For New Graduate Students

Download the appropriate “To Do” checklist as your preparation and arrival guide:

• Summer, new to JHU
• Fall, new to JHU
• Fall, JHU alumnus
• Spring, new to JHU

Mike Bernard
Academic Program Manager

John Soos
Senior Academic Program Coordinator
223 Latrobe Hall

Both Mike and John can be contacted on the internal Johns Hopkins Microsoft Teams format using their names and at [email protected].

Other contact people will include your faculty advisor and the Mechanical Engineering administrative staff. We’re all happy to help.

Note that John is out on extended medical leave likely until Summer 2025.  Mike will be addressing all inquiries until John returns. We ask patience in case you don’t receive an immediate response to inquiries.

If you have not already done so, please follow the instructions that were sent in the “official” admission notification sent by the Graduate Admissions office.

Official transcripts must be sent by the institution to [email protected]. Remember, the University requires official copies sent directly from the institution (not a copy from the student) showing the degree conferral.  They must receive your official transcript before you begin classes.

Also, visit the Whiting School Graduate Admissions “Newly Admitted” Students page for information on how to send your final transcripts (also called “final documents”), which are required as part of your admission package. You don’t have to send your final transcripts until your final semester is complete and final grades are added to the transcript.

On our master’s program page, check out the Home-to-Hopkins program.  New master’s students can begin their programs early. Students may take up to two courses online at home during the summer before arriving on campus for full-time study at our Homewood Campus! 

• View this Sample Programs document to see how you can finish your degree early.
• Visit this Engineering for Professionals page for Mechanical Engineering courses being offered in Summer 2025.  Classes begin May 19, 2025.
• Visit the Tuition and Fees page for course costs.
• To participate, contact Mike Bernard at [email protected] and he will help with the administrative actions to allow you to register for summer courses.  Your admission will be changed from Fall 2025 to Summer 2025.

ENROLLING IN HOME-TO-HOPKINS COURSES
After you notify Mike of your intent to participate in the Home-to-Hopkins program and your admission is adjusted from Fall 2025 to Summer 2025, follow these instructions to enroll in courses:

To register for courses offered by the Engineering for Professionals program, courses numbered EN.xx5.xxx, you must register using the Interdivisional Course Registration form. Most of the form should be self-explanatory, but just in case:

• In the upper right corner, select and complete the semester, e.g. “Fall 20__” as Fall 2025 or “Spring 20__” as Spring 2026.
• Host Division – select “EP”
• Classification – select “Degree Candidate”
• Program or Dept of Study – Mechanical Engineering
• In the “Interdivisional Courses for Which Cross-Registration is Sought” section, the course number is split into four sections, for example, if registering for the course EN.535.641, Section 1
  • Division = EN
  • Department = 535
  • Course # = 641
  • Section = 01
• Leave the tuition rate, audit, and terms offered blank
• Please send the form to Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard at [email protected] or by finding Mike on Microsoft Teams so he can sign the form approving your enrollment.  You don’t need an Academic Advising Office signature.

Once the form is completed, submit the form to the Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) system > Records and Registration > Add/drop inquiry.  Complete the info on the request and upload your form to the request and submit. You will get a confirmation e-mail with your case number.  The Registrar will then register you.

This is your login ID to most Hopkins Web sites, including the “myJH” portal, home of the Johns Hopkins Enterprise Directory. It typically includes the first letter of your first name, your last name or part of your last name, and one or more digits. Your JHED ID is a maximum of 8 characters.

• JHED: This is your login ID to most Hopkins Web sites, including the “myJH” portal, home of the Johns Hopkins Enterprise Directory. It typically includes the first letter of your first name, your last name or part of your last name, and one or more digits. Your JHED ID is a maximum of 8 characters. JHED IDs are typically issued in mid-March for students arriving in the Fall semester and mid-October for students arriving in the Spring semester, and if admission is accepted after those times, within two business days after admission is accepted in the Slate graduate application system. Look up your name in the “myJH” portal and your JHED ID should appear. if it does not appear by May 1 (for Summer arrival), June 5 (for Fall arrival) or January 10 (for Spring arrival), please contact the Registrar at the contact info on the Registrar’s Getting Started page.
• Hopkins IDs: This is the six-digit-and-letter ID that SIS (the Student Information System) uses to identify students. Sign in to SIS using your JHED ID and password that you establish, per the Registrar’s Getting Started page. Hopkins IDs are typically issued in mid-March for students arriving in the Fall semester and mid-October for students arriving in the Spring semester, and if admission is accepted after those times, within two business days after admission is accepted in the Slate graduate application system.
• Government ID: For American students, this is the Social Security Number. For international students, this is a temporary Hopkins-assigned (988-xx-xxxx) number to use at JHU in place of a social security number, which will be sent to you by the University. For those receiving a stipend, this number is used in the process to set up your pay. International students receiving a stipend will apply for a Social Security Number after arrival.
• J-Card ID: This is the 16-digit number located above the barcode on one’s J-Card, which you will receive upon arrival. This number is read automatically when you swipe your J-Card at a reader. The 14-digit number below the J-Card barcode is your library number and can be used on the library page.

