Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
BCOE Departments & Programs
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Mechanical Engineernig
Online M.S. in Engineering
We Engineer Excellence
MS/PhD in EE
Graduate Student Manual
Graduate Student Association (GSA)
MS in CEN
MS Themes & Program
PhD Research Areas
Cooperating Faculty
Adjunct Professors and Lecturers
Communications and Signal Processing
Controls and Robotics
Nanoscale Materials, Devices, and Circuits
Power Systems and Smart Grid
Nanoscale Materials, Devices and Circuits
All prospective applicants are required to complete the UCR Electronic Graduate Application. Be advised, UC Riverside no longer accepts paper applications for students applying to the graduate program. Please note, you will be asked to mail supporting documents, but the application itself is now submitted electronically.
Be sure to carefully review both the Graduate Division requirements and the department checklist as the requirements may vary. Only those applicants who have fully completed their applications will be considered for entry into the graduate program.
Applicant Checklist
U.S. Citizen/Resident Applicant Checklist
International Applicant Checklist
Info for International Students
Graduate Student Admission Criteria
General UC Riverside graduate admission criteria
Department-specific graduate admission criteria
A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent in any areas of engineering or in the related areas of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Material Sciences and Computer Sciences. The degree must represent the completion of a program equivalent both in the distribution of academic subject matter and scholarship achievement comparable to that offered at the University of California.
Interested students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in the subjects closely related to their intended specialization that are normally taught in an undergraduate engineering program such as:
Mathematics (Calculus, differential equations and complex variables)
Circuits and electronics
Communication and signal processing, logic design, digital systems and microsystems
Control systems; and at least one major high-level programming language and associated programming techniques area
Specific equivalent courses are described in the UCR General Catalog
Candidates whose first language is not English are required to submit their official TOEFL or IELTS scores to the university.
TOEFL score reports must be sent by the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to UC Riverside
IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) must be sent to Graduate Admissions
Graduate Application Priority Deadlines
Domestic Applicants
Fall Quarter
Priority Admissions & Fellowship Consideration
January 20th* January 20th*
September 1st June 1st
Winter Quarter
November 15th September 1st
March 1st December 1st
*The deadline for priority admission and fellowship consideration has been extended to January 20, 2019. To be considered, the online application must be submitted by this date. Applicants may submit other required documents (in order to complete their application) after this deadline, but only shortly after January 20.
U.S. Citizen/Resident Applicant
Complete the Electronic Graduate Application on the UCR Graduate Division web site.
The $105.00 application fee for U.S. citizens and permanent residents must be paid by credit card (VISA or MasterCard) prior to the submission of your application. Fee waivers are available to qualified domestic applicants only.
One official copy of your transcripts may be sent directly from the Registrar's Office of the academic institutions you have attended (beyond secondary school), or you may request official copies and send them yourself in the original sealed envelopes to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. Official transcripts must be in the original, sealed (unopened) envelope from the issuing institution. Electronic copies are not accepted. Unofficial copies can be provided for the application review process and, if admitted, official copies will be requested by Graduate Admissions after you accept your offer. Notarized documents are not acceptable.
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
Each applicant is required to submit the GRE score to the Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate program at UCR. Current scores of the GRE General Test are preferred and should be received directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to our university. Applicants are not required to take the GRE Subject Test.
GRE Institution code: 4839
GRE Department Code: 1203
The statement of purpose must be submitted with your online application. Please state your specific interests on the Statement of Purpose form with respect to the research area of specialization to which you are interested within our program, special qualifications, awards, career objectives and research goals and experience are of particular interest. Please submit this form during your online application.
Do not mail this document. It will only delay the processing of your application.
Personal History Statement
The personal History Statement is your opportunity to discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree. This must be entered directly in to the application or uploaded.
Three letters of recommendation are required in support of all applications for admission. At least two of these letters should be requested from professors in your major subject. Letters of Recommendation must be submitted online and uploaded to your online application.
