MSE-DS Admissions

If you’re ready, you can start your online application today.

Submit a one- to two-page (maximum five) resume in English. We look at your resume to learn more about:

• Your functional job skills
• The breadth and depth of your experience
• Your demonstrated leadership
• Your experiences (if any) with online learning
• We are more interested in what you have learned in your professional journey than in the length of time you’ve been in the workplace.

Write a 1,000–1,500 word essay that answers the following questions:

• What makes you interested in the MSE-DS Online program?
• How will you benefit from the program?
• Describe your career goals and how the MSE-DS Online curriculum will help to achieve them.
• Why will you succeed in the program?
• How will you contribute to the MSE-DS Online community?
• Given the time commitment required to successfully complete the program, how do you plan to incorporate an average of 15 hours per week per course of studies into your lifestyle?

Please provide detailed and specific examples from academia, industry, or research when possible.

If you are a reapplicant, please address this additional required question (250 words):

• Discuss any updates to your candidacy since you last applied (e.g., additional coursework, changes in your professional life, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements) and explain why you are qualified for this online degree program.

Submit official letters of recommendation from individuals who know you well and have evaluated you in an academic or work setting. Letters must be submitted through the online system. Letters of recommendation should not be from colleagues and/or friends. Applications with two or more such letters will be rejected.

Letters of recommendation should be written according to the following guidelines:

• A minimum of two letters are required; a third letter is optional
• Must be written in English
• On official letterhead of the writer’s organization or institution whenever possible
• Include the writer’s signature/name and organization
• Range from 500 to 1,500 words

For additional details, see our Letters of Recommendation FAQs.

Unofficial Transcripts Required for Application:

When you apply, please submit an unofficial transcript from each university or college where you earned course credit. Your transcripts must be in English. Transcripts must include courses taken, credit hours, and grades earned.

If your unofficial transcript is not in English, we encourage you to use a transcript evaluation and translation service, such as Educational Perspectives and World Education Services (WES). If you are from a Chinese institution, we encourage you to use the Center for Student Services and Development.

Official transcripts are only required if you have been admitted and choose to enroll.

Official Transcripts Required If Admitted:

After you accept your offer of admission, please arrange for your official transcripts and degree documents to be sent directly to Graduate Admissions as soon as possible.

Institutions in the United States: We require your final official transcript showing completion of coursework required for the degree, degree earned, and the date of degree conferral. Transcripts should be submitted via a secure electronic service.

Institutions outside the United States:  For each university or college you’ve attended outside the U.S., we require that you contact a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) to have a course-by-course evaluation of your non-U.S. transcript(s) sent directly from the NACES member to Penn Engineering Graduate Admissions. This evaluation should include course titles, grades received, GPA, and U.S. degree equivalency.

While Penn Engineering accepts course-by-course evaluations from any NACES member,  many of our applicants have been successful using:

• Educational Perspectives
• Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
• International Education Evaluations (IEE)
• SpanTran
• World Education Services (WES)

When requesting documents to be sent to Penn Engineering Graduate Admissions, please ensure that you have indicated the appropriate office. In instances where multiple University of Pennsylvania profiles are available, you should select the option for the University of Pennsylvania, Dept: SEAS Graduate Admissions (Engineering) when possible.

The $90 nonrefundable application fee is due with your online application.

You don’t have to submit GRE scores, but your scores could have a favorable impact on your application. If you want us to take your scores into consideration, submit your official test scores by the application deadline. Your scores are valid for five years.

GRE Codes

• Institution Code: 2888 
• Department/Major Code: 1699

If you are an international applicant – or are not a US citizen or permanent resident – and English is not your native language, you must submit official scores for one of the following tests:
(1) the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
(2) the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
(3) Duolingo English Test (DET).

• Test results must be valid at the time you submit your application. Test scores are valid for two years.
• You must take the exam by the application deadline.
• We must receive your official English Language Proficiency score directly from the Testing Center by the application deadline.

        ⇨  TOEFL

• • Test scores from both TOEFL iBT testing options are accepted.
  • The institution code for the TOEFL exam is 2888 and the department / major code is 69.

        ⇨  IELTS

• • Please send your IELTS score report electronically to “University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science.”

        ⇨  DET

• • Please send your DET score report electronically to “University of Pennsylvania – School of Engineering and Applied Science – Graduate.”

Minimum Scores:

You much achieve the following minimum scores to be admitted:

• TOEFL: 100
• IELTS: 7.5
• DET: 135

Waivers:

This requirement can be waived if the candidate has completed a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree where the medium of instruction at the institution is English. The degree must be completed before matriculation into a Penn Engineering Online degree program. Applicants will have the opportunity to be waived from this requirement as part of the online application process.

• Internet – MSE-DS Online is an online degree program and it is your responsibility to have and maintain internet access that permits you to receive and transmit information freely for the duration of the program. Penn is not responsible for any inability to access the program due to disruptions in your internet service, whether caused by technical problems, governmental or other third party actions.
• Proctored Exams – A few times each semester, students will take proctored exams. Please see the system requirements for Honorlock, the proctoring service used by the program.
• We do not recommend using a computer provided by your work. Work computers may not provide students access to install important software and corporate firewalls may prevent activities required by the program.

If you are looking to purchase a laptop or notebook:  Laptop and Notebook Purchasing Guides