Graduate Admissions FAQ

The Graduate Program admission cycle begins in October and ends with initial enrollment processing completed in early May.

Master’s and PhD program applications open in October and all application materials are due on February 1st. Applications are evaluated by the Graduate Admission Committee, and admission decision letters are sent in mid-March. Applicants who are offered admission are invited to participate in admitted student programming and enrollment deposits are due by April 15th. By early May, student records are created and international student 1-20 documents are requested.

No. Master’s and PhD program applications open in early October and close on February 1st.

No. Due to the curricular structure of each graduate program, all of our Graduate Programs begin in the fall semester only.

Yes. Applicants must fill out a separate application for each program. The admission requirements for each graduate program are different for each program, and we consider applications to each graduate program separately. You will pay an application fee for each application you submit.

Once your application is evaluated and an admission decision is made, you will receive an admission decision letter for each respective graduate program to which you have applied. While we try our best to provide applicants with all decision letters at one time; you may receive decision letters at differing times as admission decisions are considered for each program.

Yes. Carnegie Mellon’s Master of Architecture (M.Arch) is a two-year, first professional degree program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). It is designed for individuals who hold a pre-professional baccalaureate degree in architecture (B.A./ B.S. or equivalent) or a professional B.Arch architecture degree from an international university.

Yes. All of our graduate programs are STEM-eligible. Due to the technical nature of the SoA’s graduate programs, all of our graduate programs have been assigned CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) codes by the Department of Education that are STEM-eligible.

Visit the Carnegie Mellon Architecture Graduate Program Admission application portal in SlideRoom and select the application for the program(s) of your choice. Once you begin your application account in SlideRoom, you can log in to access your application(s). You can make changes to an “in progress” application until it is submitted. Application submissions are final; you cannot make changes or additions to your application once it has been submitted.

Our application portal in SlideRoom opens in early October and closes on February 1st. 

We do not provide fee waivers to most applicants. As an academic department, we are need-blind to our applicants. We are unable to assess the financial situation of applicants fairly, so we do not provide application fee waivers based on income. 

Application fee waivers are available to members of the U.S. armed forces (active duty, veterans, or dependents) and certain scholars who have applied to and have been selected for one of the following specific programs: Fulbright, McNair Scholars, and GEM Fellows. 

Applicants will need to answer questions in their application to confirm their eligibility for a fee waiver. If they are found to be eligible, they will then need to complete a fee waiver request form. The admission director will review the request and verify eligibility. Once approved, the applicant will be notified and the fee waiver will be applied to the application.  

Fee waivers cannot be applied once an application has been submitted. Fee waiver requests must be requested in advance of the February 1st application deadline to allow three business days for review and processing time. 

No. We do not accept applications completed by third-party consultants. Except for applications made by bona fide not-for-profit organizations that administer foreign student programs (e.g. AMIDEAST, IIE), every application must be completed, in its entirety, by the applicant themselves.

Partner agencies administering an application on behalf of a foreign student scholar must declare themselves in writing by email to the Director of Recruitment and Enrollment, Alexis McCune Secosky, prior to beginning an application.

Any application filled out wholly or in part by any person or undisclosed third party other than the applicant will be disqualified.

Visit the SlideRoom Applicant Help Center webpage for information on:

• Completing Application Forms

• Working with Media and Your Portfolio

• Working with References

• Submitting Your Application

If you encounter any difficulty while using the most up-to-date version of Safari, try switching to Chrome or Firefox. While previous versions of Internet Explorer, including IE9 and IE10, are no longer supported by Microsoft and are not supported browsers, there are currently no known issues using SlideRoom in IE9 and IE10. If you encounter any difficulty while using the most current version Internet Explorer 11, try switching to Chrome or Firefox.

For help with application-related questions, contact customer service via SlideRoom’s formsite or by emailing support@slideroom.com.

If your questions have not been answered by the Graduate Program Admission webpage or the list of FAQs on this page, please contact our admission director, Alexis McCune Secosky, Director of Recruitment & Enrollment, by email at amccune@andrew.cmu.edu. 

No.

No, the GRE is required for all PhD program applicants. 

The GRE is test-optional for all Master’s program applicants. 

Yes. 

• The minimum TOEFL-iBT score for acceptance in the School of Architecture is 100, with a minimum subscore of 22 in each category; Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. 
• The minimum accepted IELTS score is 7.0, with a minimum of 6.5 in each category.) 
• The minimum required Duolingo Overall score is 105 with the following minimum subscores: Production: 90; Literacy: 105; Comprehension: 115; and Conversation: 95. 

