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General Questions

Admission Prerequisites and GRE Information

International Student Status

Application Information

Financial Support

Other Questions

General Questions

Contact Information

You may contact the Allen School by:

email: grad-admissions@cs.washington.edu

phone: 206-543-1695

 

You may contact the UW Graduate School by:

email: uwgrad@uw.edu

phone: (206) 543-5900

What are my chances of being admitted into the Allen School Ph.D. program?

The admission process is very competitive, and the likelihood of an applicant’s being offered admission depends in part on the strength of the applicant as well as the quality of the overall applicant pool, which varies from year to year. There is no way to know your chances until all applications have been received and reviewed. If you have the prerequisite education, your GPA and test scores are close to the averages for CSE applicants, and you have a demonstrated drive to excel and innovate, then you are a competitive applicant. In recent years, CSE has received over 1,600 applications and made over 100 offers for 45-50 positions.

How do you define “international student”?

You are considered to be an international student if you are not a citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S. If you are in the process of becoming a permanent U.S. resident, you MUST follow the guidelines for international students until you have received your Green Card.

Can I participate in the Ph.D. program on a part-time basis?

Because of the high level of commitment and involvement that we expect from our graduate students, it is not possible to participate in our Ph.D. research program on a part-time basis.

What if I want to apply only for a master’s degree in computer science?

The Allen School does not offer a separate, full-time master’s degree. All students evaluated and admitted into the Ph.D./M.S. program are determined to be capable of earning a Ph.D. and performing research in computer science. We consider all applicants with only Ph.D. criteria and potential in mind. The master's degree is earned on the way to completing the Ph.D..

Can I transfer to your Ph.D. program from another program/school?

There is no formal transfer program. You must submit the same application as any new applicant.

Can I take Ph.D.-level classes without being admitted to your Ph.D. program?

It is possible to take graduate courses as a Non-Matriculated (NM) student. As such, you can attend CSE graduate-level courses on a space-available basis. For detailed information, please see: http://www.outreach.washington.edu/nondegree/about/.

Admission Prerequisites and GRE Scores

I do not have a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Can I still apply to your Ph.D. program?

Yes, you can apply, although you must have at least a four-year bachelor’s degree to be eligible. In addition, you must satisfy all admission requirements outlined by the UW Graduate School. Furthermore, we expect most entering graduate students to have a solid academic background in computer science.

What are the minimum required GRE scores for acceptance to your Ph.D. program?

The department does 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.

What GPA must I have for admission to your Ph.D. program?

The UW Graduate School requires a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last two years at the time of application. However, successful CSE Ph.D. applicants usually have a significantly higher average (i.e., ~3.8).

My school does not use a 4.0 grading system. How do I report my GPA?

You can do one of three things:

  1. Estimate how your grades will convert to our 4.0 system and report your estimate. There is no penalty for estimating incorrectly.
  2. Leave the GPA field on the application blank
  3. Enter the grade reported on your transcript.  The CSE admissions committee is familiar with most grading systems and can evaluate them fairly well.

Do I need to take the subject GRE for computer science?

No, you do not need to take the subject test. It is not required for the CSE Ph.D. program and the ETS no longer offers it.

What is the Allen School’s ETS code?

The University of Washington’s ETS code is 4854. A school code is not required. All scores are received electronically and entered into the UW database, where they are automatically matched to applications regardless of specific academic unit.

What happens if I miss a deadline because ETS cannot send my test results to you on time?

You should schedule your tests to allow sufficient time for the scores to be reported. ETS generally needs 4 – 6 weeks. Thus, if you take the test in early November, your scores will be reported in early to mid-December. You may enter unofficial scores in the self-report section of the online application. When your official scores arrive at the UW, they will be automatically matched to your application. Applications will be reviewed with unofficial scores.

International Student Status

Do I need to take the TOEFL?

A satisfactory command of the English language is required for admission to any of the UW Graduate Studies programs. Applicants who are not native speakers of English must submit a TOEFL-iBT score or a TOEFL (CBT or PBT) score. The scores must no more than 2 years old.

What scores are required on the TOEFL for admission to your program?

  • TOEFL-iBT. The minimum TOEFL-iBT score is 80, including at least 26 on the Speaking section of the test. An applicant who does not meet the minimum required score of 80 on the TOEFL-iBT will not be considered admissible by the Graduate School. The Graduate School does not offer conditional admission to students who have not yet met the minimum English Language Prociency requirement. If your score is between 80-91 and you are admitted, you will be required to enroll in the designated UW Academic English Program AEP courses during the first quarter of enrollment (as outlined in UW Graduate School Memo 8). Scores of 92 and above will have met English Proficiency requirements.

  • TOEFL PBT. The minimum TOEFL PBT score is 500.

