An applicant whose native language is not English must present an IELTS score of 6.5 or alternatively, a TOEFL score of at least 80 on the TOELF ibt. Normally, to be considered for admission, a non-U.S. citizen shall have completed a four-year undergraduate degree. A minimum 2.75 overall GPA on a 4.00 system or a 3.20 GPA with 15 or more semester hours of graduate work at an accredited institution.
Students seeking admission to the Ph.D. program in Mechanical Engineering must meet all requirements for admission to the Graduate School and shall have satisfied the requirements (or equivalent) for the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at NIU. Students with backgrounds in fields other than mechanical engineering are encouraged to apply, but may be required to take a sequence of core mechanical engineering courses as part of the doctoral program. Students seeking admission who possess a master's degree will also be expected to have met the above requirements. In addition, the department asks for a personal statement along with three letters of recommendation. Admission to the Ph.D. program is not automatic for students completing their M.S. degree in the department. Master's students who desire to continue on to the Ph.D. must apply for admission. Nondegree applicants may be admitted for no more than 8 semester hours.