General info   Grad programs   International students

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General information

When is the deadline for applying?

Deadlines vary by program. Note that undergraduate admission to the University of Washington is a separate process from admission to the ISE department as an undergraduate.

• Undergraduate department admission deadlines
• Master of science deadlines
• Master of engineering deadlines
• Ph.D. deadlines
• GISE certificate deadlines
• Engineering Leadership certificate deadlines

When will I know if I’m accepted? 

• Undergraduate students will be notified of acceptance by July 31.
• MSIE and Ph.D. applicants will be notified of acceptance in mid-March.

What are the requirements for applying? 

• Bachelor's degree admission requirements
• Master of science admission criteria
• Master of engineering admission criteria
• Ph.D. admission criteria
• GISE certificate admission requirements
• Engineering leadership admission requirements

What is the tuition rate? 

Tuition rates change annually and vary based on Washington state residency status, the program in which you are enrolled, and the number of credits for which you are registered. View tuition details for each degree:

• Undergraduate tuition, financial aid, & scholarships
• Master of Science tuition & funding
• Ph.D. tuition & funding
• Master of Engineering tuition

What is the process for undergraduate transfer students?

For details on transferring, see Transfer Student Admission on the College of Engineering's site.

Graduate programs

Do I need to take the GRE? 

You need to take the GRE for application to the Master of Science and Ph.D. programs. You do not need to take the GRE for application to the Master of Engineering program. Use Institution Code 4854 to submit your GRE scores to the UW.

What is the difference between the master's degrees? 

The Master of Science is a research-oriented degree intended for full-time, on-campus students. The Master of Engineering is an evening degree designed for professionals with at least two years of work experience.

Which master's degree is right for me? 

If you are a working professional looking to learn skills to apply at your job, then the Master of Engineering is the right fit for you. If you are interested in pursuing research in ISE, are able to attend classes as a full-time day student, and may want to continue on to a Ph.D. program, the Master of Science is the appropriate program for you.

Which quarter can I start a master's program? 

Both the Master of Science and the Master of Engineering programs admit students for start in autumn quarter only.

Can I apply for Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM) status? 

You can apply for GNM status if you are a Global Integrated Systems Engineering (GISE) student. Learn more about GNM status within ISE.

What is the maximum time allowed to complete the graduate degrees? 

The maximum time allowed to complete either master's degree is six years. The maximum amount of time allowed to complete the Ph.D. is ten years.

International students

Am I an international applicant? 

You are an international applicant if you are not a U.S. citizen, immigrant, or green card holder. International students must have a U.S. visa status that allows academic study at the University of Washington. International applicants include students who hold U.S. visas, such as F-1, J-1 Exchange Visitors, H-1, dependent visas or any other non-immigrant classifications.

Learn more about Visa requirements on the Graduate School website.

Do I need to take an English proficiency exam? 

Unless you have completed a 4-year bachelor's degree program in the U.S., or your higher education was conducted entirely in English, you will need to take the TOEFL exam. A master's degree from the U.S. will not exempt you from this requirement.

What is the minimum required English proficiency exam score? 

The minimum required scores on the TOEFL is 92.

I missed the deadline for the Master of Science program. Can I apply to the Master of Industrial & Systems Engineering program instead? 

You can; however, international students will be accepted for online study only. International students are not eligible to study in residence at the University of Washington for the MISE program, because it does not meet the requirements for an F-1 visa.