PhD Programs Admissions

Ready to apply to Dartmouth's engineering PhD, the PhD-Innovation (PhD-I) Program, the PhD in Medical Physics, or the PhD-MD? To help students prepare a strong application, this page provides important information about the admissions process, including deadlines, eligibility requirements, and application and financial aid instructions.

PhD students typically enter with full support from either a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) or an external fellowship. Explore general PhD expenses and cost of tuition to consider for all PhD programs and learn about additional financial aid, fellowship, and grant opportunities.

Start Your Application

PhD Application Process

Application Deadlines

In most cases, the Admissions Committee will render decisions by April 30.

December 15

Fall term admission priority deadline; applications are accepted on a rolling basis after December 15

At least two terms prior to admission

Winter, Spring, or Summer term admission deadline

Required Application Materials

The following instructions are a guide for completing the application for the PhD program at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth (Dartmouth Engineering).

PhD+PhD-I: New students interested in the PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program can apply to both the PhD and PhD-I within the same application. Follow the PhD process outlined below, and submit the additional required materials for the PhD-I.

Please read the following instructions carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

  • Online Application

    Applicants must complete the application for admission online. It is not necessary to send us a hard copy. Online applications open August 1 of each year.

    Start Your Application

    Updating Your Materials

    Your test scores and mailing address can be updated at any time through your application status page. After submission, other components (resume, statement of purpose, essays, etc.) cannot be updated. Please be sure you have entered the most accurate information at the time of submission. Due to the volume of applications received, we cannot update these materials after submission.

    Acknowledgement

    After submission, you will receive an email acknowledgement through the application system.

    Application Status

    To see the status of your application, visit your online application status page. Please note that it may take a few days for application materials to be processed.

    Application materials and supporting documents become the property of the Admissions Committee and are not returnable.

    General Policies

    False Statements/Materials: If a candidate for admission to Dartmouth makes a false statement or submits falsified material in connection with his or her application, and the misrepresentation is discovered after the candidate has been admitted, the offer of admission ordinarily will be withdrawn. If the misrepresentation is discovered after a student arrives on campus or at any time during their enrollment, the student will be subject to loss of credits earned and disciplinary action that could include separation from the College. If the discovery occurs after a degree has been awarded, the degree normally will be rescinded.

    Equal Opportunity: Dartmouth Engineering actively supports equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race or ethnic background. No student will be denied admission or be otherwise discriminated against because of sex, handicap, religion, sexual orientation, race, color, or national origin.

    Security and Fire Safety Report: Dartmouth prepares an annual Security and Fire Safety Report which is available to all current and prospective employees and students. The report includes statistics of reported crimes that have occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings, or on property owned or controlled by Dartmouth, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus as well as reported fires occurring in residential facilities. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault, fire safety, and other matters. You may obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Director of Safety and Security and the College Proctor at +1 (603) 646-4000.

  • Application Fee

    A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required of all applicants, except for Dartmouth College or Dartmouth Engineering students and alumni. The fee must be paid by credit card. Applications will not be processed until this fee is received.

    Application Fee Waiver

    Applicants may be eligible for a fee waiver based on one or more of the criteria below. Fee waivers will be automatically applied to qualifying applications once an application has been started for a Dartmouth Engineering program. Receiving a fee waiver will not affect your application during the review process.

    • Fellowship Program Affiliation: Are a current member of an established fellowship program (eg. McNair Scholars Program, NSF, DOE, DOD, NASA, GEM).
    • Military Service: Are a current or former member of the United States Armed Forces.
    • Dartmouth Affiliation: Are a current Dartmouth student or alumnus/alumna.
    • Dartmouth Recruiting Event: Have attended a Dartmouth admissions or recruiting event hosted by the Thayer School of Engineering, including professional conferences or virtual information sessions.
  • Letters of Recommendation

    Three (3) letters of recommendation must be completed and submitted online directly by your recommenders. Please have your recommenders complete the evaluation form that will be emailed to them and submit a signed letter on their official institutional letterhead. If your recommender’s company or institution has a policy against letterhead they must provide a copy of this policy with the recommendation letter.

    Letters of recommendation should ideally come from your college professors using their official school email address. Applicants with work or military experience or currently in another graduate program should submit a recommendation from their immediate supervisor, a current or former employer, or someone who knows them well through some other professional or community activity.

  • Academic Transcripts

    All applicants are required to submit academic transcripts from each undergraduate or graduate institution from which you obtained your degrees (eg. your bachelor’s degrees or other advanced degrees.)

    You may scan and upload a copy of your academic transcript (not diploma) issued by the institution(s) from which you obtained your undergraduate degree(s) and any advanced/graduate degree(s) directly to the online application.

    For grading scales other than 4.0 grading scales: Please include documentation indicating the scale.

