Graduate Admissions

The Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering at Rice University offers the following graduate degrees:

How to Apply

To help you with the application process, please visit https://graduate.rice.edu/. It has a wealth of information that may help you find the answers you need.

Once you have reviewed and met all admissions requirements, you are ready to Begin Your Application to Rice University.

Applications must be submitted online, and are transmitted through a secured server and are kept confidential until you decide to submit your application.

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions. Was your question not answered? More information can be found via the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Frequently Asked Questions.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Interested in presenting your undergraduate research to Rice faculty before you apply? Our department waives the application fee for participants of Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium (GCURS). Learn more about GCURS.

Application Deadlines

Fall admission: Opens: September 1 / Closes: December 31 and March 15
Spring admission: Opens: September 1 / Closes: November 15

Admission Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent undergraduate degree
Grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent in another grading system ( If your university/college does not use the 4.0 grading system, please translate your GPA into the 4.0 scale if at all possible)
Standardized tests (GRE (recommended but not required) and TOEFL)
Statement of purpose
Unofficial transcript
CV
Recommendations from at least three people who know your academic achievements and potential

Application Fee

The application fee of $85.00 can be paid online when you submit your online application form. We cannot accept cash, a check or money order and we do not grant fee waivers.

Official Transcripts

Official transcript(s) are required from all undergraduate and graduate schools you have attended. For reviewing purposes, electronic copies of transcript(s) can be uploaded through the online application system to meet the application requirements. If you're offered admission to Rice, official paper or electronic copies of the transcript(s) will be required and can either be sent directly to the Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department from the institution or sealed by the institution in a signed envelope and delivery by the application.

If your transcripts and proof of degree are not in English, you must provide an official translation from a translation service. The document should be on the translator's letterhead & the original official transcript was used to translate to the document, make sure they are in a sealed envelope which bears their official seal or stamp. Additionally, you need to provide us the official transcript from your University (sealed envelope/stamp).

NOTE: Please do not send official transcript(s) from your college or university unless you're accepted to the Materials Science and NanoEngineering program at Rice University.

Three Letters of Recommendation

We accept letters of recommendation through your online application. To submit online recommendations, current email addresses and titles for all references must be included with your online application form.

Required Standardized Tests

GRE is recommended but not required.

TOEFL

The Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) is required of any student whose native language is not English. The TOEFL and the IELTS are not required for U.S. citizens, nor for international students who earned a degree from a University in which English is the official language.

Scores must not be older than TWO (2) years, and an official copy must be sent to the Graduate School directly from ETS. Students must score at least 90 on the iBT (internet-based) TOEFL, 250 on computer-based, and 600 on paper-based test.

The institution code for the GRE is 6609 and department code is 1402
The institution code for the TOEFL is 6609 and department code is 73

IELTS

Students whose native language is not English may also take The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). You can get more information about the IELTS HERE.

The ETS Reporting code for Rice University is 6609, scores should be sent directly to Rice University through the testing organization.
International applicants who choose to take the IELTS should plan to take the Academic IELTS test or, for 2021, the IELTS Indicator
For students who choose to take the IELTS in lieu of TOEFL, the minimum score is 7.

DUOLINGO

The Duolingo English Test is an online English proficiency test that can be taken online, on-demand, in under an hour for only $49. The test is taken via a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview, and writing sample which are shared with [institution name] when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session.

Applicants to Rice must earn at least a 115 on the Duolingo English Test.
Click here to prepare or take the test.

*Please allow 2-4 weeks for all scores to be reported to Rice.

Rice University Policies and Procedures

Rice University policies and process regarding admissions requirements may be found in the General Announcements.

Notification of Application Status

You will receive an email upon receipt of your application. The message will indicate if your application is missing an item or items. Only complete applications are reviewed and considered. We will contact the top candidates by email to make offers of admission in mid-March to mid-April. A final application status notification will be sent to all other applicants to whom offers are not make by end of May.

Submitting Your Official Transcript

USPS

If submitting your official transcript via USPS, mail it to:

Attn: GR/UG Program Administrator
Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering — MS 325
Rice University
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251-1892

Express Mail, FedEx, DHL, Etc.

If submitting your official transcript via Express mail, FedEx, DHL, etc., send it to our street address:

Attn: GR/UG Program Administrator
Rice University — MS 325
Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering
6100 Main St
Houston, TX 77005-1827