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There is no fee for PhD applications.
There is a $70 fee for MS applications

PhD Application Details

MS Application Details

Required Application Materials

PhD Application Details

Financial Information

  • For PhD students in good academic standing the department provides a stipend and pays all tuition costs.
  • PhD students are also provided a health insurance plan by the university.
  • To increase your stipend and improve your chances of admission, US applicants are encouraged to apply to national graduate fellowship programs.

Deadlines

  • The deadline to submit all required materials for Fall 2025 PhD admission is January 5, 2025. It usually takes several weeks after the application deadline to recieve a decision letter, but it can take longer. Decisions are released to candidates as soon as the committee determines eligibility. Notification may be staggered over several weeks. Please be patient as your application is being reviewed by mulitple committee members. 

Application Process:

  1. Applicants submit their required materials through the admissions portal.
  2. The applicant pool is narrowed to those to be extended an interview.
  3. Applicants residing in the US are invited on a three day paid visit to the department in early March.
    • Candidates will be interviewed, learn about our research, and enjoy social events.
    • Students outside of the US will be interviewed by telephone.
  4. A faculty committee will identify a set of the interviewed students to admit.
  5. Admission offers are given on a rolling basis until the incoming class is filled.

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MS Application Details

Deadlines

  • The deadline for Fall 2025 admission is February 15, 2025.
  • All required materials (including transcripts and letters of recommendation) must arrive before the deadline.
  • All MS decisions will be made after the deadline and should be released by mid-March. 

Financial Information

  • Application Fee: $70
  • Applicants may request a waiver of the application fee in cases of financial hardship. After submitting a complete application, with all materials except for payment, an applicant may email a request explaining their special circumstances to our master's program coordinator at nquattro@cs.rochester.edu.
  • Funding is not guaranteed for MA or MS students. A tuition award (merit scholarship for reduced tuition) may be available for some of the strongest applicants in our masters program. Decisions will be made upon admission to the program. Applicants will be responsible for raising the difference between any departmental tuition award and full tuition. For further information on tuition, please visit the Office of the Bursar’s website and consult the graduate tuition rates, under "Arts and Sciences & Hajim”; note that our MS has a minimum of 30 credit hours. For further information on financial aid and scholarships, please visit the Financial Aid Office’s website.The GEPA office has a Costs and Financial Support section on its website that can also be helpful.
  • We do not offer full scholarships or teaching assistantships to MS students.

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Required Materials For PhD and MS Applications

  • Statement of Purpose (formerly, Personal Statement)
    • For PhD statements:
      • Clearly describe any past research experiences, how your training has prepared you for conducting research, and provide a high-level discussion of the research areas you'd like to persue. Indicate any interests and rationale for working in a particular lab or with a specific faculty member. You are also welcome to share additional information you believe to be relevant for the admissions committee in reviewing your application. 
    • For MS statements: 
      • You should clearly describe your reasons for applying to the University of Rochester, your preparation for your field of study and your research/professional interests. In the statement you can reflect on how your background aligns with the University’s core values of Meliora—ever better—including equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. You may explain how your unique experiences will shape your future pursuits in your chosen field.  Please share any information you think is relevant for the admissions committee to evaluate your application.
  • Transcripts
    • Please upload scans of your unofficial transcripts to your application --official transcripts will only be required if you are admitted.
  • GRE Scores
    • PhD applicants are not required to submit GRE Scores
    • MS applicants are required to submit GRE Scores. Official scores should be submitted from the GRE website using code 2928. 
  • English Language Proficiency Scores
    • International students must submit one of the following exam results unless they meet the requirements listed in the English Language Proficiency Exam Waiver section:
      • TOEFL
      • TOEFL iBT Home Edition
      • IELTS
      • Duolingo
    • Information on how to submit exam scores are given in the How to Submit your Exam Scores section. Scores more than two years old from the application deadline are not valid.
  • Three Letters of Recommendation

There is no specific minimum threshold on GRE or English language proficiency scores. The admission decision is made based on the overall application package.

English Language Proficiency Exam Waiver

The English proficiency test requirement is waived for citizens of the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Commonwealth Caribbean Nations
  • Ghana
  • Ireland
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • Uganda
  • UK
  • Virgin Islands

The requirement may also be waived if a student has completed at least three years of postsecondary study in one of the countries listed above or the United States. Scores more than two years old from the application deadline are not valid. We reserve the right to require demonstration of English proficiency, even if you have received your degree from one of the above mentioned countries.

How to Submit your Exam Scores

  • GRE and TOEFL scores can be submitted using the code 2928.
  • Duolingo scores can be submitted by selecting the University of Rochester as the recipient of the scores.
  • For IELTS scores, please use the following address:

University of Rochester
Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs
500 Joseph C. Wilson Blvd
PO Box 270401
Rochester, NY 14627

Non-Discrimination Policy

The University of Rochester values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion/creed, sex, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by law. Further, the University complies with all applicable non-discrimination laws in the administration of its policies, admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs and activities.

Questions on compliance should be directed to the particular school or department and/or to the University's Equal Opportunity Coordinator, University of Rochester, P.O. Box 270039, Rochester, NY 14627-0039. Phone: (585) 275-9125.

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PhD Fellowships
FellowshipMonetary GrantYear To ApplyRestrictions
ACM-IEEE CS George Michael Memorial HPC Fellowships$5kResearching HPC, networking,
Apple PhD fellowship in AI/ML$40k stipend + $5k travel.3-4Invite Only
Center for Machine Learning and Health Fellowships in Digital Health InnovationResearching digital health
Croucher Scholarships for Doctoral Study$35.7k stipendPermanent resident of Hong Kong
DoD SMART FellowshipCitizen of US, AU, CA, NZ, or UK
Ford Foundation Fellowships$27kUS citizens or permanent residents
GEM Graduate Fellowship0US citizen or permanent resident
Google PhD FellowshipCoursework completed
Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD)$20k stipendUS citizens
Hertz Fellowship$34k stipend1US citizen or permanent resident
IBM Fellowship$40k stipend2+ years remaining
J.P. Morgan PhD Fellowship3-4
Jane Street Graduate Fellowships$45k stipend + $5k2-6
Korean American Scholarship Foundation$500 - $5k
Link Foundation Fellowship$34kWorking on Modeling,
Meta Research PhD Fellowship$42k
Microsoft Research Ph.D. Fellowship$42k stipend3
NDSEG Fellowship$43.2k stipend + $5k travel1-2US citizen or national
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP)$37k stipend + $16k education1-2US citizen or permanent resident
NVIDIA Fellowship$60k2+
Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship$100kTeams of 2 students
Siebel Scholars Program$25K stipend + $10KFinal
Soros Fellowships for New Americans$25k stipend + $20k tuition1-2Must be under 31 years old
Two Sigma PhD Fellowship$75k stipend + $10k3-4
US DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF)$45k stipend0-1US citizens or permanent resident
US DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) ProgramUS citizen or permanent resident