B.S Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University [DREXEL PHILLY], Philadelphia Fees, Entry Requirement & Application Deadline

Bachelor of Science [B.S] [Mechanical Engineering] From Drexel University

Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1891established year
24190enrollment
Private (Not for Profit)
Partner [2 Courses]
7.4/10

Bachelor of Science [B.S] (Mechanical Engineering)

4 years
Full Time
On Campus

$60,698 /Yr

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Study Abroad Team

Updated on - Aug 6, 2026

Drexel University Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering is a 190-credit, full-time campus programme in Philadelphia with four-year and five-year co-op routes. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition was USD 63,078 (INR 59.99 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference, and applicants need a science-focused Class 12 qualification.

The curriculum joins mechanics, thermal-fluid sciences, materials, controls and manufacturing with laboratories, senior design and paid cooperative education. It best suits applicants prepared for calculus and physics who want industry experience, while the five-year route trades an extra calendar year for three co-op cycles.

  • Students can choose one co-op in four years or three co-ops in five years while completing the same 190-credit degree.
  • Placement examinations determine the starting calculus, physics and chemistry sequences, so summer preparation can directly affect first-year course planning.
  • Mechanical engineering electives add technical depth after a broad core that includes design, manufacturing, systems, controls and thermal-fluid science.

Current Admission Status

Applications for the September 2027 intake are Open. International student deadline: 15 January 2027.

Indian applicants seeking non-binding priority consideration should target Early Action by 15 November 2026. Drexel treats deadlines as received-by dates, so transcripts and the counselor recommendation must arrive with the application.

Also Check: Drexel University admission requirements

Drexel BSME Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is not yet published, so applicants cannot treat an older rate as their payable price. Drexel’s readable tuition, financing and international-cost pages were checked, and the table uses 2026-27 figures only as prior-cycle planning references.

Prior-cycle context: Drexel charged full-time four-year and five-year undergraduates the same base tuition across three academic quarters in 2026-27. Co-op terms still attracted the general university fee, which makes the chosen co-op calendar relevant to total billing.

2026-27 cost itemUSDINR equivalent
Tuition for three quartersUSD 63,078INR 59.99 Lakhs
Estimated feesUSD 2,420INR 2.30 Lakhs
Average housing and foodUSD 19,398INR 18.45 Lakhs
Calculated first-year subtotalUSD 84,896INR 80.74 Lakhs

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.1031 as of 06 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: Drexel University 2026-27 undergraduate tuition and financing pages; the subtotal adds tuition, estimated fees and average housing and food.

The USD 84,896 (INR 80.74 Lakhs) subtotal excludes travel, books, personal expenses, health insurance and future price changes. Because 2027-28 charges are pending, families should preserve a contingency instead of multiplying this subtotal into an unqualified four-year total.

  • Budget the USD 65 (INR 6,182) application fee before submission because the standard international applicant does not meet Drexel’s listed institutional waiver categories.
  • Compare the four-year and five-year maps term by term because tuition is billed during class terms while scholarships are unavailable during co-op terms.
  • Use the 2027-28 award letter and billing schedule before committing because neither prior-cycle tuition nor co-op earnings establishes the final family contribution.

Cost of Living in Philadelphia for BSME Students

Drexel’s 2026-27 financing estimate combines housing and food at USD 19,398 (INR 18.45 Lakhs) for three academic quarters. It is a university budgeting estimate, not the federal visa funding requirement and not a detailed rent or grocery breakdown.

ExpenseMonthly USDMonthly INR
Housing and food, calculated monthly averageUSD 1,616.50INR 1.54 Lakhs
Housing and food, official annual estimateUSD 19,398 annuallyINR 18.45 Lakhs annually

The monthly figure divides Drexel’s annual estimate by 12 and is therefore a calculated planning average, not a university-published monthly bill. Students comparing residence and off-campus housing should keep deposits, summer occupancy and commuting outside this combined figure until a contract specifies them.

Read More: cost of living in the United States

Fee status

Verify the target fee on the official fee page. Rebuild the budget when 2027-28 tuition appears, rather than applying a guessed annual increase to the prior-cycle amount.

ROI reality: The 2026-27 first-year subtotal was USD 84,896 (INR 80.74 Lakhs), so scholarship renewal terms and co-op scheduling materially affect affordability. Compare both programme maps against the final 2027-28 offer before paying a deposit.