I-20 Process

Upon receipt of a student’s Admission Decision form, the department submits the admissions package to the Graduate Admissions office, who after processing sends them to the JHU Office of International Services (OIS).

You will receive an e-mail with instructions on completing an electronic form that will also ask for a copy of your passport identification page, documentation on how you are funding your study (if needed) and, if appropriate, information on any dependents that will accompany you.

Please allow up to 2 weeks for the record transfer and e-mail notification process. This e-mail will also provide instructions on how to arrange for shipment of your I-20. Estimated costs of attendance can be found on the OIS website. Questions on immigration or visa issues should be addressed to OIS at [email protected] or +1-667-208-7001. Please do not ask Mike or John for the status of the I-20, as they can only refer you back to the OIS.

The completion time of the I-20 process may be from 3 to 6 weeks.

Family Members

If you have a spouse, children, or other dependents coming with you, be sure to apply for the appropriate dependent visas. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services “Dependent F-2 Information” page will help you with the process.

International students whose native language is other than English are strongly encouraged to strengthen their English language skills, no matter how proficient they are currently. Taking the course AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation will help.

• All students whose TOEFL speaking scores are 26/30 or higher are exempt from taking AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation, but are strongly encouraged to take AS.370.603 Communication Strategies in the American Academia.
• All Ph.D. students whose TOEFL speaking scores are 25/30 or lower must register for AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation and later strongly encouraged to take 370.603 Culture and Communication Strategies in the American Academia.
• For Masters students whose TOEFL speaking scores are 25/30 or lower:
  • Those intending to apply for Mechanical Engineering Teaching Assistant (TA) positions must register for and complete AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation before applying, and are strongly encouraged to take AS.370.603 Culture and Communication Strategies in the American Academia, as well.
  • All others not intending to apply for a TA position are encouraged, but not required to register for AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation and are welcome to take AS.370.603 Culture and Communication Strategies in the American Academia.
  • Note:  AS.370.602 and AS.370.603 do not count toward the master’s degree requirements in Mechanical Engineering.

If you feel that your English-language skills are strong enough to avoid taking these remedial courses, you are welcome to participate in English-language assessments by the English Language Program for International Teaching Assistants of the Language Teaching Center (LTC)

Visit the LTC in 523 Krieger Hall to take the English-language assessment listening test and interview. Contact the Center for Language Education to arrange an appointment.

If you pass the test, you may drop the American English Pronunciation course and you will be eligible to act as a Teaching Assistant right away. If the examiner “recommends” or “requires” taking AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation, then our department requires you to take the course.

If you must take AS.370.602 American English Pronunciation but there is a conflict with another course on your schedule, you may delay taking the course but cannot be hired as a Teaching Assistant until you take and pass the remedial course.  Note that this 3-credit course does not count toward the master’s degree.

Students joining us in the Spring semester can take the remedial courses that semester or can wait until the next available pre-scheduled sessions the next Fall.

Check out FLOURISH – a resource guide by and for distinct and varied Homewood communities.

The Johns Hopkins Student Accounts office will post a bill for amounts due on your SIS record with payment instructions and due dates. Expect to see a discrepancy of what is posted on the SIS record and what is actually due in your case when receiving financial aid. This is because of system process deadline dates being slightly off.

If you see a discrepancy, don’t panic. By late-July to early-August (for new Fall students) or mid-January (for new Spring students), our department will post the expected financial aid for each student and the parts of the University systems involved in financial and billing will eventually catch up with each other – but sometimes not until late-August or late-January. The balance will be correctly adjusted before classes begin.

If you are being prevented from registering for courses, please contact Mike Bernard at [email protected].

For PhD Students

PhD students do not have to pay for tuition, health insurance, and matriculation fees, as these are covered by the admission and financial aid offers.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR PH.D. STUDENTS WHO WORK AT THE JHU APL
PhD students who work for the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory will have full tuition paid in the first year, and 80% tuition coverage from years 2-6. Salary and health insurance, in most cases, will be provided by the APL. We understand that the APL offers tuition coverage to pay some or all the 20% tuition. Please contact your benefits office for details.

