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General Information:
Contact us
Prerequisites for Application
Funding your Graduate Education
Your Chances of "Getting in"
Am I an International student?
GPA and Test Information:
GPA
GRE
TOEFL,
other English proficiency tests, and the TSE
Our ETS codes
Late Test Scores
Application:
Deadline
Why is the Graduate School deadline different than the CSE deadline?
How to Apply
When will I know if I've been admitted?
What if I only want to apply for the MS degree?
Do I need to submit the Statement of Financial Ability form with my application?
Letters of Recommendation
Other Questions
Can I participate in the program on a part-time basis?
Can I transfer to your program from another program/school?
Can I take classes without being admitted to the program?
General Information
Contact us
Our Mailing Address:
PhD/MS Program
Computer Science & Engineering
Allen Center 101
Box 352350
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
Our Phone Number:
206.543.1695
Our FAX Number:
206.543.2969
Our Email:
Grad-admissions@cs.washington.edu
Prerequisites for Application
I don?t have a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can apply, although you must have at least a 4-year bachelors degree
to be eligible.
To be admitted to the graduate program in Computer Science, a student
must satisfy the admissions criteria outlined in the Graduate Study
section of the University of Washington General Catalog. In addition, we
expect most entering graduate students to have a solid academic background in
computer science at least including:
programming experience
machine organization
data structures
discrete math
automata theory
programming systems
The equivalent of our courses 378, 326, 321, 322, and either 401 or 451
(See the link to CSE Courses for course synopses.) will provide the
minimum acceptable academic background. However, we welcome applications
from students who lack a portion of this background but who show
exceptional promise, and accept a small number of these students each year.
Funding your Graduate Education
Am I eligible for an assistantship?
All students who are admitted to our program are awarded an assistantship
(teaching or research). Under the assistantship, in exchange for 20 hours
of work per week, the student receives:
Tuition waiver (except for ~ $340 per quarter in fees, which the
student pays)
Monthly stipend of $2,114 for beginning students (effective July 1, 2009).
Health Insurance (100% of premium for student, 50% of premium for
dependents)
Currently, this funding is guaranteed for 3 years. Funding after the
initial 3 years is usually available, and is contingent on satisfactory
academic progress and availability of funds. Virtually all students
are funded throughout the program to graduation.
How much does it cost to be a graduate student in your program?
Approximate living and program expenses for the academic year (September
? June) include:
Room and Board: $12,474
Books and Supplies: $1,206
Local Transportation: $1,524
Personal Expenses: $2,265
Fees: $1,020
Total: $18,489 per academic year (9 months)
What are my chances of "getting in?"
This question is impossible to answer. The admission process is very
competitive and the likelihood of an applicant being offered admission
depends on the quality of the other applicants, which varies from
year to year. There is no way to know what your chances of admission are
until all applications have been received & reviewed. If you have all of
the prerequisite education, your GPA and test scores are close to the averages noted in this FAQ page, and you have a demonstrated drive to excel and innovate, then you are a competitive applicant.
I can't afford the application fee. What should I do?
A limited number of application fee waivers are available for US citizens, permanent residents and immigrants. All fee waivers are granted by the Office of Graduate Admissions as determined by financial need. The fee waiver application is part of the online application. Unfortunately, application fee waivers are not available to applicants who are not US citizens, permanent residents or immigrants.
Am I an International student?
You are considered an International student if you are not a citizen or a
permanent resident of the US. If you are in the process of becoming a
permanent resident of the US, you MUST follow the guidelines for
International students until you have received your Green Card.
GPA and Test Information
GPA
What kind of grades do I need to be admitted to your program?
The absolute minimum acceptable GPA is 3.0. However, the average GPA of
our admitted students is much higher: ~3.8.
My school doesn't use a 4.0 grading system. How do I report my
GPA?
You can do one of two things:
- You can estimate how your grades will convert to our 4.0 system,
and report your estimate. We won't hold it against you if your estimate
is wrong.
- You can leave the GPA field on the application blank.
GRE
What is the minimun required GRE score?
We do not have a minimum required GRE score, however your score should be close to
the average GRE score of admitted applicants for your application to be competitive.
The average GRE scores for incoming students in Autumn 2009 were: Verbal (including
international applicants): 82%, Quantitative: 91%, Analytic Writing: 64%.
Do I need to take the Subject GRE for Computer Science?
No, you do no?t need to take the subject test. It is not required for
application to our program.
TOEFL and TSE
Do I need to take the TOEFL and TSE?
A satisfactory command of the English language is required for admission to
the University of Washington Graduate School. Applicants, including
transfers, who are not native speakers of English, must submit a
TOEFL-iBT score, or TOEFL (CBT or PBT) and TSE scores. The scores must be
less than two years old. Exceptions and minimum scores are outlined below.
TOEFL-iBT: The TOEFL-iBT is currently being phased in around the world.
It will replace the TOEFL (CBT & PBT) and the TSE. The minimum TOEFL-iBT score is
100, including at least 26 on the Speaking section of the test (this is the section
that replaces the TSE) and at least 70 combined on the other sections. Applicants
who submit a TOEFL-iBT score DO NOT need to submit a TSE score.
TOEFL (CBT or PBT): Minimun score of at least 250 (computer) or
600 (paper).
Exceptions: Applicants who are citizens of Australia, the Bahamas, Canada,
Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago, or the United Kingdom do not
need to submit a TOEFL score. Non-native speakers of English who have received a
bachelors degree from an accredited U.S. institution or from an institution in
countries listed above are also exempt from the TOEFL requirement. Those whose
instruction in school was conducted entirely in English are exempt from submitting
English language test scores.
