Master of Science [M.S] [Material Engineering] From University of Illinois

University of Illinois Chicago MS in Materials Engineering is a two-year, on-campus Chicago degree for related-field graduates with a 2.75/4.00 GPA (grade point average). That threshold is approximately 60% to 65% or CGPA (cumulative grade point average) 6.5 to 7.0/10, subject to UIC’s evaluation. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition and fees were US$38,478 (INR 36.53 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The programme develops skills in materials design, processing and characterization across metals, ceramics, polymers, composites and electronic materials. Its thesis and coursework-only paths suit applicants choosing between research depth and a broader industry-facing curriculum.

• The 36-credit curriculum permits either 12 thesis-research credits or a fully taught route.
• Students can focus on materials processing and characterization or mechanics of solids.
• UIC requires no Graduate Record Examination, recommendation letters or personal statement for this MS application.

Also Check: University of Illinois Chicago MS admissions

UIC MS Materials Engineering Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition remains unpublished after checking UIC’s live programme, tuition and international funding pages. Verify the target fee on the official fee page.

Cost context: The tuition row below is a 2026-27 prior-cycle reference, while the application charges apply to Fall 2027 applicants. It supports budgeting but cannot establish the eventual 2027-28 bill.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 94.9481 as of 26 October 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: UIC Office of International Services 2026-27 estimate and UIC international application requirements.

The published annual figure combines tuition and fees, so UIC does not separate a programme total on the international funding table. Because the degree requires 36 credits, actual billing also depends on each semester’s registered-credit band.

Cost of Living in Chicago for Materials Engineering Students

UIC estimates US$20,116 (INR 19.10 Lakhs) for nine months of graduate living expenses in 2026-27. This combined allowance is separate from tuition, academic materials and the visa funding requirement.

Prior-cycle living-cost context: The monthly value below divides UIC’s nine-month estimate by nine and does not invent separate rent, food or transport amounts.

UIC separately budgets US$1,599 (INR 1.52 Lakhs) for books and orientation, producing an official 2026-27 nine-month total of US$60,193 (INR 57.15 Lakhs). A prior-cycle planning illustration for two academic years is US$60,193 multiplied by two, or US$120,386 (INR 1.14 Crore), excluding summer living and future increases.

Read More: cost of living in the United States

ROI reality: Do not treat the US$120,386 (INR 1.14 Crore) illustration as a Fall 2027 quote; retain a fee-increase reserve until UIC publishes 2027-28 charges.

UIC MS Materials Engineering Admission 2027

Admission requires an engineering or related-field bachelor’s background and a minimum 2.75/4.00 GPA across the final 60 semester hours. UIC evaluates each applicant individually, particularly when prior preparation does not directly cover materials engineering.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

For India, UIC accepts a four-year to six-year bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree following a three-year bachelor’s degree. Certain postgraduate diplomas following a bachelor’s degree receive individual evaluation.

Fall 2027 admission requirements: The programme catalog supplies the academic threshold and confirms that standardized admission tests are not required.

The threshold establishes eligibility rather than admission certainty, because the department gives preference to stronger academic records. Applicants from mechanical, civil, chemical or related sciences should map prior courses to materials processing or solid mechanics.

Students with preparation gaps may receive limited standing and complete additional courses before progressing. That possibility makes the coursework-only route flexible, but deficiency classes can add cost and extend the planned two-year schedule.

English Language Proficiency

Indian applicants must submit approved English evidence unless they meet UIC’s education or employment exemption. The current catalog gives a revised TOEFL scale for tests taken from 21 January 2026.

Accepted score routes for Fall 2027: Every listed component minimum applies alongside the overall score.

• An Indian English-medium degree alone does not waive UIC’s English requirement.
• Test scores remain valid for two years and must be valid when the application is filed.
• A teaching assistantship requires a separate UIC spoken-English assessment after admission.

Check Out: University of Illinois Chicago graduate programmes

Tip for Indian students: The 2.75/4.00 minimum keeps several engineering backgrounds eligible, but applicants should document concentration-ready courses before choosing the thesis or taught path.

UIC MS Materials Engineering Application 2027

The Fall 2027 international deadline is 15 February 2027, although funding consideration closes one month earlier. UIC also lists Spring 2028 entry with a 15 July 2027 international deadline.

Forward-looking application dates: Both listed intakes are available in UIC’s graduate application, and all credentials must arrive by the applicable international deadline.

UIC does not publish a clock time, timezone or decision-release date beside these programme deadlines. Set an internal completion date one calendar day earlier in IST, because the official portal date remains controlling.

How to Apply for the Materials Engineering MS

Start through the official Materials Engineering application page, then complete the Graduate College and departmental review stages. The portal opens an upload checklist after the initial application is received.

• Upload transcripts for every undergraduate and graduate institution, including individual Indian semester or yearly marksheets.
• Submit valid English scores because an Indian English-medium degree does not create an automatic waiver.
• Pay the US$80 (INR 7,596) application fee and US$100 (INR 9,495) international evaluation fee unless an approved waiver applies.
• Check the portal until every item is marked received because UIC provides no separate document-submission grace period.

The College of Engineering advertises a Fall 2027 application-fee waiver for MS applicants who attend qualifying information sessions. Confirm waiver eligibility before payment, because the published fee is otherwise non-refundable.

For this MS, the catalog lists no GRE, recommendation letters or personal statement, and the programme publishes no interview stage. A concise technical résumé can still help internal preparation, but it should not delay required credentials.