Note: Recommender's personal email accounts are not permitted.
Supplementary Fellowship Application
All domestic applicants are encouraged to submit the Supplementary Fellowship Information form in order to be considered for all awards for which they might qualify. This optional form is for domestic applicants who wish to be considered for merit-based, diversity fellowships.
Ph.D. applicants only: We strongly encourage domestic Ph.D. applicants to complete a 2019-2020 FAFSA based on the 2018 tax year to be considered for GAANN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) fellowship as part of your application to the Ph.D. program.
Mailing Documents
Graduate Advisor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering - 100
Suite 343 Winston Chung Hall
Riverside, CA 92521-0429
ecegradoffice@ece.ucr.edu
www.ece.ucr.edu
International Applicant
Complete the Electronic Graduate Application on the UCR Graduate Division website.
The nonrefundable $125.00 application fee must be paid by credit card (VISA or MasterCard) prior to submission of your application.
International applicants must submit one official copy of most recent or final transcripts and degree certificates (if not posted on transcript) from all academic institutions you have attended since high school (secondary school). Official copies of each transcript and each degree certificate must come in the original language and an English-translated version prepared by the issuing institution. Unofficial copies can be provided for the application review process and, if admitted, official copies will be requested by Graduate Admissions after you accept your offer. Notarized documents are not acceptable.
NOTE: The department highly recommends submitting OFFICIAL transcripts when possible to avoid any potential delays in the processing of visas.
Official transcripts can be sent directly to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering from the issuing institution or you can mail the transcripts yourself provided they are sealed within the original envelope of the issuing institution.
Certificate of Degree
One copy of the Certificate of Degree must also be submitted. The certificate must be issued in the original language and also be accompanied by an English-translated version prepared by the issuing institution. Notarized documents are not acceptable.
Certification of Degree must be sent directly to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering from the issuing institution. Certificates can also be mailed by you, provided they are sealed within the original envelope of the issuing institution.
The Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to state your specific interests with respect to the program to which you are applying. Your intended area of specialization, career objectives and research interests and experience are of particular interest. This must be either entered directly into the application or uploaded.
Statement of Personal History
The Personal History Statement is your opportunity to discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree. This must be either entered directly into the application or uploaded.
Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not earned an advanced degree at an institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This exam is administered by the Educational Testing Service and offered in nearly every country abroad. This exam must be taken within two years of the time you intend to enroll at UCR. The minimum acceptable scores are:
550 for the written exam
220 for the computer-based exam
90 for the internet-based exam (iBT)
Score reporting codes are:
TOEFL institution code - 4839
Department code - 66
NOTE: Before performing duties as a Teaching Assistant, any student whose native language is not English must pass an oral English language competency exam upon arrival at UCR. This includes not only international students but also any student whose first language is not English.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
UCR accepts scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
The exam must be taken within two years of the time you intend to enroll at UCR. The minimum acceptable scores are: overall band score of 7 with no individual section score less than 6.
Please request an official Test Report Form (TRF) of your IELTS. Remember to order the TRF from the test center where you took the test and ask the administrator to send the official TRF to:
Graduate Division
University Office Building
Riverside, CA 92521 USA
For more information about registering for this exam or to locate the office of any test center, consult the IELTS website.
Financial Verification Statement
International applicants must complete and return the International Student Confidential Financial Statement online. If any supplemental forms are required to be mailed to us, you can find this through your online application.
U.S. immigration law requires that international applicants, if admitted, must show documented evidence of sufficient funds to cover all fees, transportation, and living expenses for the first year of their studies at UCR and that a sponsor is committed to their financial support beyond this date.
Proof is required before a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS2019) for a visa can be issued.
Please have documents mailed to:
Student Services Advisor
Kim Underhill
900 University Ave.
UCR Library
Campus Status
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email: ecegradoffice@ece.ucr.edu
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