NTUST MSE / UIUC 3+2 Education Program

Introduction:
In 2023, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (MSE NTUST) signed a 3+2 dual degree program agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Under this program, undergraduate students majoring in materials science and engineering at NTUST can complete their required credits and general education courses in the first three years. Upon meeting the department's recommendations and UIUC's admission criteria, students can enroll in UIUC's graduate-level courses and earn the necessary credits during the fourth and fifth years. This allows them to obtain dual degrees within five years: a "Master of Materials Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign" and a "Bachelor of Materials Science from NTUST."

Features:
This program significantly lowers the barriers for students aspiring to study at prestigious universities in the United States. Participants can study at some of the world's top material science research institutions, providing them with substantial chances to apply for doctoral programs in leading global universities or pursue employment opportunities in the United States. Since this program involves studying at UIUC during the fourth and fifth years, applicants are not required to submit GRE scores during the application process. Additionally, if their English proficiency (TOEFL) does not meet the standard, students can supplement it afterward or attend language programs or courses at UIUC. The academic requirement includes a GPA of greater than 3. Furthermore, while it typically takes six years to obtain a bachelor's and a master's degree, this 3+2 program enables students to earn both degrees within five years. This allows students to plan for their future or employment a year earlier than the conventional timeline.

Application Timeline:
1. Apply to the department during the first semester of the third year (Estimated: November).
2. Announcement of departmental review results (Estimated: December).
3. Recommended by the department for application on the UIUC website (January of the following year).
4. UIUC announces the list of admitted students (March of the following year).

Application Requirements:
The following are the NTUST MSE departmental review criteria:
1. Academic transcripts and ranking from previous years; GPA must be greater than 3.
2. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL 103 or above, or IELTS 7.5 or above).
3. List completed courses and course plans for the second semester of the third year.
4. Any other supporting documents that enhance the application.

FAQ
Q1: How much are the tuition fees and accommodation costs?
A: During the first year at UIUC (NTUST's fourth year), students maintain their NTUST student status and are required to pay NTUST's annual tuition and miscellaneous fees. Additionally, they are responsible for tuition, accommodation, and living expenses for the two years of study at UIUC. To obtain 36 credits hours over the two years at UIUC, based on the 2022-2023 UIUC tuition fees, the estimated annual tuition fee is $36,798. Including accommodation, living expenses, and other miscellaneous costs, the average total expenses amount to approximately $61,000 annually (around 2 million New Taiwan Dollars).

UIUC Tuition & Fee Rates

Q2: What are the actual course schedule and credit requirements?
A: 
(1) Complete all mandatory Department of Materials Science and Engineering credits at NTUST within three years.
(2) In the fourth year of undergraduate studies, students will travel to UIUC to pursue a two-year master's program.
(3) The focus of this dual-degree program's master's degree is on coursework; there is no requirement to write a master's thesis. However, students can still engage in laboratory research projects based on their interests. The results of these projects will be reflected in the academic transcript.
(4) In addition to completing 36 credit hours of coursework at UIUC, students must take additional elective courses related to the UIUC Materials Science and Engineering master's program in the fourth year of the dual-degree program (first year at UIUC) to fulfill the remaining elective credits required by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NTUST.
(5) The transfer of remaining elective credits (required for graduation) must be completed after one year of master's coursework at UIUC. After obtaining the bachelor's degree in the fourth year of this program, students can continue to study at UIUC for the second year of the master's program.

UIUC M.S. Degree