phd computer science admission 2023

Admissions Information

Thank you for your interest in our CS@CU programs! Please be sure to read through our pages, and complete keyword searches to help you gather information and make the most informed decision possible regarding the next step in your educational career.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Undergraduates wanting to major in computer science first apply through one of four undergraduate schools:

• Columbia College
• Barnard College
• School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS)
• School of General Studies

  Still have questions/ ready to apply? Click here !   

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Applications received and considered complete by the priority deadlines will be reviewed first. We recommend you submit your application a couple of weeks before the priority deadline to ensure that all materials, including recommendation letters, are received in time for priority review.

* This is NOT a CS MS; it is a degree earned en route to the PhD. CS MS applicants need to follow the Master of Science Deadlines.

MS PROGRAMS

The Master of Science (MS) program is intended for those who wish to broaden and deepen their understanding of computer science. Columbia University and the New York City environment provide excellent career opportunities in multiple industries. The program provides a unique opportunity to develop leading-edge in-depth knowledge of specific computer science disciplines.

MS applicants whose primary interests include software engineering, theory, AI, machine learning, vision/graphics, natural language processing, or other core CS areas should apply to the Computer Science MS Program .

MS applicants whose primary interests include computer architecture, parallel systems, embedded systems, or digital/VLSI design should apply to the Computer Engineering MS Program .

 MS Application Priority Deadlines 

Applications will be accepted after priority deadlines; however, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible after we open the application. 

• Fall: January 15th (Priority), February 15th (Regular)
• Spring: October 15

 Track Options 

  Still have questions? View our CS MS Application FAQs  

DUAL MS IN JOURNALISM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Admitted students will enroll for a total of five semesters — approximately three in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and two in the Journalism School. In addition to taking classes already offered at the Journalism and Engineering schools, students will attend a seminar and workshop designed specifically for the dual degree program. The seminar will teach students about the impact of digital techniques on journalism; the emerging role of citizens in the news process; the influence of social media; and the changing business models that will support news gathering. In the workshop, students will use a hands-on approach to delve deeply into information design, focusing on how to build a site, section, or application from concept to development, ensuring the editorial goals are kept uppermost in mind.

  Want to learn more? Visit the program website !  

PHD PROGRAM

A small number of highly qualified students are admitted each year to the PhD Program in Computer Science. Admission is very competitive, based primarily on research-oriented reference letters, academic grades, and overall experience and record. Applicants need not already hold a master’s degree; bachelor’s degree-level applicants are also encouraged to apply.

Most admitted students receive full financial support through Graduate Research Assistantships, which consist of a monthly stipend plus full tuition exemption (continuation of support is, of course, contingent upon the student’s satisfactory progress in the PhD Program and availability of funding). In addition, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science awards a small number of prestigious “Presidential Distinguished Fellowships.” These fellowships provide full financial support to their recipients. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek external funding, such as government and industry fellowships. Also, Columbia rents low-cost subsidized apartments near campus for both single students and students with families.

All PhD students are expected to participate in departmental and laboratory activity full-time on-campus   throughout the program, except possibly for summer internships elsewhere. Therefore, the department does not normally consider admission of part-time students.

Also, note that it is not possible to participate in the PhD Program through the Columbia Video Network .

 HOW AND WHEN TO APPLY TO THE PHD PROGRAM 

All applications to our PhD Program must be made electronically . The online application system is available on the SEAS Admissions website . The deadlines for the submission of your fully completed application are:

• Starting the PhD Program in the Spring semester: apply by November 15 of the previous year
• Starting the PhD Program in the Fall semester: apply by December 15 of the previous year

You can still apply after these deadlines. However, be aware that applications are usually reviewed soon after the deadline, so late applications may not be processed as quickly or have the best chance of getting funding from our department.

 HOW TO GET MORE INFORMATION 

The SEAS Admissions website contains detailed information about all aspects of the application process.

You are also encouraged to investigate the research conducted in the Department of Computer Science prior to application. In particular, think about which faculty members share your research interests and also look at the research group homepages . Feel free to contact potential faculty advisors by email to request information about their recent research and publications and to ask about opportunities in their research groups or labs.

Finally, become familiar with our PhD degree requirements .

If you are interested in learning more about a day in the life of our PhD students, check out the Demystifying the Dissertation: PhD Research Discussions seminar series, which highlights several Computer Science PhD students. In their videos, these students discuss their experiences and research projects.

 COMPUTER SCIENCE PhD PRE-SUBMISSION APPLICATION REVIEW (PAR) PROGRAM 

The PhD PAR program offers a one-time review of an applicant’s Personal Statement and CV. The review is done by a current computer science PhD student. For more information, please visit PhD Pre-Submission Application Review Program .

We receive an enormous volume of emails with application-related questions, so read the FAQ page carefully before sending us an email . Questions about particular research groups or individual faculty members should be directed to the appropriate faculty members by email.

Updated 11/06/2023

Find open faculty positions here .

Computer Science at Columbia University

Upcoming events, university convocation 2024: for students, by students.

Wednesday 10:00 am

Morningside Campus

In the News

Press mentions, dean boyce's statement on amicus brief filed by president bollinger.

President Bollinger announced that Columbia University along with many other academic institutions (sixteen, including all Ivy League universities) filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York challenging the Executive Order regarding immigrants from seven designated countries and refugees. Among other things, the brief asserts that “safety and security concerns can be addressed in a manner that is consistent with the values America has always stood for, including the free flow of ideas and people across borders and the welcoming of immigrants to our universities.”

This recent action provides a moment for us to collectively reflect on our community within Columbia Engineering and the importance of our commitment to maintaining an open and welcoming community for all students, faculty, researchers and administrative staff. As a School of Engineering and Applied Science, we are fortunate to attract students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, from across the country, and from around the world. It is a great benefit to be able to gather engineers and scientists of so many different perspectives and talents – all with a commitment to learning, a focus on pushing the frontiers of knowledge and discovery, and with a passion for translating our work to impact humanity.

I am proud of our community, and wish to take this opportunity to reinforce our collective commitment to maintaining an open and collegial environment. We are fortunate to have the privilege to learn from one another, and to study, work, and live together in such a dynamic and vibrant place as Columbia.

Mary C. Boyce Dean of Engineering Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor

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Brochure This page covers two topics of interest to prospective Ph.D. students:

• how to apply to the computer science Ph.D. program , and
• sources of funding for graduate study in the Ph.D. program .

For Fall of 2024 the CS PhD application deadline is December 15th, 2023

For general information about the Ph.D. program, please see the Ph.D. program overview . The Ph.D. Applicant FAQ also answers many common questions. The Ph.D. program, similar to the department, operates in both Ithaca and New York City, with students and advisors located on both campuses. Each CS faculty member is based either in Ithaca or in New York City.  All Ph.D. students spend their first two semesters on the Ithaca campus; afterwards, they are generally based in the location of their principal advisor.  

FAQ with further information about the two campuses .

Applying for the Ph.D.

A successful application will include the following:

• Transcripts of all previous college and university work
• Academic Statement of purpose
•  The diversity statement has been incorporated into the personal statement. Applicants can check if they are interested in applying for a diversity fellowship and they will be asked to respond to some additional prompts in their personal statement. For more information. please visit: https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/prepare/personal-statements/
• Letters of recommendation
• Cornell Computer Science no longer considers the GRE in any aspect of our admissions process (the FAQ explains this policy in more detail).
• Proof of competence in English (TOEFL or IELTS)
• Fee.  Cornell has an application fee, but you can petition to waive it if the cost represents a financial hardship to you.  Your financial circumstances will not be a consideration in our admissions process.  We provide full support (including insurance, stipend and all tuition and fees) for admitted PhD students.  We also assist you in obtaining a visa.
• Optional: Writing Sample 

Students apply online using the admissions site of the Cornell Graduate School . You should not mail any application materials ; this may delay your application . Any additional materials beyond those above, such as research paper manuscripts, may be uploaded to the online application system as “writing samples”.

Our application asks you to identify your area(s) of research interest.  This information is important to us, for the following reason.  Whereas some PhD programs allow individual professors to admit their own students, at Cornell admissions decisions are made by a committee.   We generally admit students only if we can identify faculty members who they might later work with.  The areas you list will help us identify those faculty members and to determine the relevant capacity for new students.   All of these steps ensure that the people you might love to work with will be equally enthusiastic about working with you!

Most students arrive on campus with a strong interest and demonstrated talent in some area of research, but no certainty about which group they will join.  Reaching out to a faculty member who is doing work you find exciting is not a problem, but you should not assume that the professor you contact will be involved in admissions.  Once you have been admitted, we will make sure that you have ample opportunity to meet the faculty members who work in the area(s) of research you indicated in your application.

