Frequently Asked Questions

Admission requirements vary for the different graduate programs administered by the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. These requirements can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate link(s) listed on the left-hand side of this page.

In general, all official graduate applications require:

• Official graduate school application form (completed online)
• Unofficial transcripts (undergraduate plus graduate, if applicable)
• Statement of purpose to pursue the selected graduate program (1-2 pages)
• Recommendation letters (M.S. 2, Ph.D. 3)
• English language proficiency test for international students

Statement of purpose (SOP) allows applicants to describe their education, past research and/or work experience, and why they want to pursue study in their selected graduate program at Clemson University. The SOP will be carefully evaluated during the admission process.  A longer statement of purpose or essay is not a problem, as it is especially helpful for you to discuss your research experience and your research interests. This information helps to match you with faculty who can serve as potential advisors.

Recommendation letters are also important. The letter writers should be familiar with your academic performance and any research experience that you have. We require two letters for all M.S. degrees and three letters for all Ph.D. degrees.

For international applicants, an English language proficiency test is required – we currently accept the following tests (minimum scores in parentheses): TOEFL (90), IELTS (7.0), PTE (61), or Duolingo (115). The score must have been taken within the last 2 years.

Applicants are not required to report GRE scores.

We accept applications year-round with no firm deadline. However, we typically only admit students for the Fall semester (mid-August), which is the recommended start time since our course sequence is designed for Fall entry.

Key Deadlines

• Apply by January 15th to be automatically considered for Fall assistantships
• All materials must be received by this date

Spring admission: We accept a limited number of Spring (January) applicants, but assistantships are rarely available. Nearly all assistantships go to Fall applicants.

Funding Your Graduate Education

Understanding the costs and funding options is essential as you plan your graduate studies. At Clemson EEES, we're committed to making our world-class programs accessible; many of our graduate students receive some financial support.

Types of Financial Support

Teaching Assistantships (TAs) – Offered by the department to qualified applicants. TAs typically cover full tuition plus a stipend for 1-2 years. You'll gain valuable teaching experience while pursuing your degree.

Research Assistantships (RAs) – Offered by individual faculty members based on their research projects. RAs provide full tuition plus a stipend for 1-3 years. Browse our faculty research pages and reach out directly to professors whose work aligns with your interests—building this connection strengthens your application and funding prospects.

External Fellowships – Competitive awards from organizations like the National Science Foundation or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These prestigious fellowships cover tuition and provide stipends for 1-5 years. We can help you identify and apply for relevant opportunities.

How to Apply for Funding

Competition for assistantships is intense, so submitting your application early is crucial. To be considered for funding:

1. Submit your complete application by January 15th (hard deadline for assistantship consideration)
2. Check the financial assistance box in your online application
3. Contact faculty members whose research interests match yours—mention your interest in an RA

Financial Certification: Once you are admitted, follow the steps found under “First Things First” then “International Students” on the Newly Accepted Students page.

Questions about costs, funding, or the application process? We're here to help you navigate your options and find the right financial pathway for your graduate education.

Degree Program Coordinators

The Graduate Student Services Coordinator serves as the primary point of contact for graduate students upon their arrival on campus. The Graduate Student Services Coordinator and the Program Coordinator are the authorities on regulations and procedures pertinent to the graduate programs and should be contacted whenever questions or problems occur.

Ph.D. Program: Advanced Research and Innovation

Our Ph.D. program prepares you to become a leader in environmental engineering research, typically completed in 3-5 years of focused, cutting-edge work.

Customized for Your Success

Your Ph.D. journey is tailored to your research goals and background. After demonstrating foundational knowledge through qualifying exams, you'll design a coursework plan with your advisor that builds on your strengths and supports your research vision. The program requires 30+ credit hours beyond the M.S. (or 60+ credit hours beyond the B.S.), combining advanced coursework with original research that contributes to your field of study.

Finding Your Research Mentor

The heart of your Ph.D. experience is your relationship with your research advisor. Before applying, explore our faculty research pages to identify professors whose work excites you. Reach out directly to discuss potential collaboration—faculty are eager to connect with motivated students who share their research passions. (Feel free to copy our graduate program coordinator and graduate student services coordinator on your emails.)

Admission Pathways

With an M.S. degree, you're ready to apply directly to the Ph.D. program once you've identified a faculty advisor willing to mentor your research.

With a B.S. degree, we typically recommend starting with our M.S. program, which provides excellent preparation for doctoral work. However, we do admit exceptional B.S. graduates directly to the Ph.D. program if you have:

• An outstanding academic record
• Substantial undergraduate research experience
• Evidence of research impact (publications, presentations at regional/national/international conferences)
• Strong letters of recommendation from research mentors detailing your contributions

Ready to Start? Reach out to faculty whose research aligns with your interests—this is the first step toward joining our vibrant research community.

