Admissions FAQ

No, but applicants must have either a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a bachelor’s in some other discipline and a master’s in computer science.

For step-by-step admission application instructions, please visit the Office of Admission and Enrollment Services.

Please visit the Office of Admission and Enrollment Services for an online application.

Please visit the Office of Admission and Enrollment Services for domestic and international application deadlines.

Please visit the Office of Admission and Enrollment Services to view the complete list of requirements.

For the M.S. program, a minimum GRE score of 1200 (verbal plus quantitative) is acceptable. For the Ph.D. program, a minimum GRE score of 1300 (verbal plus quantitative) is acceptable. Applicants with borderline scores who also have a high GPA may still be considered by the admissions committee.

The minimum TOEFL scores are 213 (computer-based), 550 (paper-based) and 80 (Internet-based).

UTD 6897

For International and Domestic Applicants: Office of Admission & Enrollment Services The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX 75080-3021

We are not in a position to assess your chances until you apply and go through the admissions process. If you meet the minimum requirements described in the UTD Graduate Catalog, though, your chances of being admitted are high.

If an application packet is complete, processing typically takes six weeks. Applications will be delayed if incomplete.

There is a six-year window for completing the 33-hour M.S. degree. All coursework must be completed within the six-year timeframe. This timeframe also applies to all transfer coursework.

There is a 10-year window for completing the 90-hour Ph.D. program. All coursework must be completed within this 10-year timeframe. This timeframe also applies to all transfer coursework.

Please visit the Bursar Office to view the tuition and fees schedule.

You must first be admitted to the CS graduate program as a degree-seeking student. You may then attend the transfer/waiver seminar held at the beginning of every semester. You would then fill out the necessary transfer petition paperwork and submit official transcripts, course descriptions and syllabi for these courses. All transfer petitions are processed by the Computer Science Department and submitted to the Graduate Dean’s Office and the Office of the Registrar for final approval. To qualify for transfer credit, the grade earned in the computer science graduate course must be a B or higher, and the course must not be a correspondence or extension course. An M.S. student may petition to transfer no more than 8 graduate credit hours. A Ph.D. student may petition to transfer no more than 36 graduate credit hours. Petitions may be approved at the time of enrollment, but no actual acceptance of transfer credit will occur until after you have completed nine credit hours of courses at UT Dallas with a grade-point average of at least 3.0. 

Students’ files are carefully reviewed for admission, and all deficiencies are noted for all tracks of study. Students are responsible for completing only those prerequisites listed on the track of study that they choose as a condition of their admittance to the computer science graduate program. Students should see an adviser if they want to initiate a change of tracks after admission. Having all deficiencies listed allows this change to take place in a timely manner rather than forcing students to wait for a new admissions letter. In addition, students must complete all prerequisites for courses listed in the UT Dallas Graduate Catalog before taking those courses. Prerequisite courses are separate from the courses listed in your admissions letter.

Students who wish to apply for waivers should attend the transfer/waiver seminar during their first semester. A waiver is appropriate if you have studied the material in some other course(s) and have received a grade of B or higher. During the transfer/waiver period, students should provide copies of their official transcripts showing grades earned, course descriptions, and a completed and signed waiver form. All paperwork should be submitted to the computer science graduate advising office by the specified deadline.

 The UTD International Student Services Office (ISSO) will work with you to issue your I-20 and answer your immigration-related questions. Please visit the ISSO New Student Procedures page for step-by-step instructions.

You will not receive your I-20 with your official letter of acceptance. The UTD International Student Services Office (ISSO) issues all I-20s for international students. Once an international applicant is admitted to UTD, the ISSO will work with you to issue your I-20 and answer your immigration-related questions. The ISSO will contact you by e-mail after receiving your file from Enrollment Services. Please visit the ISSO New Student Procedures page for more information.

Please see the UTD Graduate Catalog.

Most full-time CS graduate students take nine credit hours per semester, which is equal to three classes, although some students take 12 credit hours (four classes). Taking one or two core courses with one or two electives is advisable. Taking three core courses in one semester is not allowed. Before you register for classes, you will meet with a graduate CS adviser to determine your track of study and to discuss the courses you should take. For a complete list of graduate courses in computer science, please see the UTD Graduate Catalog.

There is a six-year window for completing the 33-hour M.S. degree. All coursework must be completed within the six-year time frame. This timeframe also applies to all transfer coursework.

There is a 10-year window for completing the 90-hour Ph.D. program. All coursework must be completed within this 10-year timeframe. This timeframe also applies to all transfer course work.

Two good sources of information are our brief faculty research summaries and our detailed faculty research summaries.

Below are the types of financial assistance for full-time graduate students, and all are highly competitive. (Part-time students are not eligible for financial assistance.)Students desiring financial assistance are encouraged to apply to our graduate program in computer science as early as possible.

• Jonsson School Distinguished Graduate Fellows are selected and supported by the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. Please speak to an adviser for more information.
• Teaching assistants (TAs) are selected and supported by the Computer Science Department based on students’ academic merit and prior research experience. When students are considered for admission, they are also considered by the department’s selection committee for teaching assistantships. There is no need to apply separately. Most of our teaching assistantships are offered to students admitted to start in fall semesters. Students will be informed of any TA support no later than one week after the admission application deadline. (Please note that there are different deadline dates for domestic and international students.)
• Research assistants (RAs) are supported by individual computer science faculty through faculty members’ research grants. Prospective students may contact faculty members directly to discuss their research interests and possible RA support. Please view our brief faculty research summaries and our detailed faculty research summaries.
• UT Dallas Cyber Security Scholarship Program (CyberCorp: Scholarship for Service (SFS) scholarship program) UT Dallas invites applications for a graduate-level scholarship for service program, which provides students with a full scholarship for two years in exchange of service in federal government for a period equivalent to the length of the scholarship. The program enables government agencies to recruit from a highly qualified pool of students for internships and permanent positions.

Other Jonsson School Scholarships