For MSE – Hopkins Alumni

Hopkins alumni returning for their master’s degree have partial financial aid with a Whiting School of Engineering Dean’s Tuition Fellowship, which waives 50% of tuition for each full-time semester. This includes alumni returning after earning a BS degree or combined BS/MSE students continuing their master’s degree.

Matriculation fees are not charged. The Johns Hopkins Student Accounts office can help with questions about billing and payment information.

These are the estimated expenses for Hopkins alumni master’s students in the 2025-26 academic year:

• Tuition – $16,675.00 per semester or $33,350.00 per year
• Health Insurance, Dental, and Vision – $3,518.95 per year

Visit the Student Accounts FAQs page for info on how to pay your bill.

The Johns Hopkins Student Financial Services office can help with questions about student loans and financial assistance.

Check out the Scholarships and Fellowships that are typically obtained by engineering students. Be aware of application deadlines!

Hopkins alumni who were undergraduate transfer students still would receive the Dean’s Tuition Fellowship, as the eight semesters from both the previous institution and Hopkins are counted to determine eligibility.

For MSE – New to Hopkins

These are the estimated expenses for master’s students in the 2025-26 academic year:

• Tuition – $33,350.00 per semester or $66,700.00 per year
• Health Insurance – $3,518.95 per year
• One-time matriculation fee – $500.00

The Johns Hopkins Student Accounts office can help with questions about billing and payment information.

Visit the Student Accounts FAQs page for info on how to pay your bill.

The Johns Hopkins Student Financial Services office can help with questions about student loans and financial assistance.

Check out the Scholarships and Fellowships that are typically obtained by engineering students. Be aware of application deadlines!

A select few master’s students have been offered an alternate form of financial aid unique to their applications. If you are one of them and have questions on your financial aid, please contact Mike Bernard at [email protected].

PRE-ENTRANCE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

All new graduate students must meet the University’s pre-entrance health requirements by providing proof of immunity to certain communicable diseases prior to registration.

Johns Hopkins Alumni

Hopkins Alumni returning for graduate school are exempt from this requirement as Student Health and Wellness will use your undergraduate pre-entrance records.

All Other New Graduate Students

Before arriving at Johns Hopkins you must meet the Pre-Entrance health requirements.  Various actions are needed so please read the instructions carefully.

If you require any vaccines or screening tests to determine immune status, they can be administered at the Student Health and Wellness Center, at a cost of a US $100 Health Form Completion Fee plus the cost of each vaccine or screening test.

Those who have the University insurance plan can receive the vaccines at reduced rates, but antibody testing is not covered by the plan. Please direct your questions regarding these requirements to the Student Health and Wellness Center on their Staff Page.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance is offered by the University to all graduate students.

• Visit the University’s Student and Learner Health Benefits website for a summary of your benefits.
• Visit the Wellfleet’s “Student Health Plan” website to sign-in to your “health insurance portal.” The Registrar will provide access instructions later this summer.
• Visit the Medical Plans page for a summary of medical benefits.

Premium Costs

Student Premium

• Ph.D. student health insurance premiums are fully covered by their financial aid.
• Masters students pay the full health insurance premium.

Spouses and Family – you can purchase health insurance for spouses and family members at your cost. The premiums cover the policy year August 15 to August 14 of each year.

The JHU Human Resources Costs and Coverage page has information on premium costs for individual students and their families

Enrollment

JOINING US IN FALL OR SPRING: AUTOMATIC HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS
The University will automatically enroll you for health insurance.

• International students are required to enroll in the University’s health insurance plan.
• American students are encouraged to enroll, but have the option of waiving the plan by August 15 (Fall) or January 15 (Spring) if they have equivalent insurance elsewhere.
• PhD students who receive health insurance as part of their financial aid from the department will also be enrolled in dental and vision coverage at no extra charge.

JOINING US IN SUMMER: STUDENTS MUST ENROLL FOR HEALTH INSURANCE WITH THE REGISTRAR – IT IS NOT AUTOMATIC
If you begin your studies early, either in the summer months before the Fall semester or in January before the Spring semester, students must visit the Registrar to enroll in health insurance. Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry to request enrollment.

For Ph.D. students, either the student’s advisor or the department will cover the cost of health insurance for the summer months to August 14, before the fall plan period begins on August 15.

Waiving Health Insurance

Information on how to waive the University’s insurance and to enroll your family members is located on the Wellfleet Student Health website. To waive the insurance, you will be asked for your six-digit Hopkins ID number, which will be issued to you in early-July (Fall) and early-January (Spring).

