CSE Graduate Programs
Frequently Asked Questions about Admissions
[Logistics
& General Questions] [Deadlines/Status/Notification/Deferrment/Re-Application]
[Finances] [Eligibility]
[GRE/TOEFL Tests] [Statement
of Purpose] [Letters of Recommendation]
[Transcripts]
[Internal
Transfers & Non-Degree Students]
Any questions about graduate admissions that are not answered on this page
should be submitted to grad-admissions@cse.tamu.edu.
Much information can also be found on the Texas
A&M Office of Admissions and Records (Admissions) web site.
An application for graduate study in the Department
of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University consists of an
application and supporting materials (transcripts, test scores, letters of
recommendation, CV/resume, relevant publications, etc.) The university and the
department each have their own on-line systems that cover different parts of
the application process. Electronic submission of all materials to the
department is required. A detailed step-by-step description of the
application process can be found in the department’s Graduate
Brochure.
- You must submit the basic application to Admissions. This is done via the ApplyTexas system. This system
permits you to apply to several Texas universities simultaneously. After
the application is received by Admissions, you will be given a UIN
(University Identification Number) that can be used to set your Texas A&M NetID and password.
Use your UIN in all correspondence with the department and university.
Processing your application and issuing your UIN may take several weeks,
particularly if you submit your application after mid-December, since the
university is closed during the last week or so of December through early
January. It is best to submit your application before December 1 for Fall
admissions.
- After you have completed the basic application and
obtained your NetID (see #1), Admissions will transmit your application
materials to the department. We will then create an entry for you in the
department's on-line application system, and email you. This may take a
week or more, particularly if you apply long before the application deadline.
- You will be able to use your NetID and password to log in
to the department's CSE@TAMU on-line application system http://apply2.cse.tamu.edu where
you can submit your statement of purpose, input information regarding
your recommenders (we will solicit their letter electronically), your
CV/resume, relevant publications (optional), and other documents. You can
also update your application information, such as your contact
information. Electronic submission of all materials to the department
is required.
- Official Transcripts (from all
institutions attended after high school) and test
scores (GRE, TOEFL) should be submitted from the institution or
testing service to Admissions as detailed on the Graduate
Admissions Information webpage. This official information will
eventually appear in the department’s on-line application system. Additionally,
applicants are encouraged to submit unofficial transcripts and test
scores (e.g., electronic or scanned versions) to the CSE@TAMU on-line
application system http://apply2.cse.tamu.edu
so that they are available for immediate review by the admissions
committee.
- Can I submit
a hardcopy application?
No. Electronic submission of all application
materials to the department is required. We are Computer Science and
Engineering and this is the 21st century.
Official Transcripts (from
all institutions attended after high school) and test
scores (GRE, TOEFL) should be submitted from the institution or testing
service to Admissions as detailed on the Graduate Admissions
Information webpage.
- I accidentally selected computer engineering instead of
computer science as my major. Could you please correct this?
No. In ApplyTexas you select “Computer
Engineering (Computer Science)” for Computer Engineering within CSE, and
“Computer Science” for Computer Science in the pulldown menu. Since
Computer Engineering comes earlier in the alphabet, many students select it
when they really want Computer Science. Do not worry about this. The choice of
major within the department will not affect your chances of admission, and if
you are admitted, you can easily change it later. Due to the frequency of this
error, we will not ask Admissions to correct this prior to admission.
- It seems that both the CSE and ECE departments at Texas
A&M offer degrees in Computer Engineering (CE). What is the difference
in the CE degrees offered by CSE and ECE? Which department should I apply
to?
The Computer Engineering (CE) program at Texas
A&M is jointly administered by the CSE and the ECE departments. There are
some slight differences in the degree requirements between the two departments.
You should select the department by studying faculty web sites and applying to
the department with faculty whose interests most closely match yours. You
cannot apply to both departments at the same time. Faculty in each department
co-advise students in the other department, so if you are admitted to one
department and find your closest research match in the other department, you
can still work with that faculty member.
- I am currently enrolled in a graduate program at
another U.S. university and I want to transfer to Texas A&M. What
should I do?
You apply for graduate studies at Texas A&M
using the standard procedure - there is no special process for transfers. The
university may grant transfer credit for some of the graduate courses you took
at the other university. Texas A&M adheres to the Council of Graduate
Schools Resolution
Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants. As part of
this agreement, we will require that you submit a letter from an official from
your current program stating that they have no objection to you moving to Texas
A&M.
