Information for Prospective Students

The Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech has a strong interdisciplinary research emphasis with flexible course requirements. We are gaining increasing recognition on the national level as a dynamic graduate program and a major producer of graduates at the masters and doctorate levels

Application deadlines can be found here. All applications must be submitted online formally through the Virginia Tech Graduate School's online application form. 

Funding

The vast majority of Blacksburg research-track graduate students are on full-time support. (Depending on the funding source, that typically means a 20 hour per week work obligation as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistant (GRA).

GTAs and GRAs include tuition, most (but not all) fees, and a stipend of about $2500/month for nine months (in academic year 2023-24). See here for information about sources of funding for graduate students.

Two Campuses

Virginia Tech's main campus is at Blacksburg, in southwest Virginia. The Northern Virginia campus is currently located in Falls Church, relocating to the Innovation Campus in the coming years. We operate as a single department, with a single faculty, single student body, and single set of rules related to our graduate degrees.

See information about student resources available at the Northern Virginia Center, and more about the CS programs in Northern Virginia.

Off-campus housing information is available for the Blacksburg and Greater Washington, D.C. Metro area. 

Admissions Requirements

Masters of Engineering (MEng):

Our primary admissions criterion for the MEng program is our expectation regarding your ability to successfully complete the program. This program takes as its core missions to successfully bring a wider group of people into the computing field at the graduate level.

Our department accepts students from a variety of backgrounds besides computer science, such as mathematics, many branches of engineering, physics, biology, and many art disciplines.

For the MEng track, we require a background equivalent to two semesters of introductory programming courses (that is, to have successfully completed a "CS2" course at an accredited institution). We do sometimes admit students with a background that does not meet this expectation. Such students are typically required to take additional courses to make this up.

Masters of Science (MS) and Ph.D.

Our primary admissions criterion to the MS and Ph.D. programs is our expectation regarding your ability to have a productive career as a research-track graduate student. We base this assessment on the academic record, proficiency in English speaking and writing, letters of recommendation, research experiences such as independent study projects, and prior internship/work experience.

All of these are imperfect indicators of the real trait that we are interested in assessing, namely ability to succeed in research. If you have direct evidence, such as research publications in competitive conferences, or if your letter writers can speak to these abilities, that is considered more valuable than any score cutoffs. For this reason, we do not declare official minimum scores and cutoffs since performance on these measures is just one factor considered.

For the MS/PhD tracks, we require a background equivalent to two years of undergraduate training in computer science, including at least:

1. An introductory course on programming and beginning data structures (typically referred to as "CS2"),
2. A sophomore or junior-level course in data structures (i.e., something that goes beyond the data structures content normally expected from a standard "CS2" course), and 
3. A course in operating systems.
    

In addition, we expect a background in mathematics to include courses in linear algebra, discrete mathematics, statistics, and at least one year of calculus.

We do sometimes admit students with a background that does not meet these expectations. Such students are typically required to take additional courses to make this up.

 

Admissions Outcomes

We accept students into our program for both Fall and Spring semesters, though the large majority of our applications are for Fall. Fall 2022 saw a large increase in applications to all of our programs. Here is a rough breakdown by campus and degree for total applications and applications admitted.

	Blacksburg	Northern Virginia
MS/PhD	1037 applications	48 applications
	176 admitted	23 admitted
MEng	492 applications	195 applications
	157 admitted	130 admitted

 

Application Frequently Asked Questions

When and where should I apply?

See here for information on application deadlines.
All applications must be submitted online formally through the Virginia Tech Graduate School's online application form.

The entire package comprises:

• Graduate School online application form, including the CS applicant information which is part of that form. On the form, check NCR (National Capital Region) if you want to apply to our Northern Virginia campus, and Blacksburg if you want to apply to the Blacksburg main campus.
• Non-refundable application fee.
• Three letters of recommendation. These should be sent electronically using the online form to ensure that the letters are correctly matched to your application.
• GRE scores are not expected or accepted.
• Official TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students whose native language is not English and who have not earned a bachelor or master's degree from an anglophone university (American, Canadian, British, or Australian). Departmental minimum scores are the same as that of the Graduate School: 550 (paper), 213 (computer), and 90 (internet) for TOEFL, or overall 6.5 for IELTS.  TOEFL scores of 20 or greater in Listening, Writing, Speaking, and Reading subsections are required.
• Copy of transcripts of your undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) studies. You must upload a scanned copy of your official transcripts at the time you apply for admissions. If you are admitted to Virginia Tech, you must provide an official paper copy of your transcripts when you come to campus.

When do the programs begin? And when should I expect to arrive?

This varies slightly each year. Fall semester typically begins in the third or fourth week of August. Spring semester typically begins in the third or fourth week of January. You should be on campus and ready to attend orientation by the Monday one week prior to the start of classes.

What is the difference between the MS track and the MEng track?

The MEng track is coursework only. This in turn leads to different expectations in terms of minimum background, the skillset training emphasis, and the typical time to completion.

The MEng track is better suited for students who seek to enter the computing profession at the graduate level. It supplies strong technical training, but with less emphasis on "soft skills" gained from the thesis experience. Students taking the MEng can often complete the degree more quickly.  The MEng track requires completion of a traditional second semester programming course.

The MS track requires completing a thesis. MS track students are expected to have the equivalent of a CS minor (typically two years of coursework). Students taking the MS track should expect to spend four academic semesters in the program. 

MS track students will gain greater experience with a number of "soft skills" associated with completing a thesis, including a significant writing experience, more experience with self-directed research work, and often more communications and group project skills. It is a natural stepping stone to the PhD.

Our GTAs are drawn from the MS and Ph.D. students.

I am currently enrolled as a graduate student in Virginia Tech Department XYZ. How do I switch from XYZ to Computer Science?

Transfers from another Virginia Tech department into computer science are evaluated just like a regular application to the Department of Computer Science.

First, complete and submit a change of graduate program request form (available from the Graduate School forms page). This will enable us to request your application file (transcripts, recommendation letters, and essentially all components of the original application) to be sent over from the graduate school to the Department of Computer Science for evaluation.

Transfer students seeking to enter the MS or Ph.D. track should already have selected and have the support of a research advisor from CS before we evaluate the transfer request. This is not a requirement for students seeking to enter the MEng track.

I am currently enrolled as a graduate student in Virginia Tech Department XYZ. I would like to get a simultaneous degree in Computer Science.

If you seek to enter the MEng track, simply submit a completed Application for Simultaneous Degree form.

We only admit research-track students (MS/Ph.D.) after a CS faculty member has agreed to serve as the thesis or dissertation advisor. This is normally only done when the student already has a standing research relationship with the potential advisor stemming from the research program being done in the home department.

To request consideration for a Simultaneous Degree for the MS or Ph.D. tracks, do the following:

• Have your potential CS advisor send email to Dr. Tilevich indicating that s/he agrees to supervise your thesis, and indicating what the thesis topic will be.
• Submit a completed Application for Simultaneous Degree form.

Can I upload copies of my transcripts?

Yes, you are required to upload one copy  of your scanned official transcript from each institution where you have earned or will earn a degree.  Please do not mail paper copies of your official transcripts (or anything else!) to us.  For more information visit the Graduate School.

I was able to schedule my scores only after the application deadline. What should I do?

You can submit all the remaining materials by the deadline and submit the scores through the application portal once they arrive. We will continue to review applications as they become complete - so aim to schedule these exams as early as possible.

Can I track my application's review progress?

You can track your application's progress online once it has been submitted. The Graduate School will send you an e-mail with instructions for checking your application status. The Department of Computer Science is not able to respond to emails or phone calls regarding the status of applications.

My GRE score is __, my TOEFL score is __, my GPA is __. Can you assess my chances of admission?

We do not do pre-reviews of applications. We will evaluate your application material once you officially  apply via the Graduate School. The only sure-fire way to know if you will be admitted is to apply.

What are the minimum scores you will accept?

The Graduate School has minimum requirements for an application to be considered.