Please visit the University’s Student and Learner Health Benefits website for information.

DENTAL and VISION

Visit these pages for information and enrollment…

• Dental Plans
• Vision Plans

Premium Costs

Student Premium

• PhD:  the University covers the dental and vision plan premiums for Ph.D. students whose health insurance premiums are covered by financial aid.
• Master’s:  students can purchase dental and vision coverage but must pay the premium.

NEED HELP?

• Health insurance – contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry.
• Dental and Vision – contact the JHU Student Benefits office at [email protected].

There is no on-campus housing for graduate students.  Only undergraduate freshmen and some sophomores will live on-campus.

The University’s Off-Campus Housing office can help you find a home, give advice on securing a lease, and connect with potential roommates. Note that while there is no housing on campus for graduate students, there are many homes and apartments available within 3 km / 2 miles of campus.

This “Life in Baltimore” sheet has links to info about Baltimore and cost-of-living calculators.

This Off-Campus Housing Resources page will be helpful in seeking a home. Until you receive your JHED ID, you can use the guest registration password 18BlueJay20.

View these documents from the Off-Campus Housing Office for useful information

• Homes and Apartments to rent around the Homewood Campus
• Renter’s Checklist
• Information for International Students
• Financial Aid for Housing

Our department does not endorse any specific living space, but we encourage you to explore all options within your price range.

Ph.D. Students

All Ph.D. students have been matched with a faculty advisor.  Your faculty advisor can help with course selections.

Master’s Students – new to Johns Hopkins

All master’s students will be assigned an advisor by mid-July (Fall) or early-January (Spring) based on academic and research interests. New students will be given a chance to request specific faculty advisors assuming he or she is available and willing to advise master’s students.  For certain all-course master’s students, the academic staff – Mike Bernard and John Soos serve as academic advisors.

Students will be notified when advisors are assigned, at which time you can contact discuss your coursework and, if applicable, research aspirations.

If you already know which faculty member(s) whom you would like to serve as your advisor, contact the academic staff and they will see if he or she is available.

Master’s Students – Hopkins Alumni

You may ask your bachelor’s advisor to advise for your masters degree or request a new advisor. The default option is that you will remain with your bachelors advisor. The academic staff will contact you to confirm your advisor choice or arrange for an advisor assignment. All advisor assignments will be confirmed by mid-July as course registration begins in late-July.

Contact Information

Contact info for our faculty is located on the Faculty page.

Advising Manuals

Visit the MechE Graduate Academic Advising page and select the “Advising Manuals” bar to find your degree’s advising manual.

Master’s – All Course or Essay?

While all master’s students were admitted with the assumption that each student would pursue an “all-course” option, the “essay” option can be pursued. Visit our master’s degree page for information.

To do an essay, an advisor would have to agree to advise a student for an essay. Students can seek an advisor now or after they arrive at Johns Hopkins. You are encouraged to also explore the co-op essay option.

The best approach is to view our Faculty page to see what research our faculty are doing. You may want to find a couple of their published papers and read them to have a basic understanding of their research. Google Scholar is an excellent tool to search for faculty publications.

Select one, two, or three professors whose research interests you and contact them by e-mail or telephone to introduce yourself and ask if they would consider working with you to create an essay. Be prepared to discuss your research interests and have your resume available.

Don’t “spam” the entire faculty with an e-mail with the hope that one might reply. A selective approach will work best.

Courses

View and select courses from these resources:

• Mechanical Engineering: Course Schedule, Descriptions and the Department’s section of the University Catalog
• The University Course Schedule and Catalog

Course Registration

• For Graduate Students new to Johns Hopkins
  You must contact your advisor to select courses before registering. You will have had to have submitted your Pre-Admission Health Form, registered for health insurance, and pay any financial obligations. If you are receiving financial aid, the department will have already notified the appropriate administrative offices.
  • For most new master’s students starting in a Fall semester, course registration will begin in mid-July.
  • For most new master’s students starting in a Spring semester, course registration will begin in mid-December.
• Visit the Course Registration instructions page for information on course registration, including the dates that registration begins for new students.
• For Concurrent BS/MSE students returning to Johns Hopkins for the Master’s Degree
  “Fifth-Year” master’s students may register early for the master’s fall semester while they are seniors!  Please meet with either your department faculty mentor or the academic staff who can help you with course selection questions and course panning. Download and complete this Graduate Course Registration Form, have your advisor sign it and deliver it to the Registrar beginning in April.
• Otherwise, visit the Course Registration instructions page for information on course registration.
• Important Note: registering for Engineering for Professionals courses
  To register for courses offered by the Engineering for Professionals program, courses numbered EN.xx5.xxx, you must register using the Interdivisional Course Registration form. Please visit the Registrar’s Interdivisional Registration page for info and the form.

