Admission is competitive. Normally, applicants are expected to have an earned baccalaureate degree in electrical engineering with at least a B average and to meet any other entry requirements of the Graduate School.

GRE scores must be submitted by all applicants to Electrical Engineering graduate programs. Students who have obtained a BS degree from the University of South Carolina and are applying for the ME program are exempt from the GRE requirement. International applicants must also submit TOEFL or IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam scores. All applicants should submit a statement of purpose (or similar essay) that describes the applicant's background, research interests, and whether or not financial aid is required. For students seeking a research-oriented degree (M.S. or Ph.D.), a preliminary contact with a research advisor is strongly suggested.

Typical successful students have GRE scores of at least 153 (verbal), 155 (quantitative), and 3.0 (analytical). A TOEFL score greater than 80 (internet-based) or 570 (paper-based) is also required by the Graduate School. The typical overall band score on the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam is 6.5.