Have questions? Email Deborah Kuntz, admissions coordinator, at eppadmt@andrew.cmu.edu

Applicants can apply to EPP’s Ph.D. program using the online application.

Application checklist

Application fee

There is no application fee

Official transcript(s) from all previously attended universities

Official transcripts of all academic work are required at admissions; however, you should expedite the processing of your application by submitting an unofficial copy of your transcripts to the admissions office. An unofficial transcript can be submitted by uploading an electronic copy through the Academic History submission option on the online application.


GRE score report

GRE scores are NOT required, nor do we accept them


TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo score reports

Because of the accelerated nature of the MS in EPP program, it is essential that students have a strong command of the English language. Whether you are an international or domestic applicant, you are required to take the TOEFL (or Duolingo or IELTS) if English is not your native language and you have not previously received a four-year degree from a U.S. university. Carnegie Mellon prefers TOEFL scores above 102, scores for Duolingo 120/160 and above, and scores for IELTS above 7.5. If your scores are below these, we may also opt to call you to evaluate your English further.

The TOEFL code for EPP is 69 for the department and 2074 for the institution.
When prompted to choose a department, please choose “Graduate,” not “Graduate Management.”

Students who have sufficient language skills to begin academic work can take advantage of training in advanced academic English and cultural skills provided by CMU’s Intercultural Communication Center (ICC). Students are strongly encouraged to attend an ICC Language Support Orientation session when they first arrive to better understand if language work is appropriate for their success.


Essay questions

Questions for all graduate program applicants:

Responses should include a maximum of 300 words.

  1. Describe any challenges, barriers, or uncertainties you have faced, how you overcame them, and what you learned from them.
  2. What will be the biggest challenge for you in graduate school? What strengths do you bring with you?
  3. Describe how your previous experiences have prepared you for graduate study in this program. In particular, draw from previous research, project, or work experiences.
  4. What are your expectations of the graduate program to which you are applying (MS or Ph.D.) and how will that program help you to achieve your immediate and long-term career objectives?
  5. The College of Engineering at CMU values excellence, innovation, being genuine, respect for others, integrity, trusting, and being trustworthy. Within the context of your experiences, how would you contribute to these values within our community?
  6. What specific research is of interest to you, and what do you envision the research experience in EPP will be like?
  7. Please submit a writing sample. Appropriate writing samples may include a term paper for a class, a lab report, a technical report for a client, or a journal paper. If you have written a statement of interest for applying to other universities, you could also use it as the writing sample you submit here.

Letters of recommendation

Ph.D. applicants need three letters of recommendation, which should be sent directly from the submitter.


EPP graduate application support program

GrASP is a volunteer group of current EPP graduate students interested in helping prospective EPP applicants navigate the application process. The group recognizes that the process can be daunting and hopes to help answer any question that may arise.

Applicants can sign up using the GrASP Google form. If you have any specific requests about what you would like to get out of the mentorship program, please include them in the comment section. The team will do its best to accommodate requests.