- I received the following test scores (GRE XX/XX/XX,
TOEFL YY), my class rank is ZZ, etc. Can you please tell me my chances for
admission?
No. The department does not answer such queries. The
admissions committee considers the entire application when making a decision,
so it is not possible to evaluate your chances of admission based on a few
quantitative measures.
- How long does it take to obtain an M.S. or Ph.D.
degree?
The M.S. degree typically takes 2-3 years of full-time
study to complete. The Ph.D. degree typically takes 5-6 years after the B.S. or
3-5 years after the M.S. There is a large amount of variation from student to
student. International students must use the times specified by International Student Services
(e.g. 3 years for an M.S.) when computing required financial resources.
- What are the deadlines for application to the graduate
program and for applying for fellowships and assistantships?
January 1 is the deadline for applications to be
considered for Fall (August) admission, and fellowships and assistantships
awarded by the department. U.S. citizens and permanent residents should submit
all application materials by December 1, if they wish to also receive
consideration for university level diversity and merit fellowships. All
applicants are considered for financial aid, without a separate financial aid
application. The general Texas A&M University application deadline is March
1 for Fall (August), but this is too late to receive full consideration by the
admissions committee.
The university is closed in the last weeks of
December and early January, and no application processing is performed. So
applications submitted during this time will experience a delay of several
weeks between the time you submit an application in ApplyTexas and it is
received by the department, and you can submit your remaining documents and recommenders.
Therefore we recommend that you submit all your application materials by the
beginning of December. If you experience a delay, do not worry about this. If
you submit your application in ApplyTexas by January 1, it will receive full
consideration for departmental financial aid, even if you cannot submit all
your materials until after that date.
While most students are admitted in the Fall, the
department does consider applicants for Spring admission. Applications for
Spring (January) admission should be received by August 1. Applicants for
Spring admission should understand that there will be few, if any,
opportunities for fellowships and assistantships, since most are awarded in the
Fall.
- When will decisions on applications be made? How will
applicants be notified of the decision on their application?
Decisions on most Ph.D. students are typically made
by the end of February for Fall admission, and decisions on most M.S. students
by mid-March. Applicants are notified by email and their status in the CSE@TAMU
on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu
as soon as a decision is made regarding their application. The department
notification is unofficial. You will receive official notification from
Admissions at a later date. Do not call or email asking the status of your
application. If you have not been admitted or declined, your application is
still being considered.
- How can I find out about the status of my application?
The status of your application with our department can
be checked using the CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu. You can also check
the status of supporting materials such as test scores and transcripts on-line
with Admissions. Due to delays in processing, the status of materials may be
different in each system. Do not worry about this. If Admissions says your
materials are received, the department will receive them.
- The on-line status report is showing my application is
still incomplete even though I have submitted all the required application
materials. Could you please check on this?
No. It often takes several weeks for documents
submitted separately to be integrated into the application. Thus, it is usual
for your application to continue be listed as incomplete even after all the
materials have been received by Admissions or in our department. This is one
reason it is important to submit as many materials as possible using the
CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu
- materials submitted there will be integrated with your application
immediately. If a long time (4 weeks or more) has elapsed between the time
transcripts or test scores were submitted to Admissions and they have not
appeared online, then contact us.
- The on-line status report in apply2.cse.tamu.edu is
showing my application is still incomplete even though the Admissions
Applicant Information System (AIS) is showing that Admissions has received
the materials. Could you please check on this?
No. If Admissions has received the materials, they
will eventually be forwarded to the department and combined with the rest of
your application. This is one reason it is important to submit as many
materials as possible using the CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu - materials submitted
there will be integrated with your application immediately.
- The courier/postal service reports that my
transcripts/test scores were received by Admissions several weeks ago, but
the on-line status report is showing that they have not received the
materials. Could you please check on this?
No. It can take several weeks for Admissions to
enter documents into the application system. They are processed on a
first-come, first-served basis. We see the same status information that you do,
so check again in another week or two. We will get your documents as soon as
Admissions processes them. There can be an additional delay of several weeks
near the last few weeks of December and early January, when the university is
closed and no application processing is performed.
- I have been admitted to your graduate program. I would
like to defer my admission and start your program in a later semester.
What is your policy on deferring admission?
In general, we do not allow students to defer their
admission. This is because admissions decisions are based on the projected
needs of the department for a particular semester, and those needs vary from
semester to semester.
