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Combined B.S./M.S. Program ​

Application Information

You may apply to the B.S./M.S. program at different points in your undergraduate studies. Most students apply at the end of their junior years after completing all required 300-level CSE courses, or when they have roughly one year left in their undergraduate studies. A small number apply later, while finishing senior-level requirements. However, all students must begin graduate coursework within one year of receiving their bachelor’s degrees. If you are unsure when to apply, please contact a CSE adviser.

Eligibility

The following are the minimum requirements for applying to the Allen School’s Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program:

  • You are a current Allen School CS or CE undergraduate major. Students who have already graduated are ineligible to apply.
  • You have junior standing or beyond (90 or more credits).
  • Your GPA is 3.0 or higher.
  • You have completed CSE 311, 312, 332, and 351. Spring in-progress classes are fine (for example, if you are applying in 2026, it is fine to take one or more of those classes in spring 2026)

Application Information

The 2026 application will open on April 15, 2026.

A couple of notes about the application:

  • We will contact your faculty recommenders after the application closes. You should talk to them in advance but do not need to coordinate the actual recommendation process.
  • You may not find a person you want to use as a reference in the drop-down menu. If that is the case, let us know and we can solicit the recommendation from them directly.
  • Spring 2026 grades will be included when reviewing applications. Even though students apply mid-spring quarter, we are able to pull spring grades once the quarter is completed.

2026 Application Timeline

  • April: Application opens April 15th
  • May: Application closes May 15th at 11:59pm
  • Mid May through June: Faculty recommenders submit feedback; B.S./M.S. Admissions Committee reviews applications
  • Late June or early July: Decisions sent

Requirements

Your application requires the following components:

  • Statement of Purpose.  Recommended length: 500-750 words.  Topics to address include: (1) Why are you interested in pursuing a combined B.S./M.S.?  (2) What specific aspects of the program interest you, such as areas of study? (3) What makes you a good candidate for this program?
  • References.  List 2 faculty members as references.  You must have 2 references who can speak to your classwork and/or research abilities (or, if specifically applying with the intent to teach professionally after graduation, teaching abilities). It is courteous to ask faculty members before listing them as references. One recommender must be from the Allen School.
  • Transcripts:  Upload a copy of your UW unofficial transcript (use the “printer-friendly” version from MyUW).
  • Resume:  You have the option to upload a current resume. Note: while optional, most all students do submit one.
  • MyCSE:  Confirm that your MyCSE profile is up-to-date, including scholarships, co-ops/internships, and research. Note: if you are not able to add items to a particular section (for example, you did research in another department and it is not populating in the research section) please just add to the work experience section. It is OK if things aren’t categorized perfectly.

There is no fee for students completing the initial CSE B.S./M.S. application. Students admitted to the B.S./M.S. program must complete the UW Grad School application and pay an application fee as well as an enrollment fee once they become a graduate student (due before tuition).

How Competitive is Admissions?

B.S./M.S. admissions is highly competitive, as the applicant pool is exceptionally strong and there is limited space available. Therefore, all prospective students should have a backup plan. Highly competitive applicants have excellent grades, strong faculty recommendations, and a clear and compelling statement of purpose.

Some statistics we are often asked for (2025 cycle):

  • Average admit: UW GPA 3.9, CSE GPA 3.89
  • Admitted 74/223 applicants
  • Average applicant: UW GPA 3.83, CSE GPA 3.79