We follow those published minimums. Perhaps the most important is the requirement that students from non-native English speaking countries have a minimum combined score of 90 on the internet TOEFL exam or 6.5 overall on the IELTS. All students must have the equivalent of a 3.0 minimum GPA.

Our primary admissions criterion for the MEng program is our expectation regarding your ability to successfully complete the program. We base our assessment on the academic record (amount of computer science background, where previous degrees were obtained, class rank and grade point average, and scores on standard exams such as the GRE general exam and TOEFL), proficiency in English speaking and writing, letters of recommendation, and prior internship/work experience.

Our primary admissions criterion for the MS and Ph.D. tracks is our expectation regarding your ability to have a productive career as a research-track graduate student.

All of these are imperfect indicators of the real trait that we are interested in assessing, namely ability to succeed in your chosen program. If you have direct evidence of research ability through research publications in competitive conferences or journals (for the MS/Ph.D. tracks), or if your letter writers can speak to your abilities, that is considered more valuable than any score cutoffs. For this reason, we do not declare official minimum scores and cutoffs, etc. since performance on these measures is just one factor considered.

If I have multiple GRE scores, will you consider the best score? Or most recent score? If it is the best, will you consider the best of the total or best of individual scores?

We no longer consider GRE scores for admission to our graduate program.

Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation? How recent should they be?

Request letters from people who can provide a detailed assessment of your capability to engage in graduate studies/research, i.e., those who have had ample opportunity to observe you in studies/work. Since we are a research-oriented graduate program, we look for evidence of research ability in these letters. Ideally, you should request letters from your most recent academic program and perhaps one letter from your most recent work experience (if applicable to your research skills).

Ideally, the letters should be no more than two years old. We will not categorically disregard older letters, but recent letters and letters from people who can directly attest to your research abilities will be given greater consideration.

What types of financial assistance are available?

The primary form of support available to incoming students in the MS/Ph.D. programs include Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) and fellowships. Sometimes, students might be offered Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) by individual professors, but these decisions are made by the specific faculty members.

When making decisions on offers of GTAs, we do not take financial need or ability of students to support themselves into account. However, international students who are not given a GTA will not be offered admission unless they have completed a financial certification form indicating sufficient resources available to complete their degree requirements.

More information on funding opportunities.

I am interested in the research track. Which program should I apply to: M.S. or Ph.D.?

Research-track applicants may apply to either the MS or Ph.D. programs. Qualified students wishing admission to the Ph.D. program, without first completing an MS, are welcome to do so. Note however that the Ph.D. program has some requirements that differentiate it from the MS program, including a Ph.D. qualification process. For more information, see the degree requirements.

I know that I want to do research, and so am in or plan to enter the MS or Ph/D. degree track. How do I get started with a research group?

The place to start is with contacting faculty, and arranging to work with them. Here are some places to get information on who might be good to ask. Your first question is likely to be: Who is working in an area that I am interested in? The Research Areas page should be a good starting place for this, but be aware that many of our faculty work in multiple areas, or on topics that are hard to pigeonhole in this way.

Your next question might be: Is this person actually taking new students? There is huge variation on this point between faculty members, since some might be overloaded with students, actively growing their group, or unavailable for research activities at the moment. You can see this spreadsheet where we track the current status of faculty members with respect to how actively they are recruiting new students.

Be aware that the typical faculty member gets a lot of emails from prospective students. Some students succeed in getting an advisor before they start the program, and some students get ignored. While the outcome depends in part on what you have to offer as a graduate student, a lot is also a matter of how you go about approaching potential advisors. In particular, an initial contact email needs to clearly explain what you are asking for, and most importantly it needs to explain why you are contacting that particular faculty member. This means that you need to do your homework, and be able to tell the person you are contacting why their research in particular is of interest to you, and how your experience or interests make you a good candidate for their group. Anything that looks like a form letter is likely to be ignored. It is generally a bad idea to lead with needing support. If you do, the person you are contacting might think that you only care about the support, not them or the research area. If you are accepted into the group, then often support will come in time.

For advice on how to succeed as a research-track graduate student, see these presentation slides.

Will courses be offered online?

