The Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE) welcomes all US and international students to come to the heart of north central Florida and join ESSIE at UF.
ESSIE is comprised of two departments – the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering and the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. The Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering offers two-degree program areas, Civil Engineering and Coastal & Oceanographic Engineering. The Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences offers only the Environmental Engineering Science degree program.
All applicants, whether on campus or via distance learning, apply to a program. If an applicant is interested in more than one program, they will need to submit a new application for each program. We strongly suggest reading the Admissions Checklist section below before applying for our graduate program.
Civil and Coastal Engineering
The Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering offers graduate study and research opportunities in the following areas: Coastal & Oceanographic, Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics, Engineering Education, Geosystems, Materials & Pavements, New Infrastructure Planning, Structures, Sustainable Construction, Transportation and Water Systems. Research may involve theoretical developments, physical testing, and computer modeling. The department’s entire research program is directed toward engineering for the public benefit.
Environmental Engineering Sciences
The Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences offers graduate study in the following areas: Air Resources, Ecological Systems, Engineering Education, Environmental Nanotechnology, Water Systems. Students graduating from the program will show depth in individual focus areas and breadth of core knowledge concepts in all areas.
General Admission Requirements
The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) verifications are not required for master-level/Ph.D. applicants.
Application submission deadlines
The UF online application and all required application materials must be received by UF by the following deadlines:
| U.S. applicants | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Degree Seeking and Certificates | June 1 | November 15 | March 31 |
| Master’s | June 1 | November 15 | March 31 (only Distance EDGE program) |
| Master’s priority application consideration | January 5 | ||
| Ph.D. | June 1 | November 15 | March 1 |
| Ph.D. priority funding consideration | December 5 |
| International applicants | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master’s | March 1 | August 15 | March 1 (only Distance EDGE program) |
| Master’s priority application consideration | January 5 | ||
| Ph.D. | March 1 | August 15 | November 15 |
Note: We recommend that you submit your graduate admissions application BEFORE submitting your official test scores and transcripts.
You should NOT submit your test scores and transcripts to the department. Please submit them directly to:
UF Office of Admissions
201 Criser Hall
P.O. Box 114000
Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 392-1365
gradinfo@essie.ufl.edu
Admissions checklist
Please read this entire section BEFORE applying for admissions.
- Statement of Purpose: Please indicate the faculty who you are interested in working with and if you have secured any outside funding in this statement.
- Three Letters of Recommendation: Submit recommendations ONLY through the online application (no hard copies accepted).
- We strongly suggest a minimum of 2 academic-based letters.
- For the applicant pursuing the Transportation Leadership concentration, only 2 letters of recommendation are required.
- 3.0 Upper-Division GPA: Applicants must provide their upper-division GPA calculation. Include all courses after 60 credit hours that were earned toward your bachelor’s degree.
- Official Transcripts: You must submit official transcripts from each institution that you indicate on your application to the UF Office of Admissions. For some US applicants, transcripts may be forwarded electronically by an institution if there is an agreement with the University of Florida. Upload your unofficial transcripts within the online application to expedite your application.
- International Applicants: Please review the International Admissions page to review information on submitting transcripts evaluations, diplomas, certificates of completion, etc.
- Official Test Scores
- Submit all scores directly to the UF Office of Admissions.
- We do not require the GRE or FE for admissions purposes. Our only test requirement is for International Applicants only.
- For International Applicants only: English Language Proficiency Test
- TOEFL required score=80 or IELTS required score = 6.5
- For exceptions for this requirement, see the International Admissions page
- Resume
- At least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of calculus.
- One semester of physics and one semester of biology; or at least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of physics; or at least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of biology.
- Computer competency
- CCE Applicants also must have at least one semester of chemistry.
- EES Applicants also must have at least two semesters (or three quarters) of chemistry.
- Background Courses
- At least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of calculus.
- One semester of physics and one semester of biology; or at least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of physics; or at least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of biology.
- Computer competency
- CCE Applicants also must have at least one semester of chemistry.
- EES Applicants also must have at least two semesters (or three quarters) of chemistry.
- For Remote PhD applicants: If there is a potential opportunity for an individual to complete a PhD degree remotely, the individual will need to address additional items to be considered.
- Indicate the faculty advisor who is willing to work with the student on the research to be completed in the application under the departmental contact area.
- Indicate in the specialization area “Remote PhD” and Specialization Interest area
- Submit a verification of the funding that clearly shows the funds that will be directed to pay for tuition and fees and the duration of the availability of those funds.
- Submit a statement from the research lab facility personnel verifying that access to the lab will be granted to the student to complete the research for the duration of the student’s degree program.
- Graduate Admissions Application – include the following information:
- College: Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
- Program: Civil Engineering (CE); Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering (COA); or Environmental Engineering Sciences (EES)
- Research/Specialization: A specialization is required to have your application reviewed by faculty.
- Approximately 24-48 hours after submitting an application, the applicant will receive an email with information on how to set up the check status page. Once it has been set up the applicant should check it regularly as the UF Office of Admissions could request additional items that are needed for credential clearance. Once all requested documents have been received, reviewed and cleared by that office, the department can then proceed with finalizing your application decision.
- Students interested in being considered for both the Ph.D. program and Master’s program must submit an online application for each program. Each application will be reviewed separately and you will receive an admissions decision letter for every application you have submitted.
- Second time applying? If you applied previously and you were unsuccessful in gaining admission, we will consider a new application from you if something from your previous application has significantly changed and you feel you are a more competitive applicant. You should include an explanation in your statement of purpose as to why you feel your application should be reconsidered for admission and what has changed. Our review takes into consideration all aspects of the required documents. For example, while you may have improved your test scores, your application may not still be competitive based on all other supporting documents. If nothing has changed, we do not encourage applications to reapply to our programs as you will receive the same result. Instead, we want to encourage you to look at other programs that the University of Florida offers that may be more suitable and competitive for you.
- Department orientation: If you are admitted, the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering or the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences will send an orientation PowerPoint along with your admissions letter. Please review this prior to your arrival.
Need more information?
Contact the ESSIE graduate admissions office
Funding Opportunities
Our funding is awarded by each individual faculty member. Students are selected by the faculty member based on their educational background, skills and experiences and needs of the specific project. Faculty will only discuss funding with those who apply and are admitted to our program. The number of assistantships vary year to year based on project availability and typically only students seeking a Ph.D. are funded, although a few Master’s students may also be awarded. Projects funds are disbursed throughout the year and it is not unusual for a faculty member to be seeking to fill Ph.D. positions after the posted deadlines. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to submit an application even if it is after the priority funding consideration deadline.
Students interested in these opportunities should contact the faculty member directly.