Admission Criteria

When considering students for admission, we consider the following:

  • The applicant’s record in technical (vs. non-technical) courses.
  • The quality of school(s) at which the student studied.
  • The desired area of study within the department and the availability of resources and faculty in that area.
  • The applicant’s statement of purpose, resume and letters of recommendation.
  • The applicant’s Official English Language scores (International applicants only). For possible exceptions, please visit https://mae.osu.edu/graduate/admissions/application-requirements

The graduate programs base their admissions decisions on several factors:

  • A bachelor of science degree. Each program has specific degrees that are favored more than others and they are as follows:

    • Students interested in applying for the aerospace engineering graduate program should have a degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, engineering physics, physics, or a related field.

    • Students interested in applying for the mechanical engineering graduate program should have a degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, material science engineering, industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, engineering physics, physics, chemistry, or a related field.

    • Students interested in applying for the nuclear engineering graduate program should have a degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, nuclear engineering, engineering physics, physics, or mathematics. Students interested in Nuclear Engineering should have background in the following areas:

      • Mathematics:  Course work up to and including differential equations and vector analysis  
      • Physics:  Course work up to and including modern physics (with introductory nuclear physics)
      • Engineering:  Course work to include thermodynamics, fluid flow and heat transfer
  • An Undergraduate GPA equivalent to at least a 'B' is required to be eligible for admission

    • For students on a 4.0 scale, a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required
    • Chinese applicants on the 100 point scale should have a GPA of at least a 75/100.
    • Indian applicants should have a GPA of at least 5/10, 50/100, or have a degree classification of 2nd class or higher.
    • For all other applicants, you must have a GPA equivalent to a 'B' or higher at your undergraduate institution.

Note: Applicants whose GPA is less than a 'B' average will be automatically denied admission unless they have already received a Master's degree.