Graduate Application Useful Information

• All applications require a resume, personal statement, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation
• Personal statements should explain your motivation for graduate study
• PhD and research-oriented MS applicants should also discuss areas of research and specify potential faculty advisors of interest
• GRE general test scores are not required for our graduate program. You may still submit them if you feel they strengthen your application
• Transcripts must show all courses taken, credit hours, and final grades. A degree certification is not sufficient. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted at the time of application, but official transcripts are needed for final admission
• Unofficial test scores can be submitted for evaluation, but official documents will be required for final admission

Please see the individual sections below for more information, including language exam requirements

Applications to the Ph.D. program received by January 15^th can be considered for fellowships and assistantships that include full stipend and full tuition remission.

All admitted full-time Ph.D. students receive funding through either teaching assistantships (TA), graduate assistantships (GA) or fellowships and can expect funding for at least five years subject to satisfactory progress. TA and GA positions are reserved for Ph.D. students, and we only hold a Fall admissions cycle for Ph.D. admissions.

Our program is a hub for an NIH sponsored Biotechnology training program, a Colgate-Palmolive experiential learning opportunity program, and an NSF REU in Advanced Materials (https://cbe.rutgers.edu/research/research-traineeships) as well as centers in Pharmaceutical Engineering and Catalyst manufacture (https://cbe.rutgers.edu/research/research-centers-and-labs)

Rutgers University fosters diversity through several special fellowship and training programs and encourages applications from students with backgrounds underrepresented in chemical engineering and academia.

More information about our Ph.D. program

Submit your application

We offer two Master's degrees

• Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
• Master of Engineering (M.E.) in Pharmaceutical Engineering
  • currently listed as M.E. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering in graduate application portal

Application to the Master’s program is done on a rolling basis. We offer both Fall and Spring admissions cycles. The application deadline is August 1^st for Fall admissions and December 1^st for Spring admissions.

A number of our Master’s students seek out and find paid positions on campus on their own, including as graders, learning assistants, and part-time lecturers. Departments such as Chemistry, Math and Physics serve a large undergraduate population and routinely recruit CBE Master’s students for such positions. We also have a number of grader positions in our department, depending on course enrollment.

Many of our Master’s students have been successful in obtaining summer internships/co-ops in the relevant chemical or pharmaceutical industries, which can be accommodated in the form of CPT (curricular practical training) for international students.

More information about the MS in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

More information about the ME in Pharmaceutical Engineering

Submit your application here

Current Rutgers-New Brunswick students and recent alumni should apply for our Master's degrees through our BS/Master's program. Details can be found on the program website.

US citizens and permanents residents and international applicants with a minimum of three years undergraduate studies or a master’s degree with the mode of instruction being English are exempt from submitting TOEFL or IELTS scores. Your scores must be current within 2 years of the semester you are applying to. The minimum IBT-internet based TOEFL is Writing 22, Speaking 23, Reading 21, Listening 17. An acceptable IELTS score is bandwidth 7.

CBE does not manage the language exam, it is managed by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). SGS has not made a formal decision about accepting Duolingo exams for English proficiency, so we at CBE can not determine whether they can be accepted or not.

For more information on language exam requirements, visit the School of Graduate Studies

We offer full and part-time CPT after 2 semesters of in-person study for F1 visa students

Our international student program is supported by Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

The Graduate Program in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering regularly welcomes students with diverse educational backgrounds into our department for advanced study. More information can be found here.

All US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for part-time study and non-matriculated/non-degree study.

Part-time study is very popular with many of our Master's students who are employed full-time in local industry. Most of our graduate courses are offered in the evening which makes it convenient for part-time students to take one or two classes per semester.

Non-matriculated/non-degree study is an option to take up to four courses without being enrolled in a graduate degree program. After completing four courses, a student must then enroll in a degree program should they wish to continue study. All coursework previously completed is transferred to the degree at that point

The application fee is managed by the School of Graduate Studies, and not by CBE. CBE can not give out a fee waiver, but the graduate school has given the following information about waivers at this link as well as this link.

• Applicants who are active U.S. Military and Military Veterans who plan to apply for educational benefits under the GI Bill will automatically receive a waiver of the application fee.
• Current Rutgers students and alumni will automatically receive a waiver of the application fee.
• The FreeApp Program provides fee waivers for Ph.D. program applicants at Rutgers who meet these criteria. FreeApp is a collaborative program for students traditionally underrepresented in graduate education, including racial and ethnic minorities, women in STEM, first-generation college students, and individuals who have faced adversity, such as societal, economic, or academic disadvantages. 
• If you are a Scholar in one of the following programs, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Fee waivers are processed automatically when you select your program in the appropriate section of the application. If you don't see your program listed, contact the graduate program director.
  • ACS Scholars Program
  • Graduate Engineering and Science Fellowships for Minorities (GEM)
  • Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
  • Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
  • McNair Scholars Program
  • Meyerhoff Scholars Program
  • National Name Exchange (NNE)
  • National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)
  • National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
  • Northeast Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (NEAGEP)
  • Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP )
  • Project 1000
  • Research Intensive Summer Experience (RISE) at Rutgers, and some other Rutgers summer programs
  • Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program
  • Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
  • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineering (SHPE)
  • Society for Women Engineers (SWE)
• Attendees at selected recruitment events receive waivers. Be sure to retain your waiver code if you attend one of these meetings.
• Questions about the waiver policy can be submitted to Graduate Admissions using this contact form. Do not send an email to the Graduate School with questions about fees.
• Application fee waivers are not granted for any conditions outside those listed above.