To be considered to go to Houston:

1. Third year has to be finished, witout any exams left.
2. Due to competiotion with other students, your average grade has to be ³ 4,0.
3. You have to be able to work in another environment, that is completely different from the Swedish.

To be accepted by the University of Houston you have to:

1. Take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with a result better than a given level.
2. Do the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
3. Send the application and qualify according to the first conditions.

These are the offcial conditions, and it may seem hard, but nothing is impossible. Doing the tests is expensive and sending the application also includes a fee of $75. Altogether it will be about $300, but if you can just do this, take the tests (they are not so hard for a normal Swedish student) and send the letters of recommendation, you can be pretty sure to be accepted. So far, everyone from Uppsala who wanted to go, has been able to do it.

It's good, but not completely necessary that the application is in Houston before 1st of March. Then you have a bigger chance to get an assistenship. You have to get the application here before 1st of May, and the credentials (your grades and so on) before 1st of June, but then you the chance of becoming an assistenship is lower. Try to get the application here as soon as possible and get in contact with one of the professors.

Ask Olov Ågren about applications and other material. There is two different types, one for Mechanical and one for Electrical Engineering. It really doesn't matter what you did during your time in Uppsala, since the three first years are most general things, which is similar for all programs. You will select your preferred specilisation here.

There should be three letters of recommendation. Get one of your former professors to sign them. Usually, you shouldn't be considered lower as "Top 10%" in anything. The letters should better be sent to UH directly by the professor. Give him/her an envelope with the address on it.

1. "International Graduate Admissions". In the middle part:

 Statement of understanding. Sign! Number 5 means you don't need the university insurance if you can show proof of a Swedish insurance covering at least $50 000. Attach letter form insurance company in English. You can get help with this insurance from CSN or your insurance company. The university insurance is $300 each semester and you have to go to the campus health center in case you get sick. With the Swedish insurance, you can go anywhere you want.

 Educational Experience Form. Translate your school years and write it here. This is hard, since the systems are different in Sweden and USA.

 Letter of Financial Backing. Get some wealthy relative to sign a letter saying they have at least $13 105 (!) at the bank. The bank will help you with this. This will be printed in the I20, which is recommended to have when to get an apartment. Bring your papers from CSN too (if you get money from them).

 Application. Remove and sign. Hard parts, outside: Social Security nr - nothing; Degree objektive - MSC; Major - ME or EE; Concentration - nothing; College or Institution, row A - Uppsala University School of Engineering; Type of degree - MSC; G.P.A. - (Grade Point Average) calculate your average grade at Teknikum, and multiply with 4/5, since the grades are up to 4 i USA (A = 4); Major - your major, in English.

2. Application for Financial Aid (ME) orApplication for Graduate Assistanship (EE). This is important if you want an assistentship. (Look at "Assistentship" below).
3. You also need transcripts from UH in Swedish and English. If you send copies, you have to bring the originals so you can show them when you get here.

The Test Scores from GRE and TOEFL should also be sent. But they will usually be sent from the test center directly. Look at "Tests" below.

You can do both GRE and TOEFL in Sweden. Ask Carin Palm or Olov Ågren for applications or download material from the webpages. The links can be found above.

The GRE is available in two versions: General and Subject. Do the General. There's a verbal part in the test, which is pretty hard for non-english people and a technical part, which should be rather easy for a UTH student, who has read the GRE information. Do some test questions to get used to the way of asking the questions. You have to sign up for the tests very early. Now you can do them on computer, which means more flexibility. Read the information to find out when and where (in Stockholm) you can take the tests. The result will be sent to the university or universities you select
when doing the tests.

It's very important to get an assistentship before you go, unless you come here early. An assistenship doesn't only meen reduced tuition fees, it will also give a paycheck every month. The best way to get an assistenship is to search the homepage of Cullen College for an advisor, who seems to work with something interesting for you, or just email anyone of us Swedes here at UH. Then we can help you with finding a good advisor. If you want to study Mechanical Engineering, you can always email Ken White. He is the connection between UTH and UH right now and knows what's going on. Together with Susan Sanderson-Globe he can help you with almost everything.

If you don't know what you wan to work with, try to get a TA (Teaching Assistenship) and work at a lab or correct homework for a semester or two. It always easier to select an area when you have been here for a while and know the professors. But, of course, the sooner you you get this settled, the sooner you can start with your project.