Doctoral Admissions

Doctoral Admissions

 

SCS Online Graduate Application

There is a common online application form available for admission to SCS Ph.D. programs and select master's programs within the School of Computer Science. With the SCS Graduate Online Application, you may apply to up to three Ph.D. programs and any of the master's programs listed on the online application.

Descriptions of the Ph.D. programs can be found on the Doctoral Programs page.

Prospective candidates may use the SCS Graduate Online Application to apply to all doctoral programs at SCS, except the MD/Ph.D. in Robotics or the MD/Ph.D. in Computational Biology.

Students interested in the MD/Ph.D. in Robotics or the MD/Ph.D. in Computational Biology must apply via the Medical Scientist Training Program. More information is available here.

Students interested in interdisciplinary programs in the Neural Basis of Cognition should apply to their primary Ph.D. program via the SCS Graduate Online Application, but must also apply to the CNBC Graduate Training Program. More information may be found on the CNBC website.

Application Deadlines & Fees

We do not require mailed, hard versions of transcripts at the time of application. Do not mail your transcripts to the admissions office. If you are accepted to a program, you will be given instructions to then mail them.

Important dates to remember:

  • Nov. 30, 2017 Reduced Application Fees end 12:01 p.m. EST
  • Dec 14, 2017: Final deadline - noon (12 p.m.) EST

Early deadline, noon (12 p.m.) EST November 30: If you submit your application and pay the required fee by noon (12 p.m.) EST November 30, the application fee is $75 for one program and $50 for each additional program. At 12:01 p.m. EST on November 30, the application fee increases to $125 for one program and $75 for each additional program. The early deadline does not imply an early decision. You may continue to edit your application until the final deadline of noon (12 p.m.) EST December 14.

You may pay the fee by credit card. The credit card payment system is part of the online application, and instructions are given when you submit your application.

If you do not want to pay by credit card with the online application, you may pay by a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank, made payable to Carnegie Mellon University. DO NOT SEND CASH. We expect all applicants to pay the application fee.

Questions?

For answers to common questions regarding doctoral admissions, consult the Frequently Asked Questions page.

If your specific question is not addressed on the FAQ page, we are always happy to answer your questions by electronic mail. Send inquiries to applyweb@cs.cmu.edu.

Application Instructions

To apply for admission to doctoral programs within the School of Computer Science, read the following instructions carefully and make certain that you have met all requirements when you submit your application.

Complete the online application form for admission to graduate programs within the School of Computer Science. With the online SCS application form, you may apply to two Ph.D. programs, and/or the master's programs offered by the Robotics Institute and the Language Technologies Institute. The online application must be completed and submitted electronically as instructed by noon (12 p.m.) EST November 30, with a final deadline of December 14. Letters of recommendation must be requested and submitted electronically by noon (12 p.m.) EST December 14.

Test Scores

All test scores must be uploaded (as a PDF) to your application. If they are not uploaded by December 14, you will not have access to upload them and your application may not be considered.

All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test and have scores. Send via mail at the time of application. See individual program requirements for complete details. Refer to the GRE testing schedule to determine test dates. No application will be considered complete until we have received these scores. GRE scores will not be accepted if they are more than five years old.

If your native language is not English, then you must submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All students will need to submit a TOEFL. No exceptions.

If you are currently working on or have received a bachelor's and/or a master's degree in the U.S. and your native language is not English, the TOEFL is still required. However, you may submit an expired test score up to five years old.

If you have not completed a bachelor’s degree in the U.S., you will need to submit a TOEFL no older than two years. We will NOT accept an expired score in this case. No exceptions.

Send test scores via mail at the time of application. A successful applicant will normally have a total iBT score of at least 100. We prefer that you take the TOEFL, but we will accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The same restrictions of expiration dates apply with an IELTS.

Upload your GRE and TOEFL (if applicable) to your application no later than December 14. Send the scores via mail at the time of application.

Please send your scores to the following codes:

GRE Institution Code: 2074; Department Code: 0402

TOEFL Institution Code: 4256; Department Code: 78

Transcripts

We do not require mailed, hard versions of transcripts at the time of application. Do not mail your transcripts to the admissions office. If you are accepted to a program, you will be given instructions to then mail them.

