Education / Admissions / Doctorate / FAQ

	Frequently Asked Questions
Application Instructions Final Checklist FAQ	General Programs Biographical Information Test Scores Education Resume and Statement Recommenders Supplemental Information Application Fee Check Application

General

When is the application deadline for fall admission?
Applications and supporting documents for the Doctoral Programs in the School of Computer Science and for the Masters Programs in the Robotics Institute and the Language and Technologies Institute must be received by December 15. Letters of recommendation are due by January 3. All deadlines are final. Please submit all materials well in advance of the deadlines.

Are there additional financial aid forms to complete?
No.

I have my User ID and Password, but I can not access the online application. What is the problem?
If your browser accepts cookies and you are not behind a firewall, then you should be able to login successfully. Also, please make sure you are using the same website to login that you used to register. If you continue to have problems, send email to applyweb@cs.cmu.edu.

What if all of my supporting documents do not arrive by the deadlines?
They may not be considered in the review of your application. It is your responsibility to make certain that your application is complete and that the required materials reach us by the above stated deadlines. You may use your User ID and Password to check your submitted application to make certain that it is complete.

Can I make changes to my online application after it has been submitted?
You may return and make changes to your submitted application until the December 15 deadline. No changes will be allowed after this date.

Can I apply to a PhD program with only an undergraduate degree?
Yes. You do not need a master's degree to apply to a Ph.D. program.

Can I transfer into a PhD program from another College/University?
You may not simply transfer to a program. You must submit an application and be accepted into the program.

If I applied last year and was not admitted, can I reapply this year?
Yes. However, all application materials must be resubmitted. This includes the resume, statement of purpose, test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the application fee.

Is there spring admission?
No.

How long does it take to complete a Ph.D. program?
About 5-6 years.

Is it possible to work on a Ph.D. degree part time?
Most of our programs require that you be here full time. The Computation, Organizations and Society (COS) program in the ONLY program that my occasionally take students part time. You should contact the Director of the COS program for further information.

Is it possible to visit the campus and the School of Computer Science?
We ask that you wait until you have been admitted to a program before you visit. If admitted, you will be notified early in February and invited to attend our Open House in March. We then make all travel and hotel reservations, as well as schedule appointments with faculty members and graduate students. If you are going to be in the Pittsburgh area at any time, you are welcome to stop by the School of Computer Science. However, we will not be able to make any appointments for you at that time.

Should I contact faculty members directly?
You should feel free to contact professors with very specific questions about their research. However, we do request that you not ask to be accepted by a particular faculty member as a student, since under our admissions system individual faculty members do not make admissions decisions. Selection is by decision of the Admissions Committee, and students are not assigned an advisor until the beginning of the fall semester--after having an opportunity to attend project presentations by all faculty. You may obtain email addresses for anyone in the School of Computer Science (SCS) from http://people.cs.cmu.edu.

Will I be considered for financial support if I am admitted?
Yes. PhD students will receive financial support (tuition, fees, monthly stipend) from a variety of sources, including CMU research assistantships, outside fellowships, and government grants (e.g. NSF or other government institutions). Students are encouraged to apply for outside funding and fellowships; research assistantships are available for students without their own funding.

Programs

How many programs can I apply to within SCS?
With the common online application you may apply to two Ph.D. programs and also to the masters programs in either the Robotics Institute or the Language and Information Technologies Institute. Applications to any of the other masters programs must be submitted directly to the program.

Where do I look for more detailed information on each of the Ph.D. programs?
Please see Doctoral Programs web sites.

What Masters Degree programs are offered in SCS?
Please see Masters Programs web sites. Note that the Computer Science Department does not offer a masters degree, but there are a number of masters programs within the School of Computer Science. The masters in Robotics and Language and Information Technologies are the only two masters programs that you may apply to on the SCS graduate online application form. You must contact the individual programs directly for specific information, application instructions, and forms.

Is the PhD program in Computer Science a part of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering?
No. The Ph.D. program in Computer Science is in the Computer Science Department, not the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. They are two entirely separate programs with different application forms and procedures. If you wish to apply for a Ph.D. program in Computer Science, please use the SCS application form.

