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Department of Computer Science Computer Science Graduate Degree Admissions

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. International applicants may want to explore the international admissions page provided by the International Center.

Application Requirements

  • 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)
  • Transcript showing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students from a non-CS major may be required to take preparatory CS courses before they can be admitted into the program.  
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • GRE scores: GRE is not required, but it is recommended. Submitted scores must be no more than 5 years old.
  • TOEFL/IELTS scores (always accepted) or Duolingo scores (only accepted for the 2021-2022 academic year): 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.
  • CV/Resume (Optional)

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.

Application Fee Waiver

  • MS students and students who do not have a CS degree are not eligible for an application fee waiver.
  • Financial hardship is not a factor considered when providing an application fee waiver.
  • Students who have completed BS or MS degrees at a US college or university with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible for applying for an application fee waiver.
  • International students: to be eligible for a waiver students should either have already secured an RA position with a faculty member or be top candidates for a TA position. Top TA candidates must be seeking a Ph.D. degree, have a strong academic record, high GPA, strong computer science background, and excellent language scores. 

Contact the Director of Graduate Studies Simone Silvestri if you meet these requirements and attach your transcripts and language scores to your email.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I include with my CV/Resume?

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

  • 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)

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

Which transcripts must I submit?

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

Can I submit unofficial test scores?

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

Is any additional documentation required for international students?

  • 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

Contact

Simone Silvestri

Simone Silvestri.

Associate Professor; Director of Graduate Studies, Computer Science and Computer Engineering

Linked Department (or Location)
Department of Computer Science
Location Detail
221 Davis Marksbury Building
Email
silvestri@cs.uky.edu
Phone
859-323-7276

Department of Computer Science

Davis Marksbury Building
329 Rose Street
Lexington, KY 40506-0633
Phone: 859-257-3961
Fax: 859-257-1505

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