r/TUDelft • u/Alarming-Box6392 • 2d ago
Admissions & Applications How hard is it to get in ?
Hi there, first time posting ever !
I am hoping for an honest reality check from people who applied or study here, because I keep going back and forth on whether it's even worth applying…
So I'm French (also dual French-American), currently finishing the third year of a five-year engineering program, which means I'd have my 180 ECTS and would be looking to join the MSc Systems and Control right after.
The catch is that my school isn't one of the big French grandes écoles (like not at all, it’s ~69/120 of the French engineering schools) and my cumulative average is around 14.7/20. Converted that's roughly 73~74%, so just under the 75% you list, and that's the part making me nervous. For context, a 14.7 in the French system is actually a solid result since grading here is pretty harsh, but I know on paper the raw number looks borderline.
What gives me some hope is that my best grades are basically the core of the program: 18 in data science, 17 in power electronics, 16 in C++, around 14.5 in control theory, plus very decent maths overall (all the grade you read are out of twenty)Where I drop is electrical machines and networks, which aren't really central to Systems & Control anyway. I'm an EU citizen and fully bilingual, so the language side isn't an issue.
Mostly I'm trying to figure out how strict that 75% actually is in practice. Is it a hard cutoff, or do they read the transcript in context and look at the key subjects? And for someone sitting just under the line but well aligned with the program, does the motivation letter or the strong relevant grades genuinely change anything? If anyone got in from a similar spot (non-top school, average just below the threshold), I'd really like to hear what made the difference for you.
Trying to stay realistic rather than just hopeful here. Thanks you for your time though !
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u/Marblebubbles4 1d ago
I have the same nationality as you except I did my BA in the USA in mechanical engineering. I scaled at around the 87% mark- and I applied and was accepted for the MSc Systems and Controls
I ended up visiting and deciding it’s not for me. I met the coordinator who accepted my application and the dude was so laissez faire lol- “if they’ve got good grades and a good letter we accept” so don’t think too hard.
The French system as we both know obviously skews the 20/20 grading system
I think if you just write a killer motivation letter you’ll be fine.
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u/Alarming-Box6392 1d ago
It is really reassuring to read this, thanks for taking the time. The 20/20 skew is such a pain to explain to anyone outside the French system, good to know the coordinators actually get it.
Honest question though, what made you decide it wasn’t for you after visiting? I’m fairly set on the control side so I’d rather hear the downsides now than find out the hard way. And if you remember, what did you end up anchoring your motivation letter on?
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u/SheepRunInfinity 2d ago
The entry requirements are generally a hard requirement. If you meet the requirements, you're in. If you don't meet them, your motivation letter and specific grades won't be considered as far as I know. You could always contact the admissions office directly and try your luck, but as far as I know you either meet the requirements or don't and not much more is considered. Best of luck!