Online Application

Learn about the graduate program online application process below.

Get Ready
  • Write your Statement of Purpose
  • Request transcripts and references
  • Read application instructions carefully
  • Attend a virtual information session September – November
Apply Online
  • Apply online through the Cockrell School of Engineering
  • Pay the application fee if applicable
    • Please allow two business days for an update regarding your fee post-submission
    • We are unable to refund fees once they have been paid
  • Admissions are done on a rolling basis, so it is strongly recommended you apply well in advance of the December 1 application deadline
MyStatus Portal
  • Receive email in 24-48 hours with login info and UT EID
  • Login to MyStatus to upload transcripts and other supplemental documents
  • Transcripts processed by Graduate School in 3-4 days
  • Periodically check to ensure all your documents have been received and processed and that your application is complete
Receive Notification
  • Admitted students will receive an offer letter by the end of January
Visit Weekend
  • Visit Weekend takes place in late February – early March and is by invitation only
Accept Offer
    • Admitted students need to accept or decline the offer by April 15.

    • The Cockrell School of Engineering processes all graduate engineering applications through a centralized system online. The university’s Graduate School processes all required test scores and transcripts. The applications, scores, and transcripts are then passed to the Chemical Engineering Graduate Studies Committee for review. Supporting documents should not be sent to the department directly and cannot be processed by the department.

      Carefully read the full application instructions on the UT Graduate School website. Please note: departments within the Cockrell School of Engineering do not use the ApplyTexas application; your application will be processed through the Cockrell School.

      When you apply, you will be asked to provide:

      • Completed application form
      • Contact details for references
      • Statement of purpose
      • Resume
      • Application fee ($65 for domestic students, $90 for international)
      • TOEFL or IELTS scores (International students must submit an official score report demonstrating an adequate knowledge of English. A list of exemptions for qualifying countries can be found here.)

      After you submit the online application, you will be sent a login to the MyStatus portal, and you will be asked to provide:

      • PDF copy/copies of official transcript/s from every senior college you have attended

start your application

Current Coursework

  • In the “Personal” section of the application, there is space to list up to six current courses. If you are completing a chemical engineering bachelor’s degree, then you do not need to complete this section.
  • If you are completing a degree in a different major, or if you feel that your current and upcoming courses are particularly relevant to your application, then complete this section. If you have more than six relevant courses, you should discuss the additional courses in your personal statement.

Experience and Scientific Products

  • In the “Program Specific” section of the application, you will be asked to include any research or relevant internship and work experience. You will also be asked to provide information about any scientific products you have presented, authored, or patented. These include conference poster presentations, oral presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and patents.
  • If you feel that items other than those that are listed help to explain your unique experiences and value you would bring to the program, incorporate them into your Statement of Purpose essay rather than listing them in this section of the application.

Statement of Purpose

A Statement of Purpose is a one- or two-page essay that explains the unique value you can bring to the department, and it’s a great place to share experiences or qualities that may not be fully communicated in your resume, transcripts, or letters of recommendation.

  • Describe the courses, jobs, professors, research, service projects, internships, and/or professional or volunteer activities that have shaped your aspirations as well as any foundational experiences that motivate your career goals.
  • Discuss how earning a Ph.D. will help you achieve your goals and why the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering is the ideal place to complete your graduate work.
  • Demonstrate your motivation and capacity to succeed. If you have any items in your application, such as low test scores or poor grades, this is your chance to tell us how you have overcome these setbacks and how you have applied the strategies you developed to achieve later successes.
  • Tell us about your research interests and let us know if there are any faculty in particular that you are interested in working with. Briefly describe your research experience, including how many months of documented experience you have had. Include any other indicators of how you have prepared for graduate-level research.

 

Finally, in order to support a holistic review, spend at least one paragraph discussing your strengths in 2-3 of the following areas:

  • Contributions to the enhancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and engineering
  • Community involvement
  • Leadership experience
  • Overcoming social, economic, or physical barriers
  • Self-motivation
  • Personal and/or professional ethics

Your current institution will likely have resources to help you compose your Statement of Purpose. You may also use resources from the University Writing Center at the University of Texas for generating content and writing the statement. Statement of Purpose is uploaded as a PDF in the “Essay” section of the online application.

