Academics / Graduate Study / Materials Science Engineering (PhD)Admissions
Thank you for your interest in earning a PhD in materials science and engineering at Northwestern University. Please see the frequently asked questions about how to apply below, as well as additional information on the main McCormick School website.
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- Application
- Recommendation Letters
- GRE and TOEFL Scores
- Transcripts
- Financial Aid
- Visiting Northwestern
- Acceptance
Application
What factors are taken into account when evaluating my application?
We consider prior academic performance, research and other professional experience, and overall potential to successfully pursue graduate study in our department. Potential is largely evaluated through letters of recommendation and the statement of purpose. The GRE is not required for admission, nor will it be reviewed by the committee if submitted. We strongly encourage application by students who are enthusiastic about contributing to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts.
What are the important dates to remember?
September 10th: Portal opens for PhD applications
December 6th: Application forms must be submitted online by 11:59 P.M.
Early January: Last date that supplemental materials (e.g. recommendation letters) will be accepted.
January through February: General timeline for most offers of admission to be made.
1st and 3rd weekends of March: Group visits of accepted students to Northwestern.
Early April: Deadline for students to accept offers of admission.
Can I apply electronically?
You must apply electronically. There is no paper application. Letters of recommendation and transcripts from ALL schools attended after you complete high school must be submitted online.
Can you waive the application fee?
Application fee waivers can be requested on the application website and are automatically granted to qualified applicants. For more information, see The Graduate School website.
Do I need to submit a financial statement?
A financial statement is not necessary for the application process.
Does the materials science and engineering department require a writing sample or a resume to be sent as part of the graduate application?
The MSE department does not require a writing sample separate from the Statement of Purpose. Submission of a concise resume or CV is required.
Does an earlier application increase my chances of admission?
All applications are evaluated the same way, as long as they reach us before the deadline.
What if I forget my PIN/password for the online application system?
Return to The Graduate School's Online Application Website. Click on the search button in the User Login section. Still having problems? Contact The Graduate School.
What is the acceptance rate of the department?
The acceptance rate depends on the number of available slots (combination of university fellowships and research assistantships), the number of applications and the likely yield. These numbers tend to fluctuate from year to year. Each applicant is unique, and we cannot assess the chance of success without knowing the full credentials of the applicant.
Do you have rolling admissions?
Admissions decisions are made starting in January. We admit students to begin in the Fall quarter of the same year.
How many spots are generally available for international students?
International students are supported by a combination of university fellowships and research assistantships. These numbers tend to fluctuate from year to year.
I would like to eventually get a PhD, but I might want to get a master's degree first. Should I apply to the MS program or the PhD program?
In this situation you should indicate your preference for the PhD program. The MS program refers to students who are interested only in that degree. An MS degree is not required for admission to the PhD program in materials science and engineering.
Does the department accept transfer students from other departments?
We strongly encourage students to finish their degrees from the department in which they originally enrolled. We generally do not accept students from other PhD programs.
Should I contact individual faculty members?
Not before you have been accepted. All decisions on admission and financial support are made by a committee, and individual faculty members do not influence this process. Those applicants who have been admitted are encouraged to email or telephone individual faculty members for information on research, etc.
Why is my application status incomplete? It looks like all materials have been received.
Please note that the committee will review your application whether it’s marked complete or not. We need to review and update the status of the application manually, so please allow us time to process it. This can take some time, especially around the deadline when lots of applications and other materials are coming in.
Can I submit test scores or letters of recommendation after the deadline?
Yes, we’ll accept them whenever they come in; however, the committee will begin reviewing applications shortly after the deadline so there is no guarantee they will see late submissions. There’s no way of knowing when a particular applicant’s file will be reviewed, and we will not wait for missing materials to conduct the review.
Recommendation Letters
How many Letters of Recommendation should I submit?
The minimum is two, but you may submit three if you wish.
Can I use paper letters of recommendation?
No. The Graduate School's policy is to only accept letters of recommendation that are submitted electronically.
Is there a particular format for recommendation letters?
No particular format, and there is no form that needs to be filled out.
GRE and TOEFL Scores
Do I need to take the GRE?
The GRE is not required for admission. GRE scores of PhD applicants will not be reviewed, even if submitted
Do I need to take the TOEFL?
All international students whose degrees are not from institutions where the language of instruction is English must take the TOEFL or IELTS exam.
Applicants who will have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree from a university where the language of instruction is English by the quarter of matriculation will receive a TOEFL waiver. No special action is needed; we will grant the waiver based on the transcripts submitted with the application. This includes universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, and many (although not all) universities in India, Singapore, and Nigeria. Please note that English must be the language of instruction for the entire university, not just the program that you are enrolled in.
What are the codes for the submission of TOEFL scores?
Northwestern University's school code for the TOEFL is 1565. If you are taking the TOEFL be sure to include this number on your test form.
