Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their undergraduate degree or rank in the upper third of their graduating class at an institution whose status and programs are readily assessed.

There is an application deadline approximately 45 days prior to each term start.

There is an application fee of $50 for each graduate school application; it is payable online during the application process. Speak with an admissions outreach advisor about waiving your fee.

Yes, up to six semester hours of graduate-level courses may be transferred in for master’s candidates. Transfer of credit must be requested in the student’s first academic year, and must be appropriate for the student’s planned program of study. There is a Petition for Transfer of Credit Form that must be completed and submitted.

Once you are officially admitted to Case Western Reserve University, you must submit official transcripts from all past universities attended. Electronic official transcripts may be emailed to gradtranscripts@case.edu. Hard-copy official transcripts may be mailed directly from the college or university to the following address:

Case Western Reserve University
School of Graduate Studies
Tomlinson Hall 203
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7027

Students who wish to be considered for graduate admission at Case Western Reserve University must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited college or university.

Courses offered in Case Western University’s online engineering programs (Master of Engineering, Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering, Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Science in Systems and Control Engineering) are online or distance learning courses that do not require a student’s physical attendance for classes, exams or other purposes integral to completion of the courses. Please be aware that USCIS regulations give strict limits to the amount of online or distance coursework international students may pursue when in the United States. We offer the following for your information and convenience.

• F-1 and J-1 visa students are not eligible to pursue online degrees while residing in the United States; therefore student on those visas are not eligible for the online engineering programs.
• International students in the United States on visas other than F-1 and J-1 should consult their employers or immigration attorneys to verify eligibility of the online programs.

Mailed documents should be addressed to the same department/program address as your transcripts.

Yes, all registered degree-seeking students are eligible as long as they meet federal criteria for aid and are enrolled in an appropriate number of credits.

The GRE is required for the Master of Science programs, but not required for the Master of Engineering program. Successful program students have strong quantitative skills, often evidenced by scores near the 80th percentile on the quantitative section of the GRE, which is generally consistent with a score of 160 or better. Some applicants may qualify for a waiver if they meet certain requirements, please see the details on the Admissions page.

*In response to concerns about the COVID-19 virus, the Case School of Engineering is suspending certain requirements for Spring and Fall 2022 term. MS applicants will not be required to submit GRE scores.

The minimum acceptable IELTS score is 7.0

The minimum acceptable internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score is 90; the minimum acceptable paper-based TOEFL score is 577.

GRE scores are valid for five (5) years from the test date; TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two (2) years from the test date.

You must request that Educational Testing Service (ETS) send GRE and TOEFL iBT test scores electronically to institution code 1105. TOEFL paper-based and IELTS score reports may be mailed to the same program address as your transcripts.

These programs can be completed in 16-20 months, depending on the chosen degree and the number of credits taken each semester.

Yes, the program is 100% online and generally asynchronous, meaning students may log in at their own convenience. Assignments, participation, other course requirements and outcomes are determined by each professor and listed in the syllabi. It is up to each student to log in and complete course work.

Each semester comprises 14 weeks; there are three semesters per year – fall, spring and summer.

Yes, students will have online access via network credentials assigned during the admission and initial registration process.

All online MS and ME degree programs consist of 10 (3-credit) courses.

The programs are practice-oriented, not research-oriented. As such, a thesis is not required.

Yes, each candidate for the master’s degree must take an approved project course, or satisfactorily pass a comprehensive examination, to be administered by the department or curricular program committee. The examination may be written or oral or both.