University at Buffalo (UB)
Students can apply online. New applicants must create an account. If you have applied in the past, you will be asked to log in to your existing account to start a new application.
We expect the applicants to have earned a bachelor's degree or qualified equivalent by the time they register in the CSE graduate program. The admission process is very competitive, and we expect the applicants to have a very strong background in computer science, math, or engineering.
For Fall semester admission, CSE must receive all online materials and all supporting documentation by December 31.
(Several scholarships have early decision deadlines. For full consideration of these scholarships, the recommended deadline is December 10.
Yes. The application deadlines are:
A nonrefundable fee of $85 is required to apply. After you submit your application form, you can pay the application fee online in your Application Status Portal with a credit card or e-check.
Yes, you may reapply. You will need to fill out a completely new online application for this purpose.
The application procedures for the MS and PhD programs are the same. You need to choose which program you are applying on the first page of the online application form, under "Select Degree Program."
Master's student must select a track when they apply.
Because each track has different evaluation criteria, you can only apply to one track in a given entry term. Please carefully select your track when applying. Once your application is submitted, you will not be able to change tracks. If, after reviewing your application, we feel you would be a better fit for a different track than the one you applied to, we may offer you admission to a different track.
No. Starting Fall 2024, students can only apply to one MS track in a given entry term. Once your application has been submitted, you cannot change tracks. If, after reviewing your application, we feel you would be a better fit for a different track than the one you applied to, we may offer you admission to a different track. Students cannot change tracks once they accept admission to a specific track in the MS program.
Yes, if you already have a PhD in a field other than Computer Science and Engineering, you may still apply for a PhD in CSE at UB.
Our online application system will allow you to upload up to five (5) extra documents/files if you find it necessary to include them. Please do not send hard copies of these documents. Hard copy submissions will not be reviewed.
No, you cannot update your application once submitted and you do not need to. By the time your fall semester grades come in, your application may have already been evaluated. If you are offered admission, we will ask for your final transcripts or any documents required to finalize your admission. Please do not mail any documents to our office. Hard copies will not be reviewed.
Yes, you may. The admission process of each program is independent. A separate application fee is required for each application. However, you can only enroll in one graduate program, and you need to make this decision by the deadline specified in your offer letter (generally around April 15). CSE MS applicants can only apply to one track.
All CSE PhD students are fully funded in the form of:
No, offers of financial funding are made by the department's Graduate Admissions Committee. For this reason, we ask that applicants do not write to individual faculty members requesting financial assistance.
Information and arrangements to take the exam(s) can be made by contacting the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Please be sure to have ETS send an electronic copy of your scores to the university.
A valid GRE exam must be taken within five (5) years of entry date. If your GRE scores are expired by the entry date, your application will not be considered for admission. The GRE is required for MS applicants, and optional for PhD applicants.
GRE is optional for PhD application but is required for MS applicants. For PhD applicants, the submission of scores are highly recommended if available.
Even though we do not put a hard-line on the minimum score, we expect applicants to score around 309/340 using the current scale (or 1250/1600 using the prior scale) for Verbal+Quantitative; and 4.0/6.0 for Analytical components. The average score of our recently admitted applicants is about 316/340 (or 1300/1600) and 4.0/6.0.
We do not have a strict minimum GPA requirement, but applicants are expected to have a GPA higher than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The average GPA of our admitted applicants is around 3.4 on a 4.0 scale.
The Admissions Committee considers the whole application package when evaluating applications for admission and financial aid. Some of the criteria considered are:
Although an undergraduate degree (bachelor's or four-year equivalent) is required for admission, an undergraduate degree in computer science or engineering is not required.
Applicants are expected to have successfully completed coursework in computer science and math or logic equivalent to the following:
Applicants missing this coursework can still be admitted to the program, but they would need to take additional coursework. On our undergraduate academics website, you can find descriptions of the courses cited above.
Yes. A master's degree is not required for admission to the PhD program, but it is highly recommended.
No. We cannot give you a pre-evaluation of your application. You need to fill out an application, pay the application fee, and submit all required information so that it can be reviewed.
You must submit the regular online application with all the required supporting materials by the specified deadline.
