PhD Nuclear, Plasma & Radiological Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

The Department of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering offers both a traditional doctoral program and a direct doctoral program. The traditional doctoral program requires candidates enter with an approved master's degree. The direct doctoral program allows highly qualified applicants with a baccalaureate degree to be admitted directly into the PhD program without an MS degree.

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

What you will study

Required courses listed include NPRE 599 Thesis Research (min-max applied toward degree); NPRE 596 Seminar in Nuclear Sci & Engrg (registration for 1 hour every semester while in residence; credit does not apply toward the degree.); NPRE 596 Seminar in Nuclear Sci & Engrg (registration for 1 hour every semester while in residence; credit does not apply toward the degree. ).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nuclear, Plasma & Radiological Engineering Admission Requirements Application for admissions to the master's and doctoral degree programs is open to all graduates in engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences with a grade point average of at least 3.00 (A = 4.00) for the last two years of undergraduate work and any graduate work completed. Prerequisites for admission include a course in ordinary differential equations plus one other mathematics course beyond calculus; an intermediate course in atomic and nuclear physics or interaction of radiation with matter; a course in electrical circuit theory; a course in thermodynamics; a course in fluid mechanics or continuum mechanics; and a course introducing nuclear engineering.

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://npre.illinois.edu/admissions/graduate

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