Starting in 2020, the  Cornell CS Student-Applicant Support Program aims to assist underrepresented students as they apply to Cornell’s CS PhD program.  Subject to capacity limits, a graduate student volunteer may: (1) Talk to applicants (via Zoom) for 30 minutes about the application process and their experience (as well as answer any preliminary questions that the applicant may have) (2) Subsequently, provide one round of meaningful feedback on an applicant’s resume and statement of purpose (capacity limited). Participation in the Student-Applicant Support Program does not guarantee admission and our capacity for applications is limited. To participate in the Student-Applicant Support Program, here are the relevant deadlines: (1) Please fill out this form by 11:59PM EST, Oct 6 2023. (2) Your application material needs to be submitted by 11:59PM EST on November 3, 2023. (The relevant form will be shared later.) Note: Information will be aggregated and anonymized to evaluate the impact of this program, but individual responses will be deleted at the end of this application cycle. All demographics questions are optional.

The department accepts applications for the fall semester only. The deadline for the fall 2024 semester is December 15th . Applying early is strongly advised. Because the TOEFL or IELTS is required for foreign students, you may submit your application before taking those exam(s).  Nonetheless we strongly advise that you ensure that your application will be complete by December 15th.  Delays in receiving your scores will delay the the review of your application.

Cornell University requires all applicants to complete their application materials without the use of paid agents, credentials services, or other paid professional assistance. The use of such services violates University policy, and may lead to the rejection of application materials, the revocation of an admissions offer, cancellation of admission, or involuntary withdrawal from the University.

Evaluation Process

There is no formula that guarantees admission. We will carefully evaluate all the above components of your application. We tend to look for the following:

• A coherent body of coursework with a high average grade in the A− to A+ range.
• Adequate mathematical background including freshman and sophomore calculus and at least two other courses (e.g., linear algebra, abstract algebra, analysis, statistics).
• Basic background in computer science including evidence of research potential.
• A strong statement of purpose.  Our committee reads your statement of purpose carefully and it shapes our perspective on who you are and what your interests are.  The most compelling statements of purpose center on the research areas that fascinate you and your experience working in or learning about those areas.
• Strong letters of recommendation.  The most compelling letters are those written by people who know you well and who can attest to characteristics such as your intellectual potential, creativity, ability to overcome challenges, work ethic, and motivation."

It is important to stress that these are only guidelines and not a rigid policy. An applicant whose record is weaker in some respect (e.g. a low grade in some course) may still be admitted if strength is revealed in some other respect (e.g., exceptional letters of recommendation).

Commitment to Diversity

Fostering an inclusive environment is a core value of the Computer Science Department and Cornell as a whole. In line with Cornell’s historical commitment to educating “… any person … in any study…”, we seek candidates who will create a climate that helps attract and is inclusive of all students, including students from historically underrepresented groups, and students who have overcome personal challenges. 

As a member of our community, all of our graduate students find themselves in student-facing roles such as teaching, other TA activities, and advising research.  With this in mind, we are asking all applicants to explicitly express a committment to  Cornell's guidelines for equity and inclusiveness .   A brief statement will suffice.  Should you wish to say more, you are welcome to use this as an opportunity to talk about your own experiences or challenges that you have overcome along the path to applying to graduate school, and how those experiences have prepared you to represent Cornell's diversity mission when you interact with students as a graduate student.

We should note that we also require such a statement from Cornell's faculty candidates, and you may also find it interesting to consult Cornell's faculty diversity web page , which provides additional detail about Cornell's commitment to diversity at the faculty level, inclusion and equity.  The Computing and Information Sciences web page  describes some CIS activities in this area. 

Our FAQ includes a list of fellowships for which you can apply, including several intended specifically to support Cornell in achieving its diversity goals.  Some students may wish to apply for one of these diversity fellowships. It is important to realize that the department's required diversity statement is not used for these fellowship applications   If interested, you would provide a longer fellowship application statement that would be used by the relevant fellowship selection committee.  In that statement, we recommend that you offer insight into your background and experiences and discuss how these shape their potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect.  The department's required diversity statement will not be supplied to the diversity fellowship selection committee, although they will be able to see other elements of your PhD application.

The Graduate School offers admission fee waivers to qualified participants in pipeline programs that provide educational and/or career support to students from underrepresented identities.  For the current list of approved programs and eligibility details, please visit this link . To request a waiver send the following information to [email protected]: name, date of birth, name of the undergrad summer research or other grad school prep program you participated in and date of participation, name of the field to which you are applying at Cornell. You will receive an email reply with a fee waiver code and instructions for how to use it.  Please note: fee waiver requests will be processed Monday through Friday, during normal business hours, with the exception ofholidays and breaks when the university is closed. Allow up to three business days for your request to be processed.

Transcripts

Your application should include complete and scanned transcripts of all previous college and university work, including any work done at Cornell. If you are submitting unofficial transcripts, the Graduate School will require that you submit official transcripts should you be accepted into the program. In this case, please make sure your transcript has your name, birthdate, and the name of the attended university.

Applicants should scan their transcripts and upload the documents into the on-line application themselves as part of the submission process. For students who are subsequently admitted and accept the offer of admission, an official paper transcript will be required prior to matriculation; students will be reminded of this requirement on the “response to offer of admission” form.

International Credentials

All transcripts or academic records must be official documents provided in the original language. If that language is not English, they must be accompanied by certified translations into English. If not issued by the college or university as original documents, they should be notarized, full-sized photocopies. They should include grades received in each subject each year, and the number of weeks and hours per week that each subject was studied. Courses must be described in detail. The general subject name (e.g., “mathematics”) is not sufficient. The particular subject (e.g., “differential equations,” “algebraic topology”) must be identified.

If you are admitted into the program and you accept our offer of admission, the Graduate School will require an official transcript. They will contact you directly about this requirement.

Grade point averages

If your school uses a GPA scale other than 0–4.0, just leave this field blank when submitting your application. If you feel you must, you may enter 0. We will review your transcript and will rate your performance on the grades you received, not the number you enter into this field.

How to scan transcripts

• Scan at the lowest dpi that results in a legible document (we recommend less than 200 dpi if possible).
• Ensure that the institution name and other identifying marks are not missed during the scanning process and that your scanned copy is clearly legible and can print on letter-size paper (8½"x11").
• Save your document as a PDF file.
• Scanning in “gray scale” or black and white may produce the best results.
• If the scanned file is too large, make a photocopy first (experiment with different settings until you find one that results in the smallest file size) then scan the photocopy.

If all the above fails, please send the scanned document (no larger than 2MB) to [email protected]. Please name the file as follows: FirstName_LastName_SchoolName_Transcript.

Statement of Purpose

You should think carefully when writing your statement of purpose. Express your plans and interests in Computer Science in a concise and clear manner. It may be helpful to include a list of some of the principal reasons why you consider yourself a strong applicant to our program. Please note what area(s) of research you are excited about, and any specific faculty you might be interested in working with during your graduate studies at Cornell.  

Letters of Recommendation

Your application must include three letters of recommendation, but you may submit up to five letters if you wish. The letters should be from professors or other researchers who have supervised you or evaluated your work.  Such a person would normally know what your specific contributions were if the work was part of a group effort, and can personally testify to your potential as a researcher in Computer Science. Once you have submitted your application, a notification will be sent to your recommenders within 48 hours. These letters are a very important part of your application, and you should ensure that they are submitted into the electronic application system by December 15th or as soon as possible thereafter for your application to receive full consideration. We discourage mailed letters of recommendation as this delays the processing of your application.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

International applicants must demonstrate competency in the English language. Cornell will accept either the TOELF or IELTS.  Please see the Graduate School's page on English Language Proficiency for details.

Admission into the doctoral program in the Field of Computer Science is based purely on academic merit. All Ph.D. students in Computer Science are fully supported during the academic year as long as they remain in good academic standing. Support from Cornell includes tuition, health insurance,and stipend. Support is available in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships.  Please see stipend rates here .

Teaching Assistantships

Each TA is assigned to a course with an average time commitment of 15 hours per week helping the course instructor. TA assignments typically involve grading homework, holding office hours, preparing assignments, or teaching recitations.

Research Assistantships

A GRA is given to a student whose research interests coincide with a sponsored research project. Typically, the work of a Gradaute Research Assistant is an integral part of his/her dissertation research. The faculty member in charge (your advisor)of the project grants a GRA. GRAs are generally given to continuing, rather than incoming, students.

