Is graduate admission ultimately decided by the Graduate School or by the department? And do I need to send one package of application materials to the grad school and another to the department separately when I apply?
The department decides. You should send only one package directly to the Graduate School, which will organize the application materials and send them to us.
What are the exam requirements for international students? What is an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score?
Exam requirements and acceptable scores for international students can be found on the Graduate School website.
I'm an international student, but I will be receiving an undergraduate degree from a U.S. school. Am I required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores?
The TOEFL/IELTS score is not required if you have received a degree from a U.S. institution or if you have received a degree from an institution in a country whose native language is English.
What proportion of the TOEFL and GRE scores do you take into consideration during the admission process. Are they decisive?
All factors are taken into consideration, including TOEFL and GRE scores. Strength in other areas can compensate for low test scores. There are minimum required TOEFL scores. Although there is no firm minimum required score on the GRE, successful applicants typically have a score of 700 or higher on the Quantitative part of the GRE. Slightly lower scores may be accepted if the applicant is strong in other aspects (e.g., good course grades and/or strong research experience).
Is GPA a decisive factor? Will you even consider an applicant whose GPA is below your requirement?
All factors are taken into consideration, including GPA. Strength in other areas can compensate for low GPA. We pay particular attention to your academic performance in the key courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering; grades in junior-level and senior-level courses tend to be weighted most heavily.
Do you consider the reputation of applicant's undergraduate university? Is it important?
Yes, it is important and we consider the reputation of an applicant's undergraduate university
What kind of applicant background is competitive? High test scores, research experiences or something else?
It is difficult to isolate a single factor; they are all important.
What percentage of your students are international students? Are there any Chinese students?
Roughly 60 percent are international students. And yes, we have many students from China.
What about the financial aid for master's students? As far as I know, few master's students can get financial support.
Some master's students can receive financial support, usually as a teaching assistant (TA), and sometimes as a research project assistant (RPA). Exceptional academic performance, high test scores and research experience can increase your chances of receiving support.
What about the job opportunities after graduation?
Job opportunities depend heavily on many external factors (e.g., the economy, the particular area of specialization, the student's job search skills, etc.) so it is hard to give precise information on this. Graduates from our master's and PhD programs have been successful getting job offers from both large and small employers throughout the U.S. For additional information, consider conducting an Internet search or contacting the ECE Program's Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Mark Fowler.
When does the 2010 fall application process start?
We begin looking at fall 2010 applications in November 2009. Deadline for funding consideration would be January 15, 2010.