Additionally, you should reference department code 01 when submitting TOEFL scores. IBT test takers should, when prompted, request that their scores be sent to the graduate office (versus undergraduate) and then select the program name that most closely matches their program of interest. If no match is available, the test taker may choose option 99.
I plan to take the TOEFL in late November so the score will only be available late December. May I apply earlier in November or December before I have my official TOEFL score?
You may apply early. We will not render a decision until the file is complete. This includes having an official TOEFL score.
How do I know if my TOEFL scores have expired?
TOEFL must be taken no more than two years before the intended quarter of entry. However, your application will not be disqualified if your scores are a few months out of date.
Are my TOEFL/GRE/GPA scores sufficient? What are the minimum scores?
An applicant is evaluated on the basis of the total academic performance, which includes coursework, test scores, research experience, and evaluation by faculty members or applicant’s supervisors. The GRE general test is not required, and the committee will not review GRE scores even if submitted. The only minimum we set is for the TOEFL, on which an international applicant must score 550 or higher on the paper-based test, 213 or higher on the computer-based test, 90 or higher on the internet-based test. On the IELTS, an applicant must score 7.0 or higher.
Can I upload unofficial copies of TOEFL to my application?
Yes, you are encouraged to upload copies of your TOEFL score reports along with your application. However, an official decision will not be made until the official scores are received.
I requested that ETS send my scores to a department at Northwestern other than materials science. Should I ask them to send the scores again?
It most cases we will be able to locate your scores from the other department and it is not necessary to resend them.
Did you get my TOEFL/IELTS test scores?
Test scores sent electronically by ETS should automatically match to your application, but sometimes the process goes awry. We strongly encourage you to upload the score report with your application. That way, the committee has the information they need even if we never receive official scores. IELTS scores will take longer if you send a paper copy—again, best to simply upload the score report to your application. We can use it to verify your scores.
Transcripts
Do I need to submit high school transcripts?
No.
My university doesn’t offer electronic copies of official transcripts. May I submit a copy of my graduate transcript?
Unofficial copies of transcripts are acceptable for the application. To be considered, all documents not in English must be accompanied by official English translations.
Financial Aid
How much financial aid will I receive?
Most PhD students are admitted with research assistantships and/or fellowships. Each research assistantship includes full tuition, a take-home stipend, and health insurance. The stipend amounts are adjusted annually according to inflation.
For how many years will I receive financial aid?
Most PhD students are admitted with research assistantships, which will continue as long as funds are available and students are making satisfactory progress towards their degrees.
Is the financial aid enough to cover living expenses?
Based on the experience of current PhD students, the financial aid is sufficient to cover reasonable living expenses.
Additional information about funding is provided on the PhD Program funding page.
Visiting Northwestern
As a foreign student, I cannot visit Northwestern prior to making my decision. How can I learn more about the department?
Administrative questions should be directed to the Graduate Program Assistant (emily.blair@northwestern.edu) for the materials science department.
The Graduate School offers international PhD students the opportunity to participate in an orientation program called ELP Foundations before beginning their graduate studies. For more information, please visit the ELP Foundations website.
Acceptance
What happens after I am accepted?
We encourage all accepted students to visit Northwestern prior to making a decision about the offer. Most students visit during one of two group visits in the spring. Northwestern will pay for most of the expenses associated with these visits. During the visits, students speak with faculty who are of the most interest to them, and learn more about our department and the Evanston/Chicago area. The purpose of these visits is not to arrange for a research adviser, but to get enough information so that you can make an informed choice about which graduate school to attend. Information about visits to the department, whether virtual or in person, will be provided upon admission.
When do I need to formally accept or decline an offer of admission?
The deadline is April 15th, but if you make your decision earlier than that, please let us know.
How do I choose a research adviser?
New graduate students arriving in September hear research presentations from each of the faculty members in the department. Students are then given two to three weeks to meet with the faculty whose projects are of the most interest to them. In October, students indicate their adviser preferences. Advisers are then assigned based on these preferences. Alternatively, it may be possible to select an adviser in the Spring before matriculation--see 'preselect' below.
How do I know which faculty are taking new students?
Due to the nature of research funding, we cannot provide a list of anticipated faculty research openings in Fall. Admitted students are encouraged to ask prospective advisors about their hiring plans.
What are the chances that I will be able to work with an adviser of my choice?
Over the past several years, more than 80% of the students have been assigned their first choice for a research adviser, and more than half of the remaining students have been assigned their second choice.
Can I 'preselect' a research adviser prior to my arrival at Northwestern?
Our experience is that the adviser selection method described above gives students the most flexibility in finding a research group that is a good match for their own interests. However, in specific cases where the interests of a student are narrowly defined, it may be possible to select an adviser in advance. Students interested in this option should discuss it with the Graduate Admissions Director for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.