Application Fee (Required)
$65 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
$80 for international students.
English Proficiency Test (Required)
This program uses the Graduate School's English Language Proficiency Score Requirements and Minimum Scores for Regular Admission.
Minimum Scores for Regular Admission
TOEFL iBT: 4.5 (no sub score less than 4) (or 79 for students who took the test prior to January 2026)
IELTS: 6.5 (no sub score less than 6)
Duolingo English Test: 120 (no sub score less than 110)
PTE: 59
More information is available at https://graduate.ua.edu/applicants/international-students/.
Letter of Recommendation (3 Required)
Contact information for three recommenders provided at time of application.
Statement of Purpose (Required)
Most statements of purpose are 1-2 pages long and should describe your background, reasons for attending your chosen graduate program and post-graduation goals. If you have questions regarding content or format, please contact your prospective program.
Transcript (Required)
Please upload an unofficial transcript for any institution of higher education at which you have completed 15 or more credit hours. Official transcripts must be received prior to registering for classes. International applicants: please make sure that your transcript includes a grading scheme. All others: please include a grading scheme if your university does not use a letter-based (e.g. A, A-, B) grading scheme. The minimum GPA to be considered for regular admission is a 3.0 on a 4-point scale. Students who do not meet these requirements, but who excel in other areas, may be considered for Admission with Permission to Continue.
Additional Requirements (not listed) (Recommended)
The program for the PhD in the area of materials/metallurgical engineering is conducted jointly with The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). This arrangement permits sharing of facilities, exchange of faculty, joint seminars, and a wide choice of dissertation advisers. The PhD degree in the area of materials science is also offered, in collaboration with UAB and The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Full details of this interdisciplinary program may be found in this catalog.