Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your interest in the Computer Science Graduate Program at the Purdue University West Lafayette Campus. Most, if not all questions will be answered within our FAQ page.
For grad school requirements and restrictions within Purdue University, go to the Purdue Graduate School website. Their FAQ Purdue Graduate School webpage. Email: gradinfo@purdue.edu
General FAQ: Degree Programs, Admission Requirements, Transfer
Application FAQ: Statements, Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, Late Application/Late Documents, Application Fee Waiver, Deadlines & Decisions, Funding, Scores/Testing
General FAQ
General
We do not hold open house events for the graduate program in Computer Science.
You are welcome to contact gradinfo@purdue.edu for possible open house opportunities within the Purdue Graduate School.
You are welcome to travel to West Lafayette and explore the following:
The above link is where you may schedule a campus tour with a group or you may experience a self-guided tour and a final option would be a virtual tour.
The videos below showcase our campus, grad school and life at Purdue, enjoy!
Due to the large capacity of inquiries and questions, we do not offer phone or virtual sessions.
If you have specific questions, please email csgradinfo@purdue.edu.
To read about our admissions process: CS Grad Admissions Process
Information on CS faculty and their research: CS Faculty Research
No, there is no need to secure a faculty advisor prior to admission.
Degree Programs
Admitted MS students who pass the core requirements of the doctoral program and show strong potential for research with a CS faculty member may petition to join the PhD program. Interested students should explore this possibility by conducting research (ideally two semesters) with a CS faculty member.
PhD students may earn a Master's concurrently to their doctoral degree.
Yes, it is possible. Keep in mind, your application may not be viewed as competitive. Purdue is a strong research institution and prefers grad students who have the desire and potential to receive a PhD.
The difference will be your degree and your departmental classification. The Plan of Study will be the same. If you apply through Computer Science, you will be a CS student. If you apply through Statistics, you will be a Statistics student.
Admission Requirements
The CS grad admissions committee’s recommendation for admission into our graduate program is based on a holistic approach. It is based on a combination of the following criteria: CS course background and GPA, letters of recommendation, your statement of purpose, research experience, publications, and English proficiency if required. GRE scores are not required.
In the past, competitive applicants had a very strong CS background, a GPA of at least 3.5/4 or 85/100 or 8.5/10, and total TOEFL scores of at least 100 and subsection scores of at least 22, or IELTS scores of at least 7.5. Duolingo may be used for admission into the graduate school only, not GTA. CS admissions would expect to see Duolingo with an overall score of no less than 135 with no sub-score less than 135.
Your goal should be to convince the CS grad admissions committee that you have a foundation for our required grad courses in Algorithms, Systems, Compilers and Programming Languages (i.e. have at least the knowledge base equivalent to the content of Purdue CS 381, 354, 352, 250, and 252) are proficient in English, and are a good fit for the research interests of our faculty.
PhD applicants are also expected to show potential for independent research.
Further information on the application steps and requirements.
We do not pre-evaluate applicants. We will not know how competitive an applicant is until all applications have been submitted. Please refer to the previous question on CS admission requirements.
Transfer
Purdue CS does not have an internal or external transfer option. Your first step is to apply to the CS grad program through the standard application process. If accepted, you may begin the process of requesting transfer credits and/or a grad school transfer form will need to be completed. This process also applies to current grad student studying at Purdue.