We expect graduate students entering our degree programs to demonstrate knowledge of computing, competency in scientific applications, and mathematical maturity. You can demonstrate computing knowledge by extensive experience in the use of high-level programming languages and acquaintance with assembly language. You should have studied data structures and possess knowledge of computing systems, numerical methods, and theoretical computer science. You can demonstrate competency in scientific applications in a variety of ways; experience in applied mathematics, engineering, or any of the sciences is usually sufficient.
We provide several remedial courses for graduate students who lack some of this background. Often students with a background in mathematics or engineering instead of computer science spend a portion of their first semester taking these courses.
We received approximately 460 applications for graduate admission for the Fall 2007 semester; about 130 of these were for the PhD program, the others for the Masters program. Of these, we admitted approximately 60 PhD and 90 Masters students.
The average GRE percentiles of admitted students are 60 verbal, 81 quantitative, and 50 analytic. The average total TOEFL score for admitted foreign students is about 450.
To apply, you must complete both the following steps.
All applications must include GRE scores; international applicants must also include TOEFL scores. A photocopy of valid scores is acceptable for us to evaluate your application, but we do need an official copy to complete your application. You are responsible for having your test provider send these scores to the Graduate School. These are the codes you should use:
GRE institution code | 1837 |
TOEFL institution code | 1837 |
Department code | 0402 |
If you have questions that you wish to direct to the Graduate School, please mail Kathy Ice-Wedding. Her postal address is
Kathy Ice-Wedding |
Graduate School |
202C Ezra Gillis Building |
University of Kentucky |
Lexington KY 40506-0033 |
Graduate Admission |
Department of Computer Science |
773 Anderson Hall |
University of Kentucky |
Lexington KY 40506-0046 |
If you are an international student or wish to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship or a fellowship, we should have both parts of your application (both to the Graduate School and the Department) by the following dates:
If you are a domestic student not looking for financial support, we should have both parts of your application at least one month before your first semester starts.
If you have been admitted to the Department of Computer Science but need to defer that admission to a later semester, inform the Graduate School by updating your application. If the Graduate School granted you a Kentucky Graduate Scholarship, it does not automatically renew that grant after you have deferred your admission. If you have been granted financial assistance by the Department of Computer Science, send email to csgradpro.cs.uky.edu; we do not guarantee that the grant will still be in force when you arrive.
If you are already admitted to the Graduate School in some other department and you wish to transfer to Computer Science, you must update your application with the Graduate School. You must also submit to the Computer Science the materials listed above. We will evaluate your application the same way we evaluate new applications.
If you are currently a Masters student in Computer Science and wish to join the PhD program in Computer Science (or the reverse), you must update your application with the Graduate School. You should also speak to the DGS of Computer Science, who will decide whether or not to approve your request.