The Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The university requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Materials science and Engineering are described in the Graduate Studies section of the UCR General Catalog.
All prospective applicants are required to complete the UCR Electronic Graduate Application, where you can apply, upload and submit your application material. Application progress can be saved and completed at a later time and applicants can review the status of their applications, including materials that have been received by the department. Please be advised to use university email addresses for faculty letters of reference as any email address other than official university contact information will significantly delay the processing of the application.
UC Riverside only accepts electronic/online applications for students applying to the graduate program; however, you may be asked to mail supporting documents.
Be sure to carefully review both the Graduate Division requirements and the department checklist below as the requirements may vary. Only those applicants who have fully completed their applications will be considered for entry into the graduate program.
Application Checklist
Application Timeline
| International | Domestic | |
|---|---|---|
|
Fall Fellowship |
January 5 |
January 5 |
|
Fall |
May 1 |
September 1 |
|
Winter |
July 1 |
September 1 |
|
Spring |
October 1 |
December 1 |
For off-cycle admissions in the Ph.D. program (winter and spring), we highly recommend that students apply only if specifically asked to do so by a faculty member. There have been occasions in which students are admitted off-cycle, but such cases are very rare.
UCR offers admission to applicants who appear to have the highest potential for graduate study and who, with the benefit of a graduate education, are the most likely to contribute to their academic or professional fields through teaching, research, or professional practice. Admission decisions are based on a number of factors, including (but not limited to) your academic degrees and record, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores and relevant experience. The appropriateness of your goals to the degree program to which you are applying and their relationship to the research interests of its faculty are also considered. UCR views as a high priority the enrollment of men and women from different backgrounds and from different demographic and ethnic groups.
Admissions Process
The primary objective of the admissions process is the selection of those students most likely to complete their chosen graduate programs with distinction. After consultation between the program and the Graduate Division, the final authority to admit rests with the Graduate Division Dean.
Applicants are initially reviewed and rated based on their overall undergraduate and, where appropriate, post-baccalaureate GPAs. However, the evaluation process is intended to be flexible, and departments take a variety of other factors into consideration, including test scores, GPA in the major subject, letters of recommendation, and the reputation of the degree-granting program or institution. Soon after the department forwards its recommendation to the Graduate Division, the applicant is notified in writing (first, via email) of the Dean’s decision.
If admission is offered with work still in progress, official transcripts reflecting the satisfactory completion of this work and the awarding of the degree (where appropriate) must be submitted as soon as possible. An offer of admission is valid for a specific quarter only; admission may not be deferred to a later quarter. Accepted students who wish to be admitted for a subsequent quarter must reapply and, if additional course work has been completed, submit updated transcripts.
Please note that all applicants must submit a new application and application fee if reapplying for a later quarter.
Please see our FAQ section for more information.