MSES - Admissions

** 5/20/2020 UPDATE: Applications for Fall 2020 MSES cohort are now closed. Applicants can expect to receive decisions on or before June 8, 2020.

• MSES will re-open applications for the 2021-2022 Academic Year in September 2020. 
• The program currently expects to be able to accept international students for the cohort that starts in September 2021.

The admissions committee is looking for a diverse class of high-achieving individuals who aspire to leadership roles in the fields of energy and sustainability. Before applying to the Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) program, please read the admission requirements detailed below.

Jump to a Specific Section

• Who Should Apply
• Application Requirements
• Financial Aid
• Application Deadlines (2020-21) 
• APPLICATION DEADLINES (2021-22)

Who Should Apply

The MSES program is primarily aimed at students and graduates with BS/BA degrees in engineering, natural sciences, or other quantitative or topic-relevant degrees like economics, math/statistics or political science. Target applicants will be early/mid-career or will have graduated with distinction in their field of study and have a demonstrable commitment to energy and sustainability through academic achievements or other comparable experiences.

Application Requirements

The MSES Admissions Committee seeks well-rounded applicants and considers applications as a whole. However, successful applicants typically offer:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, natural sciences, or other quantitative or topic-relevant degrees like economics, math/statistics or political science
• 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate work
• Two letters of recommendation (plus an optional third letter) that attest to the candidate's academic or work performance as well as leadership potential
• GRE or GMAT scores for applicants with less than 3 years of experience. While ETS has currently suspended in-person testing, they are offering at-home, remote-proctored testing for individuals that meet computer equipment requirements.

Financial Aid

The MSES program provides a variety of financial aid options for students. Learn more 

Application Deadlines (2020-2021 Academic Year)

*Waitlist will remain open until August 17, 2020. Waitlist candidates will be provided an update on waitlist status on June 17 and July 17 and the final admission decision will be provided to waitlist candidates on Aug 17, 2020. Applicants can decline their position on the waitlist at any point by sending an email to mses@northwestern.edu 

Application Deadlines (2021-2022 Academic Year)

Applications for the 2021-22 academic year will open in September 2020. It is expected that the MSES program will be able to accept international students requiring a visa starting for the Fall 2021 full time cohort (starting in September 2021). A part-time program is under consideration to begin in June 2021 (one class per quarter over 3 years). MSES will announce the status of international applications and the part-time program in September 2020. Want to receive updates on the MSES program? Request info here

*Round 1 is highly recommended to obtain preferred access to grant funding, to allow time for scholarship applications, and to seek summer internships

**If part-time program is offered, it will begin in June 2021. It is highly recommended for part-time candidates to target Round 1 or Round 2 applications