Computer Science Department Application Procedure and Requirements

We in the Computer Science and Engineering Department require you to complete the departmental application. To do so, you will need the following:

  1. Graduate School Application number, The Apply Yourself ID (AY#), can be found in the upper right corner of the printed copy of your Graduate School application.

  2. Statement of Purpose: You must write a statement of purpose (a page of goals for graduate education). Concisely discuss your computer science educational, research, or industrial backgrounds as they relate to your objectives. Include any unique experiences relevant to research you have done. Talk about why, specifically, you are applying to the University of Minnesota. Please include names of faculty members and research groups whose research is of interest to you. You may also upload this same statement to the Apply Yourself application for Statement #1.

  3. Letters of recommendation:

    • We require only the names and e-mail addresses of three recommenders. We will e-mail them, requesting that they upload a letter of recommendation for you.
    • We are not accepting hard copies of letters as our entire application and review process is done online.
    • Submit your recommender’s name and e-mail address on the CSE Application only. Do NOT include this information on the Graduate School’s Application.

  4. Curriculum vitae or resume. This should include:

    • your educational background and degrees
    • any teaching or research experience
    • list of papers or publications (URLs included)
    • computer languages in which you are proficient
    • any other information that will advance your application can be uploaded in PDF or text format, PDF is preferred

  5. Transcripts: In addition to the official transcripts requested by Graduate School, please scan your unofficial transcripts from all universities or colleges from which you have received or expect to receive a degree, save them as PDF files and upload them along with your statement of purpose and CV or resume to the appropriate field on our Computer Science Application. Your personal statement, resume or CV and transcripts should be in one PDF file.

  6. GRE: We require everyone, except MCS applicants to complete the Graduate Record Exam (general test) and submit scores to the University of Minnesota Graduate School. Photocopies faxed to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering are acceptable initially but upon admission and intention to matriculate, official scores must be sent from ETS to the Graduate School. Any photocopies sent by you to the Graduate School are unavailable to us so a copy must also be sent to our department. Official GRE scores sent from ETS are accessible to us. You may also scan your scores and submit them in the one PDF document that we require, which includes your statement of purpose, resume and transcripts.

    The GRE Computer Science Subject Test is optional, though highly recommended for those seeking fellowships. Photocopies will be initially accepted but upon admission and intention to matriculate, official scores must be sent from ETS to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

    Some codes you will need for your application:

    GRE Institution code: 6874
    GRE Department code: NONE
    TOEFL Institution code: 6874
    TOEFL Department code: NONE

    ***** If any part of your application is missing, we will not be able to review it until your file is complete.

    Departmental Information:
    Graduate Applications
    Computer Science and Eng Dept
    4-192 EE/CS Building
    200 Union St. SE
    Minneapolis, MN 55455
    612-625-0572 (FAX)