Graduate School FAQs

To be considered for graduate school application fee waiver please email grad@wpi.edu.

• WPI program specific application requirements and tests can be found utilizing the application requirements page. 

Applicants seeking to attend WPI whose native language it not English must submit official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores. 

Most programs require a minimum TOEFL score of 84, IELTS score of 6.5, or Duolingo score of 115. The minimum band score for IELTS is 6.5. 

The Business Masters programs require a minimum TOEFL score of 90, IELTS score of 7, or Duolingo score of 115. The Business PHD program requires a minimum TOEFL score of 100 or IELTS score of 7.5.  

If an applicant has completed two years (four semesters) of full-time continuous postsecondary study in an English-speaking country within the last five years, they can request an English language proficiency waiver by emailing grad@wpi.edu.  

If an applicant has three or more years of work experience inside the United States, they can also request an English language proficiency waiver by emailing grad@wpi.edu.  

WPI accepts the TOEFL home test. We will not accept paper IELTS test report forms. 

Please use the following link to send the official Duolingo scores to WPI. 

English-Speaking Countries 

Any international applicant whose native language is not English, and is seeking to attend WPI, must submit official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores. However, if applicants have completed two years (four semesters) of full-time continuous postsecondary study in an English-speaking country (see the list below), within the last five years, they can request an English proficiency waiver by emailing grad@wpi.edu.  

• Antigua  Australia  Bahamas  Barbados  Barbuda  Belize  Bermuda  Botswana  Canada (except Quebec)  Cayman Islands  Commonwealth Caribbean  Dominica  England (UK)  Eswatini  Falkland Islands  Fiji  Gambia  Ghana  Gibraltar

  Grand Turks and the Caicos Islands Grenada  Guyana  Hong Kong  Ireland, Republic of  Isle of Man  Jamaica, Republic of  Kenya  Lesotho  Liberia  Malawi  Montserrat  Namibia  New Zealand  Nigeria  Northern Ireland (UK)  Papua New Guinea  Pitcairn Islands  Rwanda  Scotland (UK)

  Sierra Leone  Singapore  South Africa (except if language of instruction was Afrikaans)  South Sudan  St. Helena  St. Kitts & Nevis  St. Lucia  St. Vincent & the Grenadines  Swaziland  Tanzania  Tobago  Trinidad  Uganda  United Arab Emirates  United Kingdom  United States (except Puerto Rico) Virgin Islands  Wales (UK)  Zambia  Zimbabwe

• View IMPORTANT DATES.
• Application deadlines vary by program; make sure to check the application requirements page to see if your program has a specific deadline. 
• You can submit your application anytime up until approximately two weeks before the first day of classes of your desired entry term.
• Incomplete applications that are missing materials will be archived after the add/drop deadline of the selected entry term.
• Complete applications that are awaiting review will be rolled over to the next available entry term.  
• All applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least two months before their desired start date to ensure a smooth admissions process.
• International students should submit their applications as early as possible to allow for longer visa processing times. 

To request a waiver for documents required for your graduate application at WPI, you will need to email grad@wpi.edu. 

If you have problems with your application please contact grad@wpi.edu.

Depending upon which program you are applying to, decisions can take anywhere from 10-business days to 10-weeks from the time your application is complete (submitted and all required materials are received). In addition, application review generally starts 8 months prior to the start date of a given term. If you apply more than 8 months prior to the start of your application term, your review time may be longer. Contact your enrollment representative to find out how long your review will take. 

WPI requires a minimum TOEFL score of 84, IELTS of 6.5, or Duolingo score of 115. We suggest retaking your test to achieve the minimum scores. Applicants with scores below the minimums will not be automatically disqualified; however the low scores will count against your application.  

You can reach out to your Student Success Manager to inquire about curriculum and advisor assignment. To find your Student Success Manager please look by program, here.

To see a current listing of employers who have hired WPI graduates, and their starting salary please utilize WPI’s First Destination Survey

View our admissions requirements page. Type in your program of interest to view your programs specific requirements.

We understand online courses are not created equal. We know WPI’s online students are working professionals striving to balance busy lives and will work with you to deliver flexible and convenient programs that accommodate your schedule and fit your goals. Study, participate in class, complete assignments, and conduct group and project work from any location and often at a time that works for you. Learn more about how online learning works at WPI.

You will enter the process to receive your I-20 paperwork when you have accepted WPI’s offer of admission and, completed your enrollment deposit (if applicable). At this point, you will be issued a WPI email address, where you will receive an email with further instructions about how to access the International Students and Scholars (ISS) Portal to apply for an I-20. For information about your I-20 or any questions about your visa or status in the US, please contact IH@wpi.edu. 

You can defer your admittance for up to 1 year from your original entry term. Navigate to your application portal and access the “Admitted Student Response Form” to defer. If you have already made a decision in the application portal, and you would like to change it, please email grad@wpi.edu. 

In order to register for a course, all student on-boarding tasks must be complete. Log into your Workday account to complete any outstanding tasks. You should then be able to register for your course. If you continue to have errors, please contact your Student Success Manager or email grad@wpi.edu.

To help you navigate which courses to take, we suggest logging into your Workday account. Go to your “Academic Progress Tab.” There you will see the course requirements for your degree. You can click on the eclipse to see the suggested courses or subjects to take to satisfy your degree requirements.

Every semester, you will be assigned a task in Workday. Log into your Workday account and complete the assigned tasks. This will enable you to register for your course.

Visit the Cost of Attendance page to view the current tuition rate. Graduate tuition is based on the 'cost per credit'. Most graduate courses are three (3) credits.

WPI's Funding Opportunities for Graduate Studies page outlines a wide variety of funding options — from assistantships and fellowships to scholarships and loans — that can help make your advanced degree more affordable.

TA and RA assignments are available for outstanding PhD applicants. 

TA assignments are made by the academic department and, with rare exception, are awarded starting with the fall semester. Consult with the graduate coordinator in the academic department for specific information. In general, international students need to score 100 or better on the TOEFL iBT to be considered for a TA.   
 
Students interested in RA funding should contact individual faculty members to find out whether funding support is available. 

Questions regarding your semester billing should be directed to WPI’s Bursars Office. You can contact them by email bursar@wpi.edu and phone 508-831-5203. 

Yes, the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) coordinates accommodation services and support to assist students with documented physical, learning, sensory, psychological, and developmental disabilities during their time at WPI.

Graduate students who are interested in housing should visit WPI’s Graduate Student Housing and Dining page.

Get involved! Visit our Student Experience 100 Things to Do page for local activities and WPI on-campus events offered around Worcester, MA.

The Capstone Project course is only required by certain program (please check the graduate catalog to determine if it is required). The Capstone Project course is typically offered in the fall semester and taken towards the end of the program. Due to course scheduling and availability, some elective courses may be taken after the Capstone. Most programs require students to have completed at least 21-24 credits prior to being eligible to enroll in their Capstone Project. 

The Capstone is designed to incorporate all the learning throughout the program. Most programs require students to have completed at least 21-24 credits prior to being eligible to enroll in their Capstone Project. These courses should include core courses and specialties.

Students do need to register for the Capstone project, just as they do for all of the other courses. Please refer to the Program Requirements for the degree for the specific course number you will need to register for.

Yes, the instructor will act as a mentor for each team. Capstone projects cannot be individually completed.

The instructor will facilitate how to go about selecting a project. Projects are not always affiliated with a company. Many are greenfield start-up ideas determined by the student team which creates a solution for a need, service, product, etc.

The instructor will facilitate the process of coming up with a project.