Thus, students who do not enroll for the semester
for which they were admitted will have their admission to the university
cancelled and they will need to reapply for the semester which they do want to
begin their graduate studies. Exceptions to this policy may be considered by
the admissions committee on a case by case basis. To request such
consideration, please send your petition describing your need for a deferral to
grad-admissions@cse.tamu.edu.
- I applied for a previous semester, but I did not enroll
because I was denied admission or because I was not able to begin my
studies for the semester I was admitted. Do I have to re-apply if I want
to be considered for admission? What materials do I need to submit?
You will need to submit a new application, a new
application fee, a new statement of purpose, and an updated
CV/resume. You may also submit new letters of reference
if you feel new letters would provide a more accurate evaluation of your
potential for graduate studies.
You do not have to send test scores (GRE, TOEFL) again, unless you have retaken the test and want
to submit the new scores, or if your scores have expired. Similarly, you do not
need to submit transcripts unless you have taken
courses or received any degrees since your last application.
If you were previously denied admission, then you
should not expect a different decision this time unless your application is
significantly stronger. For example, if you have had some relevant research
experience, you published a paper, or you significantly improved your test
scores. In this case, you should ensure that you submit materials that reflect
the change in your situation.
- Do I need to complete a financial information form and
submit it with my application for graduate studies?
No. The department does not use this information
for graduate admissions. After you have been admitted, this information may be
requested by other offices, such as ISS (International Student Services) or
Student Business Services.
- Do I need to complete another application to be
considered for teaching assistantships or fellowships/scholarships?
No. All applicants are automatically considered for
financial aid if they check the box in their apply2.cse.tamu.edu application form
indicating they wish to be considered. Students who were not offered funding
with admission can apply with current graduate students once they have accepted
our offer of admission. Those decisions are made during late Summer for the
Fall semester.
- Can you waive the application fee for me?
No. The fee is required by Admissions. We cannot
pay the fee for you either.
- What are my chances of obtaining an assistantship or
fellowship?
There are a number of fellowships, scholarships,
and assistantships available within the department. All applicants that check
the appropriate box(es) on the application form will be considered for all such
opportunities. Ph.D. students receive the highest priority. Next priority is
given to M.S. (thesis) masters students. Non-thesis masters students are rarely
offered any type of support. Most faculty members award their research
assistantships similarly. The decisions is made in conjunction with admission,
so it is not possible to evaluate your case in advance.
Teaching assistantships are awarded by the
department. International students who are not native English speakers must
pass the Texas A&M English Language Institute English Language Proficiency
Exam (ELPE) administered by the English Language
Institute on campus at Texas A&M to qualify as teaching assistants. All
students holding department assistantships are required to pass the ELPE or
otherwise be certified in English by the end of their first academic year.
Research assistantships are offered by individual
faculty members. Inquiries about these opportunities may be initiated by
individual faculty members or by students.
Additional positions are available in other university
departments where students can work in information technology support
positions. Arrangements with other departments are made by the student. This is
normally done after the student arrives on campus, typically in the 2-3 weeks
before classes start for the semester. These jobs are posted on the Jobs For Aggies site, which is
accessible to enrolled students.
Assistantship positions require an average of 20
hours of work per week. All students with assistantships have their full-time
resident tuition paid. (Having an assistantship qualifies a student for
in-state tuition rates, unless they have spent more than 21 semesters at Texas
A&M as a full-time Ph.D. student or completed more than 99 hours of Ph.D.
level coursework as a part-time Ph.D. student). Assistantships within CSE also
cover required fees, which can be very substantial. Assistantships elsewhere on
campus may or may not cover fees. Students with assistantships are eligible for
University health insurance coverage and a portion of their monthly premium is
paid by the employer; information on premiums and coverage is available at the Office of Graduate Studies and from the insurance vendor.
- What are the minimum GRE scores necessary to be
admitted? What about grade point average or class rank?
There are no specified minimums. These quantitative
measures are just one part of the application. The admissions committee
considers all aspects of every application before making any decisions - this
includes your previous academic performance, test scores, letters of recommendation,
previous research experience, etc. Thus, it is not possible to evaluate your
chances of admission based on a few quantitative measures such as your test
scores or grade point average. For international students, low English scores
on the GRE verbal or TOEFL exams (e.g. less than 100 on the iBT) greatly reduce
the chances for admission.