Michigan Language Test . Minimum score of 90.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination
. Minimum score of 7.0.
TSE: The university policy is that all international students whose
native language is not English must submit a passing TSE score (minimum
of 55 or TOEFLibt Speaking section score of 26) in order to serve as
Teaching Assistants. Since all of our graduate students are required to serve as
Teaching Assistants as part of the program curriculum, we require a TSE score as
part of the application, unless the TOEFLibt scores are submitted.
If your native language is not English, you must submit a TSE score. The
same exemptions for English language proficiency for admission apply here. See
"Exemptions" under TOEFL, above.
I can't take the TSE before I apply, and I don't meet the above
requirements for deferring the test. What should I do?
Take the test if at all possible. We need to know your fluency in
English. If you cannot take the test, you can submit your application
without a TSE score. It will be considered. Just be aware that your
application may not be as competitive without the TSE score.
I don't want to be a Teaching Assistant. Do I still need to submit
a TSE score?
YES, unless you demonstrate your English language skills by the TOEFLibt
scores. All students are required to serve as Teaching Assistants as part of
the program curriculum, therefore the TSE score is a necessary part of your
application.
What are your ETS codes?
University of Washington: 4854
Department code not required. All scores are received electronically and
entered into the UW database, where it then is distributed and matched to
applications.
ETS says that it will report my scores to you after
the application deadline. Is this a problem?
You should schedule your tests to allow for sufficient time for the scores
to be reported. ETS generally needs 4 to 6 weeks. This means if you take
the test in early November, you scores will be reported in early to
mid-December. We MUST have your test scores before the review of
applications begins if you want to ensure that the admission committee
sees the scores. Scores that arrive after the deadline will be placed in
your application file as they arrive.
Will you accept unofficial ETS test scores?
We require official scores reported directly by ETS, which is done electronically.
When they are received, they are downloaded into your application file.
You are also able to enter unofficial scores into the on-line application for
admission if you have them. The admissions committee can at least view
unofficial scores until official ones arrive.
Application
What is the application deadline?
December 15 for all applicants. The online application opens on August 1.
Why is the Graduate School deadline different for
International students than the CSE deadline?
The Graduate School
encourages international applicants to complete its application form and especially
to send transcripts by November 1 because it takes them time to evaluate
International transcripts. Other UW departments than CSE require this evaluation;
CSE does not. International applicants whose on-line application is complete
(required materials entered, fee paid and application submitted) by December 15
will be considered for admission.
How often do you admit new students?
Applications are accepted once a year. New students are admitted for
autumn quarter only. We do NOT admit for winter, spring or summer
quarters.
How many new students do you admit each year?
This varies from year to year. Typically, we offer admission to
approximately 7% of the pool of applicants to yield a class of 25-35
entering students.
If I am not offered admission, can I be placed on a waiting list?
We do not keep a waiting list. The decisions made by the admission
committee are final. Because applicants to our program are also applying
to other programs we expect that a certain number of our offers will be
declined. To account for this, we offer admission to more applicants than
we expect to accept our offer. This ensures that we fill our open spaces
without needing to use a waiting list.
How do I submit an application?
You may submit an
application between September 1 through midnight, December 15, PST. You can begin
your on-line application here: http://www.cs.washington.edu/education/grad/application_materials.html
When will I know if I've been admitted?
The admission committee will begin reviewing applications soon after the
deadline of December 15. Final decisions will be made by mid-February to early
March. You will hear from us regarding the staus of your application around that
time via email notification.
What if I only want to apply for the MS degree?
We do not offer a separate, full-time master's degree. All students are
evaluated and admitted to the PhD/MS program are determined to be capable
of earning a PhD. We consider all applicants with only Ph.D. criteria in mind.
Do I need to submit the Statement of Financial Ability
form with my application?
The Statement of Financial Ability form can be
submitted after the application deadline. The form is required should you be
admitted so that the I-20 can be prepared. Note that you DO NOT need to submit any
financial documentation (such as bank statements). Just indicate on the form that
you will be relying on funding from the department if you are admitted, sign the form
(original signature required) and send it to the Graduate School. Note that the
total amount of funding provided by the department exceeds the U.S. government
required minimum of financial ability.
How should my recommenders submit their Letters of
Recommendation?
When you are completing your online application, you will be
asked to provide contact information for your recommenders, including an email
address and phone number. You will activate the request for a letter in the on-line
application and the recommender will be sent an email with instructions about
submitting the letter.
Can I submit hard-copy letters of recommendation?
We strongly prefer that letters of recommendation be submitted online. If this is
not possible, you may mail hard copies to the address listed above.
Do letters need to be written by university faculty, rather than
employers?
You may ask whomever you wish to write your letters of recommendation.
However, you should keep in mind that we are looking for students who have
an aptitude for (or experience in) performing research in an academic
setting and rely on faculty familiar with Ph.D. programs, research, and
students. You should choose your letter writers accordingly.
Other Questions
Can I participate in the program on part-time basis?
Because of the level of involvement that we expect from our graduate
students, it is not possible to participate in our program on a part-time
basis.
Can I transfer to your program from another
program/school?
We do not have a formal transfer program. You will need to submit an
application just like any other applicant.
Can I transfer my credits from another program/school?
If you are admitted, you will be able to submit a petition to use courses from
another institution for course requirements. The coursework will be reviewed by
our faculty, and if deemed appropriate, will be applied to our degree course
requirements.
Can I take classes without being admitted to your
program?
It is possible to take graduate courses in Non-Matriculated (NM)
status. As a non-matriculated student, you can take our graduate level courses on a
space-available basis. For detailed information, please review this web
page.
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