Graduate Education

Full-time Ph.D. Program

Working together, our students and faculty drive our field forward while generating innovations with real-world impact.

Consistently ranked among the top computer science and engineering graduate programs in the nation, the Paul G. Allen School offers our 300 full-time graduate students a collegial and supportive learning environment; research opportunities of the highest quality; and the chance to collaborate with entrepreneurial faculty who are recognized leaders in their fields. We are proud of our record of accomplishment in mentoring student researchers who go on to positions at the very best academic departments and industry laboratories. Working together, our students and faculty drive our field forward while generating innovations with real-world impact.

Explore Our Ph.D. Program

Ph.D. Admissions

Each year, the Allen School welcomes around 60 new students interested in pursuing advanced academic or industry research careers to our Ph.D. program.

Learn About Ph.D. Admissions »

Eligibility Requirements

Understand the academic and other requirements for admission to the UPh.D. graduate program and apply with confidence.

Learn about the Requirements»

Course Guide

We offer an array of courses that support students in developing core skills and attaining a broad knowledge of computing while exploring their chosen area in depth.

Explore Ph.D. Courses & Requirements »

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Have questions about the application process, funding or other aspects of pursuing your Ph.D. at the Allen School?

Explore Frequently Asked Questions »

Ph.D. Advising

Our advising team is a group of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who are here to support Ph.D. students on every step of their academic journey.

Meet the Ph.D. Advising Team »

Teaching Assistants

Teaching assistantships enable Ph.D. students to play an integral role in the learning experience at the Allen School while honing their skills as educators and mentors.

How To Become a Teaching Assistant »

Ph. D. Program Information

Students in the Allen School’s full-time Ph.D. program earn an integrated Master’s Degree on their path to the Ph.D. Key features of our program include:

Comprehensive, high-quality graduate computer science curriculum.
A vibrant academic and social community.
Welcoming and inclusive environment for international students, women, and other underrepresented groups.
Robust schedule of colloquia and lectures on current topics in research and technology.
Leading-edge interdisciplinary research opportunities, both on and off campus.

Our students benefit from many collaborations and relationships that we have developed across the campus and in the region. In addition to being the headquarters of established technology leaders such as Microsoft and Amazon, Seattle is also home to an extensive (and ever-growing) list of engineering centers established by major industry players from outside the Pacific Northwest.

Highlights

GeekWire

Madrona Prize, People’s Choice Award recognize student research

At the Allen School’s Research Showcase & Open House, students were recognized for projects that shrink AI models to run on small devices, evaluate the performance of video-language models, secure benchtop DNA synthesizers, and customize systems design using AI.

UW News

Q&A: Security and privacy impacts of technology for incarcerated people

Allen School Ph.D. student Yael Eiger and professor Franziska Roesner discuss their research examining people’s experiences with technology during and after incarceration and the broader impacts of technology used for policing and post-release monitoring.

Allen School News

Miranda Wei, Chenzhi Zhu earn William Chan Memorial Dissertation Awards

Allen School faculty recognized 2025 alumni Wei and Zhu for their outstanding doctoral dissertation research identifying new methods for tackling online harassment introducing more secure techniques for generating digital signatures, respectively.

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