FAQ's
Switching from PhD to MS for engineering programsThe prerequisites is MS for a PhD in Mechanical engineering/ECE
If this works for you, you don’t need to start a new application. Just login to your application portal and update a new essay and then let us know so we change the program for you.
If Electrical program gets changed from Phd to MS and they have a masters degree…
Electrical Dept (Abul) will not admit for PhD entry unless they feel confident in the applicant or giving them funding. Otherwise he always normally changes the degree from PhD to MS. I try to remember to include the below under Additional Information when this happens but sometimes I forget since there are other steps I need to do when this happens (to the application and PS) -my error! I always look at the Admit Letter to see if it contains the Additional Information and if not, respond with the below. Thanks!! ~ Carmen
How to respond if an applicant reaches out - You have been accepted into the MS program and not the PhD program as decided by the Graduate Chair of the program and evaluation Committee. If you accept admissions you may have the opportunity to ADD the PhD program if your academic performance is acceptable and the Department/Advisor approves of the program addition (or you find Faculty to support you).
OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS
To complete your application, please arrange for your official transcript to be sent directly from your university. The transcript should be submitted electronically through services such as Parchment Exchange, National Student Clearinghouse, Docufide, Parchment Send, or Escrip-Safe, or mailed in a sealed envelope to the following address: Clarkson University 8 Clarkson Ave Box 5605 Potsdam, NY 13699 USA Attn: Mia Wicke Phone 1 (518) 631-9831
Or email to:
grad intl gradintl@clarkson.edu Request to waive enrollment deposit The Enrollment Deposit is the responsibility of all incoming graduate students and cannot be waived. The deposit does not have a specific due date, however I would recommend paying the deposit as soon as possible, as our International Center requires the deposit to be paid before issuing COF and I-20 paperwork.
Is the enrollment fee refundable The enrollment deposit is not refundable. However, if a student defers or applies again at a later date for any reason, their deposit will be applied to that program.
I/20 or COF questions - forward to InternationalCenter@clarkson.edu For more information about your Certificate of Finance and other I20 matters, please contact our International Office at internationalcenter@clarkson.edu
Refund of deposit if VISA is not obtained Yes, if they provide the following documentation:
- Copy of the Appointment Confirmation
- Copy of the SEVIS fee payment
- A screenshot of the decision - denied/refusal - we prefer this over the note they are given after the interview.
- A Copy of the DS160 application section that indicates that the application was completed using the CU I20 - we prefer the entire pdf copy of the DS160
If they haven’t deposited but are asking for COF/I20 I would recommend paying the deposit as soon as possible, as our International Center requires the deposit to be paid before issuing COF and I-20 paperwork.
Checking on status - application is in review process: Thank you for reaching out. We have received all the necessary information from you, your application is currently in Committee Review and you should be hearing from them soon.
Asking why they got denied: I am sorry that I can not provide more detailed information. The committee has determined that you do not meet our standards for admission. Thank you for your interest in Clarkson University and we wish you the very best in your future endeavors.
If they reply and ask again why they were denied: Our review process is highly confidential and details may not be shared. Our committee decided that you did not meet their requirements for admissions. If you would like, you may reapply again in the future.
Can I reapply ?
We do not have an appeals process…you will have to reapply.
Things that should always be forwarded to the Grad Coordinators: Request for Deferral Applicant telling us their not coming or delayed Anything regarding visa status (also to Int’l center) Anything regarding a current student
From Tess when asked if the folks participating in the TA Boot camp can be matriculated for Summer (changed from Fall) “Correct- they may be matriculated into a program prior to arrival ---however --- the F1 status will begin according to the term they will be 'in residence'. There are some cases where a student needs to be enrolled as 'non-degree' since they need pre-reqs...in that case the GNDEG program would be matriculated and the F1 program (GBUS - GSIC - etc) would be matriculated for the term they meet the requirements for the degree program (fully admitted).”
FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS - THIS IS THE AUTO REPLY THAT GOES OUT TO HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS We do not waive the English language testing requirement based on the language of instruction, university certificates, or email requests. However, applicants for MS programs from these countries may qualify for a free placement test based on eligibility criteria. If you studied in one of these countries, have submitted a complete MS application to Clarkson University*, and would like to request a placement test, please email us with the subject: Request for Placement Test Waiver for English. In the email body, include only the following: · - Your full name + email address (as listed on your application form). · - Program of Study + (level: MS/MBA). · - Country where you earned your degree. Please DO NOT include additional information If you have already sent a request before receiving this reply, there’s no need to resend the details mentioned above. Please just wait, and we will respond to your original email. *Incomplete applications are considered. You should send the waiver request after submitting a complete application. Our team will review your application. If eligible, you will receive a link to the placement test. If not, we will inform you that an English proficiency test (TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) and Duolingo English Test (115)) is required. The deny of the placement is not negotiable. For PhD applicants, English proficiency testing is mandatory for all, regardless of the language of instruction, and no placement test will be considered. Waivers of English tests will not be granted.
Application Waiver Fee: We are happy to inform you that we've waived the application fee, and no code is needed. Please click here for the application form.
English test waiver for international students:
GRE waivers: GRE is optional to most of our graduate programs. Please check our requirements here. The webpage of every department will tell you whether GRE is waived or not. There is no minimum GRE, but for context, our average GRE scores of admitted students are 148 Verbal / 159 Quantitative. Therefore, scores in this range or above will make a student competitive for assistantship consideration. For the Computer Science program, the test is waived for only MS applicants. PhD applicants need to either submit a score or write a waiver request. The waiver request guidelines are in the application form. For Mechanical Engineering, the test is waived exclusively for the MS project-based program. It is required for the PhD and MS thesis-based program.
Applications Deadline: Clarkson does not have a fixed deadline. We are currently accepting applications for fall 2025 and spring and fall 2026. We no longer accept applications for spring 2025.
Official documents To accelerate the admissions process, we will accept electronic copies of the required documents, while the official copies are on their way. Your official documentation will be required in order for you to enroll. WES evaluation is required ONLY in rare cases. However, in some cases, the university reserves the right to request official transcripts and official test scores before the review process of the application. If you receive an email from Clarkson requesting your official documents, your application review will be on hold until we receive the requested official documents. In that case, no exceptions will be made to waive this requirement. We accept official transcripts via email. Please request your university to send them directly to us at gradintl@clarkson.edu . The email must include the sender's name, title, department, and be sent directly from the university to ensure authenticity.
To join our weekly Q&A session, please click here to register Thank you Graduate Admissions