Required Courses

• Ph.D. students must register every semester for Graduate Research: EN.530.801.xx, using their advisor’s section.
• Ph.D. students must register every semester for their first three years in EN.530.803 MechE Graduate Seminar. Masters students are welcome, but not required, to register for the Graduate Seminar.

You must complete required introductory online courses:

• Opioid Epidemic Awareness – this will be available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning” and search the catalog for “Opioid Epidemic Awareness.” You can take this course at anytime. Sign in to “My.JHU.edu” with your JHED ID and password.
• Building Supportive Communities: Title IX and Clery Act Required Employee Training – you will receive notification from the Office of Institutional Equity to complete this course online, usually right after you accept admission. You are asked to complete the course within 30 days. This will be available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning” and search the catalog for “Building Supportive Communities: Title IX and Clery Act Required Employee Training.” Sign in to “My.JHU.edu” with your JHED ID and password.
• Intermediate Laboratory Safety Assessment (formerly called “Research Laboratory Safety”) – 8 online modules – see Section 11.1 of the Ph.D. Graduate Advising Manual. These required eight online modules should be completed by the first two weeks of your first semester. This will be available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning.”  (Note that these required 8 online modules – grouped together as “Intermediate Laboratory Safety” – are separate from the optional six-week online course EN.500.601 Research Laboratory Safety, though the modules are a pre-requisite to the six-week online course should you want to take it.)
• Responsible Conduct of Research – most master’s students will have to take the online course by the end of the first semester, but some master’s students and all Ph.D. students will have to attend the in-person offering. PhD students should attend the in-person offering before their fourth semester and master’s students should take it by the end of the first semester.
• EN.500.603 Graduate Orientation and Academic Ethics – you will be enrolled automatically early in your first semester and be expected to complete this 20-minute online course before the end of your first semester. The Whiting School will notify you when this course is available. It will not be available until the Whiting School notifies you and sends instructions on how to access the course.
• Effort Reporting – Certifier– for those receiving a stipend or who will be paid for Teaching Assistant work, the University is required by US Federal Law to account for all work effort performed by every employee – whether staff, faculty, postdoc, or student. This is completed quarterly by certifying an Effort Report. The academic staff pre-reviews Effort Reports for all student salaries to confirm they are allocated to the correct accounts, then the employee or student is asked to certify the Effort Report. Each employee and student is required to take a brief training of 30-40 minutes. These courses are available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning” and search the catalog for “Effort Reporting System – Certifiers.” Sign in to “My.JHU.edu” with your JHED ID and password.
• You will also be asked to view and complete other online Orientations from the Graduate Admissions office and the Office of International Services. You will receive separate notification of these later.

Get a jump on getting connected at Hopkins!

In early June (Fall students) or early January (Spring students), the Registrar will send all enrolled new graduate students an e-mail that includes your JHED ID. The “Johns Hopkins Enterprise Directory” (JHED) is an online directory of all students, faculty, staff, and other associates with Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, and all related entities.

This e-mail will also provide you a JHU e-mail address and set-up instructions. Note that until your JHED ID is activated, you will not have access to these services.

• Visit the “Getting Started/New Students” page.
• To activate your JHU e-mail address and JHED account, go to the my.jhu.edu and find the “First Time JHED User” link for instructions.
• Visit the Johns Hopkins Information Technology Student Wireless Services page to connect to Hopkins WiFi.
• Visit the Johns Hopkins Technology Store to learn more about computer and software availability.
• Visit the JHU Microsoft Teams page to connect to Teams. This is an excellent tool to contact staff, faculty, and fellow students for a chat, call, or video. It’s a great way to contact the academic staff with a quick question, especially when there are a lot of e-mails in their queues.
• After setting up your JHED account, you can set up access to your JHU e-mail on your mobile phone. In your phone’s web browser, go to mobile.johnshopkins.edu. Sign in with your JHED ID and password and you will be taken to your JHU Outlook account where your e-mail can be accessed.
• Visit these sites to obtain free or deeply discounted software:
  • Software for students from the Whiting School of Engineering
  • Free student access to AutoCad
  • Solidworks
    • Student Edition
    • Free Solidworks CAD Tools

Master’s Students

Access to various buildings and offices will be granted in one of two ways:

• Using one’s J-card for electronic access.
• Using keys.

