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Industrial Engineering

Admissions FAQ

The Department of Industrial Engineering offers high-quality graduate-level Industrial Engineering programs that include M.S. Thesis, M.S. Non-Thesis, Ph.D., and Graduate Certificates. Students without an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering or other related fields may submit their application and complete additional coursework as needed.

Assistantships are almost exclusively reserved for those with an M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering or a closely related field, and the vast majority of students admitted to our Ph.D. program are provided with assistantships. M.S. students should be prepared to finance their entire program of study. Occasionally, some of our M.S. students who perform at a high level after enrolling at Clemson are funded in later semesters. Research and Teaching Assistants are awarded semester-by-semester and are not guaranteed in subsequent semesters.

Graduate assistants pay significantly reduced tuition and receive a twice-monthly stipend. Graduate Assistants are employed for up to a half-time basis (average up to 20 hours per week) during a specified appointment period as indicated on the offer letters. To be eligible for funding, students on assistantship must be enrolled full-time (minimum of 9 credits in fall and spring and 6 credits in the summer). This is a university policy and cannot be waived.

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

    Every application submitted before the deadlines are guaranteed a full review by the graduate committee. Applications submitted after the deadlines are considered on a rolling basis, depending on available funds and space in the department. All materials for the review process should be submitted electronically, with applicants able to check their application status using the online status check. International applicants must also consider any Office of International Services deadlines that relate to I-20 issuance.

    Deadlines

    • Ph.D. Admission
      • December 6th, 2024 (First Friday in December, Annually Thereafter)
    • M.S. Admissions
      • International students: February 7th, 2025 (First Friday in February, Annually Thereafter)
      • Domestic students: April 4th, 2025 (First Friday in April, Annually Thereafter)
    • Note: All deadlines fall on the first Friday of the respective month.

    Application Fee

    Applicants for Summer 2023 and beyond: There is no fee to apply to graduate programs at Clemson University.

  • What materials are required to apply? Do I need to contact a faculty member first?

    All supporting material will be submitted electronically. Students admitted to Clemson and who decide to attend can submit official transcripts to Graduate Admissions upon arrival on campus.

    1. Personal Statement
    2. Letters of Recommendation (2 M.S., 3 Ph.D.)
    3. Transcripts from each college or university attended
    4. *TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic scores (international applicants whose native language is not English)
    5. Resume/CV
    6. GRE (optional)

    NOTE: it's not necessary for you to contact faculty before applying. However, please mention at least one faculty member you are interested in working with in your personal statement.

    Language Proficiency Tests

    Although there is no official minimum quantitative score for admission, students with scores less than 80 are admitted in exceptional cases only if a student’s record is outstanding in all other aspects. The average TOEFL score for admitted students is 100.

    • TOEFL
    • IELTS
    • PTE
    • Duolingo

    Application Review Process

    Please review the Preparing to Apply- Supporting Materials page for helpful tips on writing your Personal Statement, CV and resume samples, recommendation requests and more. You will also find the minimum score requirements for admissions.

  • Is the GRE required?

    The GRE is not required for Ph.D. and M.S. applications. Please note that you may include unofficial or official GRE scores in your application file if you believe it will strengthen your application. Please note that your chances for admissions or assistantships will not be impacted by not including GRE scores.

    We do not set minimum GRE scores. The average scores from 2020 were - Quantitative: 163, Verbal: 151, and Analytical: 3.6. These averages are based on all accepted students into the (I.E.) M.S. and Ph.D. programs.

  • Will I receive financial aid?

    Clemson University offers a wide variety of financial aid and references to external funding resources for graduate-level students. 

    Graduate Assistantship: Financial aid is prioritized for Ph.D. students. In particular, all accepted IE Ph.D. students are provided assistantships that cover tuition and provide a living stipend. Limited funding is available to our M.S. students, but you can search for other jobs or assistantships on campus.

    Fellowships: Fellowships are monetary awards that require no service or work from the student. Typically, fellowships are awarded on merit. The Graduate School maintains a list of available fellowships on its website that includes information on many external fellowships.

     

  • Application decisions: before, during and after?

    The average processing time for graduate applications is 4-6 weeks from the application due date. You can track the status of your application using the information provided in your application confirmation email from the Graduate School at Clemson University. The admissions committee usually begins evaluating the applications for the Fall semester in January. A thorough evaluation of all applications requires significant time. If you have applied for the Fall semester and have not received an admissions decision by the end of April, please email Dr. Thomas Sharkey.

    You will be notified by the Graduate School, not the I.E. department, as soon as a decision has been reached on your application. Due to federal privacy regulations, we cannot disclose admissions decisions over the phone.

    For the appropriate paperwork to be filed, you must indicate your decision to attend Clemson by April 15. You will then be asked to submit official transcripts.

Graduate Program

Information on Industrial Engineering Courses for Clemson University Graduate Programs can be found in the Graduate Course Catalog. For answers to commonly asked questions, please view the Graduate School FAQ page.

Potential applicants interested in graduate studies at Clemson University will submit their application and all supporting material to the Office of Graduate Admissions. All material for the review process will be submitted electronically, and applicants can check the status of their application by using the online status check.

Apply Now

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Our Departmental Forms page lists needed forms for travel, supply and mileage reimbursements, and plan of study for certificates. You will also find information on Concur Travel and where to send completed forms.