Applications Process & Requirements

Current Siebel School for Computing and Data Science graduate students must follow the same application process as all other applicants. Current Siebel School for Computing and Data Science undergraduate students applying to the Fifth Year Masters Programs, please review each program's application process.

PhD applicants:  PhD applicants whose native language is not English (regardless of citizenship status) must review the information on "Financial Aid Considerations for On-campus Applicants" provided on the Additional Required Application Material page. PhD applicants maybe required to submit TOEFL iBT or IELTS speak scores even if they meet the English proficiency requirements for admissions.

1. Review these general University and School requirements:

• Applicants must have been awarded (or are about to be awarded) a 4-year bachelor’s degree equivalent to that granted by the University of Illinois to be eligible for the graduate programs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Applicants whose undergraduate degree is a three-year program may not be eligible for graduate-level admissions consideration at the University of Illinois. Eligibility depends on the country where the applicant received their degree -- please see the Graduate College's list of eligible degrees.
• The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign policy requires applicants to hold at least a 3.0/4.0 or higher GPA in the last two years of their undergraduate study to be eligible for graduate studies on this campus.
• Applicants who already hold a master’s degree in computer science or computer engineering whose degree requirements are equivalent to a Siebel School for Computing and Data Science master’s degree are not eligible to apply for our MS or Professional Master of Computer Science (MCS) degree.
• Applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science must have sufficient background in computer programming, data structures and algorithms, computer architecture, and theory of computation. We highly recommend applicants complete courses in these areas at a local university near them prior to submitting their application.

2. Plan to meet the application deadline

Visit our Application Deadlines page to review the deadlines for all of our Graduate Programs. All application materials, including the application fee, must be received by the posted deadline. (Posted deadlines are for U.S. Central Time Zone). Late applications will not be accepted. In addition, incomplete applications will be subject to denial.

It is highly recommended to have all application materials submitted one month prior to the deadline to expedite admission decisions.

3. Complete the university's online application

• Apply online.  If you are applying to the MCS in Chicago Program, please note that the program name in the application drop-down menu is: “Computer Science (Site-Based Off Campus)-MCS”.
  
  Note: Please do not send additional materials (e.g. publications, photographs, videos, CDs, or portfolios). These items are not reviewed during the admissions process.

4. Pay the application fee

The university's application fee is $70 for US citizens and permanent residents and $90 for all other applicants. The fee must accompany the application by credit card payment with the web application. Application fees are non-refundable.

Application Fee Waivers: Applicants may qualify for an application fee waiver.  For details, see Application Fee Waivers.  Applicants with questions about an application fee waiver may contact the Siebel School for Computing and Data Science at grad-admissions@siebelschool.illinois.edu.

5. Submit Unofficial Transcripts

Siebel School for Computing and Data Science does not require submission of official transcripts during the initial application review process. Applicants must submit official credentials (transcripts, academic records, diplomas, certificates of degrees, etc.) only if they are recommended for admission to the Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Applicants recommended for admission will be required to submit their official transcripts directly to the Graduate College.

To complete your application, please follow the instructions provided by the Graduate College:

“Applicants must list in the online application each institution of post-secondary education from which they have earned credit. Applicants must also upload scanned copies of their transcript / academic record (and diplomas or certificates of degrees if the degree is awarded and not listed on the transcript) for each of these institutions to their online application.”

Notes:

1. Scanned transcripts must include all grade records and the grading scale used by the institution. (If the grading scale is on the back of the transcript, a separate scanned page should be included.) If the original transcripts are not in English, native-language transcripts and an English translation must be uploaded. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that uploaded copies are legible and high-resolution.
2. Do not upload password-protected transcripts. If you receive password-protected transcripts from your educational institutions, please print them and scan them to a PDF file before uploading.  Our Admissions Committee cannot view password-protected transcripts.

“All credentials uploaded to the online application are considered unofficial. You will only be asked to submit official credentials (transcripts, academic records, diplomas, certificates of degrees, etc.) if you are admitted. These must be submitted during your first term of enrollment at the University of Illinois.

The University of Illinois reserves the right to require official academic credentials at any time during the admissions process, and to rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between unofficial and official transcript(s) are found.”

