Students wishing to transfer from another Texas Tech University department into computer science must first take all of the required leveling courses, or show that they have had equivalent courses at another university.

The list of leveling courses is available by speaking to the Graduate Advisor. Once you have enrolled for your last leveling course, you need to apply through the Graduate School.

It usually takes about one year to transfer.

However, we often allow you to transfer as soon as you have enrolled for your last leveling course. If you have already had introductory programming, then it MAY only take one semester.

Your transcripts must be evaluated before we can make a determination of which leveling courses you need.

We do not have deadlines. We will process your application as soon as possible after we receive it from the Graduate School. However, the Graduate School has the final say (i.e., they may want to enforce their deadlines and not accept your application if it is late).

If you are an international applicant, there are recommended deadlines. These are as follows:

• January 15th for Fall & Summer semesters
• June 15th for Spring semesters
• International applicants may apply afer these preferred deadlines; however, the Office of Graduate Admissions cannot guarantee there will be sufficient time for late applications to be evaluated in order for applicants to make necessary visa/travel arrangements if admitted. 

Students can defer their application for one year. Deferring does not guarantee acceptance, just that your application will be evaluated again.  

• Students will update this information in the application portal themselves.  
• Per Texas Tech Graduate Admissions – International Post-Admission Staff: "Please understand that this deferral process allows you to defer your APPLICATION, not your ADMISSION. All students who begin the deferral process will be placed in department review again. Readmission is not guaranteed. We have cc'd the department so they are aware of your need to defer. It will be up to the department if they need to re-review for admission." 

GRE scores are currently waived until further notice from Graduate School.

Our graduate committee considers GRE scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose in evaluating applications for admission, as well as any other supporting documentation, such as a résumé, that you wish to send.

We consider all these factors holistically, with none of them serving as the single determining factor for acceptance. Because each semester applications are evaluated based on the total number of applications received that semester, there is no statistical data on minimum GRE or GPA associated with successful applications. The number of admitted students is also determined by the number of faculty who have openings in their research areas.

Official scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be no more than five years old.

All international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency before their applications can be considered for admission.

Only your most recent measure of English proficiency is considered for admission purposes. This test is waived only for graduates of U.S. universities or universities in English proficiency-exempt countries. Applicants who have completed at least two consecutive years at a college or university in the U.S. or in an English proficiency-exempt country, are also exempt from the English proficiency requirement.  

Applicants may submit one of the following English proficiency measures: 

• Duolingo English Test (Online examination) - The minimum required Duolingo score is 100. There is no institutional code for Duolingo, but applicants will need to select "Texas Tech Graduate School" as the institution to send scores to. Duolingo scores are reported within 48 hours and are valid for two years. Coupon codes for the DET may be available. Email graduate.admissions@ttu.edu for for more information. 
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – We accept the TOEFL iBT test or the TOEFL Essentials test. The minimum TOEFL iBT score required is 79. The minimum TOEFL Essentials score required is 8.5. The TOEFL score must be received directly from the Educational Testing Service. Texas Tech University's institutional code is 6827. TOEFL scores are valid for only two years.  
• International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) – The minimum IELTS required score is an overall band score of 6.5 on the Academic version. IELTS General Training results are not acceptable. There is no IELTS institution code for Texas Tech University. IELTS scores are valid for only two years. 
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) – The minimum required PTE Academic score is 60. PTE General and PTE Young Learners results are not acceptable. There is no PTE Academic institution code for Texas Tech University. PTE Academic scores are valid for only two years. 
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency Test (Cambridge CPE) – The minimum required Cambridge CPE grade is a score of 180 or above  There is no institutional code for the Cambridge CPE. The Cambridge CPE is valid for life. 
• Cambridge C1 Advanced Proficiency Test (Cambridge CAE) – The minimum required Cambridge CAE grade is a score of 175 or above. There is no institutional code for the Cambridge CAE. The Cambridge CAE is valid for life. 

Tuition and fees vary for each student. As such, applicants are encouraged to use the Student Business Services Tuition Estimator tool. Specific questions may be addressed to sbs@ttu.edu

At this time, our office is not offering any scholarships. Should such opportunities arise, you will receive notice via email.

International Students seeking funding opportunities offered outside of Texas Tech may visit https://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/financial/specialized_searches/international_student_specialized_searches.php for a list of resources.

Information on General Fellowships provided by Texas Tech can be found at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/financial/GeneralFellowships.php. 

For students interested in assistantships, it is recommended that you visist the CS Faculty webpage to determine if you are interested in assisting any current faculty. If so, you can reach out to faculty via email to inquire about potential assistanship availability that they may have for the upcoming semester. 

For international students seeking assistantships, you must be enrolled full-time, even if you are graduating.

Per the Office of International Affairs, a CPT, or "Curricular Practical Training makes it possible for F-1 visa students to gain specific practical work experience...It provides legal authorization for the F-1 student to be in a work environment whether or not payment of wages is involved." 

A student must have been in F-1 status for an academic year in order to be eligible for a CPT. 

Students are asked to meet with their graduate advisor when they are sent a CPT offer letter. CPT is authorized by the student's International Student Counselor (can be found in Raider Success Hub > Success Team) with an endorsement on your 1-20. 

Graduate advisors will guide you in the process and provide a CPT Letter to forward to your International Counselor at the Office of International Affairs.

Students are required to enroll in one (1) hour of CS 5000, the course that is associated with the CPT. In order to enroll in this course alongside of their CPT, the student must meet all registration deadlines established by the Graduate School, department, and the Office of the Registrar. CPT must be tied to the concurrent class which requires employment. It is only authorized on a semester-by-semester basis. 

Students who are unable to provide an offer letter will be unable to participate in the CPT. 

While CS 5000 will not count toward a student's degree hours, it will satisfy a student's comprehensive evaluation requirement. 

The CPT can either be full time (does not require minimum enrollment), or part-time (up to 20 hours per week of work), which requires full-time enrollment. Full-time CPT of 12 months or more makes F-1 students ineligible for subsequent OPT (Optional Practical Training). 


The CPT process is coordinated through the Office of International Affairs. You may find important information on their website.

Optional Practical Training is used by students to gain work experience in their field of study after completing a degree program. There are certain other situations in which OPT may be possible prior to the completion of a degree program.

Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulations allow up to 12 months of OPT at each degree level for a student in F-1 status. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students are eligible for an extension of 24 months of OPT. For information about STEM OPT, visit our STEM OPT page.

An application for post-completion OPT can be filed up to 90 days prior to the student's completion date and no later than 60 days after the student's program completion date.

It may take the government agency (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS) up to 90 days or more to process an OPT application. Your International Student Counselor may be able to provide a current estimate of processing times. However, processing times are unpredictable so it is always best to apply early! You cannot begin working until you have received your Employment Authorization Card (EAD) in the mail from the government agency and until the start date listed on the EAD card. The ISSS office is not responsible for the length of time required to process your OPT application.

Instructions and forms may be found on TTU International Affairs Office website. 

Students may use their Raider Success Hub to schedule appointments with their advisors. 

At this time, our office does not offer application fee waivers.

Students can request an invitation to commencement through Enrollment Services. 

Students can defer their commencement ceremony by ONE semester. This can be coordinated through Enrollment Services.