Fellowships

Applicants are also encouraged to apply for external fellowships, such as NSF, Facebook, NDSEG, or DOE Fellowships. These fellowships are highly prestigious, and they free the student of the responsibilities of an assistantship. Whenever possible, the department helps students in the fellowship application process.

The following is a partial list of fellowships available to graduate students in computer science.  Please see the fellowship page for additional fellowships:

• National Science Foundation NSF fellowships are available to United States citizens or permanent residents, and only to incoming or first-year students. Support is for three years. The deadline for application is mid-November. You can obtain an application from your undergraduate institution, or from the NSF directly (Fellowship Office, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20418). Also, see their Web site, http://www.nsf.gov .
• Cornell Fellowships The Graduate School awards a number of one and two-year Cornell fellowships to incoming graduate students. Your application for admission automatically serves as the fellowship application. However, your application and all supporting credentials must be received by December 1 in order to be considered for a Cornell Fellowship.
• Facebook This fellowship is open for continuing students. The department nominates the candidates for this fellowship.
• Google This fellowship is open for continuing students. The department nominates the candidates for this fellowship.
• Microsoft This fellowship is open for continuing students. The department nominates the candidates for this fellowship.

As noted earlier, some generous donors have endowed an additional group of fellowships that are specifically designed to assist the department in pursuing its diversity objectives.  These are discussed in more detail (including the procedure for applying) on our FAQ page .

Email forwarding for @cs.stanford.edu is changing. Updates and details here . CS Commencement Ceremony June 16, 2024.  Learn More .

PhD Admissions

Main navigation.

The Computer Science Department PhD program is a top-ranked research-oriented program, typically completed in 5-6 years. There are very few course requirements and the emphasis is on preparation for a career in Computer Science research. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for admission in a Stanford graduate program, applicants must meet:

• Applicants from institutions outside of the United States must hold the equivalent of a United States Bachelor's degree from a college or University of recognized good standing. See detailed information by region on  Stanford Graduate Admissions website. 
• Area of undergraduate study . While we do not require a specific undergraduate coursework, it is important that applicants have strong quantitative and analytical skills; a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science is not required.

Any questions about the admissions eligibility should be directed to  [email protected] .

Application Checklist

An completed online application must be submitted by the CS Department application deadline and can be found  here .

Application Deadlines

The online application can be found here  and we will only one admissions cycle for the PhD program per respective academic term.

• Current MIT Graduate Students

Doctoral Programs in Computational Science and Engineering

Application & admission information.

The Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE) offers two doctoral programs in computational science and engineering (CSE) – one leading to a standalone PhD degree in CSE offered entirely by CCSE (CSE PhD) and the other leading to an interdisciplinary PhD degree offered jointly with participating departments in the School of Engineering and the School of Science (Dept-CSE PhD).

While both programs enable students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field via focused coursework and a thesis, they differ in essential ways. The standalone CSE PhD program is intended for students who plan to pursue research in cross-cutting methodological aspects of computational science. The resulting doctoral degree in Computational Science and Engineering is awarded by CCSE via the the Schwarzman College of Computing. In contrast, the interdisciplinary Dept-CSE PhD program is intended for students who are interested in computation in the context of a specific engineering or science discipline. For this reason, this degree is offered jointly with participating departments across the Institute; the interdisciplinary degree is awarded in a specially crafted thesis field that recognizes the student’s specialization in computation within the chosen engineering or science discipline.

Applicants to the standalone CSE PhD program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in CSE, applied mathematics, or another field that prepares them for an advanced degree in CSE. Applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program should have an undergraduate degree in a related core disciplinary area as well as a strong foundation in applied mathematics, physics, or related fields. When completing the MIT CSE graduate application , students are expected to declare which of the two programs they are interested in. Admissions decisions will take into account these declared interests, along with each applicant’s academic background, preparation, and fit to the program they have selected.  All applicants are asked to specify MIT CCSE-affiliated faculty that best match their research interests; applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program also select the home department(s) that best match. At the discretion of the admissions committee, Dept-CSE PhD applications might also be shared with a home department beyond those designated in the application. CSE PhD admissions decisions are at the sole discretion of CCSE; Dept-CSE PhD admission decisions are conducted jointly between CCSE and the home departments.

Please note: These are both doctoral programs in Computational Science and Engineering; applicants interested in Computer Science must apply to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science .

Important Dates

September 15: Application Opens December 1: Deadline to apply for admission* December – March: Application review period January – March: Decisions released on rolling basis

*All supplemental materials (e.g., transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation) must also be received by December 1. Application review begins on that date, and incomplete applications may not be reviewed. Please be sure that your recommenders are aware of this hard deadline, as we do not make exceptions. We also do not allow students to upload/submit material beyond what is required, such as degree certificates, extra recommendations, publications, etc.

A complete electronic CSE application includes the following:

• Three letters of recommendation ;
• Students admitted to the program will be required to supply official transcripts. Discrepancies between unofficial and official transcripts may result in the revocation of the admission offer.
• Statement of objectives (limited to approximately one page) and responses to department-specific prompts for Dept-CSE PhD applicants;
• Official GRE General Test score report , sent to MIT by ETS via institute code 3514 GRE REQUIREMENT WAIVED FOR FALL 2024 ;
• Official IELTS score report sent to MIT by IELTS†  (international applicants from non-English speaking countries only; see below for more information)
• Resume or CV , uploaded in PDF format;
• MIT graduate application fee of $75‡.

‡Application Fee

The MIT graduate application fee of $75.00 is a mandatory requirement set by the Institute payable by credit card. Please visit the MIT Graduate Admission Application Fee Waiver page for information about fee waiver eligibility and instructions.

Please note: CCSE cannot issue fee waivers; email requests for fee waivers sent to [email protected] will not be considered.

Admissions Contact Information

Email: [email protected]

► Current MIT CSE SM Students: Please see the page for Current MIT Graduate Students .

GRE Requirement

GRE REQUIREMENT WAIVED FOR FALL 2024 All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Aptitude Test. The MIT code for submitting GRE score reports is 3514 (you do not need to list a department code). GRE scores must current; ETS considers scores valid for five years after the testing year in which you tested.

†English Language Proficiency Requirement

The CSE PhD program requires international applicants from non-English speaking countries to take the academic  version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  The IELTS exam measures one’s ability to communicate in English in four major skill areas: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.  A minimum IELTS score of 7 is required for admission.  For more information about the IELTS, and to find out where and how to take the exam, please visit the IELTS web site .

While we will also accept the TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language), we strongly prefer the IELTS. The minimum TOEFL iBT score is 100.

This requirement is waived for those who can demonstrate that one or more of the following are true:

• English is/was the language of instruction in your four-year undergraduate program,
• English is the language of your employer/workplace for at least the last four years,
• English was your language of instruction in both primary and secondary schools.

Degree Requirements for Admission

To be admitted as a regular graduate student, an applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degree is awarded before they enroll at MIT.

Applicants without an SM degree may apply to the CSE PhD program, however, the Departments of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Mechanical Engineering nominally require the completion of an SM degree before a student is considered a doctoral candidate. As a result, applicants to those departments holding only a bachelor’s degree are asked in the application to indicate whether they prefer to complete the CSE SM program or an SM through the home department.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment.  To read MIT’s most up-to-date nondiscrimination policy, please visit the Reference Publication Office’s nondiscrimination statement page .

Additional Information

For more details, as well as answers to most commonly asked questions regarding the admissions process to individual participating Dept-CSE PhD departments including details on financial support, applicants are referred to the website of the participating department of interest.

Computer Science

*Students interested in applying to the Maryland Max Planck Ph.D. Program in Computer Science should follow the  admissions instructions for the program .

* *Spring admission is only considered for current internal UMD applicants. All external applicants must apply for Fall admission.

Doctoral Admissions

Students applying to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science or interdisciplinary degrees the Computer Science Department co-manages must apply online. 

Apply to the Ph.D. in CS & Interdisciplinary Degrees

To apply to the Ph.D. in CS program you need to use the School of Computer Science Online Application .  

To apply to an Interdisciplinary degree program you need to apply via the online application for the Ph.D. in CS and select the interdisciplinary program ( ACO , CNBC, PAL) in the appropriate section of the online application .

Students are admitted for the fall semester.  The doctoral program does not admit students in the spring semester.

Applications for all programs and all supporting documents, including letters of recommendation, must be received by the final deadline.

You may continue to edit your application until the final deadline.

Contacts and Additional Information

For more on the application process, please refer to the SCS Online Graduate Application Instructions .

