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Admission Requirements

Most aspects of the application process, aside from the admissions decision, are handled by the Graduate School. Please refer to their Application Process page for additional information. The first step is to create an account on the Graduate School website. International applicants may want to explore the international admissions page provided by the International Center.

Admission Deadlines

Fall Semester

  • International Applicants: April 15
  • Domestic Applicants: July 16

Spring Semester

  • International Applicants: September 15
  • Domestic Applicants: December 9

Application Requirements

  • CV/Resume
  • Transcript(s): which must include all institutions attended
  • Personal Statement: which should address the applicant’s topical interests and any of the admissions criteria, listed below, that are not clearly satisfied based on the provided transcript(s)
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • GRE scores
    • TOEFL/IELTS scores (always accepted) or Duolingo scores (115+, these may be evaluated by an ESL professional): submitted scores must be no more than 2 years old. We follow the guidelines defined by the University of Kentucky Graduate School. If you have questions about exceptions to the language testing requirements, please contact the appropriate admissions officer. For Fall 2020 they were defined as follows: All applicants whose native language is not English will be asked to self-report one of these scores on their application. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (internet-based). The minimum IELTS score is 6.5.

    Admission Criteria

    • (required) An undergraduate GPA of 3.0, or greater, on a 4.0 scale.
    • (required) Successful completion of a course on calculus (comparable to the UK course MA 113)
    • (required) Successful completion of two courses on programming (comparable to UK CS 115 and UK CS 215)
    • (recommended) Successful completion of a course on linear algebra (comparable to UK course MA 322)
    • (recommended) Experience with several general-purpose programming languages (e.g., Python, Java, C)

    Exceptions for the GPA and prior-experience criteria may be made by the admissions committee if persuasive evidence of applicant’s potential is presented. In some cases, applicants will be conditionally admitted, which could require successful completion of foundational mathematics, statistics, or programming coursework before the student is officially admitted.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    It should include standard CV/resume elements, but it could be beneficial to include one or more of the following elements:

    These are not required, but could help counterbalance any weaknesses in your application.

    • links to code samples (e.g., a GitHub profile or repository)
    • a list of prior research and programming projects, highlighting your role and main accomplishments
    • a list of prior publications (e.g, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and research posters)

    You must provide transcripts from all post-secondary institutions at which you have taken courses, whether you received a degree or not.

    The GRE is currently required for Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024.  As of Fall 2024 it will no longer be required.

    Submission of scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) unless their chosen program indicates otherwise. The Graduate School has no minimum GRE score requirement; individual programs may set specific score requirements and in some cases may require the advanced portion of the GRE.

    Unofficial (scanned) test results are allowed for the application. However, if accepted, you must have your test provider submit the official scores to the Graduate School for verification using the following codes:

    GRE institution code 1837
    GRE department code 0402
    TOEFL institution code 1837
    TOEFL department code 78

    If you are an international student, the Graduate School requires a signed and documented financial certificate (I-20) before you begin the program. The certificate will be requested by the Graduate School after the admissions decision is made. Please contact your admissions officer or the International Center for questions related to international admissions.

    Additional Information