Graduate Program Application Procedure
Important notes for applicants
Applying
Prerequisites
Transcripts or academic record
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores
TOEFL or IELTS scores
Statement of Purpose
Curriculum vitæ
Letters of Recommendation
Deferral of Admission
Current NC State Students Wishing to Transfer to
Computer Science
Consideration for Financial Aid
Important Notes for Applicants
The Computer Science department wishes to attract outstanding applicants. Before beginning the application process, we ask that you note several items intended to improve your overall experience.
- Our application process is entirely electronic; the department will no longer accept paper documents for any part of the application.
- Recommendations must be submitted by letter writers via the electronic recommendation system prior to submission of the application. This is necessary for your application to be “review-ready” when you click Submit.
- Applicants should order electronic reporting of test results from ETS and also upload copies of test reports with their online application. This duplication safeguards against delays in reporting by the testing agencies.
- Transcripts, the Statement of Purpose, and the curriculum vitæ should also be uploaded by the applicant as part of the Graduate School's online application process.
- Documents not required by the department, the Graduate School, or the university for admissions purposes should not be uploaded. This includes certificates, secondary school grade reports, financial and bank affidavits (pre-admission), passport photocopies, medical information, or letters of employment.
Applications are submitted electronically to the Graduate School.
Applications are not processed until all of the following items have been received:
- Graduate School online application
- Transcripts or academic record
- Recent scores for the GRE General Tests
- Statement of Purpose
- Curriculum vitæ or resume (optional, but highly recommended)
- Letters of Recommendation
- Recent TOEFL or IELTS scores
The online application system utilizes abbreviations and codes to designate the graduate degree programs offered. To specify our non-thesis masters (MCS) or distance education masters (MCS-DE), select “Computer Science - MR” or “Computer Science - Distance Track - MR” respectively from the dropdown menu under “Desired Program.” If choosing one of our computer networking programs (traditional classroom or distance education), be certain the program you select from the dropdown menu correctly reflects your departmental choice (“Computer Networking - Computer Sci - MS” or “Computer Networking - Computer Sci Distance Track - MS”). These same programs are also available through the Electrical and Computer Engineering department.
Prerequisites for Application (All Applicants)
Preparatory course work should include a three-semester sequence in differential and integral calculus (141, 241, and 242 ), a calculus based course in probability and statistics (ST 370 or MA 421 (preferred)) and Computer Science courses equivalent to our CSC 116, 216, 226, 236, 316, and either 333 or 456. A strong performance on the Computer Science Subject GRE test may substitute for some of the above coursework.See individual degree descriptions for additional requirements (for MSCN Applicants, see the admissions criteria in the MSCN website). Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in order to be considered for a graduate degree program.
[Top]Transcripts or academic record
Upload an electronic copy of your academic record or scanned transcript when submitting your online application. The documents should attest to an accredited baccalaureate degree with average grades of B or higher. The expected coursework is described above. Click here for details about what constitutes an acceptable transcript or academic record, and how to upload it.
[Top]Applicants are requested to write a statement of purpose of approximately 500 words in length, addressing the following points:
- Highlights of your qualifications
- Reasons for seeking a graduate degree in Computer Science
- Why you chose to apply to N.C. State
Upload your statement of purpose using the “Personal Statement” upload button in the online application.
A curriculum vitæ or CV is a convenient summary of your accomplishments. We encourage you to upload a two-page CV, along with other application materials, as this can be very helpful in evaluating an applicant. The contents of the CV may include:
- degrees earned (institution, major, date, GPA)
- honors/awards received
- research experience and publications
- employment
- significant projects
- service
A curriculum vitæ does not substitute for a statement of purpose.
Three recommendations are required. These should be prepared by persons qualified to evaluate the applicant's potential to succeed in graduate studies in Computer Science. Letters from professors in Computer Science or a closely related discipline who have supervised the student in a class or research are the most relevant.
Recommendations are submitted electronically by references you designate as part of the online application process. The Online Recommendation Submission Center and the applicant-managed Recommendation Provider List (which has both request and reminder functions), make it possible for references to submit their recommendations before you submit your application.
Students admitted to graduate study at N.C. State may request deferral of their admission by either 1 or 2 semesters, by contacting csc_gradadmissions@ncsu.edu. This request must be made at least two weeks in advance of the semester for which admission was granted. The request should make clear in what semester the applicant wishes to begin enrollment.
Current NC State Students Wishing to Transfer to Computer Science
Students interested in admission through transfers from other departments at NC State or through co-major applications should contact the department's Graduate Admissions Specialist for instructions and preliminary screening.