MCS Degree FAQs
How do I enroll?
Registration for CS courses is now available. Please visit our
Registration page for details.
What are the MCS degree application deadlines?
Summer or Fall admission: December 15
Spring admission: September 1
What are the requirements for admission to the degree program?
Applicants to the graduate programs must have been awarded (or about to be awarded) a 4-year bachelors degree equivalent to that granted by the University of Illinois (GPA 3.0/4.0 minimum). The median grade point average (GPA) is 3.6/4.0 for those recommended for admission. Applicants to the online program must have sufficient background in computer programming, algorithms and data structures, computer organization, and theory of computation.
Can you tell me if my undergraduate degree will allow me to be admitted to the degree program?
Degree admission is a committee decision that does not depend entirely on the undergraduate institution nor the undergraduate GPA. Our advice is to give careful thought to your statement of purpose and make sure to have at least one other person review the statement for clarity prior to submission. If you have taken the GRE and are in the 90th percentile, feel free to submit the scores even though these scores are not required. If your undergraduate degree is not in computer science, make sure that you identify, in your statement of purpose, how you have met the following prerequisites for the program (e.g., college courses, work experience, self-study, etc.): applicants to the online program must have sufficient background in computer programming, algorithms and data structures, computer organization, and theory of computation.
What materials must I submit to be considered for the degree program?
Official transcripts must be mailed directly from your undergraduate institution. All other application materials, even reference letters, can be submitted online. If your referrers prefer to submit hard copy letters, they may submit them directly to the CS department:
Director of Graduate Admissions
Department of Computer Science
1210 Siebel Center
201 N. Goodwin
Urbana, IL 61801
Please visit our MCS Degree page for details.
How much is the MCS degree application fee?
Beginning with Fall 2008 applications, the fee is $60 for US citizens and permanent residents and $75 for all other applicants.
Do I need to submit GRE scores? How about the TOEFL?
The GRE is not required. In some cases, GRE scores may provide helpful supporting information; therefore, it is recommended that the scores are reported if you have taken the exam.
Applicants whose native language is not English are required to have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A graduate applicant is exempt from this testing if, within five years of the proposed term of enrollment, he or she has completed at least two academic years of full-time study as defined by the home institution, or completed a graduate degree, in a country where English is the primary language and in a school where English is the primary language of instruction. For admission purposes, TOEFL scores are valid for only two years prior to the proposed term of entry.
How many credit hours are required for completion of the MCS degree?
The MCS degree requires the completion of at least 36 credit hours.
How long do I have to complete the degree?
You have five years to complete all the requirements for the degree.
What are the requirements for the degree?
Of the 36 credit hours required for the degree, 24 must be in UIUC CS courses. The remaining 12 credit hours can be comprised of credit from another institution and/or non-CS UIUC courses (e.g., UIUC BME courses, UIUC MATH courses, etc.).
Please visit our MCS Degree page for details.
Can I transfer credit from another University into the MCS degree?
A total of 12 credit hours from another institution can be petitioned to transfer into the MCS degree. The petition must mention the UIUC course that is believed to be the equivalent of the course that is being transferred. The course(s) must have been taken within the past five years at an accredited institution, must be graduate-level at that institution, may not already have been applied to another degree, and you must have earned at least a B in the course. Keep in mind that if you have taken UIUC courses prior to admission, these UIUC credit hours count toward the 12 credit hour transfer limit.
Please visit our Transfer Credit page for details.
Where do I submit my petition to transfer credit?
All petitions should be submitted to the Computer Science department:
Computer Science Department Academic Office
1210 Siebel Center
201 N. Goodwin
Urbana, IL 61801