How to Apply
Who May Apply:
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign requires applicants to have a bachelors degree or the equivalent from an accredited college in the United States or an approved institution of higher learning abroad with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A = 4.0) for the last 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of undergraduate study.
Department´s Requirements
The Department of Aerospace Engineering requires a GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale (A=4) for previous bachelor degree and graduate work. However, having a GPA higher than the minimum is no guarantee of admission. Also applicants having an MS degree generally must meet a higher standard.
The department does admit students whose backgrounds are not in aerospace engineering. However, it is usually necessary for those students to take undergraduate-level courses in their area of interest not-for-credit in order to prepare for the graduate courses. Students whose backgrounds are not in aerospace engineering should look at the undergraduate program and the course catalog for information about what coursework is required to prepare for the graduate program.
Application Deadlines:
In order to be considered for admission and financial aid, the following deadlines for receipt of the application are in effect for applicants to the Department of Aerospace Engineering and supersede any other printed deadlines:
- For Fall admission: January 15
- For Spring admission: October 8
Those who have missed the deadline should contact the AE Graduate Admissions Coordinator.
International applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications and supporting documents in advance of the above dates. Recommended submittal dates are January 1 for Fall admission and September 1 for Spring admission.
Application Materials:
The Department of Aerospace Engineering requires the following application materials:
- Online application including resume and statement of purpose. http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/admissions/apply/
- -PLEAST NOTE - Students who do not have a Masters degree should apply to the MS program regardless of whether or not they intend to continue for a doctoral degree in the future.
- Three letters of reference (References must be submitted online.)
- One set of official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended. (Students receiving a BS degree from UIUC do not need to request transcripts. The AE Department will download this information from the UIUC DARS system.)
- Official GRE scores for general test
- An Official TOEFL score, for those from countries in which English is not the first language. (Please note: The Department of Aerospace Engineering requires all students who are from countries in which English is not the first language to take the TOEFL test.)
- The Certification of Declaration of Finances form and funding documents (Documents must be submitted online). These documents are only required for international applicants and only required if no department funding is offered.
- No program specific questions are required for the Aerospace Engineering Department.
Your file will not be reviewed until all the application materials are received. If you expect a delay in providing any required documents, please email this information to the Coordinator of Academic Program at tank@illinois.edu.
Application Procedures:
Both domestic and international applicants must apply online at http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/admissions/apply/. Information regarding online application procedures can also be found at this website.
Application fees:
U.S. Citizens:
A nonrefundable $70 application processing fee is required with the receipt of the application. The fee may be paid by credit card at the time the on-line application is submitted. Payment after submission of the online form must be made by check or money order from a U.S. bank to:
Office of Admissions and Records
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
901 West Illinois Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801
University of Illinois employees requesting application fee waivers based on their employment should indicate their office of employment and office telephone number in item 14. An applicant for readmission to a graduate degree program in which he or she was enrolled within five years preceding the term specified in item 3 of the application is not required to pay the application fee.
Applicants from Other Countries:
A nonrefundable $90 (US) application processing fee is required. The fee may be paid by credit card at the time the online application is submitted. Payment after submission of the online form must be made in US dollars by check or money order to:
Office of Admissions and Records
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
901 West Illinois Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801
This nonrefundable application processing fee is valid for only one semester and must be submitted before any action can be taken. The fee cannot be waived or temporarily deferred regardless of currency restrictions imposed by certain countries. An applicant for readmission to a graduate degree program in which he or she was enrolled within five years preceding the term specified in item 7 on the application is not required to pay the application fee.
Where to Send the Completed Application:
All materials must be submitted online. The Dept. of Aerospace Engineering requires one set of official transcripts. The transcripts should be sent directly to:
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Department of Aerospace Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
306 Talbot Lab
104 S. Wright St.
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Pre-Application Test Requirements:
Scores on the Graduate Record Examination, General Test, are required of all applicants to the Department of Aerospace Engineering. Score reports must be coded to reach our program directly from ETS. The code for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is 1836. The code for the Department of Aerospace Engineering is 1601. Scores from ETS are entered into one university database so there is no need to resubmit scores if you apply to more than one department.
All applicants whose native language is not English are required to have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before they can be admitted to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Department of Aerospace Engineering requires all students who are from countries in which English is not the first language to take the TOEFL test regardless of the time spent studying in the United States. For admission purposes, TOEFL scores are valid for only two years prior to the proposed term of entry. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to tank@illinois.edu. In addition, students who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships should have a score of at least 24 on the Speak section of the TOEFL exam.
