The Department of Electrical Engineering

Admissions Requirements
Applicants are considered for admission for the fall quarter only.

Application Requirements
The deadline for filing applications for Fall 2008 is January 4, 2008. A complete application file consists of the following items:

STEPS 1-4 MUST BE COMPLETED ONLINE:

How to Apply to ECE
Please do not contact the ECE office to know the status of your application. You can check online to make certain your application is complete. If mailed transcripts or test scores are missing, we will contact you. We endeavor to make all application decisions by April 15th.

What to do	How to do it
1. Review the department requirements.	Review the Programs of Study to insure your interests match the offerings of the department. Review the department's admissions requirements
2. Review admission deadlines & other useful information.	The Fall 2008 application deadline for all disciplines is January 4, 2008. Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) FAQs Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) FAQs OGS Prospective Students
3. Apply online.	Do not proceed with the application process until you have read the department's admissions requirements and reviewed our programs of study. Go to the OGS online application page. The items below should be completed through the online application. Statement of Purpose Letters of Recommendation San Diego Fellowship form (optional, if applicable and eligible).
4. Mail application materials.	Mail these additional application materials to the ECE Graduate Office. Official Transcripts from all institutions attended since after high school/secondary school Official GRE Test scores (GRE General) Evidence of English Language Proficiency (international applicants only)
5. Wait for application decision.	We endeavor to make all application decisions by April 15th. If mailed transcripts or test scores are missing, we will contact you.

Requesting a General Catalog
The Department is unable to mail UCSD General Catalogs

GRE Information
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for every applicant to the department.

For further information visit the GRE Web site

Test results should be sent directly to the Department. The codes for the GRE test are:

TOEFL / IELTS Information
Evidence of English language proficiency is required for all international applicants. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are accepted by the department.

For further information visit TOEFL Web site

Test results should be sent directly to the Department. The codes for the TOEFL test are:

For further information visit IELTS Web site
Test results should be sent directly to the Department.

Contacts
Should you have questions that are not answered on this website, you should direct them exclusively to: ecegradapps@ece.ucsd.edu

Frequently Asked Questions
How can I obtain more information about ECE graduate programs?
Visit the ECE website for information about our graduate programs and admissions process. You can also obtain information about ECE faculty and areas of research on this website.

How can I arrange a visit to UCSD?
Campus tours are held at UCSD Monday through Saturday. Visit this website for further information.

What is the deadline for submitting my application?
The application deadline is January 4, 2008. You must complete your online application by this date in order for your application to be considered for Fall 2008. All relevant information, including your GRE and TOEFL test scores, must be included in your online application. All supporting documents such as your official academic transcript and GRE test score report must be received by our office by March 28, 2008.

Do you accept applications for the Winter or Spring quarters?
We accept applications to ECE graduate program every Fall Quarter only. Any admission other than for Fall would only take place with the support of a faculty member and the approval of the Chair of the admissions committee.

How many students are you going to admit in 2008?
We do not have an admissions quota for 2008. As a guide, we welcomed 116 students to our graduate programs in 2007 out of approximately 1500 applications.

Can I apply for both the Ph.D. and M.S./M.Eng. programs?
No. You may only make one application to ECE.

When applicants are not admitted to the Ph.D. program, will they be considered for the Master’s programs?
Not automatically. However, you can indicate in your Statement of Purpose that you wish to be considered for the Master’s programs in the event that your application for the Ph.D. program is unsuccessful, and this will be taken into consideration by the admissions committee when assessing your application.

Can I still apply even if my undergraduate major is not in Electrical Engineering?
All applicants with a B.S. and/or M.S. degree in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics are considered for admission to ECE graduate programs. If your major is not in one of these areas, you can still apply, however you should compare the course requirements for your program of interest to your prior coursework for your B.S. and/or M.S. degree, since the admissions committee will look at how many undergraduate courses you will likely have to take in preparation for the program’s course requirements.

The online application is asking for a “specialization”. What does this mean?
Specialization refers to your area of interest within the major that you've chosen. You can refer to our website if you wish to determine specializations that are available within each area of research at ECE.

How do I select “Part-Time” enrollment?
In applying to ECE graduate programs, you can only apply as a full-time student. However, if you are admitted, you can petition to study half-time, as long as you are a domestic student or considered as a Permanent Resident of the US by the University

How do I change the degree / major that I’ve chosen?
We can only modify information contained in your application once you've submitted it online. Once you've submitted your application, send an email to ecegradapps@ece.ucsd.edu with your request.

Based on my qualification and test scores, can you tell me whether I’m eligible for the ECE graduate program?
We do not offer a pre-assessment service to applicants; therefore, if you wish to be considered for one of our graduate programs, you will have to complete an online application. You can refer to our website to determine whether you meet our minimum admissions requirements.

Can I enroll in ECE graduate courses before being admitted?
Yes. You must contact UCSD Extension for further information about the Concurrent Enrollment, which allows you to take courses without formal admission to UCSD.

Do you provide financial support to Master’s students?
ECE attempts to support all full-time Ph.D. students. Financial support is not traditionally offered to M.S. or M.Eng. students.

I have a green card, am I considered an international student?
If you have a valid Green Card, you will be considered as a Permanent Resident of the US by the University. You will not be considered an international applicant.

I applied for an ECE program last year. Do I have to complete the online application again?
Yes.

