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You must complete an application through the graduate school admissions website.

We require a fee of $60 for domestic applicants and $80 for international applicants at the time of application submission.Ìý

We understand that this fee presents a challenge for some applicants and are committed to providing educational opportunities for a diverse range of applicants and strives to waive application fees whenever possible.Ìý

• Graduate School fee waivers are available to U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents who meet certain criteria. Please view the Graduate Application FAQs webpage and view the "Are fee waivers accepted? How do I request one?" section for more information and how to request this waiver in your application.
• Domestic PhD candidates with a 3.4 or higher undergraduate GPA who submit their application prior to November 15, 2025Ìýwill receive an automatic application fee waiver upon submission of the application. For more information, go to the CEAS Application Fee Waiver page.
• International PhD applicants:
  • If you have the equivalent of a 3.4 or higherÌýundergraduate or graduate GPA AND have completed your application in full, you may apply for an application fee waiver by Nov. 15, 2025 by . We will review applications during the week of Nov. 15th and will notify applicants their waiver request outcomes during the week of November 17th. Because application fee waivers are very limited, not every competitive applicantÌýwill receive a waiver.Ìý
  • If you have identified a faculty member who is interested in possibly recruiting you, please ask them to email megrad@colorado.edu to request a fee waiver on your behalf.
• Fee waivers are also available directly from the department for PhD candidates who are not eligible for one of the above waivers andÌýare a U.S. citizen,ÌýU.S. permanent resident, or DACA recipient;Ìýand meet any one of the below criteria. To request a fee waiver from the department, please email an explanation or proof of financial hardship or your affiliation toÌýmegrad@colorado.eduÌýbefore you pay for your application fee.
  • The application fee is a financial hardship.
  • You are a first-generation college student.
  • You are/wereÌýinvolved in any organization aimed at increasing access to higher education and/or improving the higher education experience for students from underserved backgrounds. Some examples of organizations that meet this requirement include:
    • National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE)Ìý
    • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
    • TRiO program participant
    • ​CU ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Guardian Scholars Program
    • Bill and Melinda Gates Millenium Scholars
    • You are eligible for accommodations via the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Ìý

A complete academic CV detailing prior education, work and research experience, as well as honors, awards, publications, conference presentations and community engagement and outreach activities, must be provided.

A personal statement must be provided by each student that describes academic and research interests, prior research and professional experience, achievements and/or additional information that the admissions committee should be aware of. Students applying for the PhD program are encouraged to describe faculty and research groups with whom they are interested in pursuing research. The best personal statements tell a story and do not simply repeat information that can be found on the CV. Rather, the personal statement is where a student can outline their interests, future goals, and how their prior educational, research, and professional experiences have prepared and motivated them to pursue a graduate degree at CU ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ mechanical engineering.

Unofficial transcripts must be provided from coursework at all post-secondary institutions (including community college courses, courses taken for college credit during high school, and study abroad coursework, even if this coursework shows as transfer credit on another transcript). Applicants offered admission who choose to attend our graduate program will be required to provide official transcripts for all schools attended prior to the beginning of their first semester.

You must include three letters of recommendation in the application. Names and contact information for recommendation letter writers are solicited as part of the online application process. The strongest letters come from instructors/professors, research advisors, work supervisors, and others who can provide detailed comments on your potential to succeed in graduate-level engineering coursework and research.

If you are an international student, you submit an unofficial or official TOEFL,ÌýIELTS, or DuolingoÌýscore. If you are offered admission and wish to join our graduate program, you will beÌýrequired to provide official language scores in order to be issued an I-20 and apply for a visa.

The ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ institution code is 4841.Ìý

This requirement is waived for international students 1) whose native language is English, 2) who have completed at least one year of full-time study at a U.S. institution (or at an institution in a country where English is the native language)Ìýat the time of submissionÌýor within two years from the desired admission term,Ìýor 3)Ìýwho are a citizen of one of the countries listed on theÌýGraduate School English Proficiency Requirements webpage.