We are pleased that you are interested in applying to the Computer Science Graduate Program at UCLA.  The following information provides an overview of the requirements for admission to the department and an explanation of the application procedures.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS
An applicant for admission must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and must have the necessary academic preparation to complete graduate level courses in Computer Science and must be able to score competitively on the GRE test. We do not offer “conditional” admission for applicants who need remedial work at the undergraduate level. Such work should be completed before applying to our program.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE
We expect at least a 3.30 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) in the junior and senior years, and at least 3.50 in any graduate study. These averages are considered the minimum requirements; the actual standard for admission is set by the current pool of applicants, and is generally much higher.

APPLYING FOR GRADUATE ADMISSION

APPLICATION DEADLINE
The deadline to submit an application for admission is DECEMBER 15. Students are admitted once a year to start in the fall quarter.

UCLA APPLICATION FOR GRADUATE ADMISSION
All applicants must complete a UCLA application for graduate admission on-line.  For more information about applying for graduate admission to UCLA, visit the Graduate Division webpage.

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
In addition to the UCLA application, all applicants must also complete and submit the on-line departmental Supplemental Application.  A link to this form can be found within the main UCLA on-line application.

DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION MATERIALS
The following documents should be sent directly to the UCLA Computer Science Department:

(1) Letters of Recommendation
At least THREE (3) letters of recommendation should be submitted. We prefer recommenders submit electronic letters.  (See Page 3 of the Supplemental Application for instructions.) If electronic recommendations are submitted, applicants DO NOT need to submit paper recommendations as indicated under “Additional Requirements” on the UCLA Application for Graduate Admission.  The hard copy forms, if needed, can be obtained on-line through the UCLA Graduate Division webpage.

For M.S. applicants:  We recommend that you provide letters of reference from professors who have taught you in your junior and senior years.

For Ph.D. applicants: We urge that all your letters be from academic or professional references as recent as possible and from people who can comment on your recent professional accomplishments and your qualifications for graduate study in Computer Science.  If you have an M.S. degree, letters from professors who have served on your M.S. committee are particularly helpful.

(2) Academic Transcripts
All applicants are required to submit TWO (2) official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended. 

Official transcripts are defined as original documents issued by the institution that bear the actual signature of the Registrar -- not a photocopy -- and the seal of the issuing institution.  Do not, however, send the original of an academic record that cannot be replaced; obtain a properly certified copy instead.

International applicants should refer to the “Requirements for International Students” section of the Graduate Division webpage for information about submission of foreign academic records.

(3) Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
GRE scores on the General (Aptitude) test are required for admission to both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. All students applying for fall should take the GRE test no later than November. The test must be taken within the last five (5) years before the desired date of admission. Check the testing schedule and registration information on the GRE homepage. UCLA institution code: 4837. Computer Science department code: 0402.

(4) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
International applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.  Applicants are required to receive the minimum passing scores in the TOEFL or IELTS.  For more information about the minimum requirements go to the UCLA Graduate Division web page.  (Also see “English Requirements” below.)

CHECKING APPLICATION STATUS
Due to the volume of applications the Computer Science Department receives and processes, it may take several weeks after the December 15 deadline for our staff to update your application status on-line.

MAILING ADDRESS FOR DOCUMENTS

Please arrange to have all application documents, (transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores, financial statements, etc.), sent to the following address before the December 15 deadline:

Graduate Student Affairs Office
UCLA Computer Science Department
4403 Boelter Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1596

Phone: (310) 825-0060 or (310) 825-6830
Fax: (310) 206-8133

ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

International applicants whose first language is not English must submit scores received on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

The TOEFL must be taken within two (2) years before the desired date of admission. For more information on the TOEFL visit the Educational Testing Service (ETS) web page at www.toefl.org.  UCLA institution code: 4837.  Computer Science department code: 78.

The IELTS, like the TOEFL, must be taken within two (2) years before the desired date of admission.  For information about the IELTS visit their web page at www.ielts.org.

Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a university within the United States or in another country in which English is both the spoken language AND the medium of instruction, or who have completed at least two years of full-time study at such an institution, are exempted from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.  Please be sure to include such information in your application.

For more information of the requirements for international applicants, go to the international applicants section of the Graduate Division webpage.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Only a limited number of fellowships are available for first-year graduate students. These are awarded strictly on merit. The Department awards fellowships and Teaching Assistantships only once a year for studies beginning in the fall. All students are eligible to apply for Teaching Assistantships. Research Assistants are selected by individual faculty members who have externally-funded research contracts or grants.

Additional information about financial support may be found in the UCLA Graduate Division webpage.

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding graduate admissions to the Computer Science Department should be directed to the staff in our Graduate Student Affairs Office.