These minimum scores are strictly enforced. We have found that student success in our graduate programs strongly correlates with proficiency in English skills. Our programs are quite rigorous. If your scores do not meet our application requirements, we suggest you retake the test before applying.

Our graduate committee reserves the right to consider applicants who do not meet our minimum total and subscore requirements in each category.

No, we do not waive the requirement for non-native English-speaking applicants or applicants whose mother tongue language is not English to provide proof of English language proficiency. 

English language proficiency is essential to the success of students enrolled in our Graduate Program. Non-native English-speaking applicants or applicants whose mother-tongue language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency for admission consideration. The term “non-native English speaker” is defined as someone who speaks a language other than English at home. Non-native English speakers are inclusive of both competent biliterate and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students.

If English is not your native language and you will require a visa to attend Carnegie Mellon you are required to submit an English proficiency score meeting our minimum requirements from one of the following: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language); IELTS (International English Language Testing System); or DET (Duolingo English Test) for admission consideration and enrollment purposes.
 

We require proof of English proficiency from all applicants whose native language/mother tongue is not English. The term “non-native English speakers” is defined as those students who speak a language other than English at home. Non-native English speakers are inclusive of both competent biliterate and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students.

If English is not your native language and you will require a visa to attend Carnegie Mellon you are required to submit an English proficiency score meeting our minimum requirements from one of the following: TOEFL-iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language); IELTS (International English Language Testing System); or DET (Duolingo English Test) for admission consideration and enrollment purposes.

English language proficiency is essential to the success of students enrolled in our Graduate Program and is therefore required for admission consideration and enrollment purposes. Even if you have completed a degree from a university in the U.S., we request you to submit a TOEFL/IELTS/DET score that meets our minimum requirements. 

If you used TOEFL, IELTS, or DET scores for your previous U.S. degree application, and those scores are no longer valid, please upload your previous score report as part of your application. We will use it to assess your English proficiency. If those previous scores do not meet our minimum criteria, we request you take the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET again to meet our English proficiency requirements for admission consideration and enrollment purposes.

No. Unfortunately we are not able to offer "conditional admission" to any applicant.

For all Carnegie Mellon Architecture master's and PhD programs, the cost of full-time tuition for the 2024-2025 Academic Year (fall and spring semesters) is $41,000. 

The subsequent year’s tuition is subject to change and will not be determined until March 2025. Please expect that it will be equal to or greater than the per semester cost of the 2024-2025 Academic Year tuition. The Graduate programs offered in the School of Architecture vary in expected completion time, affecting the overall cost of the program. Please refer to individual program curricula to estimate the overall cost of tuition.

For the academic year 2024-2025, Carnegie Mellon's estimated overall cost of attendance for graduate students in the College of Fine Arts (not including tuition) is $34,208 or greater. This includes compulsory fees, living expenses, books and supplies, and health insurance. Please visit the HUB's Graduate Tuition & Fees webpage for a breakdown of these costs and any available updates.

All admitted students will automatically be considered for a partial Carnegie Mellon Architecture Graduate Student Merit Scholarship. You will be notified in your admission letter should you receive this award. These scholarships are awarded to exceptional students joining the School of Architecture based on the strength of their application and demonstrated potential for advancing in their careers. Merit-based scholarships are based on the following criteria:

• Fit for program, commitment to the chosen field, clearly defined career goals (Statement of Purpose)

• Relevant experience, demonstrated leadership (Resume)

• Competitive standardized test scores (GRE, if required by program)

• Strong academic record (Transcripts)

• Letters of recommendation

• Portfolio (if required by program)

Additionally, Graduate Assistantships are available to full-time master’s students to apply for each academic semester. This assistantship entails working as an employee of the university for up to 67 hours a semester at a variable rate of $15-$17 per hour, based on full-time enrollment. Student employment positions are posted on the Employment Opportunities section of our website and are available for application in advance of each academic semester.

Comprehensive financial support for incoming, full-time PhD students in residence is provided by the School of Architecture. The package includes full tuition, university fees, full individual health insurance coverage under the university's plan, and a 9-month stipend for work during the academic year. Typical stipend work assignments of teaching, research, or administration will require approximately 15 hours of effort per week during the academic periods and will be arranged in advance of each semester. The financial support package is renewable according to the enrollment terms of the admission offer.