Students will receive access to buildings and offices as needed.

• Latrobe Hall is open during business hours Monday through Friday and most evenings and weekends.
• The third floor of Latrobe Hall will be accessible with J-card access for all students Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Students with offices on this floor will have daily 24-hour access with J-cards.
• Other halls will be open during business hours Monday through Friday and limited access will be available at other times.
• Individual desk space is not available.

PhD Students

Desk space will be allocated to all Ph.D. students depending on their advisor’s location.

• Students who will work in Hackerman Hall (robotics) or Clark Hall (biomechanics) – contact your advisor for information.
• Students who will work in Malone Hall (HEMI, some mechanics of materials) – contact your advisor for information.
• Students who will work in Latrobe Hall (fluids, some biomechanics, some mechanics of materials) – contact your advisor for information.
  • Once your advisor determines your desk location, you will receive keys to the Latrobe Hall building, your office space, and your desk from the academic or administrative staff. Note that there is a $5 refundable deposit charged per key.
  • If your advisor is unsure where to place you, he or she can contact the academic staff to find out what desks are available.

International Students

1. Contact the Office of International Services

The very first thing to do upon arrival is to check in electronically with the Office of International Services. They must know that you have arrived on campus.

2. Get your J-Card, Confirm Health Insurance and Student Accounts

Visit Levering Hall, Office of Student Enrollment and Account Management on the first floor by the Glass Pavilion, the home of several administrative offices who will help you.

• Registrar – Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry to confirm your health insurance enrollment or waiver.
• Student Accounts – visit their contact page to arrange contact to confirm payment receipt of tuition and fees.
• J-Card Office – [email protected] – Levering Hall, Suite 04-B on the south side to the left of the small white pillars – to get your J-card.

3. Obtain a Social Security Number (SSN)

Visit the OIS website on obtaining a Social Security Number for steps on how to obtain one.

SSNs are important to have not only for salaries, but also for obtaining utility services like telephone service, internet access, and electricity and gas for your home.

Some international students may not need to obtain an SSN, particularly those who will not be obtaining a job, either on campus or elsewhere. The Office of International Services can help you determine if you will need one.

4. If you are receiving a stipend, submit a New Hire Form. See the “If You Will Receive a Stipend, Complete Hiring Documents” section of this page for instructions on what to do.

5. Take this action only if you are arriving in a Summer semester…

Any new grad student who is receiving a stipend who starts early in Summer must register for a EN.530.897 Graduate Research – Summer “course” will be used to recognize your status during the summer as a full-time PhD student or a master’s student on University payroll.  No tuition will be charged to you.  There are no assignments and no work.  All it does is tells the University not to assess FICA (or Social Security) tax on your pay.

Typically, this registration occurs in the Spring but since you joined us now, you still have to register even for the August period.  The registration process is a little different now that Summer registration deadlines have long passed.  Here’s what to do:

Use the Course Registration Form when unable to register or drop courses on SIS.

• The course instructor will have to sign it if the course requires instructor approval or if an undergraduate student is registering for a graduate course.
• The faculty advisor or Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard must sign the form as well.
• If registration is being requested after the Add period of the semester, after the first two weeks, the Department Head and the Whiting School Graduate Affairs office must also sign the form.  Please submit the form me and I will sign for you and send the form to Whiting School Graduate Affairs Associate Dean Christine Kavanagh at [email protected] to request her approval.

Once the form or e-mails is completed, I will ask you to submit these items to the Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) system > Browse All Topics > Records and Registration > Add/drop inquiry > Sign-In to Request Support (or “Request Support” if already signed in). Complete the info on the request and upload your form or e-mails to the request and submit. You will get a confirmation e-mail with your case number. The Registrar will then register you.

American Students

1. Get your J-Card, Confirm Health Insurance and Student Accounts

Visit Levering Hall, Office of Student Enrollment and Account Management on the first floor by the Glass Pavilion, the home of several administrative offices who will help you.

• Registrar – Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry to confirm your health insurance enrollment or waiver.
• Student Accounts – visit their contact page to arrange contact to confirm payment receipt of tuition and fees.
• J-Card Office – [email protected] – Levering Hall, Suite 04-B on the south side to the left of the small white pillars – to get your J-card.

2. If you are receiving a stipend, submit a New Hire Form. See the “If You Will Receive a Stipend, Complete Hiring Documents” section of this page for instructions on what to do.

3. Take this action only if you are arriving in a Summer semester…

Any new grad student who is receiving a stipend who starts early in Summer must register for a EN.530.897 Graduate Research – Summer “course” will be used to recognize your status during the summer as a full-time PhD student or a master’s student on University payroll.  No tuition will be charged to you.  There are no assignments and no work.  All it does is tells the University not to assess FICA (or Social Security) tax on your pay.

