Graduate Admissions
Application
If you have earned (or will shortly earn) a bachelor's degree or a degree in technology at a recognized college, university or technical institution, you may be admitted as a graduate student and study for an advanced degree. There are three categories of graduate student: regular, associate, and non-degree. Only regular students can earn advanced degrees. Students who do not wish to enter a degree program may seek admission with non-degree status.
To be considered for admission as a regular graduate student, you should apply directly to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The decision to admit a student rests with the department. An offer of admission stands for one year following the semester for which the offer was made. If more than one year elapses, the department reserves the right to reconsider its offer.
Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Students seeking admission for the fall semester who want to maximize their chances for admission, and for fellowships and scholarships, and for research, teaching and graduate assistantships, should file an application by January 15 . Final application deadlines for admission as a regular graduate student are July 15 for the fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, April 30 for the first summer session, and May 30 for the second summer session.
International students should go to our International Student Pre-application Letter and Pre-Application Form before contacting the department to request application materials. The information you provide with the web-based form will enable us to provide a free evaluation of your qualifications.
Students from the United States should request application materials directly by contacting the Deparatment Graduate Coordinator Anne Marie Lobley at (610)758-4222 or amme@lehigh.edu.
Along with your application you will be required to:
Send an official transcript from each university you have attended. All transcripts should be converted to the American 4.0 grade point average (GPA) scale, if possible.
Include two (2) letters of recommendation from qualified individuals who can evaluate your academic achievement and potential for graduate studies.
Enclose a $65 non-refundable application fee. This fee cannot be waived.
If you are an international student, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and achieve a necessary standard.
Applicants who do not qualify for regular graduate student status may be offered associate status.
Non-Degree Status
Students who do not wish to enter a degree program may seek admission with non-degree status. These applicants may complete an abbreviated application form. This form is available from the Office of Graduate Studies, 19 Memorial Drive West, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (610) 758-6310. Non-degree students may take no more than 12 credit hours of graduate study at Lehigh. Any transcript or other record from the university will indicate the student status as non-degree. Any courses taken as a non-degree student may be used towards fulfilling the requirements of a degree program as long as they are part of that program.