College of EngineeringDepartment of Civil and Environmental EngineeringAcademicsGraduateHow to Apply

How to Apply

Graduate Admission Deadlines:

Auburn University, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering admit graduate students year round for Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Most funding and fellowship decisions are made for Fall admissions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply no later than January 1 of any given year for full consideration for financial support. 

Although applications are reviewed year-round, applicants are strongly advised to adhere to the following timelines to assure timely processing.

  • March 31- for the following fall semester
  • Sept. 30- for the following spring semester

Note these are cutoff dates. Prospective students are highly encouraged to submit applications well before these dates for full consideration for assistantships and fellowships. 

Later submissions will be reviewed, but the department cannot guarantee all paperwork will be processed in a timely manner for arrival and semester start.

 Note: If a student has an assistantship (GRA/GTA) provided by a professor and is nominated by the professor for a  college or university fellowship, the student must apply for graduate admission before January 15 to be considered.   One of the best ways to explore fellowship and assistantship opportunities is to directly contact the professor(s) who are teaching and working in your areas of interest.

Documents required by the department (Auburn Graduate Application System)
  • Resume
  • Statement of Purpose (one page single-spaced)
  • Three letters of recommendation directly from the references

Note: We recommend the Statement of Purpose address the following points: (1) background/pertinent work/research experience; (2) your current research interests and;  (3) your near-term objectives/goals (e.g., work in the industry after graduation/pursue a Ph.D.)

Documents recommended by the department (Auburn Graduate Application System)

  • Official GRE score from ETS (While not required for admissions, applicants are  strongly encouraged to submit GRE scores to be considered for fellowship/research assistantship/teaching assistantship support)

Documents required by the Graduate School:

  • Official TOEFL/IELTS score (international students only)
  • Official transcripts for all colleges that you previously attended.

Note: (I) The department accepts unofficial transcripts for admission review only. (II). You must provide all college official transcripts to Auburn University before you can enroll/register for courses. (III). The system only shows the status of whether you submit official transcripts but does not show whether the status of unofficial transcripts is complete or incomplete. (IV) If unofficial transcripts are different from official transcripts, you will be disqualified from studying at Auburn University. (V) Any transcripts directly uploaded by the student in the system are not considered as official transcripts.  Official transcripts should be sent to Auburn University either by the college where you attended or by the student if official transcripts are provided in a sealed envelope by the university. (VI) If you submit unofficial or official transcripts for admission review before you receive the degree, you must submit the final official transcripts having the degree confirmed.

Application Procedure:

Note:

(1). It is an applicant’s responsibility (i) to request the testing center to send the official GRE score, TOEFL/IELTS score (international students only), (ii) request colleges to send all official college transcripts to the Graduate School (106 Hargis Hall, Auburn, AL 36849), (iii) submit department required documents (letter of intent and resume) through the Auburn Graduate Application System web site, and (iv) provide names and email addresses for your references to submit the recommendation letters online through the Auburn Graduate Application System website.  If you request information about your application status, you should have already submitted all the above applicant materials.

(2). It takes time for all application materials to arrive at Auburn University and to be ready for the admission review.  When you request information about your application status by email, please provide your name, which semester and year you plan to enter, and in which specialty area you plan to pursue your graduate study (the civil and environmental engineering department has the following seven specialty areas: construction engineering and management, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics/hydrology, pavements and materials, structural engineering and transportation engineering).

Minimum scores:

For International students: Students MUST SCORE at least 550 on the paper TOEFL (pBT), or 213 on the computer TOEFL (cBT), or 79 on the Internet TOEFL (iBT) or 6.5 Overall Band Score on the IELTS. On the iBT, students must score a minimum of 16 on the four component parts of the iBT (reading, listening, speaking, and writing). Auburn does not accept the Duolingo Test.

Auburn University's ETS institution code for GRE and TOEFL is 1005.

Recommended scores:

GRE: Verbal ≥ 140; Quantitative ≥ 150; Writing ≥ 3.0

GPA requirements:

≥ 2.75 for undergraduate work and ≥3.0 for graduate work (if applicable).

More information can be found in the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

Notes:

  1. As a future graduate student, it is very important to identify your major advisor; therefore, you are encouraged to directly contact the faculty and discuss your research interests.  It is essential to find a major advisor who plans to support your graduate study financially through GRA/GTA positions. GRA/GTA financial offers are made by individual professors from their research projects and GTA allocation.  The department does not make GRA/GTA offers.
  2. GRE is not required for admission to the department. Individual faculty or research groups may require the GRE for funded positions.
  3. The application fee is mandated by the Graduate School but there are waivers available for current Auburn Students and domestic applicants. Please contact ceegpo@auburn.edu.