Application deadlines are determined by individual departments. Please contact the appropriate department concerning relevant deadlines.
However, applicants wishing to be considered for the types of financial assistance discussed below must submit a complete application no later than January 15th for a fall semester start.
Applications for admission (all semesters) are to be completed online using our online application; payment for the online admissions form must be made by credit card or electronic check.
Further information may be found in our Graduate Student Handbook.
An applicant may be admitted to a graduate program as a regular or an associate graduate student. Only regular graduate students are candidates for graduate degrees. Students who do not wish to enter a degree program may be admitted as non-degree students; see this link for information on how to apply as a non-degree student. International students must be admitted under regular status for immigration paperwork to be completed. Except for qualified Lehigh undergraduates, only those who have been officially admitted as regular, associate, or non-degree students may register for graduate courses.
Prospective graduate students who do not qualify for regular student status may be offered admission with associate graduate student status. However, since each department's classification and requirements of associate students is different, you must check with the department to determine if you qualify to be admitted under associate status. Associate students must complete the first nine consecutive credit hours with at most one grade below B-. They will not be permitted to continue if they receive a grade below C. After nine credit hours of coursework, associate students must petition for regular status. Individual departments may require more rigorous probationary standard.
Graduate Education & Life Office | Orientation dates | Grad Life Programs | Graduate Student Senate
At Lehigh, we have approximately 2,000+ students in 80+ programs. Lehigh's small size benefits students in that it creates an atmosphere for individualized education. Students create strong relationships with faculty in order to enhance their interests in their respected fields. Students are encouraged to create relationships not only with their advisors, but throughout their departments.
Furthermore, we strive to integrate Graduate Student Education with Graduate Student Life in order to enhance the experience of the student. As part of this mission, we are committed to nurturing a community of diverse graduate students, who feel supported on campus. Graduate Student Life succeeds in creating programming to enhance student strengths and foster growth edges, through events targeted at professional development, research and writing, and higher education.
As a university, Lehigh believes in a holistic approach to graduate education to offer students personalized attention in their unique educational path.
Office of International Students and Scholars | International orientation program | Checklist for international students
International applicants to the Graduate Programs of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science must hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent foreign degree. Transcripts must be in the original language with an official English translation attached.
Proof of support
Proof of financial support is required of all International applicants that are granted admission without funding. Notarized bank statements or financial affidavits can be uploaded during the online application process or sent after a decision is released. Immigration paperwork will be expedited if proof of support is sent with the application. For more information, see International Students and Scholars.
Visa papers are issued only to students admitted as regular, full-time students. The following items may be required before immigration documents can be issued:
- Original or notarized financial guarantee.
- Original or notarized TOEFL test scores.
All applicants must demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency to be admitted to a graduate engineering program.
For graduate applicants whose first/native language is not English, the Internet-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS Academic (International English Language Test System) is required. A native English speaker, for the purposes of this policy, is defined as someone who both speaks English as their first language and is a citizen of one of the following countries: USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
A waiver of the English proficiency testing requirement may be granted if the applicant meets the following criteria: Successful completion of at least 2-3 years of continuous English-medium coursework leading to an earned degree from an accredited university in one or more of the following countries: United States, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. If the coursework was completed more than 2 years prior to the term of admission, the applicant must still live and/or work in the country of instruction in order to be eligible.
A waiver may be considered for applicants that have met the above English-medium coursework requirement in countries such as India, South Africa, Nigeria, etc. if additional supporting documentation such as sample publications, Duolingo test scores or a department interview are submitted. In some cases, a review by ICAPE director, Dr. Mark Ouellette, may be necessary before a waiver is granted.
Currently, the only approved English proficiency tests include the TOEFL and IELTS Academic. We will accept the recently added “at home” or online versions of either of these tests in addition to the standard TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic, which are completed at a designated testing facility.
**Please note: For the 2023 Admission Cycle a temporary exception to this policy is being made for applicants in Iran. Duolingo test results will also be accepted for these applicants. Please submit official test results to Lehigh University P.C. Rossin College of Engineering.**
The scores below represent minimum scores that applicants must attain in order to be admitted to the Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science graduate programs without conditional English enhancement training. Please note that some individual departments may have higher minimum requirements and you should consult with the department directly in order to be certain of their requirements.
Internet-based TOEFL
- Reading — 20
- Listening — 15
- Speaking — 20
- Writing — 20
- COMPOSITE — 79
IELTS
- Reading — 6.5
- Listening —6.0
- Speaking —6.5
- Writing — 6.0
- OVERALL — 6.5
For unconditional admission, applicants MUST:
- Obtain or exceed ALL minimum section scores
- Obtain or exceed the COMPOSITE/OVERALL minimum score.
Applicants with test scores that do not meet the above minimum requirements can still be considered for admission with conditional English enhancement training required. In such cases applicants should consult with the department or program of interest for more details.
TOEFL information may be obtained from ETS at ets.org/toefl. Lehigh's institutional code is 2365. IELTS information can be found at ielts.org. Official test scores must be submitted from the testing agencies directly in order for this requirement to be satisfied.
It is the policy of Lehigh University to provide equal opportunity on the basis of merit and without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national original citizenship status, handicap, or veteran status.