ESE Admissions
Who Should Apply
The ESE Interdisciplinary Graduate Program accepts students from a variety of undergraduate majors and Masters programs, including the natural sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.
If you would like to receive more information about the ESE program, you can join our prospective student list by completing the request for information form with the graduate school click here and under "program of interest" choose "Ecological Sciences & Engineering - Interdisciplinary"
[ Return to top ]
When to Apply
The priority deadline to apply to the ESE Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (ESE-IGP) is November 15th. Applications submitted before this priority deadline will be given priority consideration for funding opportunities like fellowships and assistantships. Applications submitted after this deadline will still be reviewed and considered for admission and remaining funding opportunities for the following fall semester.
ESE-IGP typically admits students for fall semester start dates. Rare exceptions for spring and summer admission will be considered on a case by case basis.
[ Return to top ]
How to Apply
- Review the Purdue University Graduate School Application Process
- Open the Purdue University Graduate School Electronic Application
- Click on Apply Now
- Create an account to begin applying to Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences & Engineering
- Be sure to choose Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences and Engineering as the primary program of interest
- Complete the application and submit all application materials
- Once all of your application materials have been received, the complete application will be considered by the ESE Admissions Committee, which consists of representatives from ESE participating departments
[ Return to top ]
Required Application Materials
- Transcripts
- Three recommendation letters
- Statement of Purpose
- English Proficiency requirements (for non-native English speaking international applicants)
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
- The GRE is recommended, but is only required for applicants considering partnering with an associated academic department that requires the GRE
- C.V. or Resume (recommended but not required)
- Diversity Essay (recommended for applicants who graduated from an accredited US high school)
[ Return to top ]
Additional Instructions:
- GRE Scores - GRE Scores must be sent electronically through the ETS website using Purdue West Lafayette institution code 1631. Please do not mail a copy unless requested to do so by the ESE-IGP Grad Office.
- TOEFL Scores - TOEFL Scores must be sent electronically through the ETS website using Purdue West Lafayette institution code 1631. Please do not mail a copy unless requested to do so by the ESE-IGP Grad Office.
- Statement of Purpose - The statement of purpose should be a 300-500 word essay to discuss your purpose for undertaking or continuing the graduate study, your reasons for wanting to study in the ESE-IGP at Purdue, your research interests, your professional plans, and your career goals. You may also explain or elaborate on any special circumstances applicable to your background, your research experience, abilities, awards, achievements, and/or scholarly publications. Please be sure to specify the areas of ecology, environmental science or engineering, and the type of project that interest you. Please indicate if you are pursuing a masters non-thesis, masters thesis, or Ph.D. degree.
- Diversity Essay - Individuals who graduated from an accredited U.S. High School are strongly encouraged to submit a Diversity Essay to be eligible for consideration for diversity fellowships at Purdue University. Diversity is much more than ethnicity or gender, and includes background, experiences, and other unique aspects. The diversity essay should be 500 words or less and directly address the following prompt:
- Describe your leadership, work experience, service experience, or other significant involvement with racial, ethnic, socio-economic, or educational communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in higher education, and how these experiences would promote a diversity of views, experiences, and ideas in the pursuit of research, scholarship, and creative excellence
- Recommendation Letters - Please request these be supplied through the electronic application website. If your recommenders cannot submit electronically then please have them emailed to the ESE-IGP Grad Office at ese@purdue.edu.
- Transcripts - All transcripts and/or academic documents uploaded to the online application system are considered unofficial. The uploaded transcript and/or academic document must be from the official version of the document. An official transcript bears the original signature of the registrar and/or the original seal of the issuing institution. An unofficial transcript printed from your current/previous institution(s) student system is not an acceptable document. For tips about uploading your transcripts into the online application click here. You will need to provide official transcripts and/or academic records at the request of the graduate program or if you are admitted and choose to enroll. Please do not mail a copy unless requested to do so by the ESE-IGP Grad Office.
- International applicants must upload to their application a completion of degree certificate for each BS and MS received electronically.
- Funding - For priority consideration for fellowship and assistantship funding, apply before the November 15 priority deadline
- Communications - We strive to keep the program's carbon footprint low by nearly eliminating printed materials and postage mailings. With this in mind, we communicate via email and phone, and through the information on our web site.
[ Return to top ]
