Applicants for graduate admission should demonstrate evidence of aptitude for graduate work, as shown by suitable performance in undergraduate and (if available) graduate course work, by scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and three letters of recommendation and completed recommendation forms.
An applicant for the Ph.D. or D.E. program in Electrical Engineering normally has obtained an undergraduate and master’s in Electrical or Computer Engineering. An applicant for the Ph.D. in Computer Science usually presents a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science or Computer Engineering.
Especially qualified applicants may be admitted directly into one of the Ph.D. programs or the D.E. program without having a degree in the requisite field. They will be required to complete a number of deficiency courses at the undergraduate level. Such courses normally do not count toward the graduate degree.
**Non-native English speakers who have not received an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution of higher learning will need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Scores must reflect English proficiency.
The Department’s deadline for Fall admission is March 1st. To receive full consideration for fellowships and assistantships, submit your application by January 1st. Our deadline for Spring admission is October 1st. Applications received after these dates will be considered for admission the following semester.
Graduate Application Processing Center
The University of Kansas
1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 313
Lawrence, KS 66045
EECS Graduate Office
University of Kansas
Eaton Hall, Suite 2001
1520 W 15th St.
Lawrence, KS 66045-7621
Upon receipt of your materials, the graduate admissions committee will review your academic credentials and forward its recommendation to the School of Engineering and the Graduate School. The Graduate School will send you official notification and any necessary paperwork.
We strongly encourage highly qualified undergraduates to apply directly to our Ph.D. program after completing their Bachelor's degree. In addition to an excellent GPA, applicants should be highly motivated to perform research and follow a career in research or academia.
FastTrack students will earn their Ph.D. in less time. On average, a master’s degree is completed after two years of study, followed by four years for a Ph.D. Students in the FastTrack program usually graduate with their Ph.D. degree in five years.
The following plan of study is usually followed by our FastTrack students. For more information, please see the handbook.
| Semester | Plan of Study |
| 1 | 3 courses (9 credit hours) |
| 2 | 3 courses (9 credit hours) |
| 3 | 2-3 courses (6-9 credit hours) Dissertation research |
| 4 | 1-2 courses (3-6 credit hours) Ph.D. Qualifying Exam Dissertation research |
| 5 | 1-2 courses (3-6 credit hours) Dissertation research |
| 6-10 | 1-2 courses (3-6 credit hours) Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam Dissertation research Defense |
Qualified KU EECS juniors and seniors are encouraged to apply for early acceptance into the Ph.D. program. For their exceptional preparation, students receive a six-hour credit reduction. This lowers their course work requirements from 42 credit hours to 36, reducing the time necessary to complete their Ph.D.
Juniors and seniors must have completed at least 75 hours toward their degrees with both an overall GPA and a GPA in all math, basic science, computer science, and engineering courses of at least 3.50. If accepted, students must maintain a minimum 3.50 for all remaining undergraduate courses to remain in the Early Application Program.
Interested students need to submit an application package to the EECS graduate office.
