Graduate Admissions

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New! Doctoral applicants applying for Fall ’25 admission to the computer science PhD graduate program are not required to submit GRE scores. GRE scores will be considered, if provided, but are not required. This GRE score waiver only applies to doctoral applicants, and not to masters program applicants.

All applicants applying for Fall ’25 admission to the computer science graduate program are granted a reduced application fee, as follows: international students will only pay $100 (for the international evaluation fee, with the $70 application fee being waived), and domestic students will pay $0. To qualify for this reduction, doctoral applications must be fully completed before December 15, 2024, and masters applications must be fully completed before January 15, 2025. These reduced fees will be automatically applied at the time of application.

Doctoral applicants are strongly encouraged to:

  • Check out our typical admission requirements thresholds before applying, as follows:
    • Grade point average: at least 3.5 on a scale of 4.0 for the final two years of undergraduate study, as well as for any graduate work completed; or at least 3.2 on a scale of 4.0 for all years of undergraduate study.
    • However, having a GPA higher than the minimum is no guarantee of admission
  • Contact directly specific faculty they are interested in working with
  • Watch the recording below of the departmental doctoral recruiting session which was held November, 2nd 2022.

Masters applicants are also strongly encouraged to check out our typical admission requirements thresholds (GPA, GRE) before applying.

PhD students in their first five years of enrollment are guaranteed a funded appointment for fall and spring that includes a full tuition waiver, a partial fee waiver, and a stipend. Students are also eligible for summer support. Students must remain in good academic standing and successfully perform the duties of their assistantships.

Applicants interested in the MS and PhD programs in computer science must apply online through the graduate admissions website. Applicants are reviewed by the computer science graduate admissions committee.

  • MS program applicants are expected to have earned an undergraduate degree in computer science or a closely related field. (Note: U.S. students who have very strong undergraduate records in other fields are occasionally admitted with special consideration; see the “Admission requirements” tab below for further information.) Download our master’s degree booklet for an overview of the MS program.
  • PhD program applicants typically have earned a bachelor’s degree and/or an MS degree in computer science or a related field.

Detailed information:

Fall

  • December 15: recommended deadline for PhD applicants
  • January 15: recommended deadline for MS applicants
  • February 15: all PhD and MS applicants

Spring

  • July 15: all PhD applicants and MS international applicants
  • November 1: domestic MS applicants
  • MS applicants: bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field. In addition, U.S. students who have very strong undergraduate records in other fields are occasionally admitted as non-degree students to take one or more semesters of undergraduate CS courses, and then to apply for the MS program. Please contact our student affairs  office at ask.csgrad@uic.edu for specific guidance.
  • PhD applicants: bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field. Please contact our student affairs  office at ask.csgrad@uic.edu for specific guidance.
  • Grade point average: at least 3.5 on a scale of 4.0 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
  • GRE general test scores are required for all MS applicants, with the exception of UIC graduates. Average score requirements: minimum of 300 GREV+GREQ score (with a minimum of 140+ GREV).
  • Minimum English competency test score: applicants whose native language is not English are required to take an English competency test. Minimum required scores are: iBT Internet-based TOEFL of 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21; New Paper-Based TOEFL (after August 2018) of 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21; Institutional Testing Paper-Based TOEFL (prior to August 2018) of 550; IELTS of 6.5, with all four subsections of at least 6.0; or PTE-Academic of 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
  • Admissions application completed online
  • Transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate work
  • Test scores sent directly by the testing service to UIC’s graduate admissions office
  • Letters of recommendation (3 for PhD, 2 for MS)
  • Statement of purpose
  • Curriculum vitae

Applicants have typically completed the following coursework as part of their undergraduate and/or graduate education. Applicants who lack this background can still be accepted into our graduate program, under the condition that they complete the required coursework during their first years of graduate study.

  • CS 111 Program Design I
  • CS 151 Mathematical Foundations of Computing
  • CS 251 Data Structures
  • CS 261 Machine Organization (optional)
  • At least one of the following: CS 301 Languages & Automata, CS 342 Software Design, or CS 361 Computer Systems

See the UIC Course Catalog for course descriptions.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply to the computer science non-degree program. Admission to the non-degree program does not guarantee future admission to the degree-seeking program.

Deadlines: August 1 for fall; November 15 for spring.

Requirements: In addition to the minimum university requirements for non-degree applicants, the CS department requires transcripts, statement of purpose, and one recommendation letter.

Apply now