For questions specific to admissions for the Ph.D. in Computer Science email: [email protected]

For general questions about applying to doctoral programs in the School of Computer Science:  https://www.cs.cmu.edu/about-scs/contact ; select "Graduate Programs and Admissions".

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Academics   /   Graduate Admissions Overview

To maintain a proper balance between department resources and the size of the graduate student population, the department must limit offers of admission to the most qualified applicants. Thus, the admission process is highly selective and competitive. Details on the process are outlined in the sections below and in the Graduate Application FAQ . 

Admissions FAQ Start Your Application

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Application Deadlines and Important Dates

How to apply, notes about the online application, supplemental materials, who should apply.

• Who Should Not Apply

When to Apply

• English-language Requirements

Tips (Important Info to Read Before You Begin Your Application)

More information.

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year will become available on September 13, 2023 on the application website .

PhD Applicants

The deadline for PhD applicants is Friday, December 1, 2023 (for Fall 2024).  You can still apply after this deadline, up to December 15, 2023. However, be aware that applications are usually reviewed soon after the deadline, so late applications may not be processed as quickly. Most of the decisions are typically finalized by the end of March, but some decisions may be made as late as April 15.

The PhD Application Feedback Program aims to assist first-generation and underrepresented students with their applications to Computer Science PhD programs in the US. An advanced PhD student, postdoctoral fellow, or CS faculty volunteer will provide one round of feedback on an applicant's resume and statement of purpose (capacity limited). Volunteers may also arrange for a short 15 to 30-minute Zoom meeting to offer additional advice. Participation in the PhD Application Feedback Program does not guarantee admission to any program.

To participate in this year's PhD Application Feedback Program, please submit your application materials by November 8, 11:59 p.m. CST. Apply now

MS Applicants

Applications are accepted for Fall quarter only.

For the MS program, applications

• Submitted by November 30 will receive a decision by January 10
• Submitted by December 31 will receive a decision by February 10
• Submitted by February 28 will receive a decision by April 30

No applications after February 28 will be considered.

The absolute deadlines regarding certain admissions-related actions by TGS are available here .

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There are no paper application forms for either admission or financial aid.

To apply for admission to the CS department, go to The Graduate School (TGS) website , follow the link to " Admission ,” and then finally " Apply Online "

TGS's online application form will ask you to select either the PhD or MS option for computer science. If you want a PhD, with or without a master's degree, select the PhD option. The MS option is for terminal master's only and does not constitute admission to further work toward a PhD.

It will also ask you to enter research area(s) among the research interest groups .

Once you complete the online application, you will receive an email message asking you to provide additional information about your GPA and specific research interests. You will be asked to select your two or three top choices among the six research interest groups, based on your specific research interests. You may give more detail in your Statement of Purpose. For example, a student who would like to pursue research in "wireless networks" might select the Systems and Networking group.

Disregard any blank sections you may see in the HTML view of your application after submission. Those were not required for the degree program you were applying to.

If you have submitted the required application materials, do not worry about the “Materials needed” flag. This is on be default and only turned off after we manually review the application and its attachments and determine if the English Language requirement has been met or waived. This may take a week or more during the busiest times. You will be contacted if any critical materials are missing.

Before you apply online, gather the following:

• The admission materials required by TGS.
• Additional (optional) supporting materials may include your resume, research papers, certificates, etc.
• GREs will NOT be required for the 2023-2024 CS doctoral or masters program applications.

Please note that it is not required to send a hardcopy of your official transcripts. Instead, upload a scanned copy of it/them as PDFs, along with all the other supplementary materials, into your online application.

Note that upon admission you may be required to provide the original transcript(s). An applicant may not be admitted without a complete application. All primary and supplemental materials must be submitted to render a decision to admit. Denies may be made due to incomplete applications.

A typical applicant is expected to have a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related discipline from a recognized institution. Highly qualified candidates with other academic backgrounds may also be considered.

The specific undergraduate preparation required for graduate study depends on the program and the area of specialization. An applicant who has insufficient undergraduate preparation in any particular area but is well-qualified in every other respect may be required to take certain undergraduate courses as soon as possible after enrolling at Northwestern. That student would be informed of such a requirement at the time of admission.​

Current Northwestern CS MS students wishing to continue into the CS PhD Program

A current Northwestern University CS MS student can request a transfer from the MS program to the PhD program. Such a transfer request is only seriously considered if there is a CS faculty member who advocates the transfer and commits to financially supporting the student. That faculty member will help the student formally apply for the transfer, which will then be considered by the department. Students may formally apply for a transfer without a faculty advocate, but the chance of approval in this case is very low.

MS and PhD applicants should apply to begin only in the fall quarter. Note that we only allow for fall admits to both programs. Winter and spring quarter admission requests by MS and PhD applicants will be automatically denied, in general.

The only mechanism for winter or spring quarter PhD admission involves the intervention of one of our faculty, who must agree to support the student in question as a research assistant for the remainder of the academic year. To explore this possibility, an applicant should contact individual professors listed in th department's faculty directory.

You can view a great deal of general information about requirements and policies on The Graduate School website. For more info, please contact the CS department graduate office.

English-Language Requirements

For both MS and PhD students, we require:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 90 or better (IBT), or
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 or better, or
• Michigan English Test (MET) score of 54 for master's applicants or better and score of 61 or better for PhD applicants, or
• An undergraduate degree or graduate degree from an accredited institution where the language of instruction is English.

Learn more about English language requirements

We understand that proceeding with the application process for graduate studies is not an easy decision or something that should be considered lightly. To help you in making up your mind and give you some hints regarding the overall evaluation criteria, we provide a discussion of some of the relevant issues below.

Academic Record

We do receive applications with transcripts using different GPA scales (10.0, 100%, etc.) and we apply the adjusted criteria to such scales. Hence, applicants do not need to provide any conversions and should leave their GPAs in their institutions' standard scale. As another specific example, many of the universities from India have a "class-based" evaluation scheme, and we note that we will always give priority to "First Class with Distinction" applicants. The application process does allow you to write the "self-reported" GPA on the scale of 4.0; however, we will always use the transcripts during evaluation process.

Standardized Test Scores

Master's and PhD applicants: GRE scores are neither required nor considered in applications. 

Please keep in mind however that you will still need to meet the minimum requirements for English proficiency as stated above.

Primarily for PhD applicants, CS faculty interested in advising may conduct separate interviews for further informal assessment of applicants.

Refer to requirements at Graduate School

Academic Statement

See The Graduate School description of what is expected for the required Academic Statement and Personal Statement.

For PhD applicants, the Academic Statement carries extremely important weight, so the statement should be written in a clear and focused manner. Namely, upon reading it, an evaluator/faculty should get a crisp idea as to:

• Why is it that you would like to work in a particular major/specialization/topic and with a particular faculty as your adviser (for MS applicants this could be a project or thesis adviser)?
• Why is it that a particular faculty should be interested in having you as an advisee?

Statements should provide a good balance between background, vision, and desiderata.

Example: simply saying that you like Northwestern or you have a high esteem for the faculty in CS is not recommended. 

Lastly, while this may not always be possible, it will be helpful if at least some parts of the recommendation letters can back up the claims made in the statement of purpose.

Declaring Preferences for Areas of Study in Research and Advising

In the online application system, each applicant will be given the option to choose in order of preference among different Programs of Study in our department. Faculty examine applications in their respective areas; therefore, every applicant, especially for the PhD program, should carefully examine every faculty members research interests on our website. Furthermore, applicants will be asked to provide up to two names of specific faculty members whom they would like to study under. This is highly recommended and useful for identifying candidates to consider.

Letters of Recommendation

A minimum of two letters is required, but three is highly recommended. 

Miscellaneous

We will value all your achievements (e.g. awards received in competitions) and experiences (e.g. research projects, leadership). However, the best place to put them in a coherent manner is your resume. Ideally, some of these items should also be properly linked with the statement of purpose document.

Please consult our Graduate Admissions FAQ if you have more questions, or continue on to Financial Aid, Assistantships, & Fellowships .

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PhD in Computer Science

The PhD in Computer Science program provides students with the advanced coursework and groundbreaking research opportunities they need to contribute at the forefront of the world’s fastest-growing fields. Forging knowledge in 15 core areas like artificial intelligence, data science, programming languages, and human-centered computing, you’ll gain significant expertise in conducting and presenting the results of your research. Ultimately, you’ll produce and defend original work that contributes to critical discourse in your chosen area.

• Explore plan of study
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Khoury College doctorate students gain deep knowledge and invaluable experience—preparing you for a research career in academia or industry.

Khoury Computer Science PhD graduates have found prestigious positions across industry and academia.

