In order to be considered, applicants must submit the following documents:

Official Transcripts are required from your undergraduate studies (and graduate, if applicable). For reviewing purposes, electronic copies of transcript(s) from each college or university you have attended can be uploaded through the online application system to meet the application requirements. If you are offered admission to Rice, a 30-day deadline is given (from the date of the offer letter) to provide an official transcript. If the current degree has not yet been conferred, Rice requires a final transcript showing conferral of the degree before registration of the second semester at Rice. Transcript(s) can either be sent directly to the Rice Civil and Environmental Engineering Department from the institution or sealed by the institution in a signed envelope and delivered by the applicant.

Letters of Recommendation (LOR) are required from at least three former professors, advisors, and/or employers, who are familiar with your work and can attest to your potential for success in graduate school and beyond. All recommendation letters should be on university or employer letterhead.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for all applicants. The scores must not be older than five years, and an official copy must be sent to Rice University directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Use Institutional code 6609 and 1102 for Civil Engineering and 1103 for Environmental Engineering.

TOEFL OR IELTS are required for applicants who are foreign nationals or whose native language is not English. The scores must not be older than three years. The minimum score is 90 on Internet-based, 250 on computer-based, and 600 on the paper-based test. The IELTS is acceptable in lieu of the TOEFL, the minimum score is 7. In general, applicants should have at least a 3.0 (B) grade point average, or the equivalent, in their undergraduate work.