Admitted Graduate Students
You’re admitted! What’s next?
First, we would like to warmly welcome you to the UIC computer science department. This page is designed to give incoming master’s and PhD students easy access to the resources you need to get started at UIC.
If, after reading this page, you still have any questions about joining us at UIC, please contact the computer science Student Affairs office at (312) 413-4950. We are happy to help you.
Important Next Steps
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Activate your my.uic.edu account
Go the university student portal, my.uic.edu, to activate your account and receive your university NetID. You will need your Social Security number (SSN) or Temporary Control number (TCN); your university identification number (UIN), and date of birth to complete the activation. Look for the activation link on the left side of the page. Once you have activated your my.UIC account, you will be able to manage all aspects of your education at UIC through this site. The portal has information on UIC e-mail, registration, academic records, financial records, and more.
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Submit your Intent to Enroll
The Computer Science graduate program requires a non-refundable deposit of $300 as a part of the “intent to enroll” process. If you are accepted to the program and plan to attend, you must submit this deposit to hold your place in the class.
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Plan your arrival on campus
All students should plan on attending the Graduate College orientation and the mandatory CS new graduate student orientation in August. Dates for these orientations will be advertised on the respective websites; in addition students will be notified via email by the CS department.
International students on a visa can enter the country 30 days prior to the start of the term. We strongly suggest you arrive early enough to allow plenty of time to find housing, register for classes and get acclimated to the campus. International students are required to attend an additional Office of International Services (OIS) student orientation.
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Prepare for registration
CS graduate students do not have to be advised prior to registering for courses. For the first semester, you should choose courses that you are comfortable with; both 400-level and 500-level CS courses are acceptable. Please keep an eye out for prerequisites and take those into account when making your selections. All of our graduate courses are geared for students with an undergraduate degree in computer science or an equivalent understanding. Our undergraduate core curriculum consists of: CS 141, 151, 251, 261, 361, and 342. Please look over the topics covered and address any deficiencies either by enrolling in the appropriate undergraduate classes or through self-study. Rules and minimum requirements for class levels will be discussed during the mandatory CS graduate student orientation.
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Learn about registration holds
- New Student Hold – All new CS graduate students have this hold automatically placed on their account.
- Domestic students can resolve this hold by email: Email grad@cs.uic.edu your request with your first name, last name, date of birth, and UIN.
- International students must check-in in person to the CS Student Affairs office (SEO 905) before the hold is removed.
- SEVIS Hold – All new international students have a “SEVIS hold” automatically placed on their accounts. You must check-in with the Office of International Services (OIS) upon your arrival in Chicago. OIS staff will provide details on how to remove the hold.
- Immunization hold – If you are residing in on-campus housing, an immunization form must be filled out by your doctor and submitted prior to or upon your arrival at UIC. The immunization form is available online. Download this immunization form and submit it by the deadline indicated.
- New Student Hold – All new CS graduate students have this hold automatically placed on their account.
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Get all the ID cards you’ll need
- UIC photo ID: Your university ID is called an i-card. You can get one after you have registered for classes. Full details and instructions are on the ID Center website.
- U-Pass: This is a transit pass for Chicago public transportation—CTA buses and trains—that is issued to eligible students. The U-Pass is issued on a semester-to-semester basis, with validity from the beginning to the end of the semester. Visit the ID Center’s U-Pass webpages for information on eligibility and distribution.
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Visit helpful links
- Computer Science department registration policy and restrictions
- Computer Science graduate student resources
- UIC Graduate student admitted student page
- Graduate College guidelines
- University portal: my.uic.edu (in particular, ensure that you read all messages and attend to any requests)
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Additional information for international students
- Social Security Number (SSN) – SSN card is issued to newly arriving international students only if they are employed. See OISs SSN information page for further details.
- Banking – You can open an account in any bank that you choose. However, it may be easiest to start an account with one of the UIC affiliated banks – PNC / Credit Union 1 until you have more time to learn about the other local banks. Visit OISs banking page for further details.
Orientations
New CS graduate students have to attend a number of orientation events depending on their specific personal situations. The orientation sessions include:
CS Graduate Student Orientation
All new CS graduate students are required to attend this mandatory session. Degree requirements, department policies, student expectations, and other important topics are covered in this session. This orientation is held only once per year, prior to the start of the fall semester. Confirmation date and location is sent by the CS Student Affairs office to the new students. Students who start in the spring semester must attend this orientation in the fall after they begin at UIC.
New TA and New International TA Orientation
This orientation is conducted by UIC’s International Teaching Assistant Program and is mandatory for ALL new TAs. New international TAs will be attending the OIS ‘New International Student Summit’ the same day – but will be dismissed in time to attend the TA orientation. Information, including dates and times, is updated on the ITAP website.
International Student Orientation
UIC’s Office of International Services (OIS) runs an orientation program that is mandatory for all new international students. There is an orientation fee for this program, which is charged to international students’ accounts. Visit the OIS website for information and schedules.
Graduate College Orientation
UIC’s Graduate College holds an orientation session for new graduate students from across UIC’s colleges each fall. There is no session in the spring term. Limited spaces are available for this orientation, which has no fee, and registration is required. The CS department highly recommends that new graduate students choose to attend. Learn more on the Graduate College orientation page.