Are there any exceptions to my taking these tests?

Yes. 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 bachelor’s or master’s 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. Supporting documentation must be submitted with unofficial transcripts in the online application. For further information, please refer to the Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements.

Besides the TOEFL, what other language tests/scores do you accept?

Note: We are phasing out usage of IELTS. IELTS with a test session date after June 1, 2017 will not be accepted.

The University of Washington will accept the IELTS with a test session date prior to June 1, 2017. The Graduate School only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS test center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. All IELTS test centers can report scores electronically. You must request from the center where you took the test that your scores be sent electronically using the IELTS system (E-TRF) to the following address:

University of Washington All Campuses
Organisation ID 365
Undergrad & Graduate Admis, Box 355850
Seattle, WA, 98105
United States of America.

If you have already taken the IELTS, you can go to http://www.ielts.org/test_centre_search/search_results.aspx for the email address of the IELTS Administrator to make your request. Allow a minimum of 13 working days for reporting test results. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.

What level of English proficiency do I need to serve as a Teaching Assistant?

The University of Washington require a TOEFL-iBT Speaking score of 26 to qualify for a teaching assistantship. Please refer to Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English for further information.

Application Information

What is the application deadline?

The deadline is December 15 for all applicants or the first business day following if the 15th falls on a weekend. All required application materials must be submitted online by this date.  Review of applications begins shortly after this deadline.

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?

The number of new students varies from year to year. Typically, we offer admission to 8-10% of the pool of applicants to yield a class of 40-45 entering students.

If I am not offered admission, can I be placed on a waiting list?

The Allen School does not keep a waiting list. Decisions made by the Admissions 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?

Applications must be submitted online. No hardcopy materials are used in the admissions review process.

What should I do if I cannot afford the application fee?

A limited number of application fee waivers are available only for U.S. 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.

When will I know if I’ve been admitted?

The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing applications soon after the December 15 deadline. Final decisions are usually made by early to mid-February. You will hear from us regarding the status of your application around that time. Notification will occur via e-mail.

Do I need a Financial Ability form with my application?

Applicants requesting a student visa must meet the University of Washington's financial ability requirement. The financial ability requirement is met by showing proof of readily accessible and adequate funding to cover living expenses, tuition and other campus fees for the first year of study. Stocks, bonds or proof of property ownership are not acceptable financial resources.

You do not need to submit any financial information (such as bank statements). If you are admitted to the program you will be asked to indicate in an online form that you will be relying on funding from the Allen School.  We offer full funding to all applicants we admit to the program.

How do my references submit their letters of recommendation to your program?

In the online application you will be asked to provide contact information for your recommenders, including an email address and a phone number. You will then activate the request for a letter in the online application. The recommenders will then be sent an email with instructions about submitting your letters.

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 have letters sent by postal mail to the Allen School address. Even if your letters are submitted in hard-copy form, you must still enter names and contact information on your online application; otherwise, there will be no place in your application to upload the scanned hard-copy letters.

Do my letters of recommendation need to come from university faculty, or can they be written by employers?

You may ask whomever you please to write your letters of recommendation, especially if they know you and your work well. However, keep in mind that we are looking for students who have an aptitude for (or experience in) conducting research in an academic setting and rely on faculty familiar with Ph.D. programs, research, and students. Choose your letter writers accordingly.

How can I check on the status of a submitted application?

Re-enter your application and check the 'status of materials' section as well as the 'status of letters'. You will not find the status of admission information in your online application. Look for an email from the Allen School around early to mid-February.

Financial Support

How likely is it that I will get Financial Support from the Allen School?

All accepted students are guaranteed full support for a minimum of 3 years through research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and departmental/external fellowships. Funding after the initial 3 years is usually available and is contingent on satisfactory academic progress and availability of funds. No student in good standing is unsupported in our program and all who graduate are funded until the completion of the Ph.D.

Can you explain your various assistantships?

Please refer to our Ph.D. student handbook for details on funding.

Other Questions

How does the Allen School's program compare to those of other top-rated research universities?

Thank you for asking this important question. There are many unique attributes we offer in terms of faculty, research, and culture: We have nationally and internationally recognized faculty who are pushing the boundaries of core and emerging areas of our field; we have a national reputation for outstanding student mentoring, and our faculty and graduate students enjoy collegial and supportive working relationships; we provide a complete, high-quality curriculum along with leading-edge research opportunities; we offer a robust lineup of topical colloquia and distinguished lectures featuring established leaders and rising stars in the field; and we provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for international students, women, and other underrepresented groups.

Where do most of your Ph.D. graduates find employment?

Most graduates of the Allen School's Ph.D. program find employment in academic institutions (research/teaching or teaching), research labs (industry and academic), post-docs, start-ups and industry.