An admission status of “Accepted Provisionally” means that the Graduate School admissions office does not have your final official transcript. Most likely, you were admitted based on your unofficial transcript(s), or you haven’t yet graduated or provided a transcript with your final date of degree on it. Provisional acceptance doesn’t prevent you from registering or enrolling in classes, but you MUST provide your final official transcript(s) or certificate(s) (starting with bachelor’s and including any subsequent degrees) to the Office of Graduate Admissions during your first semester enrolled at Clemson University. A registration hold will be placed on all students who have not submitted final official transcripts during their first term.

An admission status of “Accepted Conditionally” means the applicant needs to complete specified conditions within two semesters (or on an alternate timeline specified by the program) of enrollment prior to full admission. A conditionally admitted student is not officially admitted to the university or to a degree program until all conditions are met. Until all conditions are met, students will be classified as non-degree students. Specified conditions may include, but are not limited to: completing an English language proficiency program and/or completing additional academic requirements. Once the specified conditions are met, the student must reapply to the program to be granted fully admitted status.

If the program accepts the student as fully admitted (meaning all requirements are met at an acceptable level), the Graduate School will issue a new decision letter and the student’s status will change from non-degree to degree-seeking. If the student fails to complete the conditions at the level specified or within the time frame specified by the admitting program, the graduate school will notify the applicant that they are not being admitted to the university and the applicant will be separated from the university.

One of my teachers does not like online recommendations so obtaining the recommendation form from different universities is a difficult task. Can I send a recommendation letter from the teacher instead of the standard form of recommendation to your university?
Online completion and submission of recommendation letters is the most convenient and secure method available. Once you click “Submit Recommendation Request,” an email will be sent to your respondents informing them how to complete the online letter of recommendation. To ensure receipt of this email, please inform each recommender about this email prior to the submission of your application. Letters of recommendation are handled via an online recommendation system which is part of our online application. The host for this process is CollegeNET, the vendor that hosts our online application.

If your recommenders have technical difficulties while completing the letters of recommendation, they can send an email to lor_help@collegenet.com. The technicians at CollegeNET will be able to look at the letters of recommendation and help clear the problem.  You can change a recommender or send a reminder through the application portal (“Manage Your Account”). You can leave them a note and another email will be sent to the email address that you provided.

If your recommender prefers not to use the online form, they can download the form as a PDF and print it. Submission options are included on the form.

In my transcript, my university insisted on putting family name first (it is my nation’s custom). However, in other documents (eg. Recommendation letters) teachers may put my family name last. I am worried that this may cause misunderstanding. So how do I solve this problem?
Clemson University’s graduate admissions staff is familiar with this issue and has a good record of matching the documents with the proper application.

The Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences currently has over 70 students enrolled in our graduate programs.

Ranked by the most enrollment:

1. Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
2. M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Science
3. M.S. in Hydrogeology
4. Biosystems Engineering (M.S. and Ph.D.)

Our students come from diverse academic backgrounds, including chemistry, geology, physics, environmental engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, biosystems engineering, and mechanical engineering, and many bring prior industry or government experience. They hail from across the United States, as well as countries such as Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam, China, India, Poland, Ghana, Nigeria, and Turkey.

Environmental Engineering graduates are making an impact across diverse and dynamic sectors. The majority join leading consulting firms - from specialized environmental remediation and water treatment design companies to major multidisciplinary engineering firms.

Hydrogeology graduates tackle real-world challenges through field investigations and modeling at contaminated sites, manage groundwater supply projects, or shape environmental policy at the U.S. EPA and state agencies.

Biosystems Engineering graduates drive innovation in environmental consulting, ecosystem management, biopharmaceuticals, biofuels, and food and agricultural bioprocessing—advancing sustainable solutions at the forefront of green technology.

Many students receive offers to work as on-site environmental engineers, overseeing industrial wastewater treatment systems, managing compliance monitoring, and navigating complex environmental permits for air, water, and emissions.

Beyond consulting, our alumni work at state environmental agencies, municipal utilities, federal agencies, and non-profit advocacy organizations. Some continue their academic journey by pursuing Ph.D.s at top institutions nationwide or here.

Strong Industry Connections: Our alumni network is active and invested, with many returning to campus to recruit current students for positions at their companies. Graduates find opportunities throughout the U.S., with strong placement in the Southeast.

Doctoral graduates advance to positions in consulting firms, utilities, universities, and prestigious research laboratories, including those at the Department of Energy's national labs. Those pursuing academic careers often launch with competitive postdoctoral positions.