- I received a three year bachelor’s degree. Am I
eligible for admission to the graduate program?
Texas A&M accepts European degrees following
the Bologna Process, which typically takes three years for a bachelor’s
degree. For other educational systems, the admissions committee evaluates the
applicant on a case-by-case basis. If your bachelor’s degree is
equivalent to our undergraduate Computer Science or Computer Engineering
degrees, then the admissions committee will consider it as such.
- Do I need to take the GRE? What about the GRE subject
test? How long are the scores valid? How should the scores be submitted?
All applicants are required to take the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE) general exam. Applicants whose undergraduate
background is not related to computer science or computer engineering should
also take the GRE Computer Science subject test.
GRE scores should be from a test date within 5 years
of the date that the test scores reach Admissions. For example, if you are
applying for admission for Fall 2010, you would normally submit your
application and test scores by January 1, 2010, so the test must be from 2005
or later.
GRE test scores must be sent directly from the
Educational Testing Service (ETS) to Texas A&M University (Code 6003). You
do NOT need to specify a department code, only the university code 6003.
The department code is not used by Texas A&M. There is no need for you to be
concerned if you did or did not specify a department code, or if you specified
the code for the wrong department. Official test scores are required for admission.
They are only considered official if sent directly from ETS to Admissions. You
are encouraged to upload unofficial scores to the CSE@TAMU on-line application
system apply2.cse.tamu.edu, and the
admission committee will use them in preliminary evaluations.
- Do I need to take the Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL)? How long are the scores valid? How should the scores be
submitted?
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
is required for applicants whose native language is not English (as determined
by Admissions), with the exception of those applicants completing all four
years of a bachelor’s degree at an accredited U.S. university. Completing
only a master’s degree in the U.S. is not sufficient to waive the
TOEFL.
TOEFL scores should be from a test date within two
years of the date that the scores reach Admissions. So for documents arriving
on January 1, 2010 for Fall 2010 admissions, the TOEFL exam date must be in
2008 or 2009.
TOEFL test scores should be sent directly from the
Educational Testing Service (ETS) to Texas A&M University (Code 6003). You
do NOT need to specify a department code, only the university code 6003.
The department code is not used by Texas A&M. There is no need for you to be
concerned if you did or did not specify a department code, or if you specified
the code for the wrong department. Official test scores are required for
admission. They are only considered official if sent directly from ETS to
Admissions. You are encouraged to upload unofficial scores to the CSE@TAMU
on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu,
and the admissions committee will use them in preliminary evaluations.
You may submit IELTS exam scores in place of the
TOEFL exam.
- I took the GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT. Can I submit those
scores instead of GRE test scores?
No. The GRE is required.
- It will be some time before you will receive my
official scores from ETS. Is there a way for me to submit unofficial
scores that you can use in the meantime so that the processing of my
application is not delayed?
Yes. You can submit a PDF file of your test scores
to the CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu.
Please be aware, however, that you must also request that ETS send the official
scores because we cannot process your admission or offer you any assistantship
or scholarship without your official scores.
- I don't know my test scores yet. Can I submit the application
and letters of recommendation without entering my test scores?
Yes. If you do not know your GRE/TOEFL scores yet
(either because you didn't take the exam yet, or the scores are not yet known),
then please go ahead and submit the application - simply leave the test scores
blank. You can submit your test scores when they are available.
- What scores on the GRE and TOEFL do I need to be
admitted? I obtained scores of XX/XX/XX on the GRE and YY on the TOEFL -
can you please tell me my prospects for admission?
No. The department does not answer such queries. The
admissions committee considers all parts of every application before making any
decisions. Hence, it is not possible for tell you your chances for admission
based on your test scores. However, low English scores (e.g. iBT below 100)
make admission unlikely.
- Do you have any guidelines for writing the statement of
purpose? Are there any specific details that should be included? Any that
should not?
The admissions committee would like to see a
discussion of the following issues:
- Why do you want to pursue graduate studies in CSE?
- Why are you interested in Texas A&M?
- (Most important) What are your research interests and why
do they interest you? What is your background for working in this area?
Describe your research plans (if any).
You should not recall your earliest
remembrances of exposure to a computer or some other life story about why you
are interested in Computer Science or Computer Engineering. Talk about research
interests.
- How should I submit my statement of purpose?
You should submit your statement of purpose using
the CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu.
