Online MEng: CE Admissions

Online Master of Engineering: Computer Engineering Admissions

Ready to apply to Dartmouth's online Master of Engineering in Computer Engineering (MEng: CE)? To help students prepare a strong application, this page provides information about the admissions process, including deadlines, eligibility requirements, and application and financial aid instructions.

Applications are now open for Spring and Fall 2025!

Start your application

Dates & Deadlines

Spring 2025

November 15, 2024

Priority deadline

December 15, 2024

Regular deadline

March 31, 2025

Spring term classes start

Fall 2025

June 15, 2025

Priority deadline

July 15, 2025

Regular deadline

September 15, 2025

Fall term classes start

Preparing Your Application

If you're an engineering or STEM graduate, or a professional with a strong engineering background, Dartmouth's online MEng: CE offers a highly effective program to build your technical skills and engineering expertise.

  • Eligibility Requirements

    Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth (Dartmouth Engineering) places great value on professional and practical experience, and all applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants are required to have a bachelor's degree prior to starting the program. The admissions team will consider applicants holistically, considering applicants with a wide range of STEM-related educational backgrounds and professional experiences as eligible for the program.

    Specifically:

    • Applicants with an accredited bachelor's level degree in engineering or with bachelor's level degrees in related STEM fields (eg. computer science, physics) should be well prepared for success in this program.
    • Applicants with an accredited bachelor's level degree outside of engineering, but with relevant STEM experience and skills will be equally considered. (Note: Depending on the focus of the bachelor’s degree and skills obtained, additional prerequisite coursework beyond the degree requirements may be required.)

    We encourage applicants to describe in their application materials how their educational background and professional experience can set them on a path for success in the program.

  • Relevant Coursework & Technical Skills

    Applicants will benefit from having demonstrated knowledge and previously developed skills across core foundational areas prior to taking the program, including linear algebra, calculus, probability and statistics, basic programming (eg. C, Python), digital logic, and analog circuit fundamentals.

    For foundational technical skills and knowledge you will need to be successful in the program, we encourage you to explore Dartmouth's free online course: C Programming with Linux. Building skills in C programming, as well as confidence in command line interfaces, will be useful in specific courses such as Embedded Systems, and in more advanced courses in the curriculum.

    Applicants who complete some or all of the C Programming with Linux specialization are encouraged to share their knowledge with the admissions committee in their application materials to represent their experience with relevant prerequisite knowledge.

How to Apply

The following instructions are a guide for completing the application for the online MEng: CE program at Dartmouth. Please read them carefully. Only complete applications will be considered for admission.

Required Application Materials

  • Online Application

    Applicants must complete the application for admission online. It is not necessary to send us a hard copy.

    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.

  • Statement of Purpose (file upload)

    Prepare and upload a one or two page statement of purpose describing the following:

    • What are your near-term and long-term career goals?
    • How has your current career and/or academic work shaped or influenced your pathway?
    • How will the online MEng: CE help you advance your goals, and what are your reasons for pursuing this program at Dartmouth? Include any information that does not appear elsewhere in your application that will help us evaluate your candidacy.
  • Personal Background (form completion)

    You will enter information such as your name, address, email address, phone number, biographical information, citizenship, etc.

  • Program Supplemental Page (form completion and file uploads)

    This page will include questions aboutanticipated full-time or part-time course load, skills and knowledge preparation, and group work preparation (brief written descriptions). The supplemental page will also ask you to upload a statement of purpose (described in more detail above), a resume, and an optional essay described below.

  • Academic History (form completion)

    Enter information about your academic background and experience, and upload your unofficial transcripts from all degrees earned (more detail on transcript requirements is given below).

  • Three (3) Letters of Recommendation, on Official Letterhead

    Letters can come from academic and/or professional references, and should be completed and submitted online directly by your recommender on their institutional letterhead.

    You are encouraged to submit letters that speak to your current level of professional skill in engineering and related STEM fields, which may come from academic recommenders (eg. college professors), professional recommenders (eg. immediate supervisors, current or former employers, etc), military recommenders, or all of the above.

