Applicant Information and Application FAQs

GRE scores are encouraged but not mandatory for admission to the MENG, MS, and PH.D. in ISE. GREs are not required for the MEA and MS in SYSE.

Use the online graduate application provided by the Virginia Tech Graduate School.

How to Apply:  https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions.html

Application for Graduate Admission: https://applyto.graduateschool.vt.edu/apply/

The ISE department does not accept paper applications.

The deadlines to apply for admission are as follows:

Fall Semester:  January 16

Spring Semester:  September 1

Note: These deadlines are different from those posted by the Virginia Tech Graduate School and are specific to the ISE graduate program.

Most of our applications are for fall admission. However, we admit a small number of students to start in the spring semester. Note that no financial aid is generally available for spring admission.

The admissions committee does not assess the chances of admission prior to reviewing an application. A complete application must be submitted before an application can be evaluated.

The ISE department requires the following supporting documents:

1. Official transcripts for all prior college level course work, which must be submitted through the online application.
2. Three (3) recommendation letters, which must be submitted through the online application.
3. Resume, which must be uploaded with the online application.
4. Statement of purpose, which must be uploaded with the online application.
5. The GRE test score for all applicants
6. The TOEFL or IELTS test score for international applicants that have not received a Master's degree or equivalent from an accredited English speaking institution.

For the GRE and TOEFL tests, contact Educational Testing Services (ETS) to have your official test scores sent to Virginia Tech. The VT institution code is 5859.  Note that there is no department code for either test. 

For the IELTS test, contact the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). 

Do NOT mail your documents to the department that you have already submitted with the online application.  We will notify you via email, if for any reason we need additional documentation from you.  If you forgot to upload any documents or need to update any materials, please contact ISE graduate program coordinator before mailing anything.

A small number of fellowships and assistantships may be available to incoming students depending on resource availability.  You do not need to apply for fellowships or assistantships separately.  All students who have applied before the application deadline are considered for fellowships and graduate teaching assistantships.  

Research assistantships may be available to qualified incoming students if there are open positions.  Research assistantships are awarded by individual faculty based on the amount of funding they have available.  If you are interested in a research assistantship position with a particular faculty member, contact the faculty member individually after (not before) you are admitted.  

Funding on the Graduate School website: 
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding.html

Although there is no official minimum verbal score for admission, students with a verbal score less than 146 are admitted in exceptional cases only if a student's record is outstanding in all other aspects.  The average GRE verbal score for admitted students is 156.

Although there is no official minimum quantitative score for admission, students with a quantitative score less than 151 are admitted in exceptional cases only if a student's record is outstanding in all other aspects.  The average GRE quantitative score for admitted students is 160.

GRE scores are encouraged but not mandatory for admission to the MENG, MS, and PH.D. in ISE. GREs are not required for the MEA and MS in SYSE.

If you are interested in ending your studies with an M.S. degree, apply for that program.  If you are interested in working toward a Ph.D. and already have an M.S., you should apply for the Ph.D. program.  If you are interested in a Ph.D. and do not already have an M.S. degree, you may apply for the direct Ph.D. degree program.  Note that only applicants with exceptional credentials are directly admitted into the direct Ph.D. program without an M.S. degree.

You can track the status of your application using information provided in your application confirmation email from the Virginia Tech Graduate School.  The admissions committee usually begins evaluating the applications for fall semester in late January. A thorough evaluation of hundreds of applications requires significant time.  Most admission recommendations for fall semester are made by early April.  International applicants will have a decision no later than the university deadline of May 15 for fall admission.

You will be notified by the Virginia Tech Graduate School, not the ISE department, as soon as a decision has been reached on your application.  Due to federal privacy regulations, we cannot disclose admissions decisions over the phone.