FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the program, finances, admissions, tests, letters of recommendation, and international applicants can be found in the sections below.

  • Where can I find more information about the ECE faculty and their research areas?

    The Department's research areas and faculty profiles are detailed here. A comprehensive look at ongoing research activities may also be found on our research page.

  • Should I apply to the M.S. or PhD program?

    Students interested in carrying out a major research project towards writing and defending a Ph.D. dissertation should apply for the Ph.D. program. For more information about the Ph.D. degree, please refer to the Ph.D. Degree Requirements in the ECE Graduate Handbook.

    Students who are unsure whether they wish to carry out significant research work should apply for admission to the M.S. program, not to the Ph.D. program. For details about the M.S. degree, please refer to M.S. Degree Requirements in the ECE Graduate Handbook.

    Students admitted to the M.S. program may later apply for admission to the Ph.D. program without necessarily first completing the requirements for the M.S. degree. Courses taken while in the M.S. program can generally be counted towards the Ph.D., whether or not the M.S. has been obtained. Students who apply to the M.S. program but have later aspirations for the Ph.D. should explicitly state so in the Statement of Purpose. Please note that most financial support is allocated to Ph.D. students.

  • I am currently a graduate student enrolled at another university. How can I transfer into the ECE graduate program?
    There is not a separate process to transfer into the ECE graduate program. Instead, applicants must apply to the ECE program as outlined on our admissions page. After matriculation in the ECE graduate program, M.S. students may petition to transfer up to six graduate credits from a regionally accredited university as long as those credits are not part of a completed degree. Ph.D. students may be eligible to either transfer up to 15 credits or receive a credit reduction.
     
  • What is the difference between the Professional Masters of Engineering Program (PMEE) and the Electrical and Computer Engineering program (ENEE)?
    Unlike the research-oriented ECE program, the Master of Engineering program is a professionally-oriented program designed to help working engineers gain the skills they need to advance in the industry. For more information about the Master of Engineering program, please consult Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering.
  • What is the cost of tuition and fees?
    Please refer to the website of the Office of the Bursar for information regarding tuition and fees.
     
  • What are the annual living expenses for graduate students?
    The Office of Student Financial Aid provides an estimated cost of attendance.
     
  • What kind of financial aid and scholarships are available for ECE graduate students?
    Please refer to the Financial Aid section of the ECE Graduate Handbook for details about financial support and scholarships.
  • How can I check the status of my application?
    You may access your record by logging into your graduate application.  Through the dashboard, you can determine the status of your application materials and view your decision letter (when available).
     
  • Where can I find my UID number?
    After submitting the application and paying the application fee, you will be emailed your application number and University ID (UID). Please retain this information. Any inquiries regarding your application will require the application number and/or UID.
     
  • Can I edit my application after it has been submitted?
    If you need to make any changes after you have submitted your application, you must contact the Graduate School at gradappsupport@umd.edu.
     
  • If my test scores/letters arrive after the deadline, will my application still be considered?
    Your materials must arrive by the application deadline. Please plan ahead to complete your tests, send your scores, and submit all supplemental materials by the application deadline. If you are applying to be considered for financial aid, your application materials may still be considered if they arrive a little past the December 15 deadline, but there is no guarantee.
     
  • I have already submitted my test scores. Why hasn't my application been updated?
    It can take up to two weeks after we receive your materials for them to be processed and attached to your application. If your application status has not been updated two weeks after we receive your application materials, please email us at ecegradstudies@umd.edu. Your materials may have been misplaced and may be easily located. Please do not send us another copy of your materials unless requested.
     
  • When do I need to send my official, hard copy transcript?
    This is only completed by those applicants who have been offered admission. The Graduate School will provide you with more information regarding this provision.
     
  • I have a transcript from my institution that is encrypted. What should I do? Should I still upload it to the application?
    No, please do not upload an encrypted transcript to the application as it will upload as a blank document. Please print the document out, scan it, then upload the scanned version for evaluation purposes.
  • What is the University of Maryland institution code for submitting GRE and TOEFL scores? Which department code should I use?
    The University of Maryland institution code is 5814. Use this code when submitting your GRE and TOEFL scores to the Graduate School. The department code is not important. Using the code for “Electrical Engineering” or “Other” is fine.
     
  • My test score will expire on XXX date. Do I need to retake it?
    We will accept your test score if we receive it before it expires.
     
  • What is the minimum GRE requirement?
    Our department does not have a minimum GRE score requirement. Our admissions committee will consider all aspects of your application.
     
  • What are the average GRE scores of admitted students?
    We do not keep statistics on average test scores, but most applicants score high on the Quantitative section. Your Quantitative score is more important than your Verbal score.
     
  • What are the minimum TOEFL and IELTS score requirements?  
     The minimum TOEFL and IELTS score requirements are set by the Graduate School and are available on their website. Our admissions committee will take into consideration international applicants’ TOEFL and IELTS scores. If you do not meet the minimum requirement, you may still apply to our department.
     
  • Who is exempt from taking the TOEFL?
    Students who will be awarded a degree from the U.S., United Kingdom, Anglophone Africa, Anglophone Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and the Commonwealth Caribbean prior to enrolling in the University of Maryland are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS. For US citizens or permanent residents with foreign credentials, if your native language is not English and you do not hold a degree from an institution in the US or one of the Anglophone countries and areas previously listed, you will be required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
  • How can I make changes to my recommenders?
    You may make changes to your recommenders at any time until the recommendation process is complete. In the "Recommendations" section of your application, you may add or remove a recommender.
     
  • How can I resend recommendation requests?
    To resend recommendation requests, you should log into your graduate application and go to the "Recommendations" section. In this screen, click "resend" next to the name of the recommender who has not received the request.
     
  • What should I do if one of my recommenders does not have an institutional email address?
    Recommenders may use their personal email address if they do not have an institutional email address, but they should use official University letterhead when writing their recommendations.
  • Is there a limit to how many international students are accepted in a given term?
    No, we do not have a limit on how many international applicants are accepted for a given semester. Admission is granted competitively to top applicants, regardless of country of origin.
     
  • I am an international applicant; should I convert my GPA on a US scale?
    No, please do not convert your GPA to the U.S. scale. Please refer to your original GPA in your application materials.
     
  • How do I obtain my I-20 after being admitted into the program?
     If admitted, the International Student and Scholar Services office will provide information on how to obtain your I-20 form. To avoid delays, please complete the requirements in a timely manner so that your I-20 can be issued.

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