Drexel BSME Admission 2027

Drexel publishes subject prerequisites but no minimum admission GPA for first-year BSME applicants. Selection is holistic, so academic performance, course rigour, the essay and counselor recommendation must collectively show readiness for a calculation-heavy engineering curriculum.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

Indian applicants need the Class 10 board result plus the official Class 11 transcript while still enrolled. Graduates submit board-certified Class 10 and Class 12 results, with an official English translation when the original record uses another language.

Engineering prerequisites: Drexel requires four years of mathematics through pre-calculus, one laboratory year of chemistry and one laboratory year of physics. The university makes the final equivalency decision, and it does not publish a percentage or ten-point CGPA conversion for these requirements.

Admission componentBSME requirementIndian applicant action
Secondary educationCompleted college-preparatory high school curriculumSubmit Class 10 and Class 12 board records when graduated
MathematicsFour years through pre-calculusShow algebra, geometry, trigonometry and pre-calculus coursework
Laboratory sciencesOne year each of chemistry and physics with labsEnsure the transcript identifies both subjects and practical study
Admission testSAT or ACT optional under No Harm reviewSubmit only when the result strengthens the academic record
Written evidenceOne counselor recommendation and a 250 to 650-word essayConnect mathematical preparation and design interests to BSME study

Meeting the subject list establishes eligibility but does not create an admission guarantee because Drexel sets no fixed GPA cutoff. Applicants whose schools use integrated science should ask admissions whether the transcript proves separate laboratory chemistry and physics before the received-by deadline.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants whose first language is not English need an approved proficiency examination unless they completed three full years of English-medium high school. A SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 600 or ACT English score of 27 also supports an exemption.

Drexel currently lists accepted tests but publishes no direct-entry minimum scores on the readable first-year testing page. Its TOEFL policy names TOEFL iBT and MyBest scoring without publishing a 2027 minimum or a revised 1.0 to 6.0 requirement, so self-conversion would be inaccurate.

English routeCurrent published policy
IELTSAccepted; direct-entry minimum unpublished
TOEFL iBTAccepted; scale-specific direct-entry minimum unpublished
Pearson PTEAccepted; direct-entry minimum unpublished
English-medium waiverThree complete high-school years with English as primary instruction
  • Request an English-medium confirmation from the school early because the three-year rule concerns instruction, not merely an English subject score.
  • Choose IELTS or PTE when a confirmed numeric target is needed because Drexel must clarify its post-January 2026 TOEFL scoring before reliance.
  • Send every accepted result because Drexel updates the record using the highest submitted section scores across test dates.

English-score verification

Check the official testing policy before booking TOEFL. Use only the scale and minimum Drexel confirms for Fall 2027, particularly for tests taken after 21 January 2026.

Tip for Indian students: Class 12 marks alone do not prove BSME readiness when laboratory subjects are unclear. Confirm that school records explicitly show four years of mathematics plus chemistry and physics laboratories before submission.

Drexel BSME Application 2027

Fall 2027 BSME applicants can use Early Decision, Early Action or Regular Decision. Early Decision is binding, while Early Action gives the same published application deadline without requiring enrollment after admission.

Fall 2027 application schedule: Drexel publishes received-by calendar dates without a portal time or timezone. Indian applicants should therefore submit by the preceding IST calendar day and treat Drexel’s portal record as controlling.

PlanApplication deadlineDecision timingApplicant consequence
Early Decision15 November 2026Mid-December 2026Binding if admitted
Early Action15 November 2026Mid-December 2026Non-binding with priority consideration
Regular Decision15 January 2027By 1 April 2027Non-binding with later review

The Early Action route preserves comparison freedom while meeting the higher 2026-27 merit range’s application category. Early Decision makes sense only after the family can accept Drexel without comparing another university’s final cost.

Application Materials and Sequence

Applicants submit the Common Application or Coalition Application with Scoir, the USD 65 (INR 6,182) fee, official transcripts, one counselor recommendation and a 250 to 650-word essay. International records must come from the institution or carry the required official certification and translation.

  • Ask the counselor to identify advanced mathematics and laboratory sciences because those subjects establish programme readiness beyond the overall board percentage.
  • Use the essay to explain a mechanical system, design project or technical problem that connects preparation to Drexel’s laboratory and co-op model.
  • Submit the CSS Profile by 25 November 2026 for early plans or 1 February 2027 for Regular Decision when seeking institutional need-based aid.
  • Apply test-optional when SAT or ACT evidence does not strengthen the transcript because Drexel states that this choice does not reduce merit-aid eligibility.