I applied for an ECE program last year. Do I have to re-submit my application materials?
Yes. We receive a very high volume of applications each year, and to make certain all your materials are reviewed together, this is necessary. Additionally, if you have taken any courses in the past year, new transcripts will indicate the additional work.

Can I send copies of my resume, papers that I’ve written, etc.?
It is not necessary for you to provide hard copies of materials in addition to the ones that we require for your application (transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores). When your application is processed, the admissions committee will be looking solely at the information that you provide online. Therefore, if you send hard copy of other materials, they may not be taken into consideration at the time that your application is assessed. All relevant information must be included in your online application, for example, you can incorporate them in your personal statement.

My recommenders prefer to submit hard copy letters or they are unable to use the online letter of recommendation process; can they submit a paper letter of recommendation?
We strongly advise that you submit all letters of recommendations online through the UCSD Graduate Application for Admission website. We do not accept paper based letters of recommendations. The reason being that when the applications are processed, the admissions committee will be looking solely at the information that you provide online. Therefore, if you send a hard copy of your letters of recommendations, they may not be taken into consideration at the time that your application is assessed.

Should you choose to send a hard copy of your letters of recommendations, the form located in the UCSD Graduate Application for Admission website must be used.
My recommender has not received an email requesting a letter. What should I do? You may resend the email to your recommender by re-entering your recommender’s information in your online application.

I only have two letters of recommendation, will my application be considered?
Your application will be considered based on all of the information that you submit by the application deadline. Given that three letters of recommendation is one of the requirements for admissions to ECE, please be aware that you may be disadvantaged if you submit an application with less than three letters of recommendation.

Do you accept professional letters of recommendation?
Academic references are always preferred, since they will best indicate your ability to succeed in graduate school. However, professional recommendations will also be accepted, if these are all that you can reasonably obtain.

Do I have to send a financial statement with my application?
International applicants are required to complete a financial statement once admitted. This form is normally given to international applicants upon acceptance of an offer of admission from UCSD.

I’m interested in enrolling in ECE courses. Do I have to apply for a graduate program?
You don't have to apply for a full degree in order to enroll in ECE graduate courses. You must contact UCSD Extension for further information about their Concurrent Enrollment Program, which allows you to take courses without formal admission to UCSD.

Can I transfer courses completed at another UC campus or UCSD Extension or another institution?
Once you’re registered in your program at ECE, you may petition to transfer up to 24 units of credits for courses completed at another UC campus (including UCSD Extension) to a UCSD master’s degree. A maximum of 8 units of work completed at an institution other than UC may be transferred. Eligible course work may not have been used to fulfill the requirements of any other degree, and must have been completed with a B- or better grade and must have been taken prior to enrollment as a graduate student at UCSD.

Do I have to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test score report?
TOEFL or IELTS test scores are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English or who were not enrolled, full time, for a minimum of one year in an academic program at an English speaking institution. This is limited to institutions in English speaking countries such as England, parts of Canada and IS NOT APPLICABLE to institutions in non-English speaking countries like China, India, etc.

What is the minimum TOEFL / IELTS test score required by ECE?
The minimum TOEFL score required for consideration for admission is 550 for paper and pencil administered test (PBT), 213 for the computer-based test (CBT), and 80 for the internet based test (iBT). The minimum IELTS Academic Training exam score required for consideration for admission is Band Score 7.

I’ve been studying in the US for a year, do I still have to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test score report?
As long as you've been enrolled, full time, for a minimum of one year in an academic degree at a university in the US, you are not required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test score.

Do you accept TOEFL score from a test taken 2 years ago?
As long as ETS sends your official TOEFL test score to ECE before the application deadline, it will be deemed valid.

What is the UCSD institution and ECE department codes for the TOEFL?
Institution Code: 4836
Department Code: 66

Do you require GRE scores?
Yes.

What is the minimum GRE score required for admission to ECE?
There are no minimum GRE test scores required. As a guide, the average score of students who were admitted to the Ph.D. program in 2007 was 788 (quantitative) and 537 (verbal).

My GRE score will expire soon. If I send my GRE test score before it expires, will it be considered?
As long as ETS sends your official GRE test score to ECE before the application deadline, it will be deemed valid.

My GRE score is lower than the average score of students who were admitted in 2007. Should I re-take the GRE test?
When assessing applications, the GRE test score is are just one out of a number of factors that the admissions committee consider in deciding who to admit into our programs. Given this information, it's up to you to decide whether to take the GRE test again.

I’ve taken the GRE test more than once. Do use the average of all the scores in assessing my application?
We use your best scores when evaluating your application.

What is the UCSD institution and ECE department codes for the GRE?
Institution Code: 4836
Department Code: 1203

I have not taken my GRE test yet, will my application be considered without my GRE score?
Your application will be considered based on all the information that you’ve provided. However, given that GRE scores is one of the requirements for admissions to UCSD, please be aware that you may be disadvantaged if you submit an application without this information.

Did you receive my transcripts / GRE score / TOEFL score?
If mailed transcripts or test scores are missing, we will contact you. We receive a very high volume of applications each year, which restricts our ability to check whether individual documents are received. If you sent your application materials by courier, we suggest that you confirm with the courier company that the package was successfully delivered to our office.

Did you receive my application?
You can check online to make certain your application is complete. A completed application online will have the status: "submitted".

When will I find out the outcome of my application to ECE?
We endeavor to make all application decisions by April 15, 2008.