Electrical and Computer Engineering
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Applications for Spring and Fall 2026 will open August 1 and close on the following deadlines:
MASTER'S
Spring 2026
Oct 1 – International
Dec 1 – Domestic
Fall 2026
Mar 1 – International
July 1 – Domestic
PhD
Spring 2026
Due to funding cycles most faculty only hire for the Fall term. The majority of Spring term applicants will not be reviewed by faculty but may ask to be considered for Fall.
Fall 2026
Dec 1 – Priority
Feb 1 – Final
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- Application Fee - $55 domestic | $65 international
- Copy of transcripts and degree certificates, if applicable
- English Proficiency Scores, international only
- Statement of Purpose
- Resume or CV
- Contact information for recommender(s)
An application will not be eligible for department review until all required materials (including application fee) have been submitted.
MS FEE WAIVER
McNair Scholars are eligible to have the application fee waived and be considered for additional funding opportunities by uploading proof of status to the application. For additional questions email graduate@utah.edu.
PhD FEE WAIVER
Waivers are available for domestic PhD applicants who have graduated/will graduate with a 3.5+ GPA from an ABET accredited program. Email the Graduate Student Coordinator to request a fee waiver if you meet these qualifications.
GPA
A 3.0+ GPA is required by the University of Utah. However, to ensure success in our Master’s program and be a competitive PhD applicant the ECE department highly recommends a 3.2+ GPA for MS applicants and 3.5+ for PhD applicants.
Records are not pre-evaluated. If your GPA and/or test scores are slightly below the cutoffs, please do not email asking about your scores. Applicants must make their own decision about whether or not to apply. Domestic applicants that do not meet required university scores should use the process detailed in the FAQ section below.
TRANSCRIPTS
- Unofficial transcripts, including PDFs or scanned copies, may be used for the application process. Official transcripts will not be required until after an applicant has received and accepted their admission offer.
- All documents must be in English. If your original documentation is in a language other than English, please provide a certified English translation in addition to the original documentation.
- If you are still in the process of completing a degree during the application process you must upload the most up-to-date transcript possible that show that you are currently enrolled in courses otherwise the system will hold your application and request that you submit a degree certificate.
GRE
We are currently waiving the GRE is waived for all applicants with a prior STEM degree. If a PhD applicant still chooses to submit GRE results, they may be sent directly to the University of Utah using ETS Code 4853. We recommend the following scores: Quantitative 158+ | Analytical 3.5+ | Verbal 150+
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
English proficiency test scores must be submitted for all International Applicants. These test scores cutoffs are determined by the university, not the department and so we are unable to grant exceptions.
| Test | Scores | How to Send Scores |
|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | Required: 110+ | Select Send Results (next to test results), and select the University of Utah as the receiving institution |
| IELTS | Required: 6.5+ Recommended: 7.5+ |
Contact your testing center to have the score sent directly to the University of Utah |
| TOEFL | Required: 80+ Recommended: 100+ |
Scores may be sent directly to the University of Utah using ETS Code 4853 |
Scores will not be paired with an application until it has been submitted. The process of receiving and pairing official test scores with an applicant’s file can take 10-15 business days from the time that an application is submitted and/or the time that the applicant requests their test scores be sent to the University of Utah.
Test scores will not be paired with an application until it has been submitted. The process of receiving and pairing official test scores with an applicant’s file can take 10-15 business days from the time that an application is submitted and/or the time that the applicant requests their test scores be sent to the University of Utah.Test scores will not be paired with an application until it has been submitted. The process of receiving and pairing official test scores with an applicant’s file can take 10-15 business days from the time that an application is submitted and/or the time that the applicant requests their test scores be sent to the University of Utah.
Exemptions
- Native English speaking citizens of specific countries
- Applicants that have graduated with a BS, MS, or PhD from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university within two years of admittance. This includes University of Utah students moving from one degree to another. READ MORE
If you qualify for an exemption: Please complete an English Language Proficiency waiver form to waive this requirement once your application has been submitted.
FUNDING
MS APPLICANTS
- Non-Resident MS students may qualify for reduced tuition through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). Applicable students should contact the Graduate Student Coordinator for more information.
- While assistantships are available, these positions are very limited and competitively awarded. We strongly advise against relying on an assistantship to cover your Master’s program expenses.
- To be considered for a teaching assistantship, all applicants must complete our department’s TA training course prior to applying for a position. International students will also need to complete additional training and meet spoken English proficiency requirements. Read more about TA qualifications and prioritization.
PHD APPLICANTS
If your application passes the first review round, the faculty will select which PhD applicants they would like to hire as research assistants in their labs. If a member of the faculty selects you, you will be accepted to our program and will be guaranteed funding through tuition benefits and a stipend.
We understand that funding is a major concern for many students, but we request that you:
- Do not send generic requests for employment to multiple professors
- Do not cold contact faculty repeatedly
If you have concerns about finances or funding, please review the links above.
FACULTY ADVISORS AND AREAS OF INTEREST
Required for PhD applicants, optional for MS applicants – The application will ask which research areas interest you and with whom you might like to work. Applicants may list any ECE faculty members here. Applicants will be considered for assistantships based on the faculty member(s) and/or research interests indicated on the online application. Applicants may contact a research group website with coursework questions. View all ECE professors organized by research area
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
A 0.5 – 2 page statement or essay describing the applicant’s background, research interests, and reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in the University of Utah’s electrical and computer engineering department.
