Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admissions: Eligibility & Apply

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) admissions are accepted in the Fall and Spring semesters for various undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs. International students can either apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application along with an application fee of $70 for undergraduate applicants and $75 for graduate applicants.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admission Requirement

International students applying for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admissions are required to demonstrate English proficiency in addition to fulfilling the basic admission requirements. Most of the undergraduate programs require students to provide ACT/ SAT scores and GMAT/ GRE scores should be submitted for admission to various graduate programs.

Undergraduate Admission at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

RPI offers a variety of undergraduate programs in fields related to architecture, arts, music, law, medicine, and more. Students can choose a specific major for admission. Interested applicants can apply either through the Common Application or the Coalition Application along with an application fee of $70.

Eligibility Criteria for International Students

• Official academic transcripts of high school
• Letters of recommendation preferably from a Math/ Science teacher
• SAT/ ACT scores
• Personal essay or a program-specific personal statement
• Students applying to architecture or music programs are required to have a portfolio
• Early Decision Agreement Form (if applicable)
• Students are required to have a high school preparation with an academic background in Mathematics, Science, English, and Social Studies/ History each for a specific time period

Postgraduate Admission at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

RPI offers a wide range of full-time and part-time graduate programs in several disciplines such as architecture, business, engineering, IT, science etc. All applicants should have completed a 4-year US bachelor’s degree or equivalent for admission to various graduate programs. Interested candidates should fill out the online application and bear an application fee of $75 per application.

Eligibility Criteria for International Students

• Duly completed application form
• Academic transcripts and degrees earned along with an English translation
• Personal statement
• Updated CV/ resume
• Letters of recommendation
• Portfolio (if applicable)
• GMAT/ GRE scores

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Application Process for International Students

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute applications should be submitted well before the deadline along with all the supporting documents. Students can apply either through the Common Application, Coalition Application, or the online application portal of RPI. Applications are accepted both as the early decision and regular decision admissions.

Required Documents

• Official academic transcripts from secondary schools with English translations
• International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) serves as evidence of all financial support to cover the education and living expenses of the student. Only original documents are accepted sent through the post
• English language proficiency test scores such as TOEFL, IELTS, PTE
• Letter of recommendation
• Personal essay/ Personal statement
• CV
• GMAT/ GRE scores
• Portfolio if required

How to Apply?

• Interested applicants can apply either through the Common Application, Coalition Application, or the Candidate’s Choice Application. No mode of application is preferred over the other
• Students are required to review the application checklist and arrange all the required documents that are to be submitted along with the application
• High school transcripts, recommendation letters, test scores, essays, and other additional documents for international students should be submitted
• An application processing fee of $70 is applicable which is non-refundable
• One should also choose a particular major at the time of application. There is flexibility to change the major once the applicant joins RPI
• Certain programs require applicants to submit a portfolio and a program-specific essay
• Finally, the application should be submitted if all the admissions requirements are met.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Application Deadlines

At RPI, the application deadlines vary for undergraduate and graduate programs. Admissions are accepted in the Fall and Spring semesters. MBA/ MS applications for the Fall intake are accepted on a rolling basis and for the Spring intake, the application deadline for graduate programs is August 15. Tabulated below are the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute application deadlines for different intake sessions for UG programs:

Admission Procedure of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Once the application is submitted to RPI, students receive an email with their Rensselaer ID number (RIN) and login information for the online portal where they can check their application status. One can also check their admission decision in the same application portal approximately 3-4 weeks after the application is completed. The steps to be followed as a part of the admission procedure of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are as follows:

• Accepted students should complete the Confirmation Form for Admitted Students to confirm their enrolment
• One should then check if the enrolment checklist is completed so that the enrolment is confirmed
• Transfer students are required to complete the International Student Transfer Form
• Students can then submit the required documents, calculate the estimated expenses and also demonstrate their financial support
• Candidates who do not wish to enrol at RPI should complete the form for Request Withdrawal for Admitted Graduate Students

Acceptance Rate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admissions are more selective with an acceptance rate of around 57% and an early acceptance rate of nearly 96%. RPI also has a good student retention rate of 92% and a graduation rate of 85%.