FAQ

The Mechanical Engineering and Reliability Engineering graduate program information pages.

The Graduate School’s Admissions FAQs page.

Prospective and New International Student Information.

1. Can I submit my application but add additional documents later? (example: late test scores, final transcripts, etc.)
   1. We recommend applicants wait to submit their application until they can submit all documents they are responsible for. However, applicants do not need to wait until all letters of recommendation are submitted to submit their application.
2. I’m interested in applying but I don’t have a 3.0 GPA. Should I still apply?
   1. The Graduate School requires as a minimum standard an average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate courses taken at a regionally accredited college or university, as calculated by the institution that conferred the bachelor’s degree.
3. I’m interested in applying but I don’t have a degree in engineering, math, or physical science. Should I still apply? Are there any prerequisites I need to take in order to make up for not having the ‘right’ degree?
   1. Most of our students should have taken the following courses:
      1. Fluid Mechanics
      2. Heat Transfer
      3. Thermodynamics
      4. Strength of Materials
      5. Dynamics, Vibrations, and Controls.
   2. We also look for multiple advanced math courses (calculus, differential equations, etc.). Applicants should also talk with specific faculty they’re interested in working with to discuss if any specific courses are required.
4. Can you tell me whether or not a decision has been made on my application yet? How can I check the status of my application?
   1. Notification of official admission and application status updates are made through the application portal only. We cannot answer questions regarding admission status via email or phone.
5. Can I edit my application after it has been submitted?
   1. If you need to make any changes after you have submitted your application, you must contact the Graduate School at gradappsupport@umd.edu.
6. If my test scores/letters arrive after the deadline, will my application still be considered?
   1. Yes. We understand that when these documents arrive can be out of the control of the applicant. However, please plan accordingly and request scores and letters as soon as possible. We cannot make a complete review of applications without these documents.
7. I have already submitted my test scores. Why hasn't my application been updated?
   1. It can take up to two weeks after the Graduate School receives your materials for them to be processed and attached to your application. If your application status has not been updated two weeks after your test scores have been sent, please email gradappsupport@umd.edu to check on their status. Please note, there are frequent instances when an applicant uses different names or abbreviation of names for the application versus ETS, and then it is more difficult to match the two up.
8. What happens if I submit my application after the priority deadline?
   1. Applicants who submit their application after the priority deadline will still be considered for admission and for funding. We encourage all applicants to submit their applications as close to the priority deadline as possible.
      1. Applicants who submit their application after the priority deadline will still be considered for admission and for funding. We encourage all applicants to submit their applications as close to the priority deadline as possible.
9. Should I apply to Mechanical Engineering or Reliability Engineering?
   1. Applicants should apply to either Mechanical Engineering (ENME) or Reliability Engineering (ENRE). Applications for the two programs are reviewed separately. Please apply to the program that best aligns with your educational intent.

1. Do my recommenders on my application have a deadline they need to comply with?
   1. We recommend that recommenders submit their letters as soon as possible so our department can begin a full review of the application. However, we always understand that it is generally out of the hands of the applicant as to when the letters of recommendation are submitted.
2. The admissions website states that the program requires 3 letters of recommendations. Can recommendations be from people in a relevant industry or do they need to be academic?
   1. Yes, applicants can have a mix of academic and industry recommenders. We would prefer to see at least 2 academic recommenders.
3. How can I make changes to my recommenders?
   1. To add or to cancel a recommender prior to submission, log into your on-line application and update your ‘Recommendation Provider List’ in the Recommendations section. Recommenders may only be deleted if they have not submitted a recommendation.
4. How can I resend recommendation requests?
   1. To resend recommendation requests, you should log into your graduate application and go to the "Recommendations" section. In this screen, click "resend" next to the name of the recommender who has not received the request.
5. What should I do if my recommender cannot submit online?
   1. If your recommender is experiencing difficulties with submitting the letter of recommendation in the application portal, we would suggest reaching out to our office at megrad@umd.edu and copy gradappsupport@umd.edu. The University does accept Interfolio, and anyone wishing to use that service to submit their LORs, should contact the Graduate School.

