Graduate Program
Frequently Asked Questions
1. I have graduated from a University in the U.S. and received my M.S. I wonder if I can be exempted from the TOEFL requirement?
We request that you send a copy of your original TOEFL scores. We do not require you take the TOEFL again.
2. What are my chances of admission if my BS degree is in a discipline other than chemical engineering?
Your chances are lower than students with BS degrees in chemical engineering. If you feel you are prepared for the transition [for example you took some chemical engineering classes during your BS in chemistry] please highlight this in your statement of purpose.
3. What are the minimum entrance requirements?
We do not impose numerical requirements on GPA or GRE scores. Although exceptions occur, the typical student entering our program will have a gpa above 3.4, be in the top 20% of their class, and have GRE scores over 1100 [quantitative+verbal] and 4.0 [analytical writing]. You should be aware that the letters of recommendation and your presentation of yourself in the statement of purpose are also extremely important.
The exception to this is the TOEFL exam for international students, on which the graduate school has a minimum requirement of 80 [iBT] overall and 19 [iBT] speaking. Provisional admission with speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be requested from the graduate school; we reserve this for very strong applicants.
4. What are my chances of admission?
We understand that often students, particularly international students with limited resources want to know their chances for admission before applying. Please understand that we cannot evaluate your chances without a full application. The standards above can serve as guidelines, but are not absolute. The quality of your BS university also plays a role. If you are an international student from Iran, you may wish to contact Prof. Ali Borhan for more information. If you are an international student from Korea, you may wish to contact Prof. Seong Kim for more information.
5. What is the timeline for admissions decisions?
Please refer to our "How to Apply" main section for the current deadlines to submith applications to The Department of Chemical Engineering.
Following the admissions deadline of January 14. We will make initial admissions decisions for domestic students by January 30 and international students by Februrary 30.
6. Can I apply if my test scores will not be ready before the application deadline?
If your test scores will be a little late, this is acceptable, but you must indicate on the application form when you are taking the test. If we do not have this information when we evaluate applications, any potential offer may be delayed, or we may not be able to evaluate your case.
7. What if I haven't heard about my application?
If it is between January 30 [end of February for international applicants] and mid April, we are holding your application in case we need to make further offers.
If you need to respond to other offers, please contact Professor Janna Maranas and explain your situation.
8. Is my application complete?
A checklist application components for both domestic and international students is provided in the How to Apply section of our webpage. If you have completed the appropriate checklist, you should consider your application complete unless you are otherwise notified.
9. Do I need to complete the Visa Document and Financial Aid Form?
The forms are not required until an offer has been established. - Answer updated on 11/05/12
10. I am a green card holder/permanent resident and I sent a copy of my green card two days ago.
Do I still have to fill out the VISA document or Financial Aid form?
Permanent U.S.A. residents with green cards do need to complete the VISA form. They do not need to complete the Financial Aid Form.
Additional Questions
- If your question is not addressed there, please contact us by email at ChemEng@psu.edu.
Updated on 11/05/12, Top of page