Prospective Doctoral Students

Application

Submit your application and supporting materials through the UMN Graduate School's online application (do not mail any materials or application information to the department).

Information you will need: 

• Term Selection
• Biographical Information
• Contact Information
• Personal Background
• U of M Affiliation
• Academic History
• Employment
• Test Scores (Self-Reported)
• Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics Program Information
• Personal Statement*
• Diversity of Views and Experiences Statement*
• Three Letters of Recommendation 

*explanation below

Fees

Pay this fee through the online application.

Fee Information, Amount & Payment Tips

Applicants must meet or exceed our Admission Guidelines. Qualifying applicants are invited to complete this form to request that their application fee be paid by the AEM Department. Your request must be submitted by 9:00 am CT on November 1st to allow time for processing.

 Requests must be made and approved prior to submission of an application. The department is not able to pay an application fee if you have already submitted your application and paid the fee directly.

 Applicants who receive confirmation that their fee request has been approved will be advised by November 20th on submission steps to enable the department to pay the application fee directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

 AEM Graduate Application Fee Waiver Request

 Questions about this form or the fee payment process can be sent to Erin Carter, Graduate Program Coordinator.

Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts or academic records should be uploaded directly to the online application. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcripts.

If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies of your transcripts or academic records.

Transcripts & Credentials

Letters of Recommendation

Letters should be requested from three persons familiar with your performance in an academic or non-academic (i.e. work) setting and who can comment on your potential for success in graduate school. Preference is for recommenders from academia. AEM does not have a specific form or format for letters of recommendation.

Recommendation Letters

Unofficial English Language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.)

The TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS is generally required of all applicants whose first language is not English, regardless of U.S. citizenship status.

International Student Resources

Unofficial GRE Scores

GRE scores are not required and are not allowed on the graduate application.

Additional Materials

You may upload your CV or resume. Please list any publications and awards on your CV, but do not upload any publications or awards.

If you need to upload additional materials after you have submitted your application, please contact the department ([email protected]).

Personal Statement

Please provide a Statement of Purpose and Research (recommended length: 2 pages / approximately 1000 words). This essay is your opportunity to introduce your intellectual journey, research philosophy, and professional ambitions to the AEM admissions committee. We encourage you to provide an authentic, specific narrative that highlights your unique technical perspective and voice.

In the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Department, we view the PhD as a rigorous educational endeavor and a deep intellectual process. Whether your long-term career path lies in industry, government laboratories, or academia, our goal is to cultivate insightful, highly adaptable scholars capable of leading innovation throughout a decades-long career. Original engineering breakthroughs are built upon a foundation of deep scientific inquiry and advanced knowledge. To help structure your statement, we ask that you address the following areas:

• Your Intellectual and Technical Foundation: Describe the academic experiences, advanced coursework, or independent projects that have most deeply shaped your scientific thinking. Your working style is a key part of this foundation, so please share whether you thrive most in independent settings, competitive spaces, or highly collaborative teams. What specific engineering, mathematical, or experimental problems have you engaged with, and what was your individual contribution to solving them? We are eager to learn how your unique educational background, distinct academic experiences, or diversity of technical thought shape how you approach complex conceptual challenges.
• Your Vision for Inquiry and Career: What fundamental technical problems or advanced scientific concepts excite you? How will the skills you have built in your technical foundation enable you to pursue these problems? What do you see as your ultimate career trajectory? How do you foresee a rigorous PhD education facilitating those long-term goals and equipping you to adapt throughout your professional life?
• Alignment with UMN AEM: How does your vision intersect with our department? Please specify which of our three primary research areas (Fluid Mechanics, Mechanics & Materials, or Aerospace Systems) feels like the best environment for your goals. Additionally, identify 1-3 AEM faculty members whose ongoing work resonates with your interests, and explain how their research might serve as a catalyst for your ideas.

Diversity of Views and Experiences Statement

Submission of this statement is entirely optional.

The AEM department deeply values a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative community where scholars from all backgrounds can thrive. We recognize that diverse perspectives and lived experiences significantly enrich our technical research, education, and innovation.

While our admissions committee relies primarily on your Statement of Purpose and Research, transcripts, and letters of recommendation to evaluate academic and research readiness, we are equally committed to identifying funding opportunities that support our community values. Each year, our department is invited to nominate exceptional candidates for the University of Minnesota’s Diversity of Views and Experiences Fellowship (DOVE).

If you wish to be considered for this department nomination, please provide an essay responding to the official university DOVE prompt below. (Note: If you wish to share context regarding academic anomalies or personal hardships unrelated to this fellowship, please use the separate Extenuating Circumstances Statement).

Here is what you will see in the online application:

Diversity of views and experiences is fundamental to the University’s mission, and the University’s faculty, staff, and students share responsibility for the collective achievement of this goal. 

Please describe the distinctive perspectives or life experiences, such as successfully overcoming obstacles or hardships, that you would bring to your graduate program. Describe how these perspectives or life experiences could contribute to the education and enhanced perspective of fellow students at the University of Minnesota.

Note on Fellowship Evaluation: At the university level, the selection committee looks for alignment with the Graduate School Diversity Office (GSDO) core values (Community-Based, Socially Just, Holistic, Creative, and Audacious). Applicants may find it helpful to review these values on the GSDO website when framing how their unique perspectives or experiences might contribute to the broader campus community.