English; as demonstrated by acceptable Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and GRE-verbal scores (see above).
• Admission to the PhD program typically requires the commitment of a faculty member to advise and financially support a student, in addition to meeting the department and university admission standards. In absence of this agreement, all applications may be considered for admission to the MS program.

An applicant who did not receive their undergraduate degree from an English-speaking country must take the TOEFL. Scores must be submitted as part of the application process. The TOEFL, a comprehensive test of English-language skills, is given several times during the year at many locations around the world. TOEFL registration forms can be obtained outside the United States or by writing to:

How the Application Process Works

Information on the application process can be found at the UF gradschool admissions webpage.

Application

Apply now!