    Letters can also come from references from volunteer experience so long as the letter makes clear how the experience contributes to your readiness for the program.

  • Resume/CV (file upload)

    Upload your resume or CV.

  • English Proficiency Test Scores

    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, 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.

  • Academic Transcripts (file upload)

    When applying, you are required to submit unofficial academic transcripts from each undergraduate or graduate institution from which you obtained your degrees (eg. your bachelor's degree or other advanced degrees).

    Applicants with international transcripts are strongly encouraged to submit a transcript evaluation from WES (World Education Services) along with their Dartmouth Engineering application. While a WES evaluation is not mandatory for admission, it can help expedite the admissions review process.

    If you are admitted, you will need to submit official academic transcripts for all your coursework and credentials. For international transcripts, WES evaluations can be used instead of official transcripts, but they must be sent directly to Dartmouth Engineering by the evaluation service provider, and they must include a copy of the official transcripts that were evaluated.

Optional Materials

  • Life Perspective

    500 words maximum

    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. Our commitment is driven by a belief that differences of opinions, experiences, identities, and perspectives are essential to building a stronger community. We encourage you to share how your personal perspectives and unique life experiences will contribute to Dartmouth and the engineering school community. Please feel free to share how any life experiences may have adversely affected your academic history.

  • Employment History

    Enter additional information about your employment history and professional experience.

  • GRE scores

    GRE scores 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.

Financial Aid

Dartmouth's online degree students are eligible for a variety of financial aid and payment options to support your education. Understanding your options for financial aid will help ensure you make the right financial choices for your education.

Cost of Attendance

The total cost of the online MEng: CE program is $44,100, which can be paid per course as students are enrolled. Financial aid options are available to help defray tuition and other costs.

DescriptionPart-Time Courseload (1 course)Full-Time Courseload (2 courses)
Direct Costs (billed to students)
Tuition per term$4,900$9,800
Other feesNo additional fees for online studentsNo additional fees for online students
Total Cost of Degree (9 courses)$44,100$44,100

Federal Financial Aid

US citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for federal loans, administered by the US Department of Education, to help defray costs of tuition and other education expenses. You must be enrolled at least part-time to be eligible, which is defined as taking a minimum of just one course per term for the online MEng: CE.

Graduate Federal Financial Aid Programs

How to Apply

  1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually for each year you are seeking financial aid. The FAFSA is completed after January 1 of the year in which you plan to enter the program, or are currently enrolled. Please use the school code 002573 for Dartmouth.
    1. First-time applicants will receive a personal identification number (PIN) from the US Department of Education. (Keep this PIN for subsequent applications.) Previous applicants may log in with their PIN and complete a renewal FAFSA.
    2. Submit a copy of the student's physically signed most recent federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 wage statements, via signing in to the College Board Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) portal. If you did not file a tax return, you may submit the non-filer statement available via the College Board IDOC portal.
    3. All first-time borrowers will need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling online.
  2. Complete the Dartmouth College Graduate Student Financial Aid Application and submit to Dartmouth’s Financial Aid Office. To utilize the fillable form feature, you may need to download the form first.

Other Funding & Scholarships

Employer Tuition Reimbursement

Many employers are willing to invest in their employees to help them advance skills and gain expertise in their fields. Coursera, our online degree partner, has helpful tips how you can ask your employer for help with educational expenses.

Scholarships and Grants

Numerous scholarships and grant opportunities are available through other sources. Options such as Scholly allows students to search for grants and scholarships for which you might be eligible. In addition, our online degree partner, Coursera, has a list of helpful resources for scholarships and grant opportunities.

International Students

While certain loans and scholarships are limited to US citizens and permanent residents, private loans and specific scholarships are available for international students. Our online partner, Coursera, has a list of funding opportunities for non-US international students.

International students who apply for financial aid also need to complete Dartmouth's Graduate Student Financial Aid Application, so that Dartmouth's financial aid office is aware of students' intended plans.

Contact

For questions about your application or financial aid, contact:

Graduate Admissions
online.engineering@dartmouth.edu

For questions about courses or the degree program, contact:

Enrollment Advisor
dartmouth-meng@coursera.org