Application tip: Treat 15 January 2027 as the practical Fall deadline when funding affects attendance; a February submission preserves admission access but misses fellowship consideration.

UIC MS Materials Engineering Scholarships 2027

Funding is possible but not guaranteed for Materials Engineering MS students. UIC publishes no Fall 2027 named scholarship specifically for international students in this programme with a fixed award amount.

The department instead identifies fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships as its main graduate funding routes. Each route involves nomination or selection rather than automatic consideration based only on admission.

Funding Routes for Materials Engineering Students

Current published funding structure: The table distinguishes each route’s benefit from its access risk, avoiding an assumed award in the enrolment budget.

A typical 50% assistantship requires 20 hours of work weekly and usually runs for nine months. The waiver does not remove every student fee, so an award should not be treated as a zero-cost degree.

The department’s official graduate funding page advises research-ready applicants to contact only faculty whose projects match their experience. Thesis applicants can demonstrate this match through methods, laboratory work or publications tied to a specific materials area.

• Prepare financing for the full US$60,193 (INR 57.15 Lakhs) prior-cycle annual estimate without assuming assistantship income.
• Submit by 15 January 2027 so the file remains available for Fall fellowship consideration.
• Use the thesis path when research evidence supports a faculty match, not merely because an assistantship would reduce cost.

Fall 2027 MS applicants may also pursue the College of Engineering application-fee waiver after attending a qualifying information session. That waiver saves US$80 (INR 7,596), but it does not reduce tuition.

Read More: scholarships for Indian students in the United States

Scholarship reality: The 15 January 2027 funding date preserves consideration, but the programme’s PhD priority makes confirmed financing more decision-useful than a hoped-for waiver.

UIC MS Materials Engineering Salary 2027

UIC publishes no course-cohort salary, offer rate or employment rate for the Materials Engineering MS. Its department-wide outcomes identify destinations, while national wage data provide market context rather than graduate results.

Salary Evidence and Career Scope

The latest United States Bureau of Labor Statistics data report a May 2025 median for materials engineers and industry-specific medians. These figures cover experienced and entry-level workers nationwide, not UIC graduates.

External job-market benchmarks: INR values convert the published United States salaries at the article’s stated exchange rate.

Source: United States materials-engineer wage data, May 2025.

The department-wide destination list includes ANSYS, Argonne National Laboratory, Intel, John Deere and Ford’s autonomous-driving research laboratory. These names show access across research and manufacturing, but they do not prove programme-specific recruitment or placement probability.

The thesis path builds research evidence through 12 credits of CME 598, while the coursework-only path permits an optional co-op track declared at matriculation. Applicants should choose the route matching target roles rather than assuming either option delivers a higher salary.

ROI for Indian Applicants

A prior-cycle annual budget of US$60,193 (INR 57.15 Lakhs) makes this a financing-intensive degree. Since 2027-28 tuition and course-level outcomes are unpublished, a numerical payback forecast would be unreliable.

• The unpublished 2027-28 fee creates exchange-rate and increase risk, so secure funds beyond the 2026-27 US$60,193 (INR 57.15 Lakhs) reference.
• The US$112,860 (INR 1.07 Crore) national median is not starting pay, so compare actual role offers rather than using it as repayment income.
• Department-wide destinations show possible industry reach without course placement odds, so prioritize demonstrable laboratory, computational or co-op experience.
• The thesis route supports research-intensive roles, while coursework-only students should confirm co-op eligibility at matriculation before relying on work experience.
• Assistantships can lower tuition but favour PhD applicants, so accept the course only if the self-funded case remains viable.

Returning to India removes the United States wage basis, so evaluate the curriculum against specific Indian research, manufacturing or semiconductor roles. United States salaries are gross, and take-home pay varies with location and taxes; use the Internal Revenue Service withholding estimator for offer comparisons.

ROI reality: The MS is financially rational when the chosen thesis or co-op route unlocks a defined materials role, not when repayment depends on an occupation-wide median.

US Visa for UIC MS Materials Engineering Students 2027

Admitted Indian students normally use F-1 classification and should budget US$185 (INR 17,565) for the visa. The I-901 SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee is US$350 (INR 33,232). Combined government fees are US$535 (INR 50,797), separate from UIC’s living-cost estimate.

• Standard OPT (Optional Practical Training) offers 12 months of work authorization; eligible science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates may receive a 24-month extension.
• H-1B employment must pay the higher actual or local prevailing wage, and no single national salary threshold guarantees sponsorship.
• An F-2 spouse or unmarried child under 21 may accompany the student but cannot work in the United States.
• The degree creates no automatic permanent-residence route or fixed settlement timeline, so employer sponsorship remains a separate decision.

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Visa reality: Confirm the Materials Engineering classification code on the issued I-20 before valuing a 36-month OPT window; the degree title alone does not approve the extension.

UIC MS Materials Engineering Ranking 2027

Times Higher Education places UIC in the 201-250 band for Engineering 2026. This is a subject-level institutional ranking, not a ranking of the Materials Engineering MS itself.

Relevant ranking evidence: The edition and scope below prevent the broad result from being mistaken for placement or programme quality data.

The ranking can support a broad research-environment check, but it cannot choose between UIC’s thesis and coursework-only paths. Faculty alignment, laboratory methods and the optional co-op route are more direct fit indicators.

Check Out: University of Illinois Chicago rankings

Honest take: Use the 201-250 Engineering band as institutional context only; curriculum route and supervisor fit should drive the Materials Engineering decision.