Yes. You may transfer part of your graduate credits. Once you are admitted to our program, the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate School will review your request for transferring credits. Details on transferring credits can be found in the CSE Graduate Student Handbook.
Please enter the grades as shown on your transcript(s). We will evaluate your grades and grade point average (GPA) based upon a grading conversion scale.
We strongly encourage you to include your research interest information in your personal statement within your application packet. We would discourage you from sending generic personal letters and resumes to individual faculty members prior to submitting an application. Unless you have previously corresponded with one of our faculty members, sending faculty such letters and resumes could be ignored. Once you are admitted to our program, you can contact individual faculty members to discuss your research interests.
You can learn about the CSE faculty and their research interests from our Faculty Directory and our departmental Research Areas.
Applicants may log in to their Application Status Portal anytime to check the status of their application. When the status of your application changes, you will be notified via email.
PhD admission decisions are usually made at the end of February and the letters are emailed by mid-March.
MS admission decisions are usually made by mid-March and the letters are emailed by the end of March.
Applicants may log in to their Application Status Portal anytime to check the status of their application. When the status of your application changes, you will be notified via email.
Once admitted to the program, you will get an official offer letter from the department. You will need to indicate your acceptance by completing your intent to enroll form no later than the given deadline in the offer (generally around April 15). If we do not hear from you by this date, the offer may be withdrawn.
All admitted students should complete the Next Steps for New Students checklist, which contains vital information regarding course registration procedures and other important university information.
Information and arrangements to take the exam(s) can be made by contacting the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Please be sure to have ETS send an electronic copy of your scores to the university.
A valid TOEFL exam must be taken within two (2) years of entry date. If your TOEFL score is expired by the entry date, your application will not be considered for admission.
International applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. The chart below outlines acceptable test types and the university's minimum score required for admission. All applicants whose native language is not English will be required to provide proof of English proficiency.
Copies may be submitted for initial review. Official scores must be sent directly to UB from the testing agency.
| Test Type | University Minimum Score | To Order... |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (IBT) (including MyBest scores) TOEFL Home Edition | 79 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL Essentials | 8.5 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL ITP Plus | 550 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| IELTS and IELTS Indicator | 6.5 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| 55 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | 120 | ADA Department of Testing will report your official scores to central application services |
Exam results must be dated within two years from your proposed date of admission and remain valid upon entering the term for which you applied.
It is strongly recommended to make test arrangements early in the year so sufficient time can be allowed for the results to be reported before application deadlines.
Exemptions to English Language Proficiency requirements can be found on The Graduate School website.
International students transferring from another US institution to UB (with a break of no more than one year between departing the previous school and enrolling at UB) who would have met UB's minimum requirements and who had a valid TOEFL/IELTS at the time they commenced study at the other institution are automatically waived of the English language proficiency requirement.
If you have received a degree from an institute within the U.S. prior to joining our program without a lapse in studies, the TOEFL exam requirement is waived by the Graduate School. The department can submit a petition to the Graduate School to request a waiver if you are offered admission.
All international applicants who are admitted must submit a completed International Applicant Financial Form. Please complete the form labeled "Standard Graduate" for the appropriate academic year. The Financial Form and supporting bank documents may be uploaded to your application after an admissions decision has been made.
Answer all questions thoroughly. An I-20 cannot be issued without this statement documenting necessary funds for each year of intended study (two years for the MS program; five years for the PhD program).
The I-20 is sent from the UB Office of International Admissions. The I-20 is not sent from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
If the application file is in proper order, the office of International Admissions prepares the Certificate of Visa Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019 form). The Office of International Admissions then issues the official I-20 Welcome packet and sends it to you. The I-20 Welcome packet includes your official letter of acceptance, the Certificate of Visa Eligibility, and information about International Student Orientation, on-campus housing, international student clubs, and health insurance.
The I-20 processing can take anywhere from two to six weeks. To expedite your application, make sure to submit all required documentation including your passport bio page, financial form and application fee as early as possible. These can be uploaded in your Application Status Portal.
How to Check Your I-20 Status.
Upon receiving the official I-20 packet, you should make arrangements for housing, begin the International Student Check-in, apply for your student visa, and arrange for travel to Buffalo, New York.
International students must submit the following materials: