Application Procedure

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Applicants wishing to obtain an F-1 student visa can apply to the MS CSS program for Autumn quarter ONLY and must submit their complete application by December 15. (Please note that this deadline is later than the Graduate School deadline of November 1 for international students. November 1 is only recommended, not required. The earlier deadline allows more time for materials to be processed.)

Applicants who wish to remain on their current visa are elgibile to apply for Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters. The Priority dates for each quarter are above.

Please read and complete the following steps to ensure proper submission of your application. Remember, several items are required to complete your application. Transcripts often take several weeks to arrive. Your application will not be reviewed for admission until all materials have been received.

1. UW Graduate School Application

   The Application for Admission to the UW Graduate School form must be completed online. A credit card is required for the application fee of $50.

2. Application to the Master of Science, Computing & Software Systems Program

   The MS CSS application is now available online as part of the UW Graduate School application system. You are strongly encouraged to complete this application online.If you are unable to submit your application online, please complete the Application for Admission in the MS Application kit.

3. Personal Statement

   You may submit your personal statement online through the UW Graduate School application system. If you submit your personal statement online, please do not mail a paper copy. If you are unable to submit it online, type your personal statement on a separate sheet of paper and submit it to the Institute of Technology with your other application materials. For directions of what you should include, please refer to the MS Application Kit.

   For Tips on Writing a Personal Statement, click here.

4. Resume

   You may submit your resume online through the UW Graduate School application system. If you submit your resume online, please do not mail a paper copy. If you are unable to submit it online, please submit your resume to the Institute of Technology with your other application materials.

5. Transcripts

   Include one official transcript from each post-secondary school you have attended. If you are admitted, a second transcript from your degree granting institution will be required. These transcripts must be sealed in an envelope with the school registrar's signature across the seal. DO NOT OPEN THESE ENVELOPES. Opening the envelopes will cause the transcripts to be considered unofficial, and new copies will be required. If you attended the University of Washington, you must still request and submit the two official sealed transcripts. While the Admissions Committee's preference is to have transcripts enclosed in the application packet, some schools will not release official transcripts directly to the applicant. The Transcript Request Form included in the MS CSS Application Kit may be duplicated as needed. If you list additional classes that you have taken (post-graduate courses), you must also provide us with official transcripts to support this work.

   International students must submit their OFFICIAL transcripts and degree statements from all institutions attended with certified translations in English to the UW Graduate School AND Institute of Technology, UW Tacoma.

6. Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

   Applicants to the MS CSS program must take the GRE general exam. The test must have been taken within the last five years for scores to be considered current. Request that ETS send your scores directly to the University of Washington, Tacoma. The institution code for the GRE is 4854. (Note: Sylvan Learning Centers in Puyallup and Seattle are authorized GRE test sites).

7. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

   The TOEFL is required for international students who do NOT have a degree from a U.S. institution. TOEFL scores are NOT required for international applicants who have earned either a bachelor's or master's degree from an institution in the U.S., Canada or another country whose official language is English.

   Applicants must meet the following minimum score requirements for the TOEFL:

   Minimum TOEFL Scores

   Score	Format/Section
   580	TOEFL
   237	TOEFLC
   70	TOEFLiBT*
   90	MLT
   7.0	IELTS

   ^* A score 70 on the TOEFLiBT includes only the total of the listening, writing and reading section of the test. The speaking section is not included.

   For details on minimum score requirements, please refer to Graduate School Memoranda #8

   It takes approximately three weeks for official GRE and TOEFL test scores to arrive, so please plan accordingly.

8. Recommendations

   Three letters of recommendation are required. You may have your letters submitted online through the UW Graduate School application system. You will need to provide the recommender's name, e-mail address, and phone number and the system will send an e-mail to the recommender requesting that she or he submit the letter online. No paper copy of the letters needs to be sent if your recommenders submit their letter online.

   For tips on Acquiring Excellent Letters of Recommendation, click here.

9. Statement of Financial Ability Form

   International applicants must complete the Statement of Financial Ability form (not included in the MS Application Kit) as part of the UW Graduate School application. Applicants must send a copy of this form to both the UW Graduate School AND the Institute of Technology, UW Tacoma. Once you have submitted your Graduate School application online, you must log back into the online application to access the form.

10. All I-20 Forms

    If you are currently residing in the U.S., provide photcopies of all I-20 Certificate of Eligiblity forms with the F-1 visa stamp, or DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility forms) with the J-1 visa stamp or any current visa status forms issued to you. Please mail copies of these to the Graduate School AND the Institute of Technology, UW Tacoma.

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