Where Is Carnegie Mellon University?

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), located in Pennsylvania, USA, is a private research university renowned internationally for its academic excellence and innovative spirit.

This guide provides detailed information on CMU’s application requirements, tuition and living expenses, colleges and programs, as well as the application process, helping prospective international students determine if CMU is the right fit for their study abroad aspirations.

I. Application Requirements

1. Undergraduate Application Requirements
   • Educational Qualification: Applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
   • Language Scores: TOEFL scores should be at least 100, while IELTS scores should be 7.5 or above. Additionally, SAT scores should be above 1270.
   • Overall Qualities: Applicants should be in good health, academically sound, and of good moral character.
2. Graduate Application Requirements
   • Educational Qualification: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher for graduate programs.
   • Language Scores: TOEFL scores should be at least 100, and IELTS scores should be 7.5 or above. Applicants also need to submit GRE or GMAT scores. There is no minimum score requirement, but higher scores enhance competitiveness. Some programs may require a GRE score of 1250 or above and a GPA of over 3.2.
   • Research Experience: Preference is given to applicants with relevant research experience, such as published papers or journal contributions.
   • Overall Qualities: Applicants should demonstrate social responsibility, good health, and academic excellence.
3. Application Materials
   • Standardized Test Scores: TOEFL/IELTS, GRE/GMAT scores (if required).
   • Transcripts: Undergraduate transcripts.
   • Letters of Recommendation: Letters written by professors or experts.
   • Personal Statement: A statement reflecting the applicant’s academic background, research interests, and career plans.
   • Portfolio: Some programs require a portfolio. Undergraduate portfolios should include two forms and ten different creative works, while graduate portfolios should contain seven to ten recent creative works.

II. Tuition and Living Expenses

1. Tuition Fees
   • Undergraduates: Tuition fees are approximately $64,596 per academic year, equivalent to approximately RMB 470,000.
   • Graduates: Tuition fees vary by program, typically ranging from 50,000to70,000.
2. Living Expenses
   • Housing: On-campus housing costs between 7,000and9,000 per semester. Off-campus rental is cheaper but requires self-catering. Annual housing costs are approximately $10,816.
   • Food and Transportation: Based on Pittsburgh’s cost of living, around 1,000to1,500 per month is needed for food, transportation, personal items, and other daily expenses.
   • Textbooks: Costs range from 500to1,000 per semester, depending on course material requirements.
   • Additional Expenses: Including travel, entertainment, emergency medical care, etc. It is advisable to set aside at least 1,000to2,000 as an emergency fund.

III. Colleges and Programs

CMU’s academic research spans business, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, humanities, and more, with internationally acclaimed research achievements. Here are some key colleges and programs:

1. College of Engineering
   • Mechanical Engineering: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in mechanical engineering.
   • Electrical Engineering: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in electrical engineering.
   • Computer Science: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in computer science, including AI, machine learning, computer vision, etc.
   • Civil and Environmental Engineering: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in civil and environmental engineering.
2. Tepper School of Business
   • Economics: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in economics.
   • Business Administration: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, finance, accounting, marketing, etc.
   • MSIM: Provides courses in business intelligence and data analytics.
3. Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
   • Law School: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in law.
   • Social Sciences: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in sociology, anthropology, psychology, etc.
   • Politics and International Relations: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in politics and international relations.
   • Education: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in education and psychology.
   • Psychology: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology.
   • Social Work: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in social work.
   • MALC: Offers a master’s program in literature and cultural studies.
4. Mellon College of Science
   • Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering: Offers a master’s program in biotechnology and pharmaceutical engineering.
   • Computational Biology: Offers a master’s program in computational biology.
   • Chemical Engineering: Offers a master’s program in chemical engineering.
5. Other Programs
   • School of Art: Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in art management, painting, sculpture, etc.
   • Heinz College: Offers a master’s program in management.
   • MSE AI: Offers master’s programs in materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, etc., with a focus on AI.
   • MITS: Offers a master’s program in information technology strategy.
   • HCII: Offers a master’s program in human-computer interaction.
   • MLDS: Offers a master’s program in machine learning.
   • Robotics Institute: Offers a master’s program in robotics.
   • Information Networking Institute: Offers a master’s program in information security.
   • INFORMS: Offers a master’s program in intelligent information systems.
   • Bioinformatics: Offers a master’s program in quantitative biology and bioinformatics.

IV. Application Process

1. Visit CMU’s Website: Access CMU’s official website, click on “Apply,” and proceed to the application page.
2. Select Application Program: Choose the appropriate application program based on the applicant’s category (undergraduate or graduate).
3. Complete the Application Form: Fill out the application form as required and upload relevant materials, including TOEFL/IELTS scores, GRE/GMAT scores (if needed), undergraduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and portfolios (if required).
4. Pay Application Fee: Pay the application fee as specified.
5. Await Review Results: After submitting the application, wait for the school’s review results. If approved, an admission letter will be received.
6. Complete Enrollment Procedures: Follow the instructions in the admission letter to complete enrollment procedures and officially enroll.

V. Ideal Candidates for CMU

• Strong Language Skills: TOEFL scores should be at least 88, with higher requirements for some popular programs; IELTS scores should be 7 or above. For graduates, TOEFL scores should be at least 100, and IELTS scores should be 7.5 or above.
• Excellent Academic Performance: Applicants should have a solid academic foundation, a high GPA, and relevant research experience is preferred.
• Innovative Mindset: CMU strives to select students with outstanding innovative thinking. Applicants should showcase their academic enthusiasm and innovative spirit in their application materials.
• Adequate Financial Capability: CMU’s tuition and living expenses are relatively high. Applicants must have sufficient financial means to cover these costs.