GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Thank you for your interest in our department. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department has been in existence as a separate entity since 1984. It has a faculty of 31 full-time professors, all of whom serve as Graduate Advisers to our 285 graduate students. All our faculty are engaged in research projects, usually externally funded, that produce leading contributions to engineering and science.
Please note that admission to the department is quite competitive. Recently admitted applicants have had a mean grade point average of 3.5, while their Graduate Record Examination scores on the Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical sections have averaged 62%, 90%, and 85 % respectively.
Please review our admissions requirements before beginning the application.
CONTACT
Mailing Address for Application Documents:
Student Services Office
University of California, Los Angeles
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
420 Westwood Plaza, 48-121 Engineering IV Bldg.
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597
Application Status and Decision Status
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to the large volume of applications that are received, we will not respond to application status inquiries via email, fax, phone, or regular mail. We will update the online "Application in Progress" page at the Graduate Division's website. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
E-mail questions about the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Graduate Program to Ms. Angie Castillo
DEADLINES
The Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department will consider applications for Fall Quarter admission only for International applicants. Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents. Due to the amount of applications received this deadline is strictly observed. Arrange to have all application documents sent to our department by this date. If documents are submitted after this deadline the applicants’ file may be reviewed by the Admissions Committee while still incomplete.
| Quarter Deadline: | ||
| Winter | October 1 | (Domestic) |
| Spring | December 31 | (Domestic) |
| Fall | January 5 | (International & Domestic) |
APPLICATION FEE
The application fee is devoted to the administrative cost of processing all applications received, and is not refundable under any circumstances, regardless of the outcome, the date of filing, time of review, or if the application is withdrawn.
The nonrefundable application fee is $60 for citizen/permanent residents and $80 for international students. The fee can be paid by credit card or by check. If you wish to pay by credit card, UCLA accepts the following cards: Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Card. Please make checks payable to the Regents of the University of California. If a check is written for you by someone else, be sure your name and other identifying information (Social Security number, date of birth, department to which you are applying, etc.) appear on the face of the check.
The application fee must be paid before an application can be processed.
International applicants must remit the fee in U.S. dollars by credit card, international money order, or by a check, payable to the Regents of the University of California. A check submitted from abroad must have on it the name and address of the U.S. bank through which international transactions are cleared. Cash, UNESCO coupons, international postal money orders, or Eurochecks cannot be accepted at UCLA.
APPLICATION MATERIAL REQUIRED
· 2 Official Transcripts (mail)
· 3 Letters of Recommendation (on-line)
· Statement of Purpose (on-line)
· Supplemental Form (on-line)
· GRE test scores (electronically)
· TOEFL test scores (international students (electronically)
· Financial Statement (international students (mail)
TRANSCRIPTS
Please submit two official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. International applicants, please submit two official transcripts, degree certificates and/or diplomas. All documents must bear the actual seal and/or signature of the Registrar. Photocopies are not accepted. Do not send the original of an academic record which cannot be replaced; obtain a properly certified copy instead. All transcripts and credentials are evaluated by the UCLA Graduate Admissions Office in terms of UCLA equivalency.
To apply for the M.S. or M.Eng. degree, applicants should have a B.S. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or equivalent, with a grade point average (GPA) of not less than 3.0/4.0 in the last two years of undergraduate study. To apply for the Ph.D. degree applicants should meet the requirements for the M.S., or possess an M.S. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or equivalent, with a GPA of not less than 3.25/4.0. Meeting the above minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Three letters of recommendation are required. When submitting your on-line application, you will be required to list one e-mail address for each recommender. Once these addresses have been submitted, each recommender will be notified electronically by UCLA, and they will then forward their letters of recommendation on your behalf to our department via e-mail.
NO Hard Copies of Letters of Recommendation are Required -OR ACCEPTED. Only E-MAILED recommendations sent directly from your recommenders will be accepted.
For the M.S. and M.Eng. programs: we recommend that you provide letters of recommendation from professors who have taught you in your junior and senior years.
For the Ph.D. program: we urge that all your letters be from academic references as recent as possible; if you have an M.S., letters from professors who have served on your M.S. committee are particularly helpful. If you cannot obtain academic references, the letters should be from people who can comment on your recent professional attainments and your qualifications for graduate study.
Confidentiality.
Applicants are not permitted to inspect letters of recommendation in their UCLA files. If you are admitted to UCLA and enroll, you will then have access to your letters of recommendation unless you have previously waived the right of access on the on-line application.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
This form is filled out during the on-line application process. This statement should be precise and brief. Your statement is a mean of helping us match your academic and research interests with those of our faculty (this is very important if you are applying for financial support). It should not be a personal life history; it should contain only such personal details as will aid the Admissions Committee in evaluating your application. Describe exactly what you wish to study at UCLA. "Mechanical Engineering", for example is not specific enough. State what branch of Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering interests you, i.e., structural and solid mechanics, dynamic, systems and control, heat and mass transfer, etc. For more information regarding specific fields of study in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, see Graduate Research Areas.
SUPPLEMENTAL FORM
This form is filled out during the on-line application process. Be sure to complete all sections of the supplement form. Because faculty members may wish to contact you before making a decision, it is important to have your correspondence information as accurate as possible. Do not leave blank any dates for institutions attended and be sure to state the beginning and end dates of attendance (by month/year).