Applicants whose test scores are below, but close to the recommended score cutoffs, are allowed to use this space to petition the graduate committee for an admission exception by explaining the reasons for their low scores, how they have improved, and plans for how they will meet department graduate expectations if admitted. This process does not guarantee that applicants will be admitted as the department. Applicants that do not meet required university scores should use the process detailed in the FAQ section below.
RESUME / CV
The online admission system will request a resume or curriculum-vitae (CV) detailing your relevant work history and research experience.
PhD applicants should verify that it is up to date with all research experience, especially their most recent submissions and publications.
RECOMMENDATION CRITERIA
Our system will contact your recommendation providers directly to submit a recommendation on your behalf through our online system. All recommendations must be completed online so please provide contact information for recommendation providers:
- 1+ for MS applicants
- 2+ for PhD applicants
Recommendations should come from current or former professors who have direct coursework or research experience with the applicant, or a direct supervisor from a field related to electrical and computer engineering. Letters of Recommendation can be submitted, but are not required
If you are concerned that any of the individuals may not complete their recommendation forms in a timely manner, you are welcome to provide contact information for more recommenders. When the minimum amount of recommenders have completed their online forms then your application will be allowed to move through the system.
APPLICATION PROCESS AND TIMELINE
All applications received after the final deadline may be rejected without consideration or recommended for admittance or re-application to a later semester.
Application Processing (1–5 weeks)
- Applicant Submits Application
- Test scores paired with submitted application, 10-15 Business Days
- Domestic/international applicant, 2-3 weeks
Graduate Admissions Committee Review (1 week)
- Once all required materials have been received, the Office of Admissions sends application to department for review.
- Qualified MS applicants will receive acceptance email / PhD applicants will receive confirmation they made it past 1st round of review
- Unqualified/ineligible applicants will receive notice of rejection
PhD Faculty Review (December-March*)
Our faculty review deadline applies to all applications received by the ECE department by March 1. This deadline allows our department to support preferred candidates with the April 15 Resolution and allows international candidates the time needed for I-20 processing.
- Faculty choose to send research assistance offer letters to their preferred PhD Applicants Applicants who receive an offer letter can be admitted to the PhD Program
- Qualified PhD applications without an offer letter are: rejected, wait listed, or offered MS program admittance (if applicable)
*Please note that most faculty hire for Fall, as such the vast majority of Spring applicants will not be reviewed and may asked to have their application considered for Fall as well without re-applying.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If do not meet initial admissions requirements (3.0 GPA or higher) there is an alternative pathway that you can take to be considered for the MS Program. This option is only available for domestic applicants or international applicants already residing in the United States on an F2 or H4 visa (we cannot sponsor an F1 visa for non-matriculated students).
- Please schedule an appointment with the Graduate Student Coordinator
- Apply as a non-matriculated student for the upcoming semester
- After being accepted, the Graduate Student Coordinator will enroll you in 6 credits/2 courses of ECE graduate coursework
- After completing the courses with a B+ grade or higher you may apply to the graduate program.
- Any 5000- level or above courses that have been taken (including non-matriculated credits) can be counted toward your MS degree requirements. – see Graduate Transfer Credit page for more details.
Students with allied STEM degrees (All other Engineering, CS, Math, & Physics) are welcome to apply! Here are the steps to ensure you are admitted and properly prepared to be successful in our ECE graduate program:
- Schedule an appointment with the Graduate Student Coordinator to discuss your background and review the proficiency requirements.
- Based on your background, you will either be recommended to apply to our graduate program or apply as a non-matriculated student
- The Graduate Student Coordinator will enroll you in ECE courses
- After completing the proficiency courses with a B+ grade or higher you may apply to the graduate program.
- Any 5000- level or above courses that have been taken (including non-matriculated credits) can be counted toward your MS degree requirements. – see Graduate Transfer Credit page for more detail
Yes! We understand that things come up and whether it is for visa, work, financial, or other personal issues, we can defer your start term 1-2 semesters.
If you need to be deferred please contact the Graduate Student Coordinator as deferment requests need to be processed by the first day of the term you were originally admitted to. If you do not request your deferment in time, this will cause your student file to be discontinued and you will have to re-apply and be re-admitted.
Unfortunately, our online program is only available for applicants residing within the United States. We are not authorized to charge tuition and conduct classes for individuals residing outside of the United States. If an international candidate is already living in the US with a valid visa they are welcome to apply.
If you are an international applicant on a visa you will need to be enrolled as a full-time student. The following information is for domestic applicants.
While our program is designed to be completed by full-time MS students in 3 semesters of coursework we do have a significant portion of our graduate students who complete the program part-time while working out in industry.
Every student has different goals and challenges as well as strengths and capabilities. Because of this we offer students the ability choose each semester how many courses they wish to take to augment the pace of their learning. We do not use cohorts so students are not locked in to any schedule.
We understand that many students are eager to move through their studies and complete their degree quickly. Students can graduate in fewer calendar years by transferring previously earned graduate credits and/or choosing the project option and completing it during the summer term. For further advisement, please contact our program’s Graduate Student Coordinator.
| Length of Time | Per Term | ||
| Terms | Years | Courses | Credits |
| 3 | 1-1.5 | 3-4 | 9-12.0 |
| 5 | 2-2.5 | 2 | 6.0 |
| 9 | 4 | 1 | 3.0 |