CE Graduate Admissions FAQ

• What is the application deadline? Is there an application fee?

  FALL ENROLLMENT – February 1* is the priority deadline. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until April 15.

  SPRING ENROLLMENT – September 1** is the priority deadline. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30.

  SUMMER ENROLLMENT – Students are only admitted to a summer term under special circumstances (e.g., recruited students with assistantship offers when agreed upon by the student and their faculty advisor). Other summer term applications will be evaluated for Fall enrollment.

  *Applications may be submitted after February 1 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until April 15. Incomplete applications (missing supporting materials) will not be reviewed until all supporting material is received. Applications that are completed, with all supporting materials received, after April 15 will be reviewed for Spring enrollment.

  **Applications may be submitted after September 1 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30. Incomplete applications (missing supporting materials) will not be reviewed until they are completed. Applications that are completed, with all supporting materials received, after September 30 will be reviewed for Fall enrollment.

  Application Fee

  As of January 2023, Clemson University no longer charges an application fee.

• Can I apply to the Ph.D. program without an M.S. degree?

  Yes, Civil Engineering accepts “direct entry to Ph.D.” applicants. Applicants who apply directly to the Ph.D. program from their B.S. program should have strong credentials, including demonstrated research experience and the highest academic achievement.

  During the application review process, faculty might make the decision to admit a direct entry applicant to the M.S. program instead of the Ph.D. program if it is determined that the M.S. program would be a better fit for the student.

• Where can I learn more about the specialty areas within Civil Engineering?

  Applicants will select a specialty area of study when they apply to the Civil Engineering graduate program.

  • Construction Materials
  • Construction Engineering and Management
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Transportation Systems
  • Water Resources

  Each specialty area has its own curricular/course requirements – more information can be found on the Civil Engineering Specialty Areas section of our website. Applicants should only apply to one Specialty Area. Students who submit applications to more than one Specialty Area will be asked to select one application to be reviewed. Students will follow the course requirements for the Specialty Area in which they were accepted.

• If GRE scores are optional, what is the benefit of submitting them with my application?

  GRE SCORES OPTIONAL: Not submitting GRE scores will not count against an applicant; however, submitting competitive scores may boost the strength of an application. Competitive GRE scores may offset weaker aspects of an application packet or demonstrate ability in situations where a student’s previous institution is unknown to the reviewers or is not as rigorous as other institutions. It may also provide faculty reviewers more confidence to extend an offer for admissions or, possibly, an assistantship offer.

  Reasons applicants may choose to submit GRE scores:

  • Your GPA is less than 3.0.
  • You have been out of school for a while.
  • You are interested in research.
  • You are not confident of the strengths of your letters of reference.
  • You have already taken the exam and have strong scores.

  Reasons applicants may opt out of submitting GRE scores:

  • You have a strong academic background (institution and grades).
  • You are confident in the strength of your letters of reference.
  • You are an M.S. applicant pursuing the coursework-only track.
• What language proficiency exams are accepted, and what are the minimum score requirements?

  Information on accepted language proficiency tests can be found on the Graduate School website. Official scores must be submitted by the testing agency.

  A foreign college or university that provides instruction solely in English and is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s or graduate degree can satisfy the English Proficiency requirement. Clemson University Graduate Admission and Civil Engineering use the IAU WHED World Higher Education Database when determining whether institutions qualify for the satisfaction of the English Language Proficiency Requirement.

  You can verify whether your institution meets this requirement by looking up your institution in the IAU WHED World Higher Education Database. If English is not the sole language of instruction listed, if no language is listed at all, or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, applicants are required to submit English proficiency exam scores. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) may be used.

  Institutional Code for Submission of Scores

  Clemson’s institutional code is 5111. A departmental code is not needed.

• Does CE offer conditional language admission for participants in ESL programs?
  Civil Engineering does not offer conditional language admission for ESL students.
• Is Civil Engineering at Clemson a STEM program?
  Yes, Civil Engineering is a designated STEM program.
• I've applied. When will I receive my decision?

  The application review windows are as follows:

  Fall Enrollment: February 1 – April 15

  Spring Enrollment: September 1 – September 30

  Faculty will review applications on a rolling basis during the application review windows referenced above. Applications will not be reviewed before the start dates of the review periods; applications that are completed after the review period ends will be reviewed during the next review period.

  Applications will not be reviewed by CE faculty until all supporting materials have been received by Graduate Admissions. Once an application becomes complete (all supporting materials received), please allow 3-4 weeks for a decision to be released.

  Remember, during the review dates stated above, the 3–4-week application review period begins at the time of the application being completed, not from the time of submission.

• Do I need to submit a separate application to be considered for funding?

