Doctoral Admissions Students applying to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science or interdisciplinary degrees the Computer Science Department co-manages must apply online. Apply to the Ph.D. in CS & Interdisciplinary DegreesThe Ph.D. in CS program uses the School of Computer Science Online Application system. You must apply through this application portal. The Computer Science Department does not require an applicant have a master's degree to apply to for admission to the Ph.D. program.To apply to an Interdisciplinary degree program you need to apply via the online application for the Ph.D. in CS and select the interdisciplinary program (ACO, CNBC, PAL) in the appropriate section of the online application.Students are admitted for the fall semester. The doctoral program does not admit students in the spring semester.Required application information for all programs and all supporting documents — including letters of recommendation and official test scores — must be received by the final deadline.You may continue to edit your application until the final deadline. Deadlines and Fees The SCS Graduate Programs Application opens September 3, 2025.Early Application Deadline*: November 19, 2025 (3 PM ET) — Application fee is $80 per program by early deadline.Final Application Deadline: December 10, 2025 (3 PM ET) — Application fee is $100 per program after the early deadline.Information about possible fee waivers will be displayed when you select a program during the online application process. *The early application deadline is not for early decision. It is a cost savings option only. All applicants who are admitted are notified after the admissions review cycle is completed, usually in February or March. Required Documents & Support Materials - All Programs Transcripts A PDF of your most recent transcript from each college and/or university you attended, even if no degree was granted must be provided.Unofficial transcripts are accepted for the application process.Official transcripts are required if you are admitted to the program.Official undergraduate transcripts are required for matriculation into the program.Note: A master's degree is not required to apply for the PhD in Computer Science. Resumé/Curriculum Vitae (CV) Please upload your most recent resumé or curriculum vitae in PDF format. Statement of Purpose You must Include a concise one- or two-page essay describing your primary research interests, related experiences and objective in pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science. Letters of Recommendation We request 3 letters, at least two of which are from faculty or recent employers. Letters are due by the final application deadline date. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) (optional) GRE scores are optional. An application without GRE scores is not at a disadvantage; however, applicants who have taken the GRE are encouraged to submit their scores. The GRE at Home Test is not accepted.Official scores must be submitted by the final application deadline to be considered as part of the review. International Students - Language Test Scores If you will be studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa, and English is not a native language for you (native language is defined as spoken at home from birth and your country’s official language is English), we are required to formally evaluate your English proficiency via one of these standardized tests: TOEFL (preferred)IELTSDuolingoWe do not accept the "TOEFL ITP Plus for China,” since speaking is not scored. Applicants currently in mainland China are encouraged to take the IELTS test. The Computer Science Department follows the Language Proficiency Policy set by the School of Computer Science and does not issue waivers for non-native English speakers.Official scores must be submitted by the final application deadline for your application to be considered for review. Financial Information:The Computer Science Department offers all Ph.D. students comprehensive financial support (stipend, tuition, university student fees, university student health insurance; please see below) while they are in good academic standing in their respective programs. Basic funding for doctoral students is the same for domestic and international students admitted to the program.Graduate Tuition:https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/tuition/graduate/scs.htmlStudent Fees:https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/tuition/fees/index.htmlCarnegie Mellon Student Health Insurance:https://www.cmu.edu/hub/new-grad/ship-faq.htmlCarnegie Mellon Graduate Student Financial Aid:https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/financial-aid/graduate/index.html Contacts and Additional InformationFor more on the application process, please refer to the School of Computer Science Online Application.For general questions about applying to doctoral programs in the School of Computer Science: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/about-scs/contact select "Graduate Programs and Admissions". For questions specific to the Ph.D. in Computer Science email: csd-phd-admissions@cs.cmu.edu. This email does not respond for technical issues, general application questions, or questions about other programs in the School of Computer Science. Prospective Students Bachelor's Admissions Master's Admissions Doctoral Admissions Doctoral Programs Core CSD Doctoral Advisors Admitted Doctoral Student Open House We encourage you to explore all the doctoral degree programs offered in the School of Computer Science to see if a specific program might be the best fit for the research you want to pursue. Information about doctoral programs in each of the seven departments is available on the School of Computer Science Doctoral Programs overview page. Please note that the Computer Science Department (CSD) is one of 7 departments in the School of Computer Science (SCS). Before applying we encourage you to become familiar with research in other SCS departments to be certain you are applying to the correct department to pursue your research and align with an appropriate advisor. PhD Programs in the other six departments:Ray and Stephanie Lane Computational Biology Department PhD ProgramHuman-Computer Interaction Institute PhD ProgramLanguage Technologies Institute PhD ProgramMachine Learning Department PhD ProgramRobotics Institute PhD ProgramSoftware and Societal Systems Department:Software Engineering PhD ProgramSocietal Computing PhD Program
