Because we must process so many applications, pre-screening is not possible. As such, you will have to formally apply before an assessment of your admissibility can be made. There are a few guidelines however including a Graduate School minimum on the Grade Point Average of GPA = 3.0 ( on a 4.0 scale), and required min for the TOEFL scores applicable to international students whose native language is not English.. For the new TOEFL Internet-based Test (iBT) you should have a minimum if 18 on each part and a total score of at least 80. We also accept the IELTS exam, (minimum score of 6.5 on each section) The GRE scores should be equal to or greater than about V-400, Q-720, A-4 although there are a wide variety of factors that are considered.

If you have application information on paper, be sure it identifies you (i.e. student number) and send it to:

The Graduate School

North Carolina State University

Room 240, Research Building III

1005 Capability Drive

Campus Box 7102

Raleigh, NC  27695

The ETS code for our university, NC State is 5496

As a prerequisite to entrance into our graduate program, we require a BS degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a closely related field. This is a SACS accreditation requirement. Unfortunately, a technology degree does not satisfy our requirement. The primary emphasis should be on Engineering where there is roughly a sequence of courses in calculus and a calculus based physics course followed by some basic engineering science that includes calculus based statics, dynamics and thermodynamics and a math course on differential equations.

Students with degrees in other areas of engineering, Physics, or Math may be admitted to our department. If admitted they may be expected to take one or more remedial courses to make up the shortcoming in engineering science. The courses you would be expected to take to re-mediate yourself will depend upon your area of interest, your background, and the level of confidence you have. Typically we would expect you to take one or two courses at the undergraduate level before starting your graduate degree program in earnest.

We do fund graduate students but not all of them. Funding generally occurs in the form of either a Research Assistantship (RA) or a Teaching Assistantship (TA). International students generally must pass an NC State University speaking test before they may apply for a TA thus an international student typically cannot have a TA until the test is taken and passed. RA's are available from individual faculty and vary according to the active grants and contracts that the faculty member has at any particular time. Your interests have been made available to our faculty so it is possible that one or more of our faculty may contact you with a possible RA offer. To facilitate this process I suggest you examine this web page where faculty interests are expressed. You may contact those faculty whose technical interests overlap with your own and inquire directly about possible research opportunities.

Under the Plan, students supported on a teaching or research assistantship or a fellowship of at least $666.67 per month and who meet the minimum registration requirement, receive (at no cost to the student) health insurance and (for a limited number of semesters) tuition. The links shown here explain the plan in more detail, provide answers to frequently asked questions, and allow you the opportunity to ask questions about the plan.

http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/support-plan/overview.html

http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/support-plan/index.php

We do not impose faculty upon students nor do we impose students upon faculty. The graduate adviser is mutually agreed upon by you and the faculty after you arrive here and usually after you have been here several weeks and have had a chance to talk to those faculty in your technical area. Such discussions should be looked upon by you as akin to a job interview. If a faculty member selects you for a project, you may receive an RA associated with the particular contract. Some projects are unfunded and do not have an RA associated with them. When you link-up with a faculty and a research project, that faculty member will serve as your primary adviser with regard to course selection, graduate committee formation, and other degree milestones. In the mean time you should select the first semester courses from the recommended list. Until you have secured an adviser I will be happy to answer questions and provide the necessary guidance.