  A separate application is not needed to apply for funding. Faculty make these decisions at the time of the application review. Applicants who are interested in research should indicate their research interests in their Personal Statement, specifically how their research interests align with the current research being conducted in their intended academic Specialty Area. See the Civil Engineering Research pages for information on current research.

  It is not necessary to contact an advisor to secure funding when you apply. Your Personal Statement within the application will be reviewed by the faculty to determine how or if your research interests and experience align with active research in your Specialty Area. Funding decisions are based on several factors, including the applicant’s academic/research background, availability of funds, and compatibility of research interests.

Accepted Students Questions

• When will funding decisions be made? How will I be notified?

  Teaching and research assistantships are made by individual faculty members based on several factors, including credentials, compatibility of research interests, and availability of funding. Faculty typically make decisions about funding at the time of application review. Students who are selected to receive funding will receive notification by email from the Student Services Manager, which will include an offer letter and assistantship contract. It is not necessary to contact the Department to request funding – you will be notified by email if you are selected.

  Accepted students who are not selected to receive funding will also be notified within one month of decisions being released. Funding decisions are final.

• How will I know if I will be following the M.S. Thesis or M.S. Non-Thesis pathway?

  M.S. applicants who receive a graduate assistantship will follow the M.S. Thesis pathway. Students who do not receive funding will follow the M.S. Non-Thesis (coursework only) pathway. Please refer to the Specialty Area section of our website for more information on the thesis/non-thesis requirements for your specific area of study.

• I applied to the Ph.D. program in CE. Why was I accepted into the M.S. program instead?

  Students who apply directly to the Ph.D. program without an M.S. degree may be accepted into the M.S. program if the faculty determines that this is a more suitable path. These decisions are based on the faculty review of the applicant’s credentials, academic background, and research experience. Decisions to accept a direct entry Ph.D. student into the M.S. program are made at the discretion of the faculty, and all decisions are final.

  Students accepted into the M.S. program instead of the Ph.D. program will follow the M.S. Non-Thesis track (coursework only).

• What is the cost of attending (tuition and fees)?

  Please refer to the Clemson University Tuition and Fees Calculator to determine the cost of attending per semester.  Be sure to select the “Graduate” tab at the top of the calculator.

• I am an international student. How do I get my I-20?

  I-20 documents are prepared by the Clemson University Office of International Students. Information on the process of receiving your I-20 can be found on the Request Certificate page. International Services also has an International Student Arrival Guide, which will be a helpful resource as you make plans to attend Clemson.

  Please be aware that you must indicate “Attending” in the application portal before you can begin the I-20 process. Questions related to I-20s should be directed to IS@clemson.edu.

• How do I learn more about mandatory health insurance for enrolled graduate students?

  Information about student health insurance can be found on the Student Health Services website.  All questions related to health insurance should be directed to this office.

• I am unable to enroll at Clemson for the semester that I was accepted. Can I defer my admission?

  Accepted students are permitted to defer their admission for up to one calendar year from the original start date. Those who choose to defer their admission to a later semester should send an email to cegraduate@clemson.edu to request a deferral, including their full name and desired date of enrollment.

  Please note – if you did not receive funding for your original start semester, deferring will not improve the likelihood of your receiving an assistantship offer. Funding decisions are made at the time of the original application review and are final.

  Deferral requests for students who received assistantship offers will be approved at the discretion of the faculty member who made the offer of funding. There is no guarantee that a request to defer will be granted.

• When is CE orientation for new graduate students?

  New CE Student Orientation takes place each semester on the Tuesday before the first day of class.  Time and location will be communicated by email one month prior to the date. All students are expected to attend.

Registration and Advising

• Who is my academic advisor?

  Ph.D. and M.S. Thesis students will be advised by their research advisor. All questions related to course selection should be addressed to them. M.S. students who did not receive an assistantship will follow the non-thesis track and will be advised by the faculty Area Coordinator for their Specialty Area:

  • Construction Engineering and Management – Dr. Kalyan Piratla
  • Construction Materials – Dr. Fabricio Leiva
  • Geotechnical Engineering – Dr. Qiushi Chen
  • Structural Engineering – Dr. Laura Redmond
  • Transportation Systems – Dr. Pam Murray-Tuite
  • Water Resources – Dr. Abdul Khan
• I’m enrolling at Clemson next semester. What classes should I register for?

  Ph.D. and M.S. Thesis should discuss classes with their research/academic advisor. One week before registration begins, M.S. Non-Thesis students will receive an email from the Graduate Student Services Manager with a list of course options for their Specialty Area.

• Who do I contact for technical assistance related to registration?

  For any technical issues related to your Clemson account, contact Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) at ITHELP@clemson.edu.

• Who do I contact for other questions related to registration and advising?

  Email the Graduate Student Services Manager at cegraduate@clemson.edu.