Students with a strong background in chemical engineering and a serious interest in research are encouraged to apply for admission to our graduate program. Applications for Fall (September) admission must be completed by January 1. (Early submission is encouraged.) The Spring (January) application deadline is October 15. Although most students start in the Fall, we occasionally offer a limited number of Spring appointments.

Minimum Admission Requirements and Average Test Scores

1. A bachelor's degree with a strong background in chemical engineering from an approved (ABET-accredited) institution. International applicants must have a degree comparable to an approved U.S. bachelor's degree.

2. A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work). A GPA of 3.25 is required for majors other than chemical engineering. Most applicants accepted into the program have a GPA well above 3.5.

3. We require Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores. The subject test is not required. Average scores of students admitted last year were verbal: 582, quantitative: 788, analytical writing: 4.4. Please note that Spring 2012 applicants must take the GRE General Test before August 1, 2011. Those applying for Fall 2012 may take the GRE Revised General Test.

4. Applicants whose native language is not English must provide scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The TOEFL is preferred. Minimum required TOEFL scores are 92 (internet-based test, iBT), 237 (computer-based test), or 580 (paper-based test). The average TOEFL score for students admitted last year was 108 (iBT).

   Applicants who have completed a minimum of two full-time semesters of graded course work, exclusive of ESL courses, in a U.S. college or university where English is the only language of instruction at the undergraduate level, not more than 5 years prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment, are exempt from the TOEFL requirement.

Application Materials Checklist for Chemical Engineering

• Online Graduate School application forms

• $56 application fee payable by credit or debit card, personal check, or money order drawn on a U.S. bank.

  Send checks or money orders (payable to the University of Wisconsin-Madison) to:

  Office of Graduate Admissions
  228 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive
  Madison, WI 53706-1380

  See Send to the Graduate School for more information.

• Official test scores sent by ETS:

  • GRE General Test (institution code 1846, department code 1001)

  • TOEFL if your native language is not English (institution code 1846, department code 64)

    For more on the TOEFL, see Graduate School Admission Requirements.

• Recommendation letters submitted electronically by three persons who are familiar with you and your work.

The following materials must be submitted to the department at this address:

Graduate Program Office
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1415 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1607

• Reasons for Graduate Study statement (send hard copy if not uploaded to online application)
• Resume (send hard copy or upload with your statement as a single pdf file)
• Two official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate school attended. International applicants must provide academic records and official certification of degrees in the original language accompanied by official English translations. Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and official signatures.

Applicants must meet both department and Graduate School requirements for admission and are formally admitted by the Graduate School upon recommendation by the department.

Specific questions not answered on these pages may be addressed to Ms. Donna Bell at gradoffice@che.wisc.edu.