FAQ - Test Scores

Are GRE scores required for M.S. or Ph.D. applications?

M.S. Applications: Submitting GRE scores are required for M.S. applications.
Ph.D. Applications: GRE scores are optional and NOT required for Ph.D. admission.

What are the UCSD institution and ECE department codes for the GRE and TOEFL?

GRE Institution Code: 4836 (You may add ECE's GRE Department Code 1203, but it is not required.)
TOEFL Institution Code: 4836 (You may add ECE's TOEFL Department Code 66, but it is not required.)

What is the minimum GRE score required for admission to ECE?

M.S. Applications: GRE scores are required for M.S. applications. There is no minimum GRE test score threshold. The average GRE scores for admitted students are: V. 157 Q. 167 W. 4

Ph.D. Applications: There is no minimum GRE score. Submitting scores are optional only for Ph.D. applicants, but are recommended.

My GRE score is low. Should I re-take the GRE test?

The GRE is just one of a number of factors the admissions committee considers when determining who to admit. That said, our graduate program is highly competitive. It is up to you to decide whether to take the GRE test again.

I have taken the GRE test more than once. Will you use the average of all scores when assessing my application?

We use your best individual section scores when evaluating your application.

May I submit my official test scores after the deadline?

All test scores must be at least self-reported in the online admissions application before the application deadline. 

Test scores self reported after the application deadline may not be reviewed, which could put you at a disadvantage.

It is okay if official scores are received after the deadline, but please be sure to have them sent as soon as possible.

I know the GRE has changed. My scores are on the old GRE scale. Am I required to retake the GRE? How will the new GRE be reviewed?

You are not required to re-take the GRE if you have a valid score (within the past 5 years). All scores will be assessed based on the scale at the time the test was taken.

My GRE score will expire soon. If I send my GRE test score before it expires, will it be considered?

As long as ETS sends your unexpired official GRE test score before the application deadline, it will be deemed valid. GRE scores are valid up to 5 years after the test date.

Do I need to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test score report?

All international applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. International applicants have 4 options to meet this requirement:

  • Option 1: TOEFL with a minimum score of 550 (paper based test-PBT) or 85 (internet based test-iBT)
  • Option 2: IELTS with a minimum Band Score of 7
  • Option 3: Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic with a minimum overall score of 65.
  • Option 4: Attended a foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English. You may verify whether your institution meets this requirement by looking up your institution in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed, if no language is listed at all, or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, you are required to submit English proficiency exam scores. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) may be used in place of WHED as a means to obtain an exemption from the English proficiency requirement. 
I have been studying in the US for a year, do I still have to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test score report?

As long as you've been enrolled full-time for a minimum of one year in an academic degree at a university in the U.S., you are not required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test score.

Do you accept TOEFL scores from a test taken two years ago?

As long as ETS sends your official TOEFL test score to ECE before the application deadline, it will be deemed valid.

Please confirm that UCSD has received my test scores.

We will receive your scores as long as you have used UCSD's graduate institution code (4836). (It is also helpful if your name and birth date are the same in both your admissions application and the score report.)

It will take a little while for your official scores to be matched to your application. As long as you have self-reported your test scores in your application, our admissions committee will be able to evaluate them. Your official scores will then be double-checked against what you self-reported.

Do you accept GRE/TOEFL Home Edition or IELTS Indicator tests?

Yes. We accept the home versions of these tests.