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How to Apply

• Students are admitted only for the Fall semester each year.
• All applications must be submitted online. Paper applications will NOT be accepted.
• If you are re-applying to the department, you must submit a new application following the same procedure as for all new applicants.

Important Dates for Admission in Fall 2008

Application period begins	September 1, 2007
Application deadline	December 15, 2007
Acceptance offers made	About March 7, 2008
Prospective student visit day	March 29, 2008
Deadline for accepting admission offer	April 15, 2008
Fall 2008 semester begins	September 2, 2008

The following instructions describe how to apply (or re-apply) for admission as a graduate student in the Department of the Computer Sciences. If you wish to be admitted to UW-Madison for continuing education in computer science but you do not want to receive a degree in Computer Science, see the University Special Student Information.

Steps to Complete your Application

It is important that you carry out the following steps in the order listed.

The application process has two parts: (1) You must apply online to the Graduate School at the University, and (2) you must apply online to the Department of Computer Sciences. You must complete both applications, and ensure that we receive all other required materials (official transcripts, official test scores submitted by ETS to the Graduate School, and recommendation letters, which must be submitted online to the CS Department) by the application deadline of December 15, 2007.

Before proceeding to the application, review the Graduate School Admission Requirements

Step 1: Complete the Graduate School Online Application Form

Complete the entire Graduate School Application Form and submit it electronically at https://www.gradsch.wisc.edu/eapp/eapp.pl

Instructions for completing this form are provided online. Information on methods for paying the $45 application fee are also given. Note that this University fee cannot be waived by the department.

Step 2: Register with the Department of Computer Sciences

Be sure to use the same email address that you used when you applied to the Graduate School.

When you've completed the departmental registration process, an email message will be sent to you with instructions on how to activate your departmental application and set a password.

Note: The Graduate School requires one registration and password and the Department of Computer Sciences requires a second registration and password.

Step 3: Complete the CS Department's Online Application

Login and activate your department application.

This application has several parts that you will be able to complete online after you have registered with the department. No paper applications will be considered. No paper documents will be kept on file except official transcripts. See step 3(e) for information on uploading supplemental information to your online CS application. Below are some guidelines for some of the information requested. Please direct any further questions about the remaining steps to the Computer Science Department Graduate coordinator, admissions@cs.wisc.edu.

Step 3(a): Write a Personal Statement

Write a brief essay of no more than one page describing why you are interested in graduate study in computer science. Include highlights of some of your most relevant accomplishments to date that demonstrate your interest and abilities.

Step 3(b): Complete the Department's Interest Area Questionnaire

Fill out the departmental questionnaire, indicating the one or two areas of computer science that are of greatest interest to you currently. Note that admission to the department is not done by individual faculty or faculty within research areas based on their own research projects and needs. Instead, a departmental committee made up of faculty and graduate students tries to identify those applicants who have the strongest records regardless of their areas of interest. The Interest Area Questionnaire is used primarily to profile the interest areas of incoming classes, find suitable hosts for admitted applicants who visit the department, and assign an initial faculty mentor to each incoming student.

Step 3(c): Complete the Department's Financial Support Questionnaire

Answer the questions on this form concerning your needs for financial support for graduate study in the department. Applicants are offered admission based on merit, regardless of applicant's support needs.

Step 3(d): Three Letters of Recommendation

On the department's Application Form you are required to provide names and contact information for three people who can write letters of recommendation for you. These letters are required even if you are not applying for financial aid.

Note: Letters of recommendation information provided on the Graduate School application will not be used by the Department of Computer Sciences admissions process.

Email will be sent by the department to each of your letter writers asking them to complete an online letter of recommendation. No paper letters will be accepted, so choose your letter writers appropriately.

Recommendations should be written by individuals who can describe specifically some of your past achievements, and accurately evaluate your potential for graduate study, especially in research. For your information, you may see what the recommendation form looks like.

Step 3(e): Supplementary Information

While not required, applicants may submit other supporting materials to the department online. An example is a resume giving information on previous professional experience in computer science or closely related fields. Another example is a copy of a conference or journal paper you co-authored that describes the results of a research project.

Please note that all supplementary materials must be submitted online as part of the application to the department. Materials can be uploaded under the "Other information" link in the application. You may also add information in this section of the application at any time after completing the application by logging on to your application. This feature allows you to submit electronic copies of updated resumes or recent publications at any time. We will not accept paper updates to your application.

Step 4: Further Required Materials

After completing both the Graduate School application and department application, you must make sure that all required materials are received by the application deadline. Recommendations need to be submitted online to the department (instructions are provided in the online application). Official test scores should be sent by ETS to the Graduate School. We do not accept photocopies of your official score report.

Step 4(a): Send Official Transcripts to the Department

For each university and college you have attended, have an official transcript mailed to to the Department of Computer Sciences. Please have official transcripts sent at the time of application. Do not wait until you have completed your current term. Delays in receiving transcripts may result in an incomplete evaluation of your credentials.

If a school does not issue transcripts, you must send official documents, signed by an administrator of your university, that include (1) year of admission, (2) number of years enrolled, (3) grades or numeric scores indicating the quality of work achieved in each course taken and a description of the grading system used, (4) evidence that any required examinations were passed, (5) a copy of the diploma showing certification of the degree, class and year, and (6) if possible, your grade point average and class rank with a description of the type and size of your class.

	Graduate Admissions Coordinator
	Department of Computer Sciences
	University of Wisconsin-Madison
	1210 West Dayton Street
	Madison, WI  53706
	USA

Step 4(b): Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores

We require the GRE Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing tests. We do NOT require a GRE Subject test. Take the GRE as soon as possible. Scores from the December GRE may not be received in time for us to consider you for university fellowships. Request the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send your scores to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School by specifying the following University of Wisconsin-Madison institution code: 1846. Official scores must be submitted by ETS. Photocopies will not be accepted. (Note: Do not use the department/program code).

Step 4(c): Evidence of English Proficiency

If your education has not been primarily in English at all levels of school (including primary school, high school and university), you are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Request the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send your scores to the UW-Madison Graduate School by specifying the following University of Wisconsin-Madison institution code: 1846 (Do not use the department/program code).

If you are a foreign applicant and you do not take the TOEFL, you must provide, as evidence of your instruction in English, either your school transcripts if they mention the language of instruction, or a letter from an appropriate school official. In addition, note that an offer of a teaching assistantship is contingent on your passing a test given by the University of Wisconsin of your spoken English skills. This test will be given when you arrive. If you fail this test, your financial support (assistantship) will be withdrawn.

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