Online Academics
Online Admissions
MCS Degree Admissions
- General University and Department Applicant Requirements
- Deadlines
- Procedures
- Checklist
- Decisions
- Request for More Information
Certificate Admissions
General University and Department Applicant Requirements
- Applicants to the graduate programs must have been awarded (or about to be awarded) a 4-year bachelors degree equivalent to that granted by the University of Illinois.
- Applicants applying to the online (I2CS) MCS program must have a 3.2 or higher GPA in their undergraduate studies (international GPAs are systematically converted) to be considered. If an applicant also holds a graduate degree, the GPA for that degree must also be at least a 3.0 or higher.
Note: the average GPA of those applicants recommended for admission by the Department of Computer Science is much higher (3.7/4.0) than the minimum requirements. - Applicants who hold masters degrees in computer science or computer engineering whose degree requirements are equivalent the M.S. or M.C.S. degree in CS at UIUC should not apply for a second master degree. The Graduate College of the University of Illinois will not award degrees which are duplicate in content, if not name, to one already awarded. These applicants may, of course, apply to the doctoral program.
- Applicants whose undergraduate degree is a three-year program are not eligible for graduate level admission consideration at the University of Illinois. As stated previously, the degree must be equivalent to the four-year bachelor degrees awarded by this university. If the applicant has a 3 year undergraduate degree and a graduate master degree, the combination may fulfill the equivalency requirement of the bachelor degree only.
- Applicants who do not hold a bachelor in computer science must have sufficient background in computer programming, algorithms and data structures, computer organization, and theory of computation (Comparable to CS 125, CS 225, CS 231/232, and CS 173/373 at UIUC). Please note that we do not offer undergraduate courses online.
MCS Application Deadlines
- Summer Session or Fall Semester: January 15th
- Spring Semester: October 15th
Note: We strongly recommend that you and your recommenders do not wait until the deadline day to submit your application or letters of recommendation, as server traffic may cause technical difficulties. It is highly recommended to submit all materials one month prior to the deadline.
MCS Admission Procedures
To apply, use the university's on-line application system.
All parts of the application, including the application fee, must be received by the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted. In addition, incomplete applications will be subject to denial.
Please note that all admissions decisions will be communicated via email to the email address provided in your application. If your email address changes between the time you submit your application, email your updated email address to krunck@illinois.edu. Include your old email address, your new email address, your first and last name, and your Apply Yourself PIN number in the email message.
Note: Please do not send additional materials (e.g. publications, photographs, videos, CDs, or portfolios). These items are not reviewed during the admissions process.
Fees
- The university's application fee is $60 for US citizens and permanent residents and $75 for all other applicants, payable to the University of Illinois.
- The fee must accompany the application by credit card payment with a web application. If you cannot pay by credit card, contact the Office of Continuing Engineering Education at ocee@illinois.edu.
Note: Please do not send the application fee to the department. This will delay the payment process. If processed past the application deadline, this will cause the review of your application to be postponed until the next admission period. - Application fees are non-refundable.
Transcripts
Applicants must send official transcripts for all completed university course work and certification of degree for all completed degree programs directly to the department and they must be received by the application deadline. Official transcripts may be sent by the applicant and be considered as official if received in a sealed/signed envelope and does not say "issued to student".
Note: For International mail, we suggest you send through a delivery service that can track your shipment.
Department of Computer Science
Grad Academic Office
University of Illinois
201 N. Goodwin, 1210 Siebel Center
Urbana, IL 61801
UNITED STATES
FAX: 217 244-6073
Letters of Recommendation
- Applicants are required to have three letters of recommendation submitted.
- It is recommended that letters of recommendation be from either faculty, advisors, supervisors, or colleagues. If you have been away from academics for a significant amount of time, it is o.k. to submit references letters from industry (e.g. immediate supervisors, colleagues, etc.).
- The letters should address your academic abilities, your potential to be successful at graduate level academic performance, and your overall career goals.
- Individuals writing letters of recommendation on your behalf submit their letters through our online application system. Any recommendations that do not follow this process may impact timely application processing.
- Please make sure recommenders complete the section on the "Recommender’s Form" that states "To what extent do you recommend this applicant for admissions as a graduate student in their proposed field of study".
Statement of Purpose
- The statement of purpose is part of the online application form.
- This statement should include your goals and background as it relates to the field of computer science. It is good to include any past work history, your interests, and reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in computer science.
- Your statement will be evaluated for your conciseness, interests in pursuing a master’s in computer science, leadership skills, and eloquence.
- Generally the statement of purpose is between one to two pages.
CV/Resume
- Your CV/resume is part of the online application form.
