PhD Aerospace Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

The Department of Aerospace Engineering offers a traditional doctoral program and a direct doctoral program . Students in either program are required to have a research advisor and applicants are encouraged to contact department faculty in their areas of interest to inquire about possible research and funding opportunities.

Faculty: The Grainger College of Engineering | Study mode: full-time | Location: Champaign, IL, United States

What you will study

Requires 8 credit hours. Required courses listed include AE 599 Thesis Research (min-max applied toward degree); AE 590 Seminar (continuous registration through the 4th semester after the qualifying exam for 0 hours).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering Admission Requirements The Department of Aerospace Engineering accepts applications for admission to both the traditional doctoral program and the direct doctoral program per the following deadlines: Fall Admission For admission and full consideration for funding opportunities: December 1 Spring Admission For admission and full consideration for funding opportunities: October 1 Typically, the prerequisite for graduate study is the equivalent of the BS in Aerospace Engineering ; however, graduates of curricula leading to degrees in other fields of engineering, the physical sciences, or mathematics may also be admitted to advanced study. A minimum grade point average of 3.00 (A = 4.00) for the last two years of undergraduate study is required. However, having a GPA higher than the minimum is no guarantee of admission.

Domestic applicants: USD 21,272 a year (2026-27). Illinois resident rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Non-Illinois U.S. resident tuition for this programme: $40,444. Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insura Source

International applicants: USD 40,444 a year (2026-27). International rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insurance, housing and other expenses as the source states them separately Source

Not all graduate programmes offer admission in all terms; term availability is set by each programme of study.

Graduate applicants apply online through the Graduate College application; deadlines and term availability are set by each programme. Medicine, law and veterinary medicine applicants apply directly to their colleges.

Apply through the official page: https://aerospace.illinois.edu/admissions/graduate

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