Depending upon the course, an online option may be available. Sections of the course that are online can be taught as synchronous (at a fixed time with the ability to interact live with the class and instructor) and asynchronous (prerecorded lectures and tutorials that can be viewed at the student's convenience).  Consult the University Timetable of Classes for information about specific course offerings.

What should I do now that I have been admitted?

Whether you have decided to accept our admission offer or decline it, we ask that you tell us about your decision. You should see buttons to accept or decline at the application portal. You can also email your decision to grads@vt.edu.

If you are accepting admission, then your next step should be to check out the Graduate School's New Student Checklist. 

The Graduate School will send you an official letter when they admit you. This includes information on the process for international students who need to get a visa and I-20.

The decision letter sent from the Graduate School is the official notification (postal mailed to domestic mailing addresses; emailed to international mailing addresses). Applicants can also see the status in the Guest Account they are directed to create with the application submission confirmation email. GSAPP is not the place to track status.

I am an international student admitted to the program. When should I submit my decision to attend or not attend Virginia Tech?

We ask that you consider submitting your decision to attend or not attend Virginia Tech as soon as possible. We recognize that applicants may have offers from multiple institutions and need to make an informed decision on where they will attend.

However, it can take considerable time to complete the visa process. If you are applying to start in Fall semester, we recommend that you apply for your I-20 by April 1st (and no later than April 15). For Spring, we recommend that you apply for your I-20 by October 1st (and no later than October 15th).

Please note that immigration and visa related services will be handled by different offices depending on the campus you attend.

Blacksburg Campus Students:
Visit: Cranwell International Center

Northern Virginia Center Students:   
Visit: New Student Guide

Can I defer my admission to a future semester?

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the VT Grad School has been accomodating about deferrals. We cannot guarantee what their stance will be in the future. To make a request you should contact the CS Department by email only at gradprog@cs.vt.edu, explain why you need a deferral, and specify the term to which you would like to be deferred. You will be notified by email of the decision. Prior funding offers are not automatically repeated if a deferral is granted. 

Can you reconsider my declined application?

We are unable to reconsider an application that was declined. If you wish to re-apply, you will need to pay the application fee again and start the process over. However, the outcome will likely change only if there is a significant change in the information contained in the application.

Can my application fee be waived?

The Department of Computer Science is not involved in making decisions regarding waivers of application fees. This is handled by the Graduate School. We are not provided application fee waivers to give out.

Any other tips?

• Email addresses: If you change your email address during the application process, be sure to inform both the Graduate School and the Department of Computer Science. Normally all communications sent out to applicants will go to the address specified on the original application.
  
  
• Names: Because of differences in naming conventions among nations, it is essential that you clearly specify what you intend to be your last name (family or surname), first (given) name, and middle name on all documents. It is also important that you be consistent in their use. If we cannot determine your name accurately in our records, your application materials could become separated, misfiled, or lost. And if the name that you use in any email to us is not recognizable in your application materials, it might be hard for us to communicate sensibly with you. 

1. For applicants from China, the most common problem results when the family and given names are switched somewhere during the process.
2. For applicants from India, the most common problem results from inconsistent use of abbreviated forms of the name among various application documents. 
3. For applicants from the Middle East, the most common problem is inconsistent selection of name parts for different purposes. 
4. For applicants from Latin America, the most common problem is the inconsistent use of two surnames (apellido paterno and materno). In all cases, be consistent so that all documents are filed under the same name.

• Financial certification/visa documents: All financial certification documents and any paper regarding immigration and visa issues should be sent to the Graduate School, not the CS Department. All questions regarding these issues should be directed to the Graduate School.

 

Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Programs (IGEPS)

The Graduate School is supporting Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Programs (IGEPs) to promote and sustain interdisciplinary graduate education and research at Virginia Tech. Each IGEP addresses a major fundamental problem or complex societal issue requiring an interdisciplinary team of scholars.
 
Interdisciplinary graduate education at Virginia Tech is comprised of 3 components:

• Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Programs (IGEPs)
• Individualized Interdisciplinary PhD program
• IGERT graduate research training grants funded by the National Science Foundation.