Frequently Asked Questions
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Q. I am interested in working for a specific faculty member. Should I send that person my application? A. Please do not ask a faculty member to review your qualifications before applying. As explained below, we cannot evaluate you until we have received a complete application. Once that has happened, a committee decides whether or not you meet our minimum standards. If you qualify and your application makes it clear that you would like to work with someone, or work in a particular research domain, the committee forwards your application to the appropriate person(s), who will then contact you. It's common for applicants to be unsure of their interests. In that case, the admission decision depends mainly on general qualifications. If admitted, such applicants will have several months to learn about the available research opportunities before being asked to choose a specific area. Once you have been admitted, however, you are welcome to call or correspond with any faculty member regarding research prospects or other concerns. Q. I am an international student and would like to apply for admission to your graduate program. Do my chances of admission differ from those of US citizens and permanent residents? A. Yes, we give priority to US citizens and permanent residents. We receive many international applications, so we can accept only a small fraction. The most important factors influencing our decision are 1) rank in class and quality of undergraduate program; 2) English proficiency; 3) Research aptitude; 4) GRE quantitative score above 750. Click here to return to the top of this page. Q. How can I check the status of my application? A. Please supply a valid e-mail address when you apply. This will allow us to notify you when we have received all the required materials. If you have applied for Autumn Quarter and have not gotten this notification by February 1, you may request a status check by sending e-mail to grad.admissions@cheme.washington.edu. We will also notify you promptly when we have made a decision on your application. Q. I read your application deadlines. Is Autumn Quarter really the only time I can be admitted? A. You must apply for Autumn Quarter unless you have completed at least a year of graduate course work in chemical engineering. If you meet this requirement, then it is possible to be admitted in either Autumn, Winter, or Spring, but we encourage you to apply for Autumn, because your choice of research projects will be reduced if you arrive at any other time. Application deadlines for "off" quarters are
Note that these deadlines are earlier than those of the UW Graduate School. Click here to return to the top of this page. Q. I'm having trouble using my computer to apply. Can you mail me the application forms? A. We now require all applicants to obtain the forms electronically. If you are having trouble downloading and printing PDF files, the Graduate School's FAQ might help. Q. I am thinking of applying but am worried that my qualifications are not competitive. Is there a way to judge whether or not I'll be accepted before I apply? A. We consider your undergraduate rank-in-class and GPA, performance on the GREs, undergraduate research and/or professional experience (if any), evaluations, and your personal statement in our admission decision. This review is time-consuming, and we are unable to consider your case until we have received a complete application. If you would like an opinion on whether an application is worthwhile we recommend that you consult a qualified person at your undergraduate institution for a frank evaluation and suggestions on where to apply. Click here to return to the top of this page. Q. I would like to receive financial aid. Is that likely? A. Nearly all students we admit receive financial support (students in the non-thesis MS program must support themselves, however). Support includes tuition, health insurance, and a competitive stipend. Q. I cannot afford to pay the application fee. Can it wait until I am admitted? A. We realize that the fee can be a financial hardship, but it cannot be waived. The UW will not allow us to review your application until the fee and all other required materials have been received. Click here to return to the top of this page. Q. My undergraduate degree is not in chemical engineering but I would like to pursue a chemical engineering graduate degree. Is that possible? A. It is possible if your undergraduate degree is in engineering or science. We have admitted students having a BS in chemistry, for example, and most have done well. Such students must take certain undergraduate ChemE courses before they can be fully integrated into the graduate program, however. See the list of courses on the degree requirements page. This means that it takes as much as 3 quarters longer to complete a degree. Another option is the MSE program, which is intended specifically for students without a chemical engineering background. Q. I've been out of school for several years. Do I need references from faculty members? A. Yes, get at least one evaluation from a professor at the university you attended most recently. All evaluators must be able to comment on your technical abilities in detail. Click here to return to the top of this page. Q. My undergraduate degree is from UW Chemical Engineering. Can I stay on as a grad student? A. Like other top chemical engineering departments, we think our undergraduates should pursue graduate studies in a new environment. In cases of "special circumstances" we will (reluctantly) consider a UW B.S. ChemE for direct admission to our M.S. program. Also, students who have obtained a graduate (e.g., M.S.) degree elsewhere, or have substantial industrial experience can be considered for the Ph.D. All others must look elsewhere. Feel free to ask a faculty member for suggestions on other programs you should consider. Q. Do I need to take a Subject (e.g., Engineering or Chemistry) GRE exam? A. We require only the standard GRE test. No subject test is required, but a high score in a related field (e.g., chemistry or math) will strengthen the application. Click here to return to the top of this page. Q. I would like to stop by and tour the department (at my expense). Can you arrange that for me? A. Yes, if you give us at least two (2) weeks advanced notice. We can't promise that all the professors and research groups you'd like to see will be available, but we'll do our best. Send an e-mail to the Graduate Program Advisor, indicating when you would like to visit, the groups you would like to meet, and any other concerns. Q. Can you tell me more about the health insurance plan? A. Students who receive financial support get health insurance as part of the package. For more details on the plan, please consult the insurance plan web site. |