It is also imperative to indicate your preferred area of specialization (i.e. field of study) on your supplement form. To help you choose the area that best suits your needs and interests, be sure to explore the information in the Graduate Research Areas.
GRADUATE RECORD EXAM (GRE)
GRE scores on the General (Aptitude) test are required for admission to both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. All students applying for Fall 2008 admission should take the GRE test no later than November 2007. The test must be taken within the last five (5) years before the desired date of admission. Arrange to have ETS forward the scores to our office.
Institution Code = 4837
Mechanical Code = 1502
Aerospace Code = 1601
Manufacturing Code = 1399
The required GRE results are: Verbal, above the 20th percentile; Quantitative, above the 85th percentile; Analytical, above the 75th percentile; Analytical Writing score above 4.5.
The GRE subject test is not required.
Check testing schedule and registration information on the GRE homepage.
TOEFL EXAMINATION
The TOEFL examination is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Applications may be obtained from ETS, Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151, or consult the TOEFL website at www.toefl.org
The results of this test help applicants determine whether they are prepared to undertake graduate study conducted in English before making extensive plans for graduate study in the U.S. A TOEFL score of at least 560 on the paper and pencil test, 220 on the computer based test or 87 on the iBT test is the minimum required for applicants to graduate programs at UCLA.
Institution Code = 4837
Department Code = 68
International applicants who hold a bachelor's or higher degree from a university located in the United States or in another country in which English is the spoken language and the medium of instruction, or who have completed at least two years of full-time study at such an institution, are exempted from the TOEFL requirement.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The office of Graduate Admissions at UCLA requires that international admits prove that they have at least US $44,377.00 at their disposal for the first academic year. According to U.S. Immigration and Naturalization regulations, the University may issue Certificates of Eligibility (I-20 forms) for visas only to applicants who have been offered admission and have submitted documented evidence (e.g. bank statements, letters of sponsorship, etc.) of sufficient funds for their study at UCLA. These documents must bear the appropriate seals and signatures as well as state the full name of the applicant and the amount of the support offered. Please arrange to have these documents sent to our office by the application deadline. If Financial Statements are not received by the time of admission the I-20 form may be significantly delayed.
For more information about international students at UCLA visit the
Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS).
Financial Statement Form (PDF)
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Anticipated Expenses for Studying at UCLA 2007-2008
To qualify for a visa to study in the United States, you must provide the United States consulate or embassy with substantial proof of adequate funding for the entire course of your study in the U.S.
According to U.S. Immigration and Naturalization regulations, the University may issue Certificates of Eligibility for visas only to applicants who:
1) have been offered admission and have formally accepted the offer (completed the on-line Statement of Intent to Register and Statement of Legal Residence),
and
2) have submitted documented evidence (e.g., bank statements, letters of sponsorship, etc.) of sufficient funds for their first year of study at UCLA.
The total amount of money needed for living and educational expenses for the 2007-2008 academic year for most programs at UCLA is 1) US $24,469.00 for tuition and fees for three quarters, and 2) US $19,908.00 for basic living costs (food, rent, laundry, local transportation, books and supplies, etc.). Therefore, you need to prove that you will have at least US $44,377.00 at your disposal for the first year.
New students in professional degree programs will need additional funding to meet professional school fees and other program-related fees, depending on the program
If you have a sponsor who intends to provide monthly living expenses, that amount must be at least $2,212.00 per month (i.e., $2,212.00 multiplied by nine months equals $19,908.00).
If you plan to bring your family, you should expect to add the following costs: US $4,500.00 for your spouse, plus US $2,000.00 for each child. Health insurance is mandatory and is included in the above figure for tuition and fees.
Please note: These figures are subject to change without notice.
It is best to plan to have additional funding well beyond the minimum currently required and to indicate this on the Confidential Financial Statement.
Those admitted to professional master's programs in Management, Nursing, Film and Television, Architecture, or Theater should expect to need additional funding for fees and expenses in those majors.
Please note that you should not expect any financial support from UCLA unless you have been officially notified, in writing, of such an award by the department or by the Graduate Division. Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Student Researcher appointments, fellowships, and stipends, as well as tuition fellowships, are not guaranteed for the full academic year or for subsequent years of study, unless stated in writing.
The difficulty of gaining off-campus employment, and of non-immigrant visa holders obtaining permission for such employment, is strongly emphasized. Spouses of F-1 visa holders, who hold F-2 visas, are not permitted to work under any circumstances.
At certain times of the year, you must have large sums of money available to cover payment of required expenses: Upon arrival, plan to spend US$10,000.00 12,000.00 on initial rental deposits, your first month's living expenses and the first term's tuition and fees. Tuition and fees for each term must be paid during the registration period prior to the beginning of the term, so you should plan your budget accordingly.
HELPFUL LINKS
Graduate Division
Orientation Guide
Standards & Procedures
Syllabus
Schedule of Classes
Calendar
Fees
My UCLA
CourseWeb
URSA
Bruin Card
Campus Maps
Campus Libraries
Housing
Parking
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International students