1. Which programs can be completed fully online? Would I ever need to be in-person for any reason?
   1. Courses offered through our Reliability Engineering MS and PhD programs can be completed online. Completing any part of the program remotely must be approved by the applicant’s/student’s faculty advisor. Additionally, the academic milestones must be completed in person. For the MS, this is the Thesis defense and for the PhD these are the Qualifying Exam, Proposal Presentation, Dissertation Defense.
2. Does the department offer conditional admission?
   1. We do not offer conditional admission.
3. Where can I find post-graduate employment outcomes/statistics for the department?
   1. The A. James Clark School of Engineering’s Career Center has a listing of all of this information. The information can be found at this link.
4. I reached out to the faculty members that I would like to work with multiple times but they haven’t responded. Does this mean that they are disinterested? Will this hurt my chances of being accepted?
   1. Our faculty receive hundreds of emails each day. If you’ve emailed the faculty member you’re interested in multiple times, we recommend reviewing our faculty directory again for additional faculty you might be interested in working with.
5. Can you tell me which of my classes I can transfer over for credit before I apply/am admitted?
   1. For information on our transfer policy, please see this page, listed under “Coursework Requirements”. We cannot confirm which classes can be transferred until after students are enrolled.
6. Is contacting a faculty member one of the criteria for the admission process?
   1. It is not a requirement to contact faculty for the admissions process, but we highly recommend that all applicants contact any of our faculty they're interested in working with. You can find our ENME faculty directory here and our ENRE faculty directory here.
7. What is the difference between the Professional Masters of Engineering Program (PMME/PMRE) and the Mechanical Engineering/Reliability Engineering Program (ENME/ENRE)?
   1. Unlike the research-oriented ENME/ENRE programs, the Master of Engineering program is a professionally-oriented program designed to help working engineers gain the skills they need to advance in the industry (no thesis requirement). For more information about the Master of Engineering program, please consult Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering.
8. I am currently a graduate student enrolled at another university. How can I transfer into the Mechanical/Reliability Engineering graduate program?
   1. There is not a separate process to transfer into the ENME/ENRE graduate programs. Instead, applicants must apply to either the ENME or the ENRE program as outlined on our admissions page. After matriculation into the ENME/ENRE graduate program, M.S. students may petition to transfer up to six graduate credits from a regionally accredited university as long as those credits are not part of a completed degree. Ph.D. students with a Master’s degree from an accredited institution may be eligible to transfer up to 24 credits.
9. If I apply to M.S., do I have to do a thesis?
   1. The Reliability Engineering M.S. program has both thesis and non-thesis options; please indicate your intended option in your statement of purpose. The Mechanical Engineering M.S. program requires a thesis.
10. I want to study Reliability Engineering, but your department is named Mechanical Engineering. Should I pick Mechanical Engineering as my educational intent when I apply?
    1. No, you should select Reliability Engineering as your intended degree program. The Reliability Engineering program accepts students from all engineering backgrounds. While you will be aligned with the Mechanical Engineering department administratively, we match Reliability Engineering students with advisors from multiple departments, as listed in our ENRE faculty directory.

1. What is the possibility of getting funding after securing admission? I would like to get a scholarship/fellowship/assistantship that covers my expenses and the cost of attendance for the M.S/Ph.D. program.
   1. Most of our students are fully funded for their program through their faculty advisor in the form of a Research Assistantship or a Teaching Assistantship. There is not a separate application to be considered for funding. All applicants are automatically considered for funding.
2. What is the cost of tuition and fees?
   1. Please refer to the website of the Office of the Bursar for information regarding tuition and fees.
3. What are the annual living expenses for graduate students?
   1. The Office of Student Financial Aid provides an estimated cost of attendance.

1. Is the GRE required? Will my application be considered if I don’t submit GRE scores?
   1. The GRE is currently waived for the 2024 admissions cycle. Applicants are welcome to submit those scores, but it is not mandatory. All applications will be reviewed holistically and no part of the application is considered over another part.
2. What are the minimum TOEFL and IELTS score requirements?
   1. The minimum TOEFL and IELTS score requirements are set by the Graduate School and are available on their website. Our admissions committee will take into consideration international applicants’ TOEFL and IELTS scores. If you do not meet the minimum requirement, you may still apply to our department.
3. Who is exempt from taking the TOEFL?
   1. Students who will be awarded a degree from the U.S., United Kingdom, Anglophone Africa, Anglophone Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and the Commonwealth Caribbean prior to enrolling in the University of Maryland are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS. For US citizens or permanent residents with foreign credentials, if your native language is not English and you do not hold a degree from an institution in the US or one of the Anglophone countries and areas previously listed, you will be required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
4. My test score will expire on XXX date. Do I need to retake it?
   1. We will accept your test score if we receive it before it expires.