Typically, this registration occurs in the Spring but since you joined us now, you still have to register even for the August period.  The registration process is a little different now that Summer registration deadlines have long passed.  Here’s what to do:

Use the Course Registration Form when unable to register or drop courses on SIS.

• The course instructor will have to sign it if the course requires instructor approval or if an undergraduate student is registering for a graduate course.
• The faculty advisor or Academic Program Manager Mike Bernard must sign the form as well.
• If registration is being requested after the Add period of the semester, after the first two weeks, the Department Head and the Whiting School Graduate Affairs office must also sign the form.  Please submit the form me and I will sign for you and send the form to Whiting School Graduate Affairs Associate Dean Christine Kavanagh at [email protected] to request her approval.

Once the form or e-mails is completed, I will ask you to submit these items to the Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) system > Browse All Topics > Records and Registration > Add/drop inquiry > Sign-In to Request Support (or “Request Support” if already signed in). Complete the info on the request and upload your form or e-mails to the request and submit. You will get a confirmation e-mail with your case number. The Registrar will then register you.

Complete Hiring Documents

• Complete a New Hire form. Leave the Administrative Actions section blank. On the New Hire Form where it asks for a Social Security Number, if you do not have one, enter your Hopkins Government ID, which begins with 988-.  Please send the form to Mike Bernard in JHU Microsoft Teams.
• TIP: Avoid identify theft! Never e-mail a document with your SSN on it, just in case an e-mail is intercepted or the e-mail system is hacked.
• Complete the online I-9 Form. During the I-9 process, international students will be asked to complete a Foreign National Information Form (FNIF).  The “Payroll Administrator” on the FNIF is Mike Bernard, Academic Program Manager – [email protected]
• For International Students:
  • If you do not have an SSN, apply for and obtain a social security card. Visit the OIS Social Security Information page for info.
  • Your admission letter will serve as the employment letter.
  • Once you have a Social Security card, visit the SSN Information Request Form to upload the card securely to the University.

The First Pay Check and Direct Deposit
Note that for new students, it may take extra time for the ESS access to be created. The first payday will be paid by a check and will be mailed to the residence address listed on the New Hire form. The HR Shared Services office will provide new students access to Direct Deposit on ESS after the first pay day.  Please contact their office at [email protected] to ask when this can be expected and how to access it.

Sign up for Direct Deposit, where your stipend will be deposited right into your bank account on payday. Visit ESS, or “Employee Self-Service” to set up Direct Deposit or change accounts anytime.

• Please have your bank account’s “routing number” and “account number” handy before signing in.
• Go to my.jhu.edu and sign in with your JHED ID and password.
• Select the “HR” tab and then the “ESS” tab.
• Sign in again with your JHED ID and password.
• Select the “Payroll Info” tab and you will see the option to set up or edit Direct Deposit. Follow the instructions to set up or update the account.
  • When setting up Direct Deposit for the first time, complete the Payee with your name as listed on your bank account. Enter the routing number which your bank or credit union can provide or will be on the bottom of your check. Leave “Bank Account Number” blank but add your account number in “New Bank Account Number” and “Re-enter Bank Account Number.”
  • Complete the Account Type, Payment Method, and Percentage or Amount.  Most will have 100% of their pay entered into their account.
  • Select Review and follow the steps to enter your request.

Payday! How you will receive your stipend…

You will receive your pay on the 15th and the last day of the month, or the nearest business day before those dates if they fall on a weekend or holiday. You have the option of receiving a check or having your pay directly deposited.

Once you apply for Direct Deposit, your stipend will be directly deposited. Before then, a paycheck will be sent to you by postal mail to your home address that was provided on your New Hire Sheet.

1. On the first payday, which for most students starting in Fall will be September 15 for the first day of class through September 15, and for student starting in Spring, February 15 for the first day of class through February 15, please check your bank account to confirm the deposit.
2. If your stipend is not already directly deposited, then the paycheck will be mailed directly to the payee (you) at their home address, which you can then deposit in your bank or credit union.
3. You can expect that future paychecks will be directly deposited, unless you choose to receive a paycheck each pay day. Most people choose direct deposit as the stipend arrives quicker than a paycheck does.

Visit the MechE Info for Graduate Students web page and go to the “Employment on Campus” section for instructions on how to view your pay statements (also known as “pay stubs”).

Various events are planned. Details are available in the event’s corresponding link.  