    Applicants with international transcripts are strongly encouraged to submit a transcript evaluation using a course-by-course evaluation accredited by Naces with their Dartmouth Engineering application. Recommended companies integrated with Dartmouth's application system:


    Non-degree coursework: If you attended institutions other than those from which your degree(s) were granted, you are required to scan and upload your academic transcripts from these institutions (transfer coursework, domestic or study-abroad programs, postgraduate non-degree coursework, etc.).

    If you have more than three undergraduate transcripts or three graduate transcripts to upload, please combine them by uploading a file that contains more than one transcript.

    Remember:

    • Scan BOTH sides of your transcript (provided the second side is not blank).
    • Depending on the scanner and software, you may either insert individual images (.jpg) into a single word processing document for upload, OR if your software produces a .pdf, simply upload that file.
    • The file must be less than 1 MB, in a standard format, WITHOUT password protection or macros. Any of these problems will cause the upload process to fail.
    • A diploma is not a transcript.

    If you upload a scanned copy of your transcript, you do not need to send a hard copy. The scanned copy fulfills the requirement for the application process. Upon admission, you will be required to supply an official hard copy of your transcript.

    Admitted students: If admitted, you will be required to request that ONE official, original hardcopy transcript mailed to Dartmouth Engineering (mailing address below) directly from each college and/or university you have attended in a signed, sealed envelope. We will accept a transcript via email if that is your prior institution’s method of transcript delivery.

    International applicants must make arrangements to have their academic records translated and sent along with originals. Where American-style transcripts are not used, the applicant must include all available records including courses, grades, degrees, and rank-in-class. The appropriate university officials must certify these records. Evaluations from WES (World Education Services) can be used instead of official transcripts, but they must be sent directly to Thayer by the evaluation service provider, and they must include a copy of the official transcripts that were evaluated.

    Upon admission, supporting materials such as transcripts should be mailed to:

    Graduate Admissions
    Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth
    15 Thayer Drive
    Hanover, NH 03755

  • Supplemental Form: Research Area, Identifying Faculty, Statement of Purpose/Essay & CV/Resume

    Research Area: Engineering PhD students typically are funded through a professor’s sponsored research or a fellowship. Students interested in applying to the PhD program are encouraged to reach out to individual faculty members to discuss potential projects.

    Through the PhD program, students may elect one of the six program areas to be reflected as a "concentration." In the application, you will be prompted to select which track you are interested in pursuing. Applicants should indicate all areas of interest in order to be considered for the widest possible range of opportunities. Students can switch program areas after starting the program.

    Identifying Dartmouth Engineering faculty members of interest: The supplemental form of the application will be used to match your area(s) to those of faculty or to determine your focus. You must select at least one and may choose up to three faculty from the drop-down list in the application.

    Fill this out carefully and list your top faculty interest first. We strongly encourage you to review research by program areas and contact Dartmouth Engineering faculty for an initial conversation about research opportunities.

    Statement of Purpose/Essay: You will be prompted to write a brief essay describing your research interests and career goals and the reasons you wish to pursue graduate studies at Dartmouth. Include any information that does not appear elsewhere that will help us evaluate your application. If possible, keep your essay to 1–2 pages.

    CV/Resume: Upload your most recent CV or resume.

    Optional Essay: Dartmouth Engineering is committed to a climate that acknowledges and embraces diversity of perspectives and backgrounds, supporting a culture that fosters inclusion and actively pursues equity. In this optional essay, applicants are encouraged to share how their personal perspectives and unique life experiences will contribute to Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Engineering community.

  • TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo (International Applicants)

    Non-US citizens must submit language proficiency test scores, with the exception of those who are earning or have earned a degree from institutions in the US or Canada, or who are from the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Slovenia, and Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the US.

    For all graduate programs, Dartmouth Engineering accepts the following English proficiency tests: TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo. During the application process, self-reported scores are acceptable. However, once admitted, students will be required to submit official test results directly from the testing organization.

    The ETS code for Thayer School is 3360.

  • GREs (optional)

    GREs are optional for all Dartmouth Engineering graduate programs. If you would like to include GRE scores to give the admissions committee a better understanding of your qualifications, we accept self-reported scores at the time of application. If you enter self-reported scores, you will be required to provide official scores if admitted. Visit the ETS website and use code 3360.

Eligibility Requirements

The foundation for doctoral engineering degree work is undergraduate preparation in science, mathematics, and engineering principles. Applicants must hold a bachelor's or master's degree to be considered for the program, although a master’s degree is not required.

Students admitted to the program who are not prepared to complete the first-year requirements are advised to enter the MS program and petition to be admitted to the PhD program.

Students who have prior graduate training may be considered for advancement to candidacy after completing one or two terms of the first-year doctoral program.

