All applicants should pay particular attention to requirements that apply to specific Schools and their departments:

• School of Architecture
• School of Engineering
• Lally School of Management & Technology
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• School of Science
• Information Technology and Web Science

	Graduate Application Instructions (PDF)

Complete your application for full- or part-time graduate degree programs delivered on the Troy campus of Rensselaer. Applicants may apply only to one degree program per term. Multiple applications for one term are not permitted.

Your name as it appears on your official documents (i.e., passport) and date of birth should be printed clearly on all documents.

• Masters/Doctoral Degree Application
• MBA Degree Application
• Co-Terminal BS/MS or ME Program Application (current Rensselaer undergraduate students)
• CoTerminal Degree Program FAQs

Mail all supporting credentials to:

Graduate Admissions
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th Street Troy, NY 12180-3590

Include or upload a one- or two-page statement that includes the following information:

1. Your full name and date of birth.
2. Your primary educational and research interests.
3. An outline of your research experience and a list of any publications and academic honors.
4. A description of your background in fields particularly relevant to your study objectives—include any relevant industrial/work or research experience.
5. Information outlining your current work/study activities.
6. A discussion of specific research topics and methods you might pursue in your thesis research (not required for M.S. in Management and M.S. in Financial Engineering and Risk Analytics).

Applicants to the Lally School of Management and Technology M.S. in Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship and MBA programs are required to submit answers to the following questions in lieu of the Statement of Background and Goals.

1. Two themes that underlie the Lally MBA and M.S. in Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship are innovation and technology, particularly as these relate to entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and international business development. Tell the story of your career so far and how a Lally degree would expand your options in these or other areas and enable you to attain the career goals you are considering (max. 500 words).

2. Given our emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship in both technological entrepreneurship and finance, students who succeed at Lally tend to be creative individuals who are fascinated with new products and new business ideas and are especially good at identifying new opportunities. Please send us an example of your creative thinking.

This could be, but should in no way be limited to, one of the following:

• An idea for a new business.
• An advertising campaign.
• A drawing of a new product idea.
• A physical prototype of a new product or concept (use your creativity to amaze us with your idea!).
• A creative application of a new technology or new business idea to a pressing world problem; for example, an environmental problem or a problem relating to quality of life in a third world country (Note that the answer to the last question can also be used as your entry into the ESP scholarship competition).

The only restrictions are that it cannot be larger than 2 cubic feet (1 ft x 1 ft x 2 ft), no heavier than 50 pounds, and if you upload (or send) a written document, no longer than 1,500 words. If you submit something other than a written work, you must also submit a description of not more than 500 words explaining your submission.

Rensselaer requires two letters of recommendation. You will be required to enter two recommenders on the online application. Recommendations sent via postal mail must be in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature across the seal. Recommendations should be from your academic advisor(s), other professors, academic deans, etc., who can provide an assessment of your likelihood of success at the graduate level in your field of study. If you submit more than two letters of recommendation, please note that the admissions committee may choose to review only the two initial recommendations.

Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies, including course work taken as a non-degree student, must be submitted. Student printed or downloaded copies of transcripts are not accepted.

1. If you are currently attending a university, a final transcript must be submitted upon completion of your course work. If you have completed your degree, the award of degree must be noted on the transcript or you must submit a separate diploma.

2. If your school does not release official transcripts directly to students, you must request that the school mail the official copy directly to Graduate Admissions.

All international transcripts must be recorded in English or officially translated to English. Transcripts in the original language must accompany all translated documents. Uncertified translations, or translations by students, will not be accepted.

Rensselaer students and alumni do not need to submit Rensselaer transcripts.

Do not submit secondary school (high school) exam results or transcripts.

If transcripts of previous or current study do not include the award of degree, include a certified copy of the diploma or other official evidence that the degree has been awarded.

If your diploma is not yet available, you may still apply for admission, but you will be required to provide an official copy of your diploma along with the official final transcript showing all courses and grades, and an English translation, if applicable, once you are admitted, in order to be cleared to enroll.

Rensselaer Code: 2757

• Official test scores are required and must be requested from the testing organization.
• Copies of examinee’s scores from ETS may be sent to Graduate Admissions, but will be used only until official scores are received. Web scores are not acceptable.
• GRE or GMAT reports should reflect test scores dated within five years. Older scores are not available from ETS.
• Please be aware that it may take up to four weeks for official test scores to be received by Graduate Admissions.
• The average credentials for admitted students include GRE scores of 159 (verbal), 162 (quantitative), 4.0 (analytical).

The Personal Potential Index (PPI) administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) is not required for admission. However, it is strongly recommended for students seeking to strengthen their graduate application and students seeking financial aid.

Rensselaer PPI Code: 2757

See http://www.ets.org/ppi/ for more information.

Applicants possessing a valid Green Card will be considered as a domestic student for purposes of admission and financial aid.

The TOEFL, IELTS or PTE is required of all international applicants (those who are not US citizens, Permanent Residents, or who do not hold dual citizenship with the U.S. and another country) whose native language is not English.

We do not offer English classes or an intensive English program at Rensselaer. Since success in Rensselaer’s graduate programs depends heavily on students’ abilities in all facets of English, all incoming students must demonstrate satisfactory command of English.

A minimum TOEFL score of 230 CBT/88 iBT/570 PBT is required for admissions consideration.

In lieu of TOEFL, a student may submit IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or PTE (Pearson’s Test of English) scores. Only the academic format is acceptable and a minimum score of 6.5 is required for all departments and programs. Many departments require a higher TOEFL/IELTS score.

Additional information about the test may be found on the IELTS website at www.ielts.org and PTE website at www.pearsonpte.com. TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores older than two years are no longer available and will not be considered.

The TOEFL/IELTS/PTE requirement is waived for applicants currently enrolled in full-time studies in the U.S. and who will have completed two academic years of course work in the U.S. immediately prior to enrolling at Rensselaer.

We will issue your I-20 once you have:

• been awarded admission to a full-time graduate degree program at Rensselaer;
• submitted a Graduate Student Enrollment Confirmation Form along with any credentials/documents checked on the Condition of Enrollment and Request for I-20/DD2019 form accompanying your admission notification;
• demonstrated that you meet all requirements for issuance of immigration documents, including providing proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of your tuition and living expenses for the duration of your graduate program.

After receiving the immigration document (I-20/DS-2019), each student must apply through a United States Embassy or Consulate for the appropriate visa to enter the United States.

Any student entering the United States using documents issued by Rensselaer must register for the semester for which admission is granted.

Verification of arrival and enrollment is electronically tracked through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Any failure to arrive at Rensselaer and enroll as a full-time student will be reported to the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Immigration Services (BCIS, formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service or INS).

Rensselaer does not postpone/defer admission for graduate study to a later term. Rensselaer maintains prior application documents for two years only. Non-matriculated students wishing to apply for degree status must submit a complete graduate application. Applicants who are applying within two years of the prior application must submit the following:

• Graduate application form.
• Nonrefundable $75 application processing fee.
• Updated Statement of Background and Goals (including current work/academic activities).
• Updated Resume.
• One additional letter of recommendation. If applicant is currently enrolled in a course of study, the recommendation should be from an academic advisor.
• Official transcripts for all course work taken since submission of the prior application • Official score reports of all tests (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) taken since submission of prior application.