Fall 2025 Semester

• Thursday, August 14 – 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. – Whiting School of Engineering master’s student orientation – Shriver Hall and Wyman Quad
• Friday, August 15 – 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – Welcome for New Graduate Students – Wyman Quad
• (Tentative) Sunday, August 17- 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – International Student Graduate Student Welcome Mixer, both in-person and virtual.  View the links for information.
• Week of August 18, date to be announced – HEMI Boot Camp (for students with mechanics of materials interest)
• Week of August 18 – Teaching Assistant Orientation
• Saturday, August 23
  • 10:00 a.m. – Department Academic Orientation – Maryland 110
  • 11:15 a.m. – Campus Tour
  • 1:00 p.m. – Mechanical Engineering – Welcome BarBQ – Latrobe Hall patio
• Monday, August 25 – First Day of Class – Fall semester

Spring 2026 Semester

• January 12-16 – Teaching Assistant Orientation
• (tentative) Thursday, January 15- 8:30 a.m. – Whiting School Orientation
• Friday, January 16 – 4:00 p.m. – Department Orientation and dinner at Tambers, 34th and St. Paul Sts.
• Tuesday, January 20– First Day of Class – Spring semester
• Students who start in the Spring semester will be welcome to attend the student welcome events next Fall.

Student Groups

MEGA

MEGA is a social and advocacy organization for the graduate students of Mechanical Engineering. As a graduate student, you will be invited to various events throughout the year.

GRO

The Graduate Representative Organization is a wonderful social and support organization for graduate students. They will have a Bar-B-Q for grad students and their families this fall, as well as weekly happy hours and more.

Social Organizations

Check out these groups!

• Black Graduate Student Association
• Chinese Graduate Student Association
• Indian Graduate Student Association
• Women of Whiting
• Baltimore Collegetown Network

PhD Students – Teachers and Researchers United, Local 197

PhD students are invited to join the Teachers and Researcher United local union.  Visit the JHU TRU Local 197 site for details.

Postal Address

You can have items mailed to you at this postal address. You may have educational and personal items sent to you, but please keep the volume of personal items sent at a reasonable level:

Johns Hopkins University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Attention: (you)
3910 Keswick Road, Latrobe 217
Baltimore, Maryland 21211-2226 USA

J-Cards
Every student receives a J-card, which is your university identification card. It gets you in to the Library, computer labs, certain buildings, events, and the Recreation Center. Graduate student J-cards have a red border around the student’s photo to identify them as graduate students.

• Students new to Johns Hopkins will receive a new J-card upon arrival.
• Students returning to Johns Hopkins for graduate school may either trade their undergraduate cards in for new graduate-level J-card or keep their current J-card. It is not required to trade J-cards, but some students prefer an updated photograph and the graduate student “red border” to allow easy entry to events exclusive to grad students where a J-card is required.

Parking – if you need to park a car on campus, check out the Parking Office website, which has this section: parking for students.

Campus Map

Income Tax Info

Research Assistantships

Income taxes are automatically withheld each pay period for research assistant salaries. Students will have to file annual tax returns with the U.S. federal government’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the State of Maryland.

Fellowships

While taxes are due on Fellowship stipends, income taxes are not always withheld. For those whose income taxes are not withheld, you will have to file quarterly tax returns with the IRS. Otherwise, if income tax is withheld each pay, only an annual return is required with the IRS and the State of Maryland.

Other Income

If you are receiving stipend through other work, income taxes are usually withheld.

No Income Taxes on other Financial Aid

Tuition, health insurance, and matriculation fee support are not taxed as income.

More Info

Tax laws and rules vary depending on your citizenship. Some information on taxes is available at the Tax Office website.

Contact the JHU Tax Office for assistance: – tax “at” jhu.edu

Pay Statement

You will be able to view your pay statement online from your “My JHU” portal. Simply select the “HR” icon, then the “ESS” icon. Visit “ESS,” or “Employee Self-Service” to view your pay statement.

• Go to my.jhu.edu and sign in with your JHED ID and password.
• Select the “HR” tab and then the “ESS” tab.
• Sign in again with your JHED ID and password.
• Select the “Payroll Info” tab and you will see the pay statement.

View the video of the Spring 2024 Departmental Orientation (325 MB).

View this link for the Fall 2023 graduate student orientation.

View these links for the student orientation files for Spring 2023

• Mechanical Engineering grad student orientation
• Whiting School of Engineering Master’s Orientation

View this link for the Fall 2022 student orientation file and MEGA information file.

View these links for the student orientation files for Spring 2022

• Master’s Orientation – 2022
• PhD Orientation – 2022