Tenure-track faculty:

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• University of British Columbia (UBC)
• Indiana University
• University of Maryland
• University College London
• NC State University
• UMass Boston
• City University of Hong Kong

Postdoc research scientists:

• University of Paris
• Virginia Tech
• Microsoft Research
• GE Global Research

Senior software engineers and industry leaders:

Students graduating with a PhD in Computer Science will:

• Gain a broad understanding of computer science fundamentals, spanning a substantial portion of the following core areas: artificial intelligence and data science, human-centered computing, software, systems, and theory
• Gain significant expertise in at least one research area in computer science
• Produce and defend original research in an area of computer science
• Be able to communicate research results effectively in both oral and written forms

Our flagship campus in Boston is just minutes away from esteemed universities, exciting start-ups, and leaders in tech, finance, health care, and more.

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Computer Science

Yale computer science phd program admissions faq.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Admissions to the Computer Science Department

What is the deadline for applying?

Graduate students are admitted starting in the fall term. The deadline for admission in the fall term, 2024, is January 2, 2024 for master’s student applicants. The deadline for applicants to the doctoral program is December 15, 2023.

There is no way to apply during a spring term, although once admitted a student may delay admission for a year or possibly less, with final permission from the Dean of the Graduate School. Admitted students must send a request to the Computer Science Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) for approval first.

Can I get the application fee waived?

In many cases, yes. Membership in a variety of professional organizations qualify you for a fee wavier. For example:

• National Society of Black Engineers ( NSBE)
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
• Society of Women Engineers ( SWE)
• Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science ( SACNAS)
• The complete list is here

Past attendance at many conferences also qualify you. For example:

• Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC)
• Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference (Tapia)

Finally, if you have ever received a US Federal Pell Grant, you qualify for a waiver. More information, including the waiver request form, is available here .

What is the department’s policy on GRE Scores? 

The GRE score is not accepted for doctoral applicants.

What about grades?

It is good to have high grades, but we actually look at transcripts. If a student has a low grade-point average, we check to see if perhaps he or she did badly early in college, possibly through lack of motivation, then did better as intellectual curiosity grew. Or perhaps someone’s grades are low because he or she focused entirely on computer science and received bad grades in everything else. (Is that good? It’s impossible to answer without looking at the students’ entire record.)

How important are TOEFL scores to foreign students?

Very important, but only because we have nothing better. Your goal before admission should be to learn English, not to pass the TOEFL.

Yale University attaches a great deal of importance to the process by which graduate students learn to become teachers. Every student is required to TA two terms, and may TA more terms if desired. Being an instructor or assisting one requires interactions with undergraduate students. Yale administers its own test to students after they get here to be sure they know English well enough to talk to undergraduates. Failure to pass this test causes administrative problems for faculty and graduate students. The test is waived for students with a 4-year degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction; and for students who score 26 or higher on the spoken portion of the iBT test.

I didn’t major in Computer Science as an undergraduate. Can I still get in?

Yes. It helps to have a serious, specific interest in some aspect of the science of computing, over and above experience in programming computers. If you are unacquainted with complexity and decidability, or have only cursory knowledge of data structures, or don’t know the difference between an algorithm and a program, then you should consider taking (and doing well in!) undergraduate courses that address these matters before you apply to a graduate program.

Can you tell me in advance what my chances are of being admitted?

No. Many students ask us to do this, and if we acceded to all such requests, we would in essence be rehearsing the admissions process on the group that asked for advance notice. Not only would this be a lot of work, but the results wouldn’t mean anything, since the outcome when we see all the candidates would likely be different.

What financial support is available for me?

The Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is committed to supporting Ph.D. students for five years, including summers, by combinations of grants, university fellowships, and teaching Assistantships.

Do a student’s research interests affect his or her chance of being admitted?

Yes, a little. We expect every student to be open to many facets of Computer Science when they arrive, and encourage them to feel free to change their area of concentration after they get here. Our main criterion for admission is the applicant’s intelligence, curiosity, and ability to explore without detailed supervision. That said, if a faculty member in a research area is looking for students, the admissions committee tries to accommodate him or her by focusing a bit more than usual on applicants in that area. Of course, the applicants don’t know which areas fall in that category, so they shouldn’t worry about it.

Individual faculty members get many inquiries asking if they will be accepting new students during the next admissions season. As you should be able to infer from the previous paragraph, these inquiries are misguided; students are admitted to the department, not to the research group of a particular faculty member.

Do applicants apply directly to the Ph.D. program, or are they expected to apply to the MS program, and from there be admitted to the Ph.D. program?

Apply directly to the Ph.D. program. The two programs are completely separate, and it is unusual for a Master’s student to go on to the Ph.D. program. If they choose to do so, they must reapply to the Graduate School.

Can I be a part-time student?

Ph.D. students must be full-time students.

Where can I find out how to apply?

Remember that you must apply to the Graduate School of Arts & Science. You do not apply directly to the Department of Computer Science nor do you send any forms to this department. Information on applying for admission to the Yale University Graduate School can be found by going to the web page

http://yale.edu/graduateschool/admissions/

Information regarding how and when to apply is available at that web site.

What if I have a question that is not on this list?

If your question is about the Yale admissions process, check the Graduate School FAQ .

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Thriving Stars helps answer the question, “What is a PhD degree and why do you want one?” Check out this story for a number of perspectives from EECS faculty leaders, EECS alumni and current graduate students working on their PhD degree: Thriving Stars tackles the question—what’s a PhD degree all about anyway??

The EECS Department is the largest in the School of Engineering with about 700 graduate students in the doctoral program. [Application is for the doctoral program only — there is no terminal masters degree, but all PhD students earn a masters degree as they work towards PhD.  A Masters of Engineering is only available for qualified MIT EECS undergraduates.] 

The application website (see link below) is available on September 15, 2024, for students who wish to apply for graduate admission in September 2025. The deadline for submitting completed applications is December 15, 2024.

Applicants to the MIT EECS graduate program should apply using the   EECS online admissions site . 

Questions not answered by the  FAQs ? Send inquiries to  [email protected] .

Need more information? Read  this graduate admissions information letter .

For information on our faculty and what they’re currently working on, take a look at our Faculty Interests Guide.

For more information about writing a statement of objectives, see this article from the MIT EECS Communication Lab .

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Computer Science, Ph.D.

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We have a thriving Ph.D. program with approximately 80 full-time Ph.D. students hailing from all corners of the world. Most full-time Ph.D. students have scholarships that cover tuition and provide a monthly stipend. Admission is highly competitive. We seek creative, articulate students with undergraduate and master's degrees from top universities worldwide. Our  current research strengths  include data management and analysis, cybersecurity, computer games, visualization, web search, graphics, vision and image processing, and theoretical computer science.

This degree program offers interested students opportunities to do their research abroad, under the supervision of faculty at NYU Shanghai or  NYU Abu Dhabi .

• View the Computer Science Ph.D. program flyer
• Admissions requirements for the Ph.D. Program.
• Find out more about general  Admission Requirements .

To receive a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, a student must:

• satisfy a breadth course requirement, intended to ensure broad knowledge of computer science,
• satisfy a depth requirement, consisting of an oral qualifying exam presentation with a written report, to ensure the student's ability to do research,
• submit a written thesis proposal and make an oral presentation about the proposal,
• write a Ph.D. thesis that must be approved by a dissertation guidance committee and present an oral thesis defense, and
• satisfy all School of Engineering requirements for the Ph.D. degree, as described in the NYU Tandon School of Engineering bulletin, including graduate study duration, credit points, GPA, and time-to-degree requirements.

Upon entering the program, each student will be assigned an advisor who will guide them in formulating an individual study plan directing their course choice for the first two years. The department will hold an annual Ph.D. Student Assessment Meeting, in which all Ph.D. students will be formally reviewed.

Note: for pre-fall 2015 Ph.D. students, please see the pre-fall 2015 Ph.D. Curriculum.

Program Requirements

Details about Breadth and Depth Requirements, Thesis Proposal and Presentation, and Thesis Defense can be found in the NYU Bulletin.

Program Details

Each incoming Ph.D. student will be assigned to a research advisor, or to an interim advisor, who will provide academic advising until the student has a research advisor. The advisor will meet with the student when the student enters the program to guide the student in formulating an Individual Study Plan. The purpose of the plan is to guide the student’s course choice for the first two years in the program and to ensure that the student meets the breadth requirements. The plan may also specify additional courses to be taken by the student in order to acquire necessary background and expertise. Subsequent changes to the plan must be approved by the advisor.

