COVID-19

Graduate Application Impact FAQ

Note its important that you also refer to the FAQ put out by the Office of International Services.

Applications & Registrations

1. I have already submitted the Enrollment Intention Form. Do I have to pay the enrollment deposit of $310.30 before April 15 to secure my admit?

No, there was a typo in the email sent on April 7. The April 15 date is incorrect. You have to submit the enrollment intention form and pay the enrollment deposit before June 15 if you wish to start in Fall 2020. Later dates apply if you plan to defer. Please see below.

2. Do I have to submit the CFR document by April 15? If yes, can I get an extension on this as the banks in India are closed due to the current situation.

The Graduate School is pretty flexible with this deadline. The established deadline is May 1st, but the Graduate School is willing to work with them. We have a lot of students that can’t get loan documents with banks shut down, so we may have to follow up with this one.

3. If I end up deferring my admission, will my admission to a later semester be confirmed regardless of the next batch of incoming students?

Yes, you can defer to a later semester and it will be confirmed, regardless of future student enrollment.

4. Do I have to upload my transcripts again?

Once your BS degree has been completed, we’ll need an official transcript showing the degree was conferred. This can be done while working on your MS degree.

5. When will I receive my I-20/SEVIS ID?

Students will not receive an I-20 until the Enrollment Intention Form is completed and submitted, the enrollment fee is paid or waived, and the CFR is submitted and approved.

6. How will I receive my I-20 if there is no courier service?

The Graduate School is able to send a scanned copy, however, you will most likely still need the original for your face to face visa interview, when that takes place. It will be sent to you as soon as possible.

7. Please clarify the deferral options.

Don’t defer – start in Fall 2020, online if necessary. Pay the enrollment deposit by June 15.
Defer until Spring 2021. Defer by August 1. Pay the enrollment deposit by November 1.
Defer until Fall 2021. Defer by December 15. Pay the enrollment deposit by December 15.
Defer twice. Defer to Spring 2021 by August 1. Defer again to Fall 2021 by December 15. Pay the enrollment deposit by December 15.
(Students have a year from application submission to request a deferment, and can defer up to one year from the original admission term.)

8. If I’m unable to pay the enrollment deposit, can I still defer?

See above.

9. If a student was able to acquire a VISA, will they be able to take classes on campus or online?

If you reside outside the United States, you can take online courses whether you have an entry visa or not. Once you enter the United States on a study visa, normal restrictions apply and you cannot take online courses.

10. I'm curious as to how the current covid-19 pandemic has an impact on the courses that would take place during the fall 20 semester and Spring 21 semester?

We will be offering all normally scheduled classes unless the enrollment is too small (less than 5). I.e. Expect a normal class lineup. At this point we are planning for the campus to be open in Fall and Spring.

11. If Fall 20 is declared as an online class only semester, how would it impact assistantships?

At this point we are planning for the campus to be open in Fall and Spring. A student has to be physically in the United States for an Assistantship to be started.

12. What are CFR deadlines if I defer?

Spring 2021 CFR deadline is Oct. 1, 2020, Fall 2021 deadline is May 1, 2021. These are always soft deadlines.

13. Do I need a CFR to start online.

No, you don’t need a visa.

14. If I choose to defer to Fall 2021 can I bring my start date forward at a later date.

Yes. You can change your I-20 later or start the process early. E.g. If you defer to Fall 21, you can change it to Spring 21 later.

Engineering Online
(EOL)

1. If I start the course online for the fall 2020 semester, will I be able to switch to the on campus course in spring 2021/fall 2021? or will I have to complete the entire course online?

Yes, before you are on-campus, you can complete paperwork to switch to on-campus enrollment with a start date of the semester you come on campus.

2. Will my degree certificate change because I completed part of the course online? Or will it remain the same?

The conferred degree will be the same, regardless if part of it was completed online.

3. What will be the fee structure for the online learning program?

The tuition/fee structure will be updated on this web site:
https://studentservices.ncsu.edu/your-money/tuition-and-fees/
We are not expecting significant changes to what is posted now. They are updated each summer though.

4. What will be the process to choose a proctor? What are the requirements to be a proctor for a student?

We need to establish a chain of trust with your chosen proctor by email and the web. Possibilities include a paid proctoring service (e.g. where you took the GRE), a University instructor or official, a high school teacher, an employer etc. We will also consider arranging remote video proctoring. This option will require at least one webcam and an internet connection that will support video streaming. The exams would have to be held during hours specified by us.

5. Many of the courses are also offered online. So will I not have access to the complete course catalog? What are the plans for courses that require labs?

A current list is attached at the end of this FAQ. We are working on increasing the number of courses that are available online.

Each course instructor will decide the best way to handle course lab requirements. Some of the courses require downloadable EDA tools (e.g. ModelSim) while others require remote access to our servers to use tools. TAs will be available for remote consultation and screen sharing. None of the online courses require access to lab equipment beyond a computer.

6. I will not be able to get my CPT unless I finish 1 year on the F1 visa. If I start in fall 2020 with online learning, how will that affect my CPT? Are there any plans to change the CPT laws?

Currently, you have to complete two semesters on the F1 visa (i.e. in the US) to qualify for CPT. This might change. Please go to the OIS site (at the top of this faq) for more information.

Miscellaneous

1. With the next batch of incoming students will the class/batch size increase in the Spring/Fall 2021 semester? This may affect the number of opportunities for the graduating students.

We will manage admissions for Spring/Fall 2021 so that the total entering class size is approximately the same as the number that started in Spring/Fall 2019.

2. If I start my first semester online and then want to change my major from CE to EE, will that be possible?

Yes, you will be able to change your major after completing your first semester online or on-campus.

3. What concentration am I admitted to?

We don’t limit you in this regard. We have over 110 courses across the Department and you can take courses in CPE and EE. Non-thesis students are expected to take five courses in their major (EE or CPE) and three courses across different specialties. The degree consists of ten academic courses.

4. Can I enroll in a second Masters degree (Dual Degree)?

The MS degrees and ECE certificates offered in the NC State ECE department require premium tuition. Students are not allowed to be simultaneously enrolled in a premium tuition program and a non-premium tuition program. Students are welcome to enroll in our premium tuition program after they have completed their non-premium tuition program, or to change their major to our program.

We do not allow an additional MS degree if you previously have a MS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or any other closely related major.

5. What are some currently online classes for Fall 2020?

We are planning to expand this list but it includes many popular classes.

CSC 505 Algorithms
ECE 511 Analog Electronics
ECE 513 Digital Signal Processing
ECE 514 Random Processes
ECE 534 Power Electronics
ECE 542 Neural Networks
ECE 549 RF Design for Wireless
ECE 550 Power System Optimization and Control
ECE 560 Embedded Systems Architectures
ECE 564 Digital ASIC Design
ECE 568 Nano Tech and Fab
ECE 570 Computer Networking
ECE 573 Internet Protocols
ECE 574 Computer and Network Security
ECE 578 LTE and 5G Communications
ECE 579 Introduction to Computer Performance Modeling
ECE 584 Electrical Power Engineering Practicum II
ECE 585
ECE 587 Power System Transients Analysis
ECE 592-061 Data Science
ECE 600 ECE Graduate Orientation
ECE 732 Control of Electric Machines
ECE 748 Advanced Verification with UVM
ECE 791-44 Adaptive Control