Admissions Requirements

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ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

How are admissions decisions made?

Applicants to U-M Chemical Engineering’s graduate program are evaluated based on their complete application package. No one metric or element of the package is sufficient to determine the probability of success as a graduate student. Success as a graduate student requires intellectual curiosity, determination, passion, commitment and grit. It also requires an interest in collaboration and learning from others. Only by considering the entirety of one’s application can a meaningful assessment be made. 

All applications must include the following:

  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Transcripts

Each candidate is evaluated individually by a departmental faculty committee that has the authority to make final admissions decisions through the Rackham Graduate School.

Find more information on how to apply here.

Tips for prospective applicants

  • GRE scores are no longer required.
  • Candidates should emphasize any of their experiences or personal factors that they believe will lead to success in the PhD program and their research, including research experience, overcoming hardship, leadership, motivation, etc. 
  • Non-research experience is considered in the application process.
  • We encourage candidates with research experience, as well as those with practical industrial experience to apply.

Academic Criteria

There is not a minimum GPA requirement. International students must have a TOEFL score of 250/100/7.0 or higher. Learn more about TOEFL requirements here. 

Academic Background

All graduate program applicants are required to meet the following academic criteria. 

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering OR a bachelor’s degree in another engineering or related field* 

*Students with engineering degrees in other disciplines typically find it helpful to take 2-3 core undergraduate classes (ChE 330, ChE 341, ChE 342, ChE 344) in addition to those required for an MS or PhD degree. Core undergraduate classes include thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, fluids, and reaction engineering.

Applicants who hold an MS degree in Chemical Engineering from another institution are not eligible to apply to the U-M Chemical Engineering master’s program.