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Graduate Students' Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When is your application deadline? 
  2. What do I need to complete with my application?
  3. Do you have minimum GRE or TOEFL requirements?
  4. My undergraduate degree is not in Electrical or Computer Engineering. Can I still apply to your program?
  5. Can I apply to the Ph.D. program without having an M.S. degree?
  6. How can I check the status of my application?
  7. How do I get an advisor?
  8. Am I eligible for financial assistance in the form of an assistantship?
  9. I am a new student in the MS program. What courses should I take?

When is your application deadline?

FALL ENROLLMENT – February 1* is the priority deadline.

SPRING ENROLLMENT – October 1** is the priority deadline.

SUMMER ENROLLMENT – Students are only admitted to a summer term under special circumstances (e.g., recruited students with assistantship offers when agreed upon by the student and their faculty advisor). Any other student who applies for a summer term will be evaluated for Fall enrollment.

*Applications may be submitted after February 1 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until May 1. Any application received after May 1 will be evaluated for Spring enrollment.

**Applications may be submitted after October 1 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until November 1. Any application received after November 1 will be evaluated for Fall enrollment.

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What do I need to complete with my application?

Interested applicants should refer to the Graduate Admissions website. Here, you will find a link to the application, information on required supporting material, and admissions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Please carefully review this information before you apply – most all the information related to applying to a graduate program at Clemson University can be found here.
- Upload unofficial transcripts from each institution you have attended or are currently attending. Official transcripts are only required if admission is awarded.
- A minimum of 3 letters of recommendation (online is recommended, but hard copy recommendations are accepted by graduate admissions).
- TOEFL - International Students only, Only official scores will be reviewed, Clemson Institution Code = 5111
- Statement of purpose
- Resume
- GRE - Scores are not required but may be submitted, Clemson Institution code = 5111

All required documents should be submitted electronically during the application review process. Any additional application materials can be uploaded into your application portal. If accepted,  official transcripts should be mailed to Graduate Admissions Office Clemson University E-209 Martin Hall, SC 29634 USA.
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Do you have minimum GRE or TOEFL requirements?
While we do not have a minimum GRE, TOEFL or GPA, we typically seek out applicants with scores in this general range of test scores. You can view the median test scores of admitted students by programs offered at Clemson University..
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My undergraduate degree is not in Electrical or Computer Engineering. Can I still apply to your program?
Yes, although keep in mind that you will be required to meet specific undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to earn a graduate degree in EE or CPE if you are admitted to the program. These undergraduate requirements may be found at Prerequisite Requirements.
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Can I apply to the Ph.D. program without having an M.S. degree?
Yes, although keep in mind that you will be required to meet specific undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to earn a graduate degree in EE or CPE if you are admitted to the program. These undergraduate requirements may be found Prerequisite Requirements.
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How can I check the status of my application?
You may check the status of your graduate application by logging into your Application Portal and log in with your username and password you crated when you created your application. .
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How do I get an academic advisor?
You are assigned an initial academic advisor if a decision of acceptance is made on your application. After you arrive on campus and after you become more familiar with our faculty, you will have an opportunity to communicate with the faculty member who you would like to be your permanent academic advisor. If the faculty member agrees to be your advisor, you will work with this person to complete your advisory committee.
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Am I eligible for financial assistance in the form of a graduate assistantship?
The ECE department does not have any fellowships or assistantships available for incoming MS students. MS students are typically self-paying, meaning they will not be awarded any type of assistantships/fellowships.

Each student admitted into the ECE graduate program is evaluated for financial support awards that are available. Priority is given to PhD applicants. Most of the opportunities for financial support of an admitted student are committed many months before the start of the semester in which the student will enter the program. If you are interested in a research assistantship, then you should contact those faculty members directly whose research interests you. Each faculty member has the freedom to make RA offers to students who best fit their researching needs. Not all faculty members have available funding, and not all students will fit the faculty member’s needs if funding is available. Please keep this in mind as you are emailing faculty members.

A list of our faculty and their research interests may be found on our website. Please visit our departmental site for more information about  research opportunities within our department with faculty member information.
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I am a new student in the MS program. What courses should I take?
Here is an algorithm which may help:

  1. Decide on your total course load (credit hours) for the Fall. This will probably be between 9-15 hours total, including research credits. This number is a function of many factors, including your capabilities and any other obligations, such as assistantship duties.
  2. Determine your degree requirements from the Graduate Student Handbook: http://www.clemson.edu/cecas/departments/ece/resources/grad_resources/grad_handbook.html  Especially important are your Focus Area requirements.
  3. Look at 6000- and 8000- level course offerings in the Graduate Courses of Instruction listing.
  4. Based upon degree and Focus Area requirements, course prerequisites and your interests, identify potential courses. You can explore recommended courses based on your interests in the focus area research pages. Past course syllabi can be found in our Graduate Course Syllabus Repository.
  5. Consult with your initial advisor. There usually is some tuning or refinement of this strategy for specific cases.
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