How do I apply to either the doctoral track in Algorithms, Combinatorics and Optimization (ACO) or in Pure and Applied Logic (PAL)?
If you apply through SCS, you must submit an application to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science. You should state in the first paragraph of your Statement of Purpose that you are interested in either ACO or PAL. If admitted, you will be allowed to choose that program during your first year.

Once I begin a Ph.D. program in SCS, is it possible to change to another program?
The School allows you to transfer from one program to another after your first year of enrollment, subject to the transfer policy adopted by each program.

If I am admitted to a program, can I defer admission?
This policy may vary from program to program. After you are admitted, please contact your program coordinator.

Biographical Information

How do I obtain an I-20 form?
Please refer to the Office of International Education page: http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/oie/index.cfm This page contains a wealth of information for foreign students accepted to CMU.

I do not currently have a visa, but will need to apply for one? What do I select under Residency Status?
Select the one that will most closely match your status when you arrive on campus.

What should I give as my current address?
Use the address where you will be available to receive mail through April. You may enter a permanent address if it differs from your current address. Do NOT enter a PO Box. The acceptance packets are sent by express mail (e.g. FedEx, UPS), and cannot be delivered to a PO Box address.

What do I do if my email address or current address changes before the end of the semester?
You may change your current address, email address and password in your submitted application until the December 15 deadline. If there is any change after this date, please send email to applyweb@cs.cmu.edu, and the coordinator will make the necessary updates.

Test Scores

What are the GRE and TOEFL institution and department codes?
GRE: Institution code, 2074; Department code, 0402
TOEFL: Institution code, 2074; Department code, 78

Should I send you a copy of my GRE and TOEFL score reports?
You must request an official copy of test scores from ETS. However, if you did not used the correct institution and department codes, we advise you to either mail or fax (412 268-5576) a copy of your GRE and TOEFL score reports. You may also upload unofficial copies of your test score reports in your online application.

My undergraduate degree is from a foreign institution. However, I have received a Masters degree from an institution in the US. Do I still need to submit a TOEFL score?
Yes, the TOEFL is still required. However, you may either mail or fax a copy of your previous score report, if it is more than two years old.

Is the GRE subject test required?
The GRE subject test is optional for those applicants to the PhD programs in Computer Science, Computational and Statistical Learning, Computation Organizations and Society, Robotics, and Neural Basis of Cognition. Recommendations for programs are as follows:

• The Language and Information Technologies program recommends that applicants submit a subject test.
• The Software Engineering program highly recommends, but does not require, a subject test.
• The Computation, Organizations and Society program allows students in the management area to substitute the
• GMAT scores for the GRE scores.

Please refer to the GRE testing schedule to determine test dates. No application will be considered complete until we have received these scores. GRE scores will not be accepted if more than five years old.

I plan to take the GRE subject test in either November or December. However, the score will not be reported until after your December 15 deadline. What should I do?
We suggest that you plan to take all required tests before December. Since the score report for December tests will not arrive until January and our Admissions Committees usually start their review process in early January, it may cause a delay in the review of your application.

What scores should I enter if I have taken the GRE test more than once?
Please enter the scores from your most recent test. All scores will appear on the official score report for the committee to review.

Do you accept the computer-based GRE test?
Yes. We accept any scores that we receive from ETS.

What if I have taken the GMAT?
Only the Computation, Organization and Society (COS) program will accept the GMAT. If you are applying to COS, please enter the date that you took the GMAT in the box provided for the GRE test date. Then mail a copy of your test score report to:

Martha Clarke, Admissions Coordinator
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3891 USA

Education

I am in a five year program and will be awarded a masters degree. Do I enter this in the Undergraduate or Graduate section of Colleges/Universities?
This information should be entered in both sections.

What format do I use to enter my GPA and College/University Point System?
Please enter your GPA exactly as given by your College/University, e.g. 3.5, 4.9, 9.6, etc. In the box to right indicate the Point System that your College/University uses, e.g. 4.0, 5.0, 10.0, etc.

