Apply

This page contains instructions for applying to the UT Austin Department of Computer Science on-campus graduate program.

For general information about our graduate program including eligibility requirements, please visit our Prospective Students page.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions, please see out our Admissions FAQ page.

Applications for Fall 2024 are closed. Our application for Fall 2025 admission to our PhD and on-campus Masters programs will open October 15, 2024. 

Fall 2025 Application deadline: December 15, 2024 (23:59 CST). 

Application for admission to the on-campus CS graduate program is a multi-step process. The application process may take several weeks to complete; you should apply well in advance of the deadline to ensure adequate time to submit all required items. After you apply, keep up with it all by monitoring MyStatus.
 

1) Complete the Computer Science Graduate School Application for Admission

• Applicants to the on-campus CS graduate programs at The University of Texas at Austin may complete the program-specific application for admission beginning October 15.
• When completing the application: 
  • Select "Fall 2025" as your semester of entry. Please note: the CS on-campus MS/PhD program only accepts applications for Fall intake. 
  • To locate to our program application, select "Computer Science" which is listed under "Natural Sciences”
  • The program deadline is December 15, 2024. 

2) Obtain your UT EID and access MyStatus

• Please note that applications can take up to 72 hours to load to the University of Texas at Austin system after submission of the application form.
• After you submit your online application, you’ll receive an email (within 2-3 days) that will provide you with MyStatus login information. 
• You will use MyStatus to track the receipt of submitted application materials, to upload required supporting documents, to confirm that your application file is complete, and to get your decision. 

3) After your online application has been received, submit the following materials via your MyStatus page:

• Official transcripts from every senior college attended. Instructions for uploading transcripts can be found on the Office of Graduate Admissions page.
• Statement of Purpose - Approximately 2 pages describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study and academic and professional interests and goals. This may include events/experiences that prepared you for CS graduate study and how your academic interests complement the department's faculty and research.
• Three letters of reference – Your references should submit their letters by December 20, 2024 (17:00 CST) for full consideration.
  • Make sure you enter the valid e-mail address of each letter writer. Please use the university domain or professional address for each letter writer. 
  • After you complete this portion of the application, a notice will be sent to each letter writer with instructions for submitting their letter.
  • Three is only the minimum number of recommendations required to accompany your application. You are welcome to add more.
• CV - If applicable, please include a scan of any aid award letter that has award details such as NSF, Fulbright, etc.
• Optional: GRE scores* and up to three publication links. If you provide GRE scores, you must also have an official score report sent to UT-Austin

4) Pay the application fee 

• You may pay your non-refundable application fee via the What I Owe link on UT Direct. 
  • Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and electronic checks are accepted.
• Application Fees:
  • U.S. Graduate: $65
  • International Graduate: $90

5) Standardized Testing Requirements

• An official score report for the TOEFL or IELTS (international students only)**. Scores must be sent to the university by the testing agency (self-reported scores are not accepted). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) institution code for UT Austin is 6882. There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.
  • International applicants who are from a qualifying country are exempt from this requirement. 
  • Applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a qualifying country. 
  • The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master’s—but not a bachelor’s—degree from a similar institution.
•  An official report of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (optional for Fall 2024)*. Please request that ETS send official test scores to UT-Austin. (UT-Austin code 6882 – you do not need a departmental code).

*The GRE requirement will be temporarily waived for all applicants for the Fall 2025 semester. Students may continue to submit official GRE scores for consideration, but they will not be required to do so. GRE scores when provided, will continue to serve as just one of the many factors considered in our review of a student’s application. Please take into consideration that providing GRE scores can bolster your application if there are aspects of your application that you feel may be not as competitive as others. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us and we can better assist you.
 

We want to emphasize that all materials should be uploaded electronically. We will carefully dispose of any paper materials we receive, unless we have requested them.
 
 

We do not evaluate applications on a rolling basis. An application is evaluated on its own merits and in comparison to all the applications for a given year. Review typically begins in late December, with decisions made by early spring.