Admitted Students

Congratulations on your acceptance to the Materials Science & Engineering graduate program at the «Ƶ!

First Steps: Make sure to follow all steps on the Graduate School's Incoming Students page. You will not be able to register until these tasks are complete.

Next Steps: Registration and Degree Planning. Please feel free to review requirements and our course options (most of these are offered through other departments) and begin to plan your schedule. You can search for all courses using Sign up for courses through your Buff Portal. Directions are available on the Registrar's Website. You must sign up for at least 5 graduate credit hours to be a full-time student. This is normally 2 classes as most graduate courses are 3 credits. PhD students should always be registered full time every fall and spring. It is not necessary under most circumstances to be registered over the summer. MS students may be part-time but you should consider how this will affect your degree timeline. All first-year students meet with the MSE Graduate Advisor before the start of the semester. 

Financial Information, Tuition and Fees: All incoming PhD students are supported by the MSE program through a TA or RA appointment that includes tuition remission. Typically, new PhD students will be assigned as a TA for an introductory Chemistry or Physics course based on their academic background. PhD will be notified of their TA assigments no later than the week of orientation. Unfortunately, MSE is not able to offer financial support to MS students.

MS Students should review tuition rates and billing on the Bursar's Office website.

Both MS and PhD students will be responsible for mandatory student fees. Please review fee information on the Bursar website.

MSEN 5000 Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering (Boot Camp) is offered to new incoming PhD students during the Augmester. It is an intensive 2-week course designed to provide you both the techincal and soft skills for a successful start to your PhD career. Boot Camp credits will count toward the breadth elective requirements.

Orientation: Mandatory orientation will take place during the first week of classes in the fall semester. Orientation schedules will be sent out closer to the start of the fall semester. The College of Engineering, the Graduate School and other offices and units also host orientations that new students are highly encouraged to attend. MSE will communicate orientation schedules over the summer before your first semester.

On-Campus Necessities

Information for Incoming International Students

Please see the International Student and Scholar Services for the required International Student Orientation, Pre-Arrival Orientation Course, and Immigration Reporting Session.

Important: Federal regulations REQUIRE new international students to check-in to report their arrival in the U.S. and to report their address to their school. IF YOU DO NOT CHECK IN WITH ISSS, YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS MIGHT BE CANCELLED! If you have questions or concerns, please contact the ISSS office.

Social Security Number for International Students

  • International Students who will be paid while attending the University of Colorado MUST have a social security number (SSN). Your HR appointment cannot be entered without this number. Please see the ISSS office for more information. For more information go to and click on the tab labeled “social security number” toward the bottom of the webpage.
  • When you have received your social security number (SSN) you need to
  • It is essential that international students meet with a tax specialist in order to complete the payroll enrollment process. If you do not complete this requirement you CANNOT be paid.