Sample Plan of Study

In order to obtain a Ph.D. degree, a student must complete a minimum of 75 credits of graduate work beyond the BS degree, including at least 21 credits of dissertation. A Master of Science in Computer Science may be transferred as 30 credits without taking individual courses into consideration. Other graduate coursework in Computer Science may be transferred on a course-by-course basis. Graduate coursework in areas other than Computer Science can be transferred on a course-by-course basis with approval of the Ph.D. Committee (PHDC). The School of Engineering places some limits on the number and types of transfer credits that are available. Applications for transfer credits must be submitted for consideration before the end of the first semester of matriculation. 

All Ph.D. students will be formally reviewed each year in a Ph.D. Student Assessment Meeting. The review is conducted by the entire CSE faculty and includes at least the following items (in no particular order):

• All courses taken, grades received, and GPAs.
• Research productivity: publications, talks, software, systems, etc.
• Faculty input, especially from advisors and committee members.
• Student’s own input.
• Cumulative history of the student's progress.

As a result of the review, each student will be placed in one of the following two categories, by vote of the faculty:

• In Good Standing: The student has performed well in the previous semester and may continue in the Ph.D. program for one more year, assuming satisfactory academic progress is maintained.
• Not in Good Standing: The student has not performed sufficiently well in the previous year. The consequences of not being in good standing will vary, and may include being placed on probation, losing RA/GA/TA funding, or not being allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Following the review, students will receive formal letters which will inform them of their standing. The letters may also make specific recommendations to the student as to what will be expected of them in the following year. A copy of each student’s letter will be placed in the student’s file.

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PhD in Computer Science

Our doctoral program is a full-time program: Admitted doctoral students have only the Ph.D. as their degree objective, and they have guaranteed funding for up to five years.

GRE Required for the Fall 2024 cycle

Please note: students applying to graduate programs in Fall 2024 are required to take the GRE. However, students applying for the 4+1 programs do not need to take the GRE.

Applying to the PhD Program

2024 admission requirements.

Questions about our PhD program should be directed by email to [email protected] .

The required components of your application are:

• The online application form
• Three (3) letters of recommendation
• All applicants should upload a scanned copy of their transcripts.  Applicants should not send an official transcript to the Graduate Office unless they are admitted and accept our offer of Admission.
• All applicants may self report GRE and TOEFL scores. Official test scores are not required unless you are offered admission into the program, and you accept our offer of admission.
• TOEFL or IELTS scores (required for non-native English speakers, photocopy accepted, original required upon admission)
• The $40 application fee

These items must reach us by December 15, 2023  in order for your application to receive full consideration.

If English is not your native language, we require that you take the TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System exam). An IELTS band score of 7.0 or above is required for Dartmouth Programs, but we have no specific test score requirements for the TOEFL or GRE. If you are transferring from a U.S. university, we may waive the language test. As with the GRE, we will accept a photocopy until the official report is available, but the photocopy must reach us by  December  15, 2023 .

We prefer that your recommenders provide their recommendations online. Once you have listed their names on the application, an email will be sent to them with a link to the application site. If necessary, we will also accept recommendations in sealed envelopes through the mail.

We require a $40.00 application fee, to be paid by credit card online. The fee helps to cover the cost of processing your application and is non-refundable. The application fee will not be waived.

Like many graduate programs, we base our admissions decisions primarily on the information requested above. We have no minimum test scores. We recognize that you may have talents and experience that do not shine through the forms and test scores.

Use the Application Essay section of the online application to give additional information. Do you have a specific reason for coming to Dartmouth? Specific goals for your study? Significant work experience? Why do you want to do advanced training in computer science? Include any publications you have authored.

In the Computer Science Supplement section of the online application, attach examples of your work. This is also the place where you can attach a resume.

At the discretion of the admissions committee, we award stipends as well as tuition grants without stipend. The stipend awards cover tuition waiver and a payment for living expenses for nine months of each year for five years, as long as satisfactory progress is made toward the Ph.D. The stipend for 2023-2024 is $3,333.33 per month, and it generally increases every year. Health insurance cost for the academic year is covered by the college for full-time students. Graduate students who receive support contribute to the program by teaching or grading undergraduate courses, assisting with advanced courses, and participating in research projects. Additional stipend is provided for the summer months if the student performs research or teaching assistance during that period.

There is no separate application for financial aid. Every applicant is considered for financial aid, unless you say that you do not need financial support. If you do not need support, please indicate this on the application form, and tell us how you expect to be supported.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to additional FAQs about grad admissions, including how to obtain a fee waiver, update an application, and waive TOEFL based on a degree from an English institution, are available at the grad school site .

Q. What are the institution and department codes for the GRE?

The GRE institution code is 3351, and the GRE department code is 0402.

Q. What are the institution and department codes for the TOEFL?

The TOEFL institution code is 3351, and the TOEFL department code is 78.

Q. If my GRE scores are low, but I have good grades, can I still get admission?

Our decision takes into account all components of your application. Therefore, it is usually impossible to predict the outcome until you apply and the admissions committee goes over your entire application.

Q. Can I be admitted for the Winter term?

No. We only admit one class each year, matriculating in the Fall term.

Q. Where should I have the transcripts and scores sent?

Send to: Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies Dartmouth College Attn: Computer Science Graduate Admissions Anonymous Hall 64 College St, Suite 6062, Room 102 Hanover NH 03755 Phone: (603) 646-8193

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Thank you for your interest in the Computer Science Graduate Program at the Purdue University West Lafayette Campus. We are looking forward to assisting you with your application.

Online Application Form

Cost of Attendance

Deadlines to Submit Applications

Professional ms program, information and cybersecurity (iscy).

• International Students—December 20, 2023
• Domestic Students—May 1, 2024
• Spring 2024 start—October 1, 2023
• Fall 2024 start—December 20, 2023
• Spring 2025 start—October 1, 2024
• Fall 2025 start—December 20, 2024

Application Steps

• Make sure you meet our  Admission Requirements
• CS Supplementary Form  (PDF)
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• English Scores  (if applicable)
• Electronic Graduate School Application
• Pay Application Fee
• Submit Application

Omission of requested information or falsification in the application forms or supporting documents or any determination by a competent authority of academic or other dishonesty will be grounds for denial of admission, revocation of admission, or expulsion from the University.

For Fall 2023 we received over 3500 applications for PhD and MS combined and admitted around 420. 

All applications submitted by the application deadline (see above) will be reviewed by the CS admissions committee. Offers of admission for the fall semester will be sent via email and through the online application system prior to April 15 th . Offers of admission for the spring semester will be sent via email and through the application system prior to December 1 st .

Purdue University has a central Graduate School Administration   that oversees the application process of all departments of the University. If the CS Department approves your admission, we shall recommend to the Graduate School that you be admitted. You will not be admitted until the Graduate School grants your admission. The Graduate School rarely rejects our recommendations except for problems with documents. Therefore, we urge you to follow the instructions relating to transcripts , evidence of degrees awarded, translations of such documents, and proof of English proficiency . The official notice will be posted in the online application system.

Applications with missing documents cannot be considered for admission.

If admitted for PhD, you will automatically be considered for  financial support  in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. However, admission without financial support is possible.

According to the Council of Graduate School's Resolution you are under no obligation to respond to fall offers of financial support prior to April 15.

International Applicants

The fellowships and graduate assistantships that we offer are normally sufficient proof of financial support for the office of  International Students and Scholars  (ISS) to issue the forms required for a student visa.

For more information on  how to obtain a student visa  visit this ISS page.

Contact Us :  [email protected]  

Department of Computer Science, 305 N. University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Phone: (765) 494-6010 • Fax: (765) 494-0739

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Admission Steps

Computer science - phd, admission requirements.

Terms and Deadlines

Degree and GPA Requirements

Prerequisites

Additional standards for non-native english speakers, additional standards for international applicants.

For the 2023-2024 academic year

See 2024-2025 requirements instead

Fall 2023 quarter (beginning in September)

Priority deadline: February 15, 2023

Final submission deadline: June 1, 2023

Winter 2024 quarter (beginning in January)

Final submission deadline: November 1, 2023

Spring 2024 quarter (beginning in March)

Final submission deadline: February 1, 2024

Summer 2024 quarter (beginning in June)

Final submission deadline: May 1, 2024

Priority deadline: Applications will be considered after the Priority deadline provided space is available.

Final submission deadline: Applicants cannot submit applications after the final submission deadline.

Degrees and GPA Requirements

Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.

Grade point average: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree. An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution supersedes the minimum standards for the baccalaureate. For applicants with graduate coursework but who have not earned a master’s degree or higher, the GPA from the graduate work may be used to meet the requirement. The minimum GPA is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework undertaken.

Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale

Prerequisite courses for the PhD include: COMP 1671 Introduction to Computer Science I, COMP 1672 Introduction to Computer Science II, COMP 2673 Introduction to Computer Science III, COMP 2300 Discrete Structures in Computer Science, COMP 2370 Introduction to Algorithms & Data Structures, and COMP 2691 Introduction to Computer Organization (or equivalent).

Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), C1 Advanced or Duolingo English Test are required of all graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship status, whose native language is not English or who have been educated in countries where English is not the native language. Your TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the test date.

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80

Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5

Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176

Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

English Conditional Acceptance Offered: In cases where minimum TOEFL/IELTS/CAE scores were not achieved or no English proficiency test was taken, the program may offer English Conditional Admission (ECA) to academically qualified non-native English speakers.

Read the English Language Proficiency policy for more details.

Read the Required Tests for GTA Eligibility policy for more details.

Per Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulation, international applicants must meet all standards for admission before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued, [per U.S. Federal Register: 8 CFR § 214.3(k)] or is academically eligible for admission and is admitted [per 22 C.F.R. §62]. Read the Additional Standards For International Applicants policy for more details.

Application Materials

Transcripts, letters of recommendation.

Required Essays and Statements

We require a scanned copy of your transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Scanned copies must be clearly legible and sized to print on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. Transcripts that do not show degrees awarded must also be accompanied by a scanned copy of the diploma or degree certificate. If your academic transcripts were issued in a language other than English, both the original documents and certified English translations are required.

Transcripts and proof of degree documents for postsecondary degrees earned from institutions outside of the United States will be released to a third-party international credential evaluator to assess U.S. education system equivalencies. Beginning July 2023, a non-refundable fee for this service will be required before the application is processed.

Upon admission to the University of Denver, official transcripts will be required from each institution attended.

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required.  Letters should be submitted by recommenders through the online application.

Essays and Statements

Personal statement instructions.

A personal statement of at least 300 words is required. Your statement should include information concerning your life, education, experiences, interests and reason for applying to DU.

Résumé Instructions

The résumé (or C.V.) should include work experience, research, and/or volunteer work.

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Financial Aid Information

Start your application.

Your submitted materials will be reviewed once all materials and application fees have been received.

Our program can only consider your application for admission if our Office of Graduate Education has received all your online materials and supplemental materials by our application deadline.

Application Fee: $65.00 Application Fee

International Degree Evaluation Fee: $50 Evaluation Fee for degrees (bachelor's or higher) earned from institutions outside the United States.

Applicants should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. Visit the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.

College of Arts & Sciences

Apply for Fully-Funded Ph.D. Positions in Computer Science starting in Fall 2024

The Department of Computer Science at Georgetown University is seeking applications for several fully-funded Ph.D. positions in the following broad areas, starting in Fall 2024:

• Security, Privacy and Cryptography
• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Information Retrieval
• Theoretical Computer Science
• Systems, Networking, and Architecture

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an accredited academic institution in computer science, computer engineering, information science, electrical engineering, or a closely related field. 
• Candidates with strong programming skills are especially encouraged to apply.
• Candidates with strong mathematics and/or statistics backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

About Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a private institution located in the heart of Washington, D.C., Founded in 1789. Georgetown University is a prestigious university ranked #22 in the 2024 U.S. News Best National Universities.

Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action (IDEAA)

Georgetown University provides educational opportunities without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, age, color, disability, family responsibilities, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, source of income, veteran’s status or any other factor prohibited by law in its educational programs and activities.  Inquiries regarding Georgetown University’s non-discrimination policy may be addressed to Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action, 37th and O Sts., N.W., Suite M36, Darnall Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057.

How to Apply

• December 15, 2023 (preferred deadline)
• January 15, 2024 (final deadline)
• How to apply to Georgetown: https://grad.georgetown.edu/admissions/application-procedures/
• Information for international applicants:  https://grad.georgetown.edu/admissions/admissions-faq/#international-applicant-questions 
• Where to submit application: Application Website
• GRE is not required and will not be used for admission decisions. 
• If the application fee presents a financial hardship for you, contact  [email protected]  to request an application fee waiver (a limited amount of fee waivers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis).

More Information

• Overview of Georgetown’s CS Ph.D. program (including course and degree requirements): https://cs.georgetown.edu/academics/phd/  
• Link to the research labs: https://cs.georgetown.edu/computer-science-research/

Research-related questions: email faculty directly

General Inquiries about Ph.D. Admission: [email protected]

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• UTCS Direct

This page contains instructions for applying to the UT Austin Department of Computer Science on-campus graduate program.

For general information about our graduate program, please visit our Prospective Students page.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions, please see out our  Admissions FAQ page.

Looking for application information for the online master’s programs? Visit the Computer & Data Science Online website

Applications for Fall 2024 are closed. Our application for Fall 2025 admission to our PhD and on-campus Masters programs will open October 15, 2024.

We expect to let students who are admitted to the phd program know that they have been admitted by february 2024. admitted master's students will be notified by the end of march, though we hope to inform them sooner if we can. all admission decisions are emailed..

Fall 2024 Application deadline: December 15, 2023 (23:59 CST). Please use this checklist  to ensure that you are submitting all the materials necessary.  Note: For application to the Computer Science graduate program, you are required to submit the following materials via both the ApplyTexas and the CS Department Supplement applications. We recommend starting your application well in advance of the application deadline to ensure that you have sufficient time to submit all materials.

1) Submit via  www.applytexas.org

• Application for admission
• Application fee
• Transcripts (1)  – Within 48 hours of the submission of your application, you will receive an email from the Graduate and International Admissions Center directing you to the  MyStatus  page where you will be asked to upload your transcripts.  Please do not mail these credentials.  For additional information regarding the submission of transcripts to UT-Austin, please see  https://gradschool.utexas.edu/how-to-apply
• Proof of Submission of Department Application: When you complete and submit your CS Department Supplement (outlined in Step 2) print the final submission page to a PDF and return to your MyStatus page to upload this as proof that you completed the Department Supplement.   

2) Submit via  CS Department Supplement :

• Statement of purpose  - Approximately 2 pages describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study and academic and professional interests and goals. This may include events/experiences that prepared you for CS graduate study and how your interests complement the department's faculty and research.
• Transcripts (2)  - The department will not view the transcripts you upload to the MyStatus page; you must provide us with separate copies through the CS Department Supplement.
• Three letters of reference  – You must supply your references’ names and email addresses to the CS Department Supplement [this information is not downloaded from ApplyTexas]. After you provide their contact information, emails will be sent to your references with instructions on how to upload their letters. Letters should emphasize research experience and academic achievements, particularly in computer science. Your references should submit their letters by  December 20, 2023 (17:00 CST)  for full consideration.
• (International students only) TOEFL or IELTS scores
• Optional: GRE scores*, CV and up to three publications. CV should also include a scan of any aid award letter that has award details such as NSF, Fulbright, etc. If you provide GRE scores, you must also have an official score report sent to UT-Austin.

3) An official report of  Graduate Record Examination (GRE)  scores (optional for Fall 2024)*.  Please request that ETS send official test scores to UT-Austin. (UT-Austin code 6882 – you do not need a departmental code).

4) An official score report for the  TOEFL  or  IELTS  (international students only)**. Scores must be sent to the university by the testing agency (self-reported scores are not accepted). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) institution code for UT Austin is 6882. There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.

*As a temporary accommodation in response to COVID-19, the GRE requirement will be waived for all applicants for the Fall 2024 semester. Students may continue to submit official GRE scores for consideration, but they will not be required to do so. GRE scores when provided, will continue to serve as just one of the many factors considered in our review of a student’s application. Please take into consideration that providing GRE scores can bolster your application if there are aspects of your application that you feel may be not as competitive as others. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us and we can better assist you.

**International applicants who are from a  qualifying country  are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a  qualifying country . The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master’s—but not a bachelor’s—degree from a similar institution.

We want to emphasize that all materials should be uploaded electronically. We will carefully dispose of any paper materials we receive, unless we have requested them.

We do not evaluate applications on a rolling basis. An application is evaluated on its own merits and in comparison to all the applications for a given year. Review typically begins in late December, with decisions made by early spring.  

