Computer & Information Science Department   Polytechnic University

How to Apply to our PhD Program

The Computer and Information Science Department at Polytechnic University invites applications to its PhD program in Computer Science for the Fall 2004 semester. We expect to have several Fellowships and Research Assistantships available for new students, and encourage highly qualified candidates to apply. Please read the following carefully if you are interested in our program.

Rules:
The following rules are for applicants to the CIS Ph.D. program and are in addition to the general rules of admission to Polytechnic University listed on the application form.

  • Application deadline for admission with financial support is February 15. For other applications, the deadline is May 31, but we recommend applying earlier.
  • A Statement of Purpose is required. In the statement, describe areas of Computer Science that are of particular interest to you, along with any previous research experience you might have.
  • Two letters of recommendation are required, but three are recommended.
  • Use the paper application, not the online application. You may download and print out the paper application here.
  • Include a CV/Resume with your application.
  • Scores from the GRE General Test are required from all applicants. GRE Subject Test scores are not required.
  • Clearly indicate that you are applying for the Ph.D. program.
  • Clearly indicate if you have outside funding available and are not seeking funding, or if you are seeking funding but would consider attending without funding, or if you require funding from Poly to attend.

General:
Please read our FAQ on the PhD admissions process here. Use the downloadable application available here. Do not use the online application! For an overview of our faculty's research interests, please visit our department's Research Overview and Research Groups & Labs. Information on our PhD program is available here. Additional instructions are also given below.

Admission:
Decisions on acceptance to the program are made by the department, and not by individual faculty. Admission is competitive, and is done mainly on the basis of your previous academic record, letters of reference, GRE scores, and any other supporting materials submitted as part of your application. Thus, there is no need to directly contact the members of the faculty. The PhD program in Computer Science is open to students who have completed an undergraduate program equivalent to a standard four-year degree, as well as to students with Masters degrees.

Financial Support:
Financial support is given primarily to full-time PhD students. If you indicate on your application that you would like to be considered for financial support, we will assume that you would not come to Poly without support. If this is not the case, please indicate so on your application. If at any time after applying, you receive an outside fellowship or scholarship to support your study at Poly, please let us know.

Some support for incoming students is given by the department in the form of fellowships. The department sometimes has funding from sources such as the US Department of Education that are available for US citizens and permanent residents only, so make sure to include your immigration status. However, most types of support are also available to international applicants. Students supported by fellowships should choose an advisor in the first year of the program; there is no need to decide on an advisor prior to arrival.

Sometimes individual faculty members may also decide to directly support incoming students with their own research funds, if there is a very close match in research interest. In most cases, however, we advise against contacting the faculty members directly with requests for financial support, unless there is an extremely close match of interests and qualifications with that faculty member's research. Sending requests to several and especially to many or all faculty members is highly discouraged and may disqualify your application. The best way for us to match you with a faculty member's research project is for you to submit a detailed statement of purpose.

Application Process:
The application process is initiated by sending a filled-out application form to the admissions office. Do NOT send the application to the department. The form must be accompanied by all other required materials, except for letters of reference which may arrive separately. Please instruct ETS to forward your GRE general scores directly to Polytechnic University. The completed application package is then forwarded from the admissions office to the department, where the PhD admissions committee makes the decision on admission and support. Note that incomplete application packages will not be considered.

Deadline:
The application deadline for the Ph.D. program is February 15th. All application materials, including letters of recommendation and official test scores, must be received by this date for full financial aid consideration. Applicants meeting the February 15 deadline will receive notification of their status by April 15.

Questions:
Make sure to read our FAQ on the PhD admissions process here. For any general questions regarding the process, please contact the admissions office. If you have specific questions regarding our department and/or our PhD program or the status of your application, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies by email at dgs(at)cis.poly.edu. The Director position may rotate between different faculty members, so please use the above email for contact.