Graduate Admissions & General Information
How To Apply
Apply online through BYU Graduate Studies.
- Carefully review University Application Requirements, and note CS Department minimums below.
- All application materials must be received by the deadline.
- The application fee is required of all applicants
Deadlines
Fall Semester Deadline—MS and PhD candidates are considered for admission in fall semester.
Application Deadline—December 15
Approximate Notification Date—February 28
Starting Semester—Fall semester (early September)
Minimum Requirements
Please note that these are general guidelines. The committee evaluates each application holistically.
MS
GPA (4-point scale): 3.25
PhD
GPA (4-point scale): 3.5
Applicants are not required to submit any standardized test scores. The GRE is NOT required.
International Students
- The CS Department requires the IERF report for international students. This needs to be completed by the December 15th deadline. We suggest that students start the IERF report at least 6 weeks (or around November 1) before the deadline to allow the report to be completed in time.
- For international students whose first language is not English, please see English Proficiency Requirements.
- The CS department does not waive English Proficiency Requirements. Please plan accordingly before the application deadline.
- For more information, please refer to: International Applicants
What If I Don't Have a BS In CS?
A BS in Computer Science is not required. Applicants from other fields (such as English or History) should demonstrate in their application that they have the capacity to succeed in Computer Science courses and research. This can be done by completing CS classes at a university, demonstrating work experience or by some other means.
Applicants without a BS in CS will need to complete the equivalent of CS 111, CS 235, CS 236, CS 240 and CS 312. Admitted students may complete CS 240 and CS 312 after matriculation to the MS program. If an applicant wishes to request that any of these courses be waived based on experience or some other means, they may reach out to the Graduate Coordinator.
How To Apply Successfully
A successful application does two things at the Department level. First, it convinces BYU CS professors that you can succeed in graduate study in Computer Science at BYU. Second, it convinces BYU CS professors that your research interests align with one or more available research opportunities in the BYU CS Department.
Admissions decisions are made by a committee of CS faculty, who carefully review each application to assess academic preparation for graduate study. Recommendations are then submitted to BYU Graduate Studies for final processing, which includes confirmation of the ecclesiastical endorsement. For more about the ecclesiastical endorsement, including who it applies to and how to obtain one, see the BYU Graduate Studies admissions page.
The CS Department Admissions Committee considers academic factors such as GPA, transcript, letters of recommendation, and the letter of intent. The committee also reviews English proficiency exam scores and the IERF report for international students.
To strengthen your application, you might consider the following points:
- • We look for candidates whose recommendation letters come from people qualified to assess their ability to complete graduate work in Computer Science. At least one letter should be from someone who knows the candidate well, who knows Computer Science graduate study well, and who can write a strong letter.
• We look for candidates who state the research area(s) they would like to investigate during their degree, along with other areas they are interested in. Applicants are most successful when their interests align with the research of a current faculty member who is available to advise. Candidates should state all of the research areas they might want to investigate. For example, if a candidate wants to study machine learning but is open to other ideas, they should state that in the letter of intent. This can be helpful in matching candidates with potential advisors.
• We look for candidates who have determined that faculty in the BYU CS Department are actively doing research in their intended areas of study. Candidates can review a full list of research labs [LINK: research labs PDF] to see the range of work in the Department, browse individual lab websites [LINK: lab websites page] for labs that maintain them, and contact individual faculty members.
If you are interested in completing a PhD, you should apply for admission to the PhD program. Applicants who hold (or will soon receive) a BS or MS may apply to the PhD program.
Admissions decisions are made by a committee of CS faculty, who carefully review each application to assess academic preparation for graduate study. Recommendations are then submitted to BYU Graduate Studies for final processing, which includes confirmation of the ecclesiastical endorsement. For more about the ecclesiastical endorsement, including who it applies to and how to obtain one, see the BYU Graduate Studies admissions page.
If Admitted
Carefully review the MS and PhD program requirements. Pay attention to deadlines related to the program of study, proposals, and defenses.
The department will assign a temporary faculty advisor to admitted students. Newly admitted students should talk to their faculty advisor as they make plans to begin the program.
Financial Aid
PhD:
- Most admitted PhD students are fully funded.
- All PhD students receive a stipend as either a Research or Teaching Assistant as long as they make satisfactory and timely progress toward graduation. Most PhD students also have their tuition fully funded through other sources, including grants obtained by their faculty advisor. In a few cases, PhD students who are self-funded or who do not need a stipend might choose to opt out of receiving a stipend.
MS:
- There are no Department scholarships available, but once accepted to the program there are many TA/RA positions available, and many MS students find funding this way.