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• Pre-admission preparation classes for candidates, from lesser privileged sections of the society, applying for Ph.D. (Computer Science) program for the academic year 2022-23 in the Department of Computer Science: Notice , Link to register
• Pre-admission preparation classes: Details
• Entrance Examination*

Entrance Examination: Ph.D. entrance examination shall consist of 50 objective type questions to be solved in 02 hours. The approximate distribution of questions will be as given below:

Selection based on Interview:

• Minimum marks to be obtained in the interview for admission in the Ph. D. program UR category: 55% SC/ST/OBC/EWS category candidates: 50%
• Candidates may submit a research proposal (optional) to express their area of interest (if any).
• Interview in Elementary Mathematics and the following core Computer Science areas: Group I: Programming, Data Structures, and Algorithms. Group II: Computer System Architecture, Operating Systems, and Computer Networks.
• Research Proposal (if any)

Candidates with SCI/SCIE publication(s) as first or corresponding author shall be exempt from Round-I.

The Round-II interview will be of 100 marks. The weightage will be 90% for interview in subjects from Group I and 10% for research proposal (if any), else weightage will be 100% for interview in subjects from Group I.

Interaction with supervisors, for the sake of assigning supervisors before the final shortlisting, will be the third step in the admission process. This step may span about a week to give sufficient time to the candidates and the supervisors to make the selection.

• List of candidates shortlisted for interaction after Round-II of interviews for Admission to Ph.D. (Computer Science) Programme for the Academic Year 2022-23: List
• List of candidates called for the Round-II Interview scheduled on January 05, 2023, for Admission to Ph.D. (Computer Science) Programme for the Academic Year 2022-23: Notice
• Interview Schedule for Admissions to Ph.D. (Computer Science) Programme for the Academic Year 2022-23: Notice , Detailed Interview Schedule with list of applicants
• Result Ph.D. Computer Science (Second Round) 2017-18

Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

College of engineering and information technology, computer science (m.s., m.p.s. and ph.d.).

UMBC’s Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department offers both M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Computer Science. Below you will find information on both Computer Science graduate programs, and information about how to apply.  We also offer a M.P.S. (Masters in Professional Studies) in Cybersecurity, two graduate certificate programs in Cybersecuity and are developing an M.P.S. program and graduate certificate programs in Data Science.

M.S. in Computer Science

Students pursuing a Masters of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science must choose between the thesis and non-thesis options. The thesis option requires the completion of 30 credits, including six credits of CMSC 799.  The thesis must be defended with an oral examination and approved by the student’s master’s thesis committee. The non-thesis option requires the completion of 33 credits.  All students must complete CMSC 641 Algorithms, one course chosen from the “system” area, and one course chosen from the “applications” area.  The degree must be completed within five years and students must maintain a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0. For more details about the Master’s program in Computer Science, see the Computer Science Graduate Handbook (linked in the main menu above).

Ph.D. in Computer Science

Students pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer Science are required to complete 11 courses, including three core courses in addition to 18 credit hours of doctoral dissertation research. Ph.D. students must complete and defend their dissertation, pass the comprehensive portfolio, and pass the preliminary examination and admission to candidacy. In addition, Ph.D. students must complete a minimum of three years of full-time graduate study, with at least one year of full-time study at UMBC. The program must be completed within 4 years after admission to doctoral candidacy and students must maintain a G.P.A. of 3.0. For more details about the Ph.D. program in Computer Science, see the Computer Science Graduate Handbook (linked in the main menu above).

Core Courses

• CMSC 641: Design and Analysis of Algorithms
• one course chosen from the “system” area
• one course chosen from the “applications” area

In addition to the core courses, a wide range of elective and special topics courses are offered in areas such as: cybersecurity and information assurance, natural language processing, databases, data mining, mobile and wearable computing, cognitive systems and architectures, semantic web, machine learning, and networking. For a list of Computer Science graduate courses, see the Graduate Course Catalog .

Research Areas

• Artificial Intelligence : Intelligent decision support, semantic representations and ontologies, interactive AI systems, preference modeling, reasoning under uncertainty.
•   Machine Learning and Data Mining : Knowledge-intensive learning, preference learning, unsupervised perceptual learning, privacy-preserving data mining, ML applications.
•  Multi-Agent Systems : Trust modeling, self-organizing agent networks and swarm systems.
•   Wireless sensor networks : mobile applications, context-aware systems.
•   Web 2.0 : Semantic web, knowledge discovery and modeling, policy models, service-oriented computing.
• Graphics and Visualization : Light and shading, realistic and artistic rendering, graphics hardware, understanding data, use of color and texture for visualization, perceptual studies and evaluation.
• Game Development : Use of computer science concepts in game programming, especially graphics and AI, networks, parallel programming, and databases. Multidisciplinary team development.
• Systems:  Operating systems, distributed systems, cloud computing, and high-performance computing.
• Security:  cognitive security, IoT security, cryptography, system security, code and malware analysis.

Meet the Professors

Dr. Tim Finin specializes in artificial intelligence and has been working on developing smart phones that can gauge their user’s “context.” “What I have always found interesting since I was an undergraduate was the idea that we could make machines as smart as people,” explains Dr. Finin, whose research involving semantic web technology is directed towards realizing that goal.

A list of the Department’s Regular Faculty is here .

How to Apply

Pre-requisites for Admission

An applicant to the graduate program in computer science is expected to have a strong background in computer science and mathematics courses. Applicants are expected to have taken the equivalent of the following UMBC courses:

• CMSC 203: Discrete Structures
• CMSC 313: Computer Organization & Assembly Languages
• CMSC 331: Principles of Programming Languages
• CMSC 341: Data Structures
• CMSC 411: Computer Architecture
• CMSC 421: Principles of Operating Systems
• CMSC 441: Algorithm Design and Analysis
• MATH 151: Calculus I
• MATH 152: Calculus II
• MATH 221: Introduction to Linear Algebra
• At least one more advanced math course

AND, at least 1 course from the following list:

• CMSC 435: Computer Graphics
• CMSC 451: Automata Theory & Formal Languages
• CMSC 455: Numerical Computations
• CMSC 461: Database Management Systems
• CMSC 471: Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC 481: Computer Networks

The Application Process

Apply online through UMBC’s Graduate School Website . Applicants must also submit:

• An Official Transcript
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
• TOEFL scores (International students only)

Application Deadlines

International Students

• Fall: January 7th
• Spring: June 1st

Domestic Students

• Fall: January 7th (for financial consideration), June 1st
• Spring: June 1st (for financial consideration), November 1st

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Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate

Our online Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate degree is designed for working professionals with a prior bachelor’s degree who are looking to make a career pivot, move ahead in their current career path, or deepen their knowledge of computer science in 45 credits. The program’s flexible format allows you to pursue your degree, full-time or part-time, from anywhere in the world.

The program aims to produce students who are able to:

• learn the strong foundational material that distinguishes professionals and lets them keep up with emerging technologies,
• develop software engineering skills using modern tools and a variety of programming languages,
• learn the algorithms and mathematics that underlie Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, 
• analyze and visualize data while understanding the cognitive processes of decision making, and 
• analyze and create databases and automate analysis using data mining and data science algorithms.

With a computer science degree from CU Boulder’s prestigious College of Engineering and Applied Science, you’ll be positioned to take advantage of one of the world’s fastest-growing career fields.

Learn more about the program and apply

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Master of Computer Science 2023 – 2024

Empowering your future starts here, employment success.

94% employed full-time within 3-months of graduating

Empowering Women

Nearly 30% of graduated class are female

Competitive ROI

$133,805 per year average base salary

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Every conceivable field of study is experiencing the impact of the digital transformation. From manufacturing to healthcare to education and beyond, industry demand for digital solutions will only increase. The shift presents exciting career opportunities and challenges for tomorrow’s workforce.  

UC Irvine has recognized the necessity of equipping and empowering tomorrow’s innovators with forward-thinking technical knowledge coupled with practical skillsets as the digital world takes shape. Discover how our professional Master’s in Computer Science program can pave an exciting career path for you. 

Discover the ICS Advantage

Connecting with top companies, collaborate with pioneering faculty, access to professional development.

Abundant opportunities ranging from networking, internships and careers await MCS students. Southern California is home to hundreds of start-ups and household tech companies whose work impacts multiple industries. Learn beyond the classroom.

Students will have ample opportunities to collaborate with faculty whose industry experience and real-world insights offers students a comprehensive learning experience, preparing them for real-world applications.  

Occupational knowledge is just one side of the career equation. Enhancing one’s marketability and soft skills to navigate the nuances of the work culture is critical to paving a successful career path. Our professional development team coaches MCS students in developing these skillsets, giving them the competitive edge. 

Career Oriented Program - Why UCI?

Learn more by attending an information session.

Register for any one of the following information sessions. Sessions are held at Pacific Standard Time (PST).

• Thursday, January 11 at 12P

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