Apply to the M.S. Systems Engineering Track

Admission Prerequisites

  1. A Bachelor’s degree in engineering or in a closely related discipline from a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States or a foreign equivalent.
  2. Applicants with non-engineering majors must have completed (or show proficiency in) coursework in mathematics and statistics.
  3. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a four-point scale is the preferred standard for admission.
  4. At least two years of professional work experience in a technical field. Promising candidates with less experience will be considered under exceptional circumstances.
  5. The GRE General Test is not required for students applying to the Systems Engineering track.
  6. English language test scores from either the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE Academic, or Cambridge C1 Advanced proficiency examination are required for applicants whose native language is not English. Information about minimum score requirements can be found at the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency page.

Application Deadlines

Applicants for fall semester admission to the MS Systems Engineering Track should submit their applications by February 15 of the year planned for fall enrollment. Applications received after February 15 will be reviewed for admission if space is available. The application deadline for spring semester admission is October 15 of the previous year.

Start Your Application

Application Materials

All application materials should be submitted directly to the Online Admissions System. Please do not send us any materials in the mail. We cannot review your application until all of the required materials have been submitted successfully. All of the following materials are required unless otherwise stated:

 

Application

Submit your application once you have gathered all of the required materials by following the link above.

 

Application Fees

You will pay your application fee as the final step in the submission of your application. A separate application fee must accompany each program admission application. Application fees cannot be waived or deferred, and are non-refundable.

 

Personal Statement

"The Personal Statement should be uploaded in the "Materials" tab of the Online Admissions System. Please see the application itself for guidelines on what to include in your Personal Statement.

 

Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts or academic records should be uploaded directly to the online application through the "Academic History" tab. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcripts, there is no need for official transcripts or academic records for initial review. If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies.

 

Three Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required to apply to the M.S. Systems Engineering track. Please submit letters via the Online Admissions System.

 

English Language Test Scores

Scores should be entered in the "Test Scores" tab in the Online Admissions System. Your scoresheet should be uploaded directly to the Online Admissions System under this same tab "Test Scores." Please do not mail in paper copies of your scoresheet. ETS does not send copies of the scores to the program. If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies.

 

Optional Materials

The following materials are optional and can be uploaded under the "Materials" tab of the Online Admissions System: 

  • Diversity Statement
  • Extenuating Circumstances Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Writing Sample

You do not need to include these documents in your application in order to apply.

Graduate Application FAQs

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What funding opportunities exist within the ISyE Department for graduate students?

Typically, all of our Ph.D. students receive financial support in the form of graduate assistantships (RA or TA appointments). Assistantship appointments include a stipend and also cover tuition costs as well as provide eligibility to enroll in the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. All admitted Ph.D. students are automatically considered for these positions; there is no separate application required. 

We do not typically have internal department fellowship or scholarship opportunities for ISyE Master's students at this time, though there may be other University or external fellowships that you could seek out at the M.S. level (https://grad.umn.edu/funding/prospective-incoming-students). You could also seek out on-campus employment outside of the department: https://hr.umn.edu/applicant-center/student-jobs/find-student-job

Do I need to submit TOEFL/English language test scores?

English language test scores are typically required for international applicants, as well as for domestic applicants whose first language is not English. Test scores are not required for those who have completed at least 16 semester credits of post-secondary coursework (not including ESL coursework) within the past two years in the United States and/or select other English-speaking countries. For the full explanation of the Graduate School’s English language proficiency requirement, please see their webpage here (the “Coursework” tab lists coursework requirements): https://grad.umn.edu/admissions/international-student-resources/english-language-proficiency

What are tuition costs for the ISyE Department?

Tuition rates for our department follow the tuition costs listed here under "Graduate and professional" (full time registration of 6 to 14 credits qualifies students for a flat rate of tuition at the price listed in the table): https://onestop.umn.edu/finances/tuition. 

There is also additional information on the One Stop website regarding cost of attendance (our program would follow the basic "Graduate" rates): https://onestop.umn.edu/finances/cost-attendance-graduate-students

I attached unofficial copies of my transcripts/TOEFL score reports to my application, but the application status still shows “Awaiting” for the scores. What should I do?

As long as an applicant attaches the unofficial copies of their transcripts/TOEFL scores to their application, that is all that our department needs in order to assess the application. If an applicant is accepted into the program, then we will need to make sure that the official copies get uploaded. Until then, no need to worry about the "Awaiting" status or the “X” in your application checklist for transcripts/scores.

Can the application fee be waived?

Unfortunately, we are unable to waive the application fee under any circumstances, as per department and University policy. Exceptions are not possible. We look forward to receiving your application.

I’ve been admitted to the ISyE Master’s program. When do I need to confirm whether or not I intend to enroll?

Our department does not have a strict deadline for confirming your intent to enroll in the program. As long as you confirm your enrollment before your semester of entry begins (and in enough time to take care of the visa process, for international students), you will be able to enroll in the program.

When can I expect a decision on my application?

If applying for admission to any of our MS programs for the spring semester, you can expect a decision in late October or early November.

If applying for admission to any of our MS programs for the fall semester, you can expect a decision in early March.

If applying for admission to our PhD program for the fall semester, you can expect a decision between early February and mid-April.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, please avoid asking for status updates on your application. We will contact you once the committee has reviewed your application and has made a decision.

If you submitted your application far in advance of the application deadline, we may not begin reviewing your application until after the application deadline has passed. On occasion, we will begin reviewing applications prior to the deadline, but this is not guaranteed. Please be patient.

Do I need to reach out to faculty members to secure an advisor prior to applying?

No, you do not need to make connections with faculty members in the department prior to applying. All of our Masters students are admitted with our Director of Masters Programs as their advisor. After taking courses and getting to know the faculty better during their first year, students can switch advisors in subsequent years if they choose to. 

Questions? We’re here to help.

For assistance with applying or clarification on our graduate program tracks and details, please contact Graduate Program Coordinator at [email protected].

 

Questions relating to the admission process should be directed to the Office of Graduate Admissions through their Request Information portal or by calling (612) 625-3014.

 

More information about the admissions process can be found by visiting:

Office of Graduate Admissions website