How many transcripts should I send?
Please send ONE copy only of your official transcript from each college or university attended, whether or not you received a degree. If you submit a transcript from a foreign country, you must include an English translation. Do NOT send copies of awards and certificates with the transcript. You are also required to upload an unofficial copy of your transcript in the online application.

What if my fall semester grades are not on my transcript by the December 15 deadline?
We do not require that you send a copy of your fall semester grades. If you are admitted, you should send us a final transcript.

What happens if my transcripts or test scores arrive before my application?
Any supporting documents that arrive before you submit your application will be kept on file.

Where do I mail my transcripts?
Martha Clarke, Admissions Coordinator
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3891 USA

Resume and Statement

If I am applying to two programs, can I submit a different Statement of Purpose for each program?
Yes. However, if you are submitting different statements, please submit them as one file.

I have already uploaded my Resume/Statement of Purpose, but now I have made revisions and would like to submit the new version. What should I do?
You can simply upload the new Resume/Statement of Purpose, even if your application has been submitted. It will override the original one. However, you may not make any changes to your application after the December 15 deadline.

Recommenders

If I submit an online application, can my recommenders use the paper recommendation form?
No. Recommenders must submit their letters online. We no longer accept any paper recommendation forms.

What should I do if the deadline is approaching or has passed and one or more of my recommenders has not submitted their recommendation?
You may send a reminder email to a recommender (but no more than three times) from your submitted application. It is your responsibility to make certain that the letters are submitted by the deadline of January 3. Any letters not received by the deadline may not be considered.

What if I want to submit more than three letters of recommendation?
Three letters of recommendation are required; however, space is provided for you to submit up to five. At least two should be from faculty or recent employers. Recommenders should know you relatively well and be able to evaluate the quality of your previous work.

Who should I ask to write letters of recommendation for me?
The admissions committee wants to know about your ability to do independent research. You should select letter writers who can best speak to that point. Professors who interacted with you extensively in smaller classes are also a good choice. Employers are sometimes appropriate, but letters that are simply character references will not provide good support for your application.

Supplemental Information

I have a paper that has not been submitted for publication or was not accepted for publication, but I would still like for the committee to consider it in my application. Should I list it here?
Yes. However, published papers are viewed more favorably in the admissions process.

I have just received notice that a paper listed on my application has been accepted for publication. How can I add this information?
Send email to applyweb@cs.cmu.edu and request that the status be changed to accepted.

Application Fee

How much is the application fee?
The application fee is $75 for one program and $50 for each additional program.

What if I cannot afford to pay the application fee?
We expect all applicants to submit the application fee. However, if you are living in the US and feel that you are financially unable to pay, then you should obtain a letter from your Financial Aid Office explaining your inability to pay and their support of a waiver. Upon receipt of this letter, your fee will be waived. If you are a foreign applicant and unable to pay the fee, you must send a letter of explanation when you submit your application. This may be sent to applyweb@cs.cmu.edu; put Fee Waiver Request in the subject line. Your application will not be considered until we receive either the letter or the required fee.

Can I pay the application fee by credit card?
You may pay the fee by credit card or by check. Instructions will be given when you submit your online application. If you do not want to pay by credit card with the online application, you may pay by a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank and made payable to Carnegie Mellon University. Please include your User ID on the check or money order and mail to Martha Clarke, Admissions Coordinator at the address given above. DO NOT SEND CASH.

Check Application

How and when will I be notified if I am admitted?
If you are admitted, you will receive an email or phone call informing you that you were admitted. This will be followed by an express mail package with your formal acceptance letter and other important information on the program and open house. Our programs make their decisions at various times during the month of February. All applicants will receive notification of their status by March 1. We realize that waiting is very difficult; however, we request that you do not call our offices to inquire about the status of your application.

How do I track the status of my application?
Use the same User ID and Password to access the submitted online application form. Receipt of the required documents (score reports, transcripts, letters of recommendation, or fee) will be indicated in the corresponding section. Please allow two to three weeks past the deadline for documents to be recorded. We receive a large volume of mail, and it does take time to process each application. Our offices are closed during the Christmas and New Year holidays (Dec. 22 - Jan. 2) which may further delay processing.