International Students

Language proficiency test scores are required for non-US citizens, with the exception of those who are earning or have earned a degree from institutions in the US or Canada, or who are from the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Slovenia, and Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the US.

While all applications are looked at holistically, we recommend the following score ranges:

  • TOEFL scores of 100 or higher
  • IELTS scores of 6.5 or higher
  • Duolingo scores of 135 or higher

Dartmouth Engineering initiates the visa process. For information about the visa and immigration process, visit Dartmouth's Office of Visa and Immigration Services.

Part-Time Students

The PhD program can also be undertaken part-time: students interested in this option should contact the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs.

Contact

Graduate Admissions
Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth
15 Thayer Drive, Hanover, NH 03755
engineering.admissions@dartmouth.edu

PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program Application Process

Admission to this program is determined by a committee consisting of the Dean of Dartmouth Engineering or the Director of the Program (Professor Eric Fossum), and members of the faculty, drawn from those serving on the Program Advisory Board.

Review PhD-I Program funding comparisons

Application Timeline

December 15

application deadline

January/ Early February

presentations via Zoom

Mid-February

decisions and notifications

April 15

candidate acceptance deadline

Required Application Materials

The PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program welcomes applicants who are in the process of applying to Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program, as well as applicants who are already enrolled in Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program. The application process differs slightly for each group, and is outlined below. Please read the following instructions carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

  • Students applying to Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program

    Students not already enrolled in a Dartmouth Engineering PhD program must submit all required materials for the PhD program listed above in addition to the following:

    Start Your Application

    Online Application

    When completing the online application, check the box indicating "Innovation Program" interest on the program information page of the application.

    Supplemental Form: Research Area, Identifying Faculty, Statement of Purpose/Essay & CV/Resume

    On the PhD Supplemental Form of the online application, you will be prompted to submit the following two essays for the PhD-I Program, in addition to the materials required for the main PhD program.

    Statement on PhD-I Program Interest (two-pages max): Submit a statement specific to the PhD-I Program that addresses the following:

    • Reasons for interest in the PhD-I Program
    • Why the program is relevant to your long-term career goals
    • An example demonstrating creativity in arriving at a solution

    Statement on Broad Technology Development Problem (two-pages max): Describe an example of a broad technology development problem that interests you. It should be written in the general form of a proposal for funding. Specify one or two potential Dartmouth Engineering faculty advisors for your proposed work (prior contact with those faculty members by email is recommended).

  • Current students already enrolled in a Dartmouth Engineering PhD program

    Current students already enrolled in a Dartmouth Engineering PhD program must assemble the following materials and submit them via email at engineering.admissions@dartmouth.edu to apply.

    1. Letter of recommendation from your thesis advisor. This should be submitted directly from your advisor to engineering.admissions@dartmouth.edu.
    2. Current CV/resume.
    3. Statement (two-pages max) describing:
      1. reasons for interest in the PhD-I Program
      2. why the program is relevant to your long-term career goals
      3. an example demonstrating creativity in arriving at a solution
    4. Statement (two-pages max) describing an example of a broad technology development problem that interests you. This should be written in the general form of a proposal for funding.
    5. Submit the materials in the following format:
      1. Combine your CV/resume and two statements into a single .pdf file.
      2. Label the file following this format: LastNameFirstName_Innovation.pdf
      3. Email the .pdf as an attachment to: engineering.admissions@dartmouth.edu

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all prerequisites and requirements for the standard PhD degree program. New PhD applicants, as well as current Dartmouth Engineering PhD and MD-PhD students are eligible to apply to the PhD Innovation (PhD-I) Program. Current students are advised to consult with their faculty advisor and Professor Eric Fossum, Director of the PhD-I Program, prior to applying.

Contact

General Program Questions

Jessica Moody
PhD Innovation Program Coordinator
jessica.moody@dartmouth.edu

Admissions Questions

engineering.admissions@dartmouth.edu

PhD in Medical Physics Application Process

The PhD and Certificate Program in Medical Physics welcomes applicants who are currently in the process of applying to Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program, as well as applicants who are currently enrolled in Dartmouth Engineering's PhD program, or any of the physical science PhD programs at Dartmouth. The application process differs slightly for each group. Please read the application instructions carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

Learn how to apply

Start your PhD in Medical Physics Application

Contact

David J. Gladstone
Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Professor of Engineering, and PhD and Certificate Program in Medical Physics Program Director
david.j.gladstone@dartmouth.edu

MD-PhD Application Process

Students must apply to the Dartmouth Engineering PhD program through the process outlined above, indicating their specific interests on their online application, as well as to Geisel School of Medicine.

Learn about the MD-PhD program

Start Your MD-PhD Application

Contact

Graduate Admissions
Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth
15 Thayer Drive, Hanover, NH 03755
engineering.admissions@dartmouth.edu