University of Houston

To be unconditionally admitted to the M.S. thesis or non-thesis program, an applicant should have:

• a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or in a related field, preferably from an accredited engineering program.
• a grade point average of at least 3.00 out of 4.00 on the last 60 semester credit hours attempted exclusive of grades received for activities such as seminars, physical education, industrial internships, etc. (GPA Calculator)
• an adequate score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Texas law prohibits the definition of minimum acceptable scores on the GRE. However, 160 to 163 is a typical average score on the Quantitative section across all degree programs for an admission class.
• a minimum score of 6.5 on the IELTS or 79 on the internet-based TOEFL examination for students whose native language is not English.
• three letters of recommendation attesting to the student’s capacity to perform in the classroom and (for applicants to the thesis program) in a research capacity. A minimum of two letters should be from tenure-track faculty members who have observed the academic performance of the applicant, and one can come from an engineering industry supervisor.
• a statement of purpose that is consistent with the areas of instruction and (for applicants to the thesis program) the current research areas within the Department. The “Application for Financial Aid and Statement of Purpose” form available on the Application section of this website allows the applicant to specify areas of interest, and it lists issues to address in the statement of purpose.

Acceptance to the program is based on a competitive combination of academic background, GRE scores, and recommendation letters and Statement of Purpose. Domestic applicants who are not clearly competitive in all three areas may be admitted on a conditional basis at the discretion of the Director of Admissions. Nonimmigrant visa holders may not be admitted conditionally.