The statement must be in one of the following formats: PDF, PS (postscript), or
ASCII (plain text). No DOC (MS Word) files will be accepted.
- I submitted my statement of purpose in ApplyTexas.
Should I submit it again to the department?
Yes. We often do not see the essay in ApplyTexas.
You should submit your statement of purpose using the CSE@TAMU on-line
application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu.
The statement must be in one of the following formats: PDF, PS (postscript), or
ASCII (plain text). No DOC (MS Word) files will be accepted.
- Do my letters of recommendation have to come from my
professors? Can I ask my employer for a letter?
The preferred source of letters of recommendation
is the faculty who advised you in research projects and who taught your most
advanced computing courses. We are most interested in assessments of your
research potential and scholarly aptitude, and your rank and performance in the
courses they taught you.
If you cannot obtain enough letters from your
current or previous professors, then you may also include letters from
employers. However, you should understand that in most cases such a letter will
not be given the same weight as letters from your professors.
- How should my letters of recommendation be submitted?
After you enter the names and email addresses of
your recommenders into the CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu, your letter writers
will receive an email with a special encrypted URL that they should use to
submit their recommendation. They will be asked to answer a few brief questions
and will have an opportunity to upload a letter of recommendation in PDF, PS (postscript),
or ASCII (plain text) format.
- My letter writers prefer to email their letter of
recommendation. Can they do that?
No. The letter writers must upload their letters
directly into the CSE@TAMU on-line application system using the special URL they
were sent.
- My letter writers want to give me a paper letter of
reference and ask me to send it to you. Is this ok?
No. The letter writers must upload their letters
directly into the CSE@TAMU on-line application system using the special URL
they were sent.
- I already asked my letter writers to submit letters via
the Admissions Letter of Recommendation (LOR) system. Should I also enter
them into apply2.cse.tamu.edu?
No. We will get the LOR letters. It just takes
longer, and they are in a less useful format. But do not solicit your letter
writers twice. Note that if you have letters from LOR, then the apply2.cse.tamu.edu status may say some
letters are missing.
- One of my letter writers has not received the email
with the letter request. Could you please send it again?
You can send this request yourself from apply2.cse.tamu.edu. Our experience is
that many emails to some countries are lost or filtered. Please make sure you
are using the correct email address for your letter writer and they are not
filtering the emails.
- Do I need to provide transcripts from my previous
institutions?
Yes. You need to provide official
transcripts from each post-secondary (above high school) institution that you
have attended. The exact requirements for transcripts can be found on the Admission's
webpage Graduate
Admissions Information.
- How and where should I submit my transcript(s)?
Transcripts should be sent directly to Admissions
from the institution issuing the transcript or via an appropriately sealed
envelope. Instructions can be found on the Admission's webpage Graduate Admissions
Information.
Additionally, applicants are encouraged to upload
unofficial transcripts (e.g., electronic or scanned versions) to the CSE@TAMU
on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu
so that they are available for immediate review by the admissions committee.
- I am currently a graduate student in another department
at Texas A&M. What do I need to do to apply to transfer to the
Department of Computer Science and Engineering?
Current students in another department who wish to
transfer to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering should follow
the procedures for degree "upgrades" outlined in Procedures for Changing
Degree Programs .
- What is post baccalaureate non-degree classification?
How do I apply for it?
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering
very rarely admits non-degree (G6) graduate students. Generally, this status is
used to enable students to take a few courses before applying for a graduate
degree program in the department.
Applications for non-degree status will be reviewed
by the graduate admissions committee with the other applications. In addition
to the ApplyTexas application form, students applying for non-degree status are
required to provide the following materials: a statement of purpose, a current
CV/resume, and 3 letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate
the student's potential to succeed in graduate school. These materials should
be submitted to the department's CSE@TAMU on-line application system apply2.cse.tamu.edu.
Non-degree students are reviewed by the department
for continuation at the end of each semester, and they must maintain a GPR of
at least 3.000 on all course work attempted to remain eligible to register.
- Can I use courses taken as a non-degree (G6) student at
Texas A&M towards a graduate degree?
Maybe. If at a later date, a post baccalaureate
non-degree student is admitted to a graduate degree program, with the approval
of the student's graduate advisory committee and the graduate advisor, a
maximum of 12 credit hours taken in post baccalaureate non-degree status at
Texas A&M may be used on a student's degree plan. This evaluation is made
on a case-by-case basis and the courses must meet the degree plan requirements
for the degree.
