DEGREE Mechanical Engineering: Research, MS

Admissions

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

*

Submitted scores will not be used in admission decisions.

Applicant Considerations

Applicants to our program should have the following:

1. Degree
   1. ​Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering OR Bachelor of Science in any other engineering or physics and natural science discipline.
   2. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree. Review the Graduate School webpage to learn more about comparable degrees by country. 
2. GPA
   1. ​The Department of Mechanical Engineering prefers a 3.2/4.0 GPA.
   2. The minimum GPA to be reviewed by the admission committee is 3.0.
3. Faculty Advisor​
   1. Applicants must seek out and secure their own faculty advisor as part of the application process. This may be done prior to, during, and/or after submission of the online application.
   2. To seek out a faculty advisor, review the department Research and People websites. Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors are eligible to be graduate advisors. Please do not contact Emeritus faculty, lecturers, Research Scientists, or Faculty Associates. 
   3. You are encouraged to inquire about possible funding opportunities. (See Funding tab in the right-side column on this page for funding information.)

Application Materials

In addition to the items listed in the table above, a complete application includes the following uploaded to the online application. The submitted application and all application items are due by the deadline above. 

1. Unofficial Transcripts (PDF)
   1. ​Most up-to-date unofficial transcript(s) from all previous higher education institutions, regardless of whether a degree was earned. Official transcripts are only requested of recommended applicants.
   2. International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Review the minimum requirements link above to learn more. 
2. Statement of Purpose
   1. ​In this document, applicants should explain why they want to pursue further education in Mechanical Engineering, specifically this program and which UW faculty they are interested in doing research with.
   2. The Department of Mechanical Engineering graduate program does not have a required font, word limit, etc. However, we do recommend (not require) a maximum of 2 pages.
   3. See the Graduate School for more advice on how to structure a personal statement.
3. Resume​
4. Three Letters of Recommendation
   1. ​These letters are required from people who can accurately reflect on the applicant’s academics and/or work performance. 
   2. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically through the online application.
   3. See the Graduate School FAQs regarding letters of recommendation. 
5. Application Fee
   1. ​Application submission must be accompanied by the application fee. See the Graduate School FAQs regarding fees. 
   2. Fee grants are available through the conditions outlined here by the Graduate School.

Reentry Admissions

Review the Graduate School requirements for previously enrolled students. Contact the Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Services (see Contact Box for link) with questions. 

Currently Enrolled Graduate Student Admissions

Students currently enrolled as graduate students at UW-Madison wishing to apply to this degree programs should contact the Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Services (see Contact Box for link) to inquire about the process and deadlines. 

Questions

Contact the Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Services (see Contact Box for link).

Tuition

Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).

View tuition rates

Funding

Graduate School Resources

The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

There are three mechanisms for Graduate Student funding through the university for MS Mechanical Engineering: Research students:

1. Fellowships
2. Graduate assistantships: project assistantships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships
3. Traineeships 

Funding is awarded based on the qualifications of the student, the number of applicants, the amount of available funding, the number of continuing students receiving support, and the degree program a student is enrolled in. Fellowship and research assistantship funding is only considered for thesis-based MS students. You can apply for funding for research assistantships by contacting individual faculty members directly. Review our website to look for faculty (only those listed with titles of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor can serve as graduate student advisors). Search for faculty who have research interests that align closely with your own by viewing faculty directory entries, visiting the faculty’s website (linked from the directory page), and reviewing publications by the faculty member. After you have identified faculty with interests close to your own, you are encouraged to contact them by email to inquire regarding available research assistant positions. The admissions office does not know if a particular professor has research assistant positions available.

Students who apply to the MS Research program will be automatically considered for fellowship opportunities within the department. Admitted students will be eligible to apply for Teaching Assistantship positions. More information, including the application, will be available to students after admission is complete.

More information on graduate student funding is available from the UW-Madison Graduate School.

Additional Resources

Office of Student Financial Aid

For information regarding student financial aid, scholarships, and more, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid website. 

International Student Services Funding and Scholarships

For information regarding international student funding and scholarships, visit the International Student Services website.

Global industry partners and U.S. government agencies (like the Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation) entrust Badger engineers to design and conduct complex research into a wide range of theoretical and practical questions. Our faculty and student lab teams create a deeply collaborative research environment to study problems ranging from renewable energy to soft robotics and osteoarthritis to vehicle traction on the Moon.

View our research

Minimum graduate school requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Curricular Requirements

Required Courses

All courses for the Mechanical Engineering graduate program must be numbered 400 and above. Exception: Up to one course (3 credits) numbered 300-399 in engineering, math, or the sciences taken at UW-Madison can also be used towards the formal course credit requirement. This course can be from Mechanical Engineering (M E) and/or Engineering Mechanics (E M A) only if approved by the student’s advisor and the Mechanical Engineering graduate committee. 

¹

An overall grade of S is required. M E 890 and/or M E 990 may be used in place of, or addition to, M E 790.

²

Formal credits/courses are any course offering that is not a seminar course, thesis/research course, independent study, co-op/internship, etc. 

Advisor Approval of Study Plan

The faculty advisor must always approve the courses a student takes in the MS program. Students should schedule an appointment with their advisor when selecting their courses. During the final semester, the faculty advisor will review the courses taken again and if approved, sign the warrant request form.

Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering
2107 Mechanical Engineering Building
1513 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Graduate Student Services
megradadmission@engr.wisc.edu
3182 Mechanical Engineering Building
1513 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706

Associate Chair for Graduate Studies
grad.chair@me.wisc.edu