Ph.D. Degree Admission Requirements
To be admitted to a Ph.D. program, all applicants must meet Graduate School requirements, as well as departmental requirements. Students are considered for admission on a rolling admission basis and priority will be given to the applications which are received and fully completed by February 15.
Graduate School Requirements
International students must submit a TOEFL score or an IELTS. Applicants should have a minimum TOEFL score: 550 (paper), 213 (computer), 80 (iBT); or minimum IELTS score 6.
Departmental Requirements
Subject to meeting the admission requirements of the Graduate School , admission requirements for the Ph.D. in computer science consist of:
- A master's degree in computer science or a related field with a minimum GPA of 3.25/4.0.
- A minimum GRE score of 700 for the quantitative and 4 for analytical writing scores for the general GRE, and it is recommended that results from the GRE subject area in computer science or a related area be included.
- In exceptional cases, high achieving students with only bachelor degrees will be admitted to the program. Each student, in addition to the Ph.D. program course requirements, must complete at least 15 semester hours of approved computer science courses including CS 401, CS 420, CS 455, and two 500-level lecture courses, with a minimum accumulated GPA of 3.25/4.0 in those courses. If a specific course, or its equivalent, is already part of the student's academic background, an alternate course will be substituted.
Each application is reviewed and evaluated on an individual basis. The evaluation of applicants for admission is based primarily on the student's academic record and area of research interest. Application materials should include evidence of scholarly ability and/or achievement (e.g. awards, scholarships, work experience, recommendation letters, and published research papers). Only those who best meet the research goals and objectives of the doctoral program will be selected for admission. Graduate Assistantships are available for more than 90% of admitted Ph.D students.
You will need to submit ALL of the additional information before any action will be taken on your application:
- Official transcripts and/or diplomas (degrees) for all university-level courses, including Bachelor's and Master's degrees, if applicable, in your native language and English. NOTE: Your U.S.-equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) must be 3.25 (4.0=A) or higher. NON-Consolidated Official certified true photocopies of individual mark sheets and/or degrees for each semester or year of all university-level courses, including Bachelors and Masters degrees, if applicable, in your native language and English. (NOTE: All mark sheets and degrees must be as issued by the University you attended. All documents must be certified by the University and have an original school seal and original signature of 1) The Registrar's Office, 2) The Controller of Exams OR 3) the U.S. Educational Foundation. Consolidated mark sheets are not acceptable.).
- TOEFL or IELTS score (International applicants only, TOEFL minimum score is 550 paper/213 computer based/80 iBT; IELTS minimum is 6.0) - A) photocopy of the TOEFL Examinee Score Report or IELTS Test Report Form sent or emailed (georgia@cs.siu.edu) to our department AND B) an official score report sent to our Graduate School from Educational Testing Services. Your score cannot be more than 24 months old at the beginning of the semester for which you are applying (e.g., if you are applying for Fall 2010, your TOEFL exam could not have been taken earlier than August 2008).
- GRE score report: A) photocopy of the GRE Score Report sent or emailed (georgia@cs.siu.edu) to our department AND B) an official GRE score sent to our Graduate School from Educational Testing Services. A minimum GRE score of 700 for the quantitative and 4 for analytical writing scores for the general GRE, and it is recommended that results from the GRE subject area in computer science or a related area be included.
- Recommendation letters (no form provided) -- original signed; three (3) letters recommended.
- Statement of Purpose.
- $50 application fee in U.S. funds -- This can be paid with credit card done online at the time of application. Otherwise, you must pay by check made payable to "Southern Illinois University Carbondale;" this fee will not be waived and is non-refundable.
- Photo of passport page (International applicants only) which has your full name and birth date. This is a policy required of us by the USCIS because the information on the passport must match the information on your application and your I-20 if you are admitted. You may scan it and send it as an email attachment to me, using your last name in the file name.
- Any additional evidence of scholarly ability and/or achievement (e.g. awards, scholarships, work experience, and published research papers).
NOTE: You are responsible for providing all the documentation and information. This department will not request anything from other departments, colleges, universities or other sources. Remember to always use your full name as it appears in your passport when you correspond with any office at this university.
If needed to postal mail or courier deliver, please send the above to:
Graduate Program Assistant
Department of Computer Science
Faner 2125 Mail Code 4511
1000 Faner Drive
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale IL 62901
Deadline: The Ph.D. program has open or rolling admissions -- no specific deadline. The application, supporting documentation, and the application fee should all be received before any decision can be made. The earlier your application and relevant materials are received then the better are your chances for a timely review and financial support for the semester for which you are applying.