6. Request Letters of Recommendation

• Applicants to the PhD and MS with thesis programs are required to have three letters of recommendation submitted. Applicants to the MCS program are not required to have letters of recommendation, but letters will be considered if included, especially if used to justify experience in lieu of required coursework, or other irregularities.

• It is recommended that professional letters of recommendation be from academics. They can either be your faculty, advisors, or supervisors. If you have been away from academics for a significant amount of time, you may substitute non-academic references of your choice (e.g. immediate supervisors, etc.). Personal letters of references (e.g. from family members) are not recommended.

• The letters should address your academic abilities and potential to succeed at graduate-level academic performance.  If you apply to our M.S. or Ph.D. program, your letters should also address your research abilities and potential.

• Individuals writing letters of recommendation on your behalf should submit their letters through the online application system. Any recommendations that do not follow this process may impact timely application processing.

• Please make sure recommenders complete the section on the “Recommender’s Form” that states “To what extent do you recommend this applicant for admissions as a graduate student in their proposed field of study”.

7. Write an Academic Statement of Purpose (required)

• The Academic Statement of Purpose is a required part of the online application form.
• This statement should include your goals and background as it relates to the field of computer science. It is good to include any past work history, your interests, and reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in computer science.
• Your statement will be evaluated for your conciseness, reasons for pursuing a graduate degree, leadership skills, and eloquence.  Applicants to our M.S. or Ph.D. program will also be evaluated according to their scientific research interests.
• Generally, the Academic Statement of Purpose is between one to two pages.

8. Write Personal Statements (required)

• The Personal Statement is required for Computer Science admissions purposes.
• The Personal Statements must be within 250 words.

9. Create a CV/Resume

• Your CV/resume is a part of the online application form.
• Your CV/resume should address your education, job experience, research experience (M.S. or Ph.D. applicants), remarkable achievements, publications, organizations, awards, and leadership experiences.
• This information helps the admissions committee understand your background. In addition, it helps when identifying M.S. or Ph.D. applicants for RA and TA assistantships.

10. General Record Examination (GRE) – Not Required

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general aptitude tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical) and subject test scores are recommended but not required. In some cases, the scores may provide helpful supporting information. If you would like to submit scores, we recommend that you scan your official score report as a PDF file and attach it to your application. You do NOT need to submit official scores through ETS.

11. English Proficiency and International Requirements

English proficiency requirements.  This applies to all applicants whose native language is not English, including permanent residents of the US.

• The minimum requirements for admission are as follows: Proficiency Requirements for Admission.
• To be eligible for school financial aid, such as a teaching assistantship, you must submit recent TOEFL iBT or IELTS scores and/or meet the requirements detailed here: Proficiency Requirements for Funding (summary).
• All international applicants should make every effort to meet English proficiency requirements for funding.  Applicants who meet the proficiency requirements are given preference for admission. Applicants with TOEFL iBT speak scores below 22 have a low chance of admission.

If admission is offered, international applicants to the on-campus programs must submit the Declaration & Certification of Finances Form. This form does not need to be submitted with the application materials.

12. Check the status of your application materials to ensure all materials have been submitted.

Please check your application in the Graduate College application portal to ensure all required materials have been submitted.

If your email address changes between the time you submit your application and the decision deadline, email your updated email address to grad-admissions@siebelschool.illinois.edu. Include your old email address, new email address, first and last name, and application reference number in the email message.

13. Wait for admissions results

Admissions results will be sent to your email address by the posted decision deadline.

Applicants can appeal the admission decision by uploading the Appeal Form to their Graduate College application. Immediately after the appeal form is uploaded, please notify the school by following the instructions provided on the form. (Please do not send the appeal form or any supporting material directly to the school.) Fall term admission appeals for the PhD, CS MS, and on-campus MCS programs must be submitted by April 15th and will be reviewed no later than May 15 by the CS Admissions Committee. Admissions appeals for the online MCS, Chicago MCS, MS Bioinformatics, BS-MS, and BS-MCS programs must be submitted within 14 days of the date when admissions decisions were released. Appeals and emails notifying of submission received after the posted deadlines will not be considered.