M.S. admissions
Admission requirements
The following is a list of requirements that are considered as prerequisites for admission to the M.S. program:
- A candidate should demonstrate their research potential and interest within their application materials. Applicants interested in a Plan C (coursework only) should explain their long term career goals within industry.
- A candidate must have a 4 year or equivalent undergraduate degree from an accredited university
- A candidate must have a prior undergraduate or graduate degree in a major with a substantial background in computer science & engineering. Relevant courses can be found on our background page.
- A candidate must have a demonstrated ability to maintain a 3.25 GPA or greater. (There is no minimum GPA requirement to be eligible to apply. Admissions is based on a holistic review of all application materials provided.)
- Language scores should reflect a strong command of the English language and meet the university operational standard.
- If a student wishes to apply for a Teaching Assistantship position in the department they must have a score of 23 in speaking and 23 in the writing portions of the TOEFL or equivalent test.
- Incomplete applications will not be reviewed for admission.
Application instructions
All applicants must apply online using the Office of Graduate Admissions system.
Note on the GRE: We do not require or accept GRE scores as part of the application process. While you will see a section in the application to enter GRE test scores and upload an unofficial score sheet, please do notenter this information or send your official GRE test scores for our program. GRE test scores that are submitted as part of an application for our program will not be reviewed.
The following material should be included in the Graduate School application:
Personal statement/statement of purpose
Concisely discuss your computer science educational, research, or industrial background as they relate to your objectives. Include any unique experiences relevant to the research you have done. Discuss why you are applying to the University of Minnesota. Please include names of faculty members and research groups at the University of Minnesota whose research is of interest to you. Use this area to list any extenuating circumstances such as poor grades or test scores. (4000 character limit strongly recommended; does not include spaces, not strictly enforced)
Diversity Statement
This is only required of domestic applicants. A 4000-character limit (not including spaces) is recommended. International applicants do not need to complete this statement, but they are welcome to complete a statement.
The statement should cover how your background, experiences, and achievements will contribute to the University's and our Department’s goal of promoting excellence through diversity and inclusion. If applicable, you should mention hardships or obstacles you have overcome to complete your undergraduate education. Some University of Minnesota graduate student applicants will be considered for funding opportunities, like the DOVE Fellowship, based on their diversity statement.
Potential areas to address include:- Hardships you have faced and overcome;
- Family background;
- First-generation college student;
- Non-traditional attributes for computer science/data science;
- Your lived experience as influenced, informed, or affected by your diverse identities;
- Your commitment to working toward achieving equity and enhancing diversity within the field of computing, STEM, or within your community;
- Geographic diversity;
- Community involvement;
- Multilingual skills;
- International travel which changed your perspective;
- Special talents; and
- Anything unique you would contribute to the program.
You must indicate all the colleges and graduate schools you have attended. Unofficial transcripts must be uploaded directly to the admissions application per these instructions. Official transcripts are required for those students admitted to the program following these instructions. Do not fax or mail hard copies of your transcripts to the department.
- International students must send official TOEFL or IELTS scores. For more information on minimum test score requirements for admission consideration, visit the Graduate School’s information page. Please note that official scores will appear in your application AFTER you submit the application and pay the fee.
- Submitting your TOEFL Score:
- Official TOEFL scores must be sent electronically from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to the University of Minnesota Graduate School (not the department).
- The ETS institution code for the Twin Cities campus is 6874 (there is no departmental code; if you need to enter code, please use 99 for the department code).
- Submitting your IELTS Score:
- IELTS scores can be send electronically or by physical mail. Below is the exact information you should provide to your test centers when requesting scores to be sent to the University of Minnesota:
- Electronically:
- When prompted, please select the following:
Institution/Organization - University of Minnesota Graduate Admissions
Department/Person - All Campuses
- When prompted, please select the following:
- Physical mail:
- Account Name: University of Minnesota Twin Cities Graduate Admissions
- Address: 309 Johnston Hall
- Address: 101 Pleasant St SE
- City: Minneapolis
- State: MN
- Zip code: 55455
- Electronically:
- IELTS scores can be send electronically or by physical mail. Below is the exact information you should provide to your test centers when requesting scores to be sent to the University of Minnesota:
- Submitting your Duolingo Score:
- Refer to the Duolingo instructions for submitting your scores.
- Please note Duolingo scores are not eligible for teaching assistantships.
- Please allow 4-6 weeks for scores to be sent and matched to your application by the Graduate School. If you have already submitted an application, check your application status to find out if the Graduate School has received your official test scores. Inquiries should be sent to gsquest@umn.edu as our department does not process these scores.
- The department requires a speaking score of 23 or higher on the TOEFL or 7 or higher on the IELTS to qualify for teaching assistantships.
- Provide the name and e-mail address and other requested information for three recommenders through the university system.
- The CS&E department does not accept hard copies of recommendation letters, they must be submitted through the online system.
- Letters of recommendation should arrive by the posted application deadline.
This should include:
- Educational background and degrees
- Teaching or research experience
- A list of papers/publications (URLs included)
- Computer languages in which you are proficient
- Other information that will advance your application can be uploaded in PDF or text format, PDF is preferred
The following items are optional in the application, and there are no character limits:
- Diversity statement (for international applicants only—this is required for domestic applicants)
- Extenuating circumstances statement
- Writing sample
- Description of research - examples include publications, research papers, or research you are interested in conducting
Unfortunately, the CS&E department is unable to review your application material prior to submission or make document corrections once your application has been submitted.
Contact information
Graduate School Admissions
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
gsquest@umn.edu
Computer Science Graduate Admissions
4-192 Keller Hall
200 Union St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
csadmit@umn.edu