Drexel does not publish a required BSME interview, so the written file carries the selection evidence. This makes the counselor letter especially useful for explaining school-level constraints, laboratory access or course naming that an American reviewer may not infer.

Check Out: Drexel University overview

Application tip: Early Action offers the strongest flexibility because its 15 November 2026 deadline preserves a non-binding choice and aligns with higher published prior-cycle merit ranges. Complete transcript dispatch before submitting the form.

Drexel BSME Scholarships 2027

Fall 2027 scholarship values are unpublished, although international first-year applicants remain eligible for Drexel’s institutional merit review. The 2026-27 amounts below provide prior-cycle context and cannot be deducted from an unpublished 2027 tuition bill.

Prior-cycle planning context: Merit amounts refer to students admitted for Fall 2026, while cycleless association awards remain current published opportunities with restrictive eligibility. Every award applies during registered class terms rather than co-op terms unless its rules say otherwise.

AwardPublished valueEligibility and route
Drexel Merit Scholarship, Early Decision or Early ActionUSD 20,000 to USD 35,000 (INR 19.02 Lakhs to INR 33.29 Lakhs)Fall 2026 international first-year applicants; automatic admission review
Drexel Merit Scholarship, Regular DecisionUSD 10,000 to USD 35,000 (INR 9.51 Lakhs to INR 33.29 Lakhs)Fall 2026 international first-year applicants; automatic admission review
Dragon Alumni ScholarshipUSD 500 per term (INR 47,552 per term)Requires endorsement from a Drexel alumnus
Tuition Exchange ProgramUSD 44,000 (INR 41.85 Lakhs)2026-27 fall starters with a parent at a participating institution

The merit scholarship is the broadly accessible route because admission itself triggers review. However, its renewable value applies only during full-time class terms, so families must map the award against the selected four-year or five-year co-op sequence.

  • Submit Early Action by 15 November 2026 because it preserves choice while meeting the earlier merit consideration category.
  • File the alumni recommendation by 25 November 2026 for an early plan or 1 February 2027 for Regular Decision.
  • Ask the parent’s employer about Tuition Exchange before applying because participation and nomination determine eligibility before Drexel reviews the award.
  • Use the award letter’s class-term schedule when calculating family cash flow because co-op quarters do not receive the institutional scholarship.

Drexel reported average scholarship and grant aid of USD 40,814 (INR 38.82 Lakhs) for Fall 2025 first-year students. However, that university-wide figure is not a BSME promise, so Indian applicants should budget from their personal award letters.

Scholarship reality: The prior-cycle Early Action merit range reached USD 35,000 (INR 33.29 Lakhs), yet awards pause during co-op terms. Evaluate renewal across the exact BSME calendar before comparing headline amounts.

Drexel BSME Salary 2027

Drexel publishes course-level co-op pay evidence, but it does not publish a current BSME graduate salary or full-time offer rate. The available evidence therefore supports internship cash-flow planning, not a promised post-graduation salary or tuition payback.

2024-25 Mechanical Engineering co-op cohort: Drexel’s salary guide covers paid experiences and excludes unpaid positions and stipend-only work. The paid-position percentage describes co-op records in this major, not the proportion of graduates employed full-time.

Course-cohort measureUSD per hourINR per hour
25th percentile co-op payUSD 21.56INR 2,050
Median co-op payUSD 24.00INR 2,283
75th percentile co-op payUSD 26.00INR 2,473
Share of reported positions that were paid98.4%Not applicable

Source: Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center Undergraduate Co-op Salary Guide, 2024-25 academic year.

The median implies USD 24,960 (INR 23.74 Lakhs) across a hypothetical 26-week placement at 40 hours weekly. That figure is a calculated gross-pay illustration, and actual hours, taxes, unpaid periods and placement terms can materially change cash received.

BSME Return on Investment

The 2026-27 first-year subtotal was USD 84,896 (INR 80.74 Lakhs), while 2027-28 tuition remains unpublished. This cost gap makes scholarship certainty and the number of co-op cycles more useful than a speculative graduate-salary payback calculation.

