Guide to Applying to Carnegie Mellon University as an International Student for an Undergraduate Degree
Carnegie Mellon University, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1900 and soon after that started granting four-year degrees. It is a private university with a global ranking of 51 as per QS World University Ranking and ranking 26th nationally. It is ranked in the top 5 subject-wise throughout the globe and the majority of the courses are ranked under the top 20. So, it’s definitely a great place to receive an undergraduate degree! One of the best things about this university is that it has amazing resources and has proved to be a hub of great innovations and research. The weather in Pittsburgh is something that everyone would love. Read this guide on how to apply to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) as an international student for an undergraduate degree:
English Proficiency Tests
It is mandatory for international students to take an English language proficiency test if they belong to a country where English is not the primary/ native language. CMU accepts the following two English Proficiency tests and the minimum score required for each of these tests are:
- 102 and above on the TOEFL iBT
- 7.5 and above on the IELTS
SAT/ACT Requirements
SAT and ACT are the two standardized tests that the universities require to review the application. Due to the pandemic, Carnegie Mellon University has made submitting the SAT and ACT test scores optional. This change has been made only for the Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 admission cycle. Although they’re optional, you can submit them if you want to. Here are the average score ranges that you can target to make your application stronger:
| Test | Score Range | Average Score Required |
| ACT | 1-36 | 31-34 |
| SAT | 400-1600 | 1430-1560 |
Tuition Fee and Cost of Living
CMU is among the top universities globally. So, it is expected that this college will be a bit more expensive to attend than other average colleges in the US. Below are the estimated figures for tuition fees and other expenses:
| Annual Cost | In US Dollars | In Indian Rupees |
| Tuition Fee | $54,244 | ₹ 37,97,080 |
| Living Expenses | $20,379 | ₹ 14,26,530 |
| Total | $74,623 | ₹ 52,23,610 |
The conversion from USD to INR has been made with $1 = ₹70. The cost may vary with the varying exchange rate.
Application Portal
Just like most universities in the US, CMU doesn’t have any application portal of its own. You need to submit your application through the Common Application portal.
Essay Prompts
As a part of your application, you need to answer 4 essay prompts out of which 3 are mandatory and 1 is optional. These are required in addition to the application portal’s essay. Mentioned below are the essay prompts:
Essay Prompt 1 (Required):
Word Limit: 300 words
“Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study?”
Essay Prompt 2 (Required):
Word Limit: 300 words
“Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience?”
Essay Prompt 3 (Required):
Word Limit: 300 words
“Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please).”
Essay Prompt 4 (Optional):
Word Limit: 150 words
“Understanding an applicant’s individual context surrounding test scores can be useful to our admission committee. If you’d like, please share any information about your standardized test scores or inability to take standardized tests. This is an optional question and will only be used as additional information to evaluate your academic record.”
(Source: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-carnegie-mellon-essays-2020-2021/)
Make sure you don’t rush with your essays as these will have a strong impact on the application that you submit. Take time, make drafts, get feedback from your family, friends, and teachers instead of writing in one go and submitting that.
College Application Deadlines
Even if you are applying as an international student, the deadlines for the application are the same as for domestic students. The university provides two kinds of application deadlines, details of which are listed below:
| Early Decision | Regular Decision | |
| Apply by | November 1 | January 4 |
| Admission Notification | Mid-April | Before Early April |
*The Uni Deadlines feature of UniRely is the best and the easiest way to keep a check on deadlines.
Note: The application deadlines are different for students applying to the School of Architecture, Art, Design, Drama, or Music and can be found here https://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/fine-arts-admission
Conclusion
Getting an admit to Carnegie Mellon University is a dream for many. UniRely is an amazing platform and has student mentors studying at top colleges like CMU in the US as well as all over the world. You can sign up on UniRely for free and get help from a student mentor on your college applications. There are tons of free resources and useful tools and features for making your process of applying to colleges easier.
