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Our doctoral program typically spans five years and includes coursework, preliminary written and research examinations, followed by original research supervised by faculty advisors, concluding with a dissertation defense and publication. The fully-funded program covers tuition, mandatory fees, and provides a 12-month stipend, supported by faculty research grants, departmental fellowships, and teaching assistantships when applicable. We strongly recommend pursuing external funding opportunities, especially merit-based awards, as these often grant greater research flexibility. As the country's first aerospace engineering program, the University of Michigan's Department of Aerospace Engineering maintains a prestigious legacy, currently ranking fifth among public universities for graduate studies. Our comprehensive research spans all key aerospace disciplines, drawing exceptional scholars to Ann Arbor. The department's collaborative culture fosters an ideal setting for academic and professional development.
A master’s degree is not required to apply to the PhD program. Many students who go directly into the PhD program get a MSE from Aerospace Engineering along the way.
Solid undergraduate preparation in mathematics and engineering is essential. We have found that the lack of an engineering background puts students at a disadvantage during their graduate studies.
Recently admitted PhD applicants had a combined GRE score above 320 (Verbal + Quantitative), a minimum Analytical Writing score of 4.0, and a GPA over 3.6.
Test scores
The minimum TOEFL score is 84.
The minimum IELTS score is 6.5.