  • The five-year route offers three co-op cycles, so applicants should compare its additional calendar year against the work evidence and class-term billing map.
  • The 2024-25 median co-op rate was USD 24.00 (INR 2,283) hourly, so families should treat earnings as variable cash flow rather than guaranteed tuition funding.
  • Drexel publishes no current BSME graduate salary, so host-country job plans require an independent role-specific salary check before accepting substantial debt.
  • India-return applicants should value design, controls and manufacturing experience separately because US co-op pay does not translate into an Indian graduate salary benchmark.
  • Scholarships pause during co-op terms, so students should reconcile each unpaid award quarter against expected wages before choosing the three-co-op map.

Mechanical engineers may work across aerospace, automotive, energy, manufacturing, biomechanics and systems roles, but the catalog names fields rather than guaranteed employers. Gross co-op pay also differs from take-home income, so use the relevant government tax calculator after confirming work location and payroll status.

ROI reality: A 98.4% paid-position share and USD 24.00 (INR 2,283) median hourly co-op rate provide useful experiential evidence. They do not offset the funding risk created by unpublished 2027 tuition or substitute for graduate outcomes.

US Visa for Drexel BSME Students 2027

International BSME students normally use the F-1 student status after Drexel issues Form I-20 from verified funding documents. The visa application fee is USD 185 (INR 17,594) and the I-901 SEVIS fee is USD 350 (INR 33,286), separate from Drexel’s living-cost estimate.

  • Mechanical Engineering is STEM-designated, so eligible graduates may combine 12-month OPT with a 24-month STEM extension for up to 36 months.
  • H-1B employment requires the higher applicable actual or prevailing wage and often cap selection because no single national salary threshold applies.
  • Employment-based permanent residence may proceed through EB-2 or EB-3, but no fixed settlement timeline follows automatically from the BSME or OPT.
  • F-2 spouses and children may accompany the student, although an F-2 spouse cannot work and needs separate financial support.

Read More: Optional Practical Training after US study

Visa reality: The possible 36-month OPT window supports three US recruitment cycles only when the student maintains status and secures qualifying work. Do not treat it as employment or permanent-residence assurance.

Drexel’s BSME fits a mathematically prepared applicant who wants laboratory design work combined with structured co-op experience. The four-year route limits elapsed time, while the five-year route offers broader workplace repetition through three co-ops. Unpublished 2027 tuition remains the material tradeoff because prior-cycle cost and co-op pay cannot establish the final net price. Apply through Early Action after confirming laboratory prerequisites, then decide between routes using Drexel’s 2027-28 award and billing schedule.

Drexel University BSME FAQs

Ques. Is Drexel’s four-year or five-year BSME better for an Indian student?

Ans. The four-year route suits applicants prioritising earlier graduation and includes one co-op, while the five-year route adds three co-op cycles. Choose the latter only when repeated work experience justifies another calendar year and its associated living costs.

Ques. How should an applicant judge Drexel BSME affordability before 2027 tuition is published?

Ans. Use the 2026-27 subtotal of USD 84,896 (INR 80.74 Lakhs) only as prior-cycle context, then wait for the personal award. Reconcile scholarship class terms, co-op quarters and excluded expenses before paying the enrollment deposit.

Ques. Does applying test-optional weaken a Drexel Mechanical Engineering scholarship application?

Ans. Drexel states that test-optional applicants remain eligible for merit aid and face no admission disadvantage from that choice. Submit SAT or ACT results only when they strengthen the transcript’s mathematics and science evidence.

Ques. Is Early Action preferable to Early Decision for Drexel BSME?

Ans. Early Action is preferable when a family needs to compare final net costs because it is non-binding and shares the 15 November deadline. Early Decision fits only applicants ready to enroll without comparing another university’s offer.

Ques. Can Drexel Mechanical Engineering co-op earnings fund the degree?

Ans. The 2024-25 median was USD 24.00 (INR 2,283) hourly for paid mechanical engineering co-ops, not a guaranteed award. Treat wages as variable cash flow because hours, taxes, placement outcomes and scholarship pauses change the usable amount.


Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
Tuition Fees$60698

Other Expenses

HeadAvg Cost Per Year
Room and Board$16488
Total Cost$16488

Previous Year Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
2023$56595
2022$35912

Scores Required

6.5 / 9

Avg. Score in

IELTS

90 / 120

Avg. Score in

TOEFL

27 / 36

Avg. Score in

ACT

1220 / 1600

Avg. Score in

SAT

110 / 160

Avg. Score in

Duolingo


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