All electronic transcripts should be uploaded by the time you submit your application. If they are not uploaded by December 14, you will not have access to upload them and your application may not be considered. Since fall grades are not required, upload your electronic transcripts as early as possible. Note that electronic transcripts and test scores are not marked as received until you submit and pay your application. It may take several days or weeks to check the uploaded material, please allow time.

Resume

Submit your current Resume. Outline your education, research experience, work experience, publications, scholarships awarded, prizes and honors received, society memberships, and any other extracurricular activities.

Statement of Purpose

Submit a Statement of Purpose. Prepare a concise one or two page essay that describes your primary areas of interest in research, your related experiences, and your objective in pursuing a graduate degree at Carnegie Mellon. Your essay should be specific in describing your interests and motivations. When describing your research interests, you should explain why you think they are important areas of study and why you are particularly well-suited to pursuing them. You should describe any relevant education, research, commercial, government, or teaching experience. If you are applying to more than one program, you may (but are not required to) submit a separate Statement of Purpose for each program. You must upload your Resume and Statement of Purpose in either PDF, MS Word, or text format. Include your name and User ID on the essay.

Notes for specific programs:

  • Human-Computer Interaction applicants: Indicate your intended area of emphasis in the first paragraph of your Statement of Purpose. If appropriate to your background, you may include a link to your portfolio. If you are unable to provide a link, you may mail a CD of your portfolio to the Applications Coordinator. Contact applyweb@cs.cmu.edu for mailing instructions
  • Software Engineering applicants: We ask that you summarize your experience in software development (internships, project courses, industry work) and how that motivates your research interests. Submit this information as a separate document in the Supplemental Information section under Experience (Research, Industry/Government).
  • Societal Computing applicants: Indicate your intended area in the first paragraph of your Statement of Purpose along with the name of a possible advisor. For those with industrial or government experience, describe how this experience prepares you for graduate-level academic work. Submit this information in the Supplemental Information section under Experience (Research, Industry) in the online application. Applicants may also submit a short prior publication related to their research interests.
  • Master's in Robotics System Development applicants: Provide some background information on your academic/industrial career to date, and why/how that leads you to be interested in CMU's unique industry-oriented MRSD degree-program. In order to aid in our candidate evaluation it would be helpful for us to understand your career aspirations, how you see the mix of technical/management education in the MRSD-program assisting you in achieving these, and what you see yourself doing in 5 to 10 years after graduation.
  • Master's in Computer Science applicants: Discuss your purpose in pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science. For example, you might explain how advanced study in Computer Science fits into your future career ambitions. There are no right answers, and you do not need to have worked out your future plans in detail. We just want to see that you have thought your purpose through. If your background is unusual, this is also the right place to explain it to us.

Letters of Recommendation

Submit three letters of recommendation. Recommenders should know you relatively well and be able to evaluate the quality of your previous work. At least two should be from faculty or recent employers. With the online application, letters will be requested and submitted electronically. Paper recommendations will not be accepted. Letters of recommendation are due by December 14. All deadlines are final. Letters received after this date may not be considered in the review of your application.

Submitting the Application

Submit the online application, pay the nonrefundable application fee, upload all of your official transcripts and test scores to the application itself. Send your GRE and TOEFL Scores at the time of application.

GRE Institution Code: 2074; Department Code: 0402

TOEFL Institution Code: 4256; Department Code: 78

A nonrefundable application fee of $75 is required for one program and $50 for each additional program if submitted and paid by November 30. Between 12:01 p.m. EST on November 30 and 11:59 p.m. on December 14, the application fee increases to $125 for one program and $75 for each additional program. You may pay the fee by credit card. The credit card payment system is part of the online application, and instructions are given when you submit your application. If you do not want to pay by credit card with the online application, you may pay by a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank, made payable to Carnegie Mellon University.

It is your responsibility to make certain that your application, supporting documents, and letters of recommendation are uploaded to your application by the final deadline. You may check your submitted application to make certain that it is complete.

Need Help?

We are always happy to answer your questions by electronic mail. Send inquiries to: applygrad@cs.cmu.edu.
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