- Your CV/resume should address your education, job and research experience, remarkable achievements, publications, organizations, awards, and leadership experiences.
- This information helps the admissions committee understand your background.
General Record Examination (GRE) - General and Subject Scores
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general aptitude tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical) and subject test scores are recommended, but no longer required. In some cases, the scores may provide helpful supporting information.
- A photocopy of the scores may be sent directly to the department if the applicant wishes to have them considered.
TOEFL and IELTS Exams Requirements
This section is for all students whose native language is not English, which includes permanent residence of the United States (green card). You may check to see if you are exempt from this requirement based on your country of citizenship. Please be sure to carefully read the admissions requirements and the financial aid requirements.
- Applicants whose native language is not English must meet English Proficiency Requirements for admissions for University of Illinois.
- A graduate applicant is exempt from the TOEFL testing if, within five years of the proposed term of enrollment, he or she has completed at least two academic years of full-time study as defined by the home institution, or completed a graduate degree in a country where English is the primary language and in a school where English is the primary language of instruction. For financial aid requirement, see below.
MCS Application Checklist
- Application submitted.
- Application fee paid.
- Official copies of transcripts of all university course work and certification of degree of all completed degree programs mailed to the address below.
- Three letters of recommendation submitted.
- Statement of Purpose submitted.
- CV/Resume submitted
- Score from the TOEFL (iBT, CB, or PB) or IELTS if required (see above). Note: copies are acceptable pending official scores.
Most information is submitted through the university's on-line application system. If necessary, some items may be mailed to:
- Director of Graduate Admissions
- Department of Computer Science
- University of Illinois
- 1210 Siebel Center, 201 N. Goodwin
- Urbana, IL 61801
- UNITED STATES
If you have any questions with the application process and submitting your materials, please contact Mary Beth Kelley at mkelley@illinois.edu. To check your application status, go to my.cs.illinois.edu/gradstat. Please allow at least 48 hours from the time the Academic Office receives your materials to be processed and updated in the system. After the admissions deadline, please allow two to three weeks for materials to be processed and updated in the system due to the large volume of mail received. Please note that our offices are closed during the Christmas and New Year holidays (December 24-January 2), which may cause further delays.
MCS Admission Decisions
Admissions decisions are coordinated by the Fellowship, Assistantship, and Admissions (FAA) committee, comprised of faculty and senior graduate students.
- Applications are carefully evaluated by members of the admissions committee, department faculty, and may additionally be reviewed by faculty affiliated with the Department of Computer Science.
- Please note that applications lacking required credentials will not be forwarded to the FAA committee for review until they are complete.
- Applicants can view their application status at my.cs.illinois.edu/gradstat to ensure all application materials have been submitted. Please allow at least 48 hours for application materials to be entered into the system.
- All admission decisions will be communicated via email to the email address provided in your application. Additional certification or documentation may be sent to applicants who are recommended for admission by the department and admission has been finalized by the Office of Admissions.
- Applicants who are recommended for admissions may need to submit an official final transcript (which shows completion of all course and degree awarded) upon final review by the Office of Admissions and Records.
- Please do not call or email the department or the Office of Admissions and Records. No information concerning an applicant's file or admissions decision can be given to telephone or email inquiries.
Admission decisions are generally announced around November 15th for spring admissions and April 15th for fall admissions.
Online Certificate Admissions Requirements
Students who wish to apply as a online certificate student, must meet the following requirements:
- Graduated from an accredited institution with a minimum of a technical bachelor's degree with sufficient computer science background.
- The cumulative grade point average (GPA) for the last 60 semester-hours or last two years of undergraduate study must correspond to a "B" (3.0 on a scale of A=4) or higher. If student has advanced degrees, the cumulative GPA for each degree must also be at least a 3.0 or higher.
Online Certificate Application Deadlines
Fall Semester: June 30
Spring Semester: October 30
Summer Semester: March 30
Online Certificate Application Procedure
- Print and complete the certificate admission form
- Send a "Statement of Purpose" (no more than a page) as to why you want to complete the certificate program.
- Send your most recent CV/Resume.
- Send official transcripts from your undergraduate degree and any other degree listed under the "Degree Information" on the application.
Department of Computer Science
Grad Academic Office
University of Illinois
201 N. Goodwin, 1210 Siebel Center
Urbana, IL 61801
UNITED STATES
FAX: 217 244-6073
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fee rates can be found at Engineering and Computer Science Online.
Online Certificate Enrollment
Applicants who are admitted to the program must complete the Academic Outreach enrollment form at Engineering Online Program page or contact the Office of Continuing Engineering Education.
Additional information including technical support is available at http://i2cs.cs.illinois.edu.
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