Sending Test Scores

International Students only

  • After taking the TOEFL*at an Educational Testing Center, inform your testing center to send your score electronically using The University of Texas at Austin institution code 6882. The university collects test scores centrally and makes them available to all departments. Therefore, you do not need to add the department name when requesting the scores from ETS. If you do add a department name, the scores will still be available to all departments.
  • Applicants who have ordered test scores from ETS more than 10 business days ago but whose scores have not been added to their application should contact the Graduate Admissions Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.to follow up, including their EID in the email. Please do not contact the department regarding your test scores.
  • See the Graduate Admissions website for information on testing requirements and waivers. The minimum scores considered acceptable for admission by the Graduate School are TOEFL: 79 and IELTS: 6.5. More details are available through the Graduate School website.
  • International applicants who are from a country where English is the only official language are exempt from this requirement. A list of qualifying countries is maintained by the Graduate School. Contact the Graduate School with any questions. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or an institution in a country where English is the only official language. The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master’s—but not a bachelor’s—degree from a similar institution.

Uploading Transcripts to MyStatus Portal

Within 48 hours after submitting your application, you will be emailed your login to MyStatus Portal. This login is also your University of Texas Electronic Identity (UT EID). Please include this UT EID with any correspondence with the Graduate School or the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering.

You will need an official transcript from every senior college you have attended in order to complete your application. Official transcripts bear the facsimile signature of the registrar and the seal of the issuing institution.

  • DO carefully review and follow all Graduate School Admissions Office instructions on uploading transcripts. You will only have one opportunity to upload transcripts and mistakes could significantly delay processing of your application. All official transcripts must be uploaded by the deadline of December 1.
  • DO create a PDF of the official transcript (front and back) issued to you by your school registrar to upload into the MyStatus portal. You can scan your official transcript or, if your official transcript was sent to you electronically, save it as a PDF. (Yes, uploading a scanned copy of your official transcript is acceptable. If you are admitted to the program, you will be asked to submit the original document to the Graduate School before you register for classes. No, you may not upload an unofficial transcript. Yes, it’s confusing.)
  • DO NOT send paper, electronic or password-protected transcripts to the Graduate School or to the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. These formats are not accepted and cannot be processed or added to your application.

If you are concerned that you will not be able to upload your official transcripts before the application deadline, you may upload a PDF of your unofficial transcripts as a miscellaneous document through the MyStatus Portal. Do not upload unofficial transcripts as a transcript; this will significantly delay your application. If you do this, please email the graduate coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inform the department that your unofficial transcripts are available as a miscellaneous document.

Official transcripts are reviewed by the Graduate School before being added to your MyStatus Portal. This process can take 3-4 days. If you have questions about your transcripts, do not contact the department. Contact the Graduate School at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions and include your full name and UT EID in all correspondence.

Checking Status and Uploading Additional Documents

  • You can use MyStatus portal to see which documents have been received, such as test scores, letters of recommendation, and transcripts. While you cannot delete documents already uploaded in the system (such as Resume or Statement of Purpose), you can upload a new version through the portal. The admissions committee will consider the most recent version.
  • Transcripts and other supporting documents mustbe sent to Graduate Admissions. Do NOT send supporting documents to the department.

Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring all required documents are received by Graduate Admissions by the appropriate deadline.  The department will not make a decision on admission until Graduate Admissions processes these documents.

Notification of Admittance

  • Admitted students for the fall will receive an offer letter by early January and need to accept or decline the offer byApril 15th. All candidates can check their application status online through the Graduate School. Please do not contact the department regarding your admissions decision.
  • The department's graduate recruitment weekend is by invitation only.
  • The department’s graduate coordinator should be your first point of contact for information about the program if you cannot find the information you need in the links above.
  • Please read all the information on this website and the Graduate School’s website carefully before contacting the graduate coordinator. As the application deadline nears, it may take 4-5 days for the graduate coordinator to respond to inquiries; please do not send multiple requests for the same information.

start your application