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...It will be up to the department if they need to re-review for admission." 

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

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

For students interested in research assistantships (RA positions), it is recommended that you visit 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 assistantship availability that they may have for the upcoming semester. Please note that a response is not guaranteed.

Teaching assistantships (TA positions) are reserved for PhD students. New PhD students are required to obtain a recommendation from current CS faculty before they will be considered for a TA position.

Grader positions are reserved for master's students only. 

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

The CS Grad Advising Team does not have any information on the availability of graduate assistant positions (RA, TA, or grader positions). Should these positions be available, an announcement will be emailed to students with information on how to apply. The CS Grad Advising Team does not oversee the eligibility or hiring process for these positions and are unable to answer questions. We encourage you to reach out to CS faculty directly to inquire. 

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. Registration for CS 5000 must coincide with university registration guidelines. The CS Dept. will not be able to add CS 5000 to a student's schedule should they receive an offer of employment after the deadline for students to add coursework has passed. Thus, we will be unable to approve your CPT application. It is the student's responsibility to remain apprised of this deadline each semester.

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.

CPT is available for Fall, Spring and Summer semesters, contingent on adherence to university and departmental rules and deadlines. 

Please contact your CS graduate academic advisor for more information on the application process. 

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 Raider Success Hub to schedule appointments with their advisors. 

Students with last names A-L should direct questions to Erin Engelhardt, erin.engelhardt@ttu.edu. 

Students with last names M-Z should direct questions to Jessica Woodard, jessica.woodard@ttu.edu. 

For general inquiries, students may also email cs.grad_advisor@ttu.edu.
 

We do not offer application fee waivers. 

Effective Spring 2025, the Graduate School will no longer provide invitation letters for commencement. 

Per the Office of International Affairs, the US State Dept. does not consider these letters in their decision to issue your family members tourist visas. The website does indicate that students may choose to write letters on their own behalf to confirm their relationship to a family member/friend. See here. 

Per the Dept of State's website, "Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a non-immigrant tourist visa. If you do choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember that it is not one of the factors that we use in determining whether to issue or deny a non-immigrant tourist visa."

You can find the template here if you choose to write a letter to the State Dept on your family member's behalf. 

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

Please note, the term you selected to defer your walk to is final. Additional changes cannot be requested.

It is recommended that you use tools such as Degreeworks to determine what courses you need to satisfy your degree requirements.

You can schedule an appointment with your academic advisor in Raider Success Hub to ask questions about Degreeworks.

Here are the things we recommend current students do to find scholarship opportunities that they can apply for: 

• Search for external scholarships using the existing databases: Search for Opportunities | Financial Support | Graduate School | TTU 
• Regularly check your TTU email address (at least three times each day) and read each email you receive carefully so that you are aware of scholarship opportunities when they are advertised via email. 
• Read your TechAnnounce each day so that you are aware of when scholarship opportunities are advertised here. 
• Use a Google search to find scholarships that you can apply for, spend about 1-1.5 hours each week researching scholarship opportunities. 
• Pay attention to bulletin boards on campus, as many of these will have student involvement opportunities that may be accompanied by a scholarship, or chance to apply for a scholarship. 
• Learn more about applying for scholarships, grants, and fellowships here: Resources | Financial Support | Graduate School | TTU 
• Remember that scholarships are not automatically awarded to you, you must apply for them. 

We encourage prospective students to review the leveling requirements for the program that they are interested in. 

You can find the leveling requirements and how to satisfy them here:

• Master of Science in Software and Security Engineering
• Master of Science in Computer Science

Our graduate admissions 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.

Graduate advisors are unable to review your application before submitting to determine if you will be offered admission into any of our programs. Applicants will only be evaluated once they have submitted an official application through the Grad School's application portal. 

We will not share with students contact information for faculty or staff members serving on the Admissions Committee. 

*The GRE is waived until further notice. 

Ultimately, whether a program is a good option for you is dependent on your career and personal goals. 

We encourage prospective students to reach out to faculty and graduate advisors to learn more.

Please review the Grad School's webpage here for information on the application process.

Prospective PhD students should secure support from a CS faculty member before applying. This is a mandatory first step before acceptance.

Please direct any questions regarding transcripts to Graduate Admissions, graduate.admissions@ttu.edu

Our Admissions Committee works as fast as possible to provide all applicants with an application decision that is based on a holistic review of their application materials. 

If your application status is in department review, there is no further action required. 

Once a decision on your application is made, you will receive an email notification. We cannot provide an estimate on when you will receive a decision on your application. We appreciate your patience. 

Yes, prospective PhD students will not be admitted unless a CS faculty member has agreed to support them financially. 

Prospective students can use the CS faculty directory to browse faculty members and their research interests.

PhD students MUST apply centrally through the Grad School application portal. 

No. You need to apply for the program through the Grad School's application portal. Application fees will apply. 

Please note that being a current TTU graduate student does not guarantee your admission into our program.

Yes. However, you cannot be concurrently enrolled in two graduate programs at once. Currently we do not offer any dual programs. 

If you wish to apply for both the MSCS and the MSSSE, you must submit two separate applications. You cannot be enrolled in both programs if you are offered admission for both. Admission into one program does not guarantee admission into another. This applies to the PhD-CS program as well.

• Late Arrival = When a NEW student arrives to campus after the term has started.
• Late Return = When a CURRENT student arrives to campus after the term has started. 
• Early Departure = When a CURRENT student leaves campus before all campus activities have concluded. 

The CS Dept strictly follows the official academic calendar. Students who are enrolled in face-to-face sections must be on campus by the first class day of each semester and leave campus no earlier than the last day with scheduled course activities.  

The only exception we make is for incoming new international students who often need more time to obtain the necessary paperwork including study visa, and in such case, we accommodate late arrival for up to the 12th class day of their first semester.  

No exceptions will be made for late return or early departure requests from current students in general. If it is because of an unforeseen and uncontrollable situation, then the student must obtain an in-advance approval from the academic advisors and instructors of all enrolled courses for an excused absence of four (4) or less weekdays.

If a student has unexcused absences, then the student must take full responsibility for any missed classes, or missed academic work, or any financial issues caused. Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to: attending weddings or choosing to travel after peak times to avoid high airfare costs. Advisors/instructors WILL NOT permit you to miss class for these reasons, and you should plan to be on campus on the first class day. 

Should a student be absent from a week or more of classes as a result of documented medical, family, health, bereavement, etc., they must file an Extended Absence Verification Request with the Office of the Dean of Students. Once the reason for the absences has been verified, the Office of the Dean of Students will notify your academic college, who will then notify your instructors. It is the responsibility of the student to review each course syllabus attendance policy and follow up with each instructor. Supporting documentation MUST be attached for the request to be submitted and reviewed.  

We will not provide current students with a late arrival letter. 

Students working for the department should discuss their absences with their faculty supervisor, academic advisor, and CS Dept. business manager before departure. 

International students should ALWAYS consult with their international student counselor before departure. 

Those enrolled in graduate certificates may experience registration errors. Should this occur, you can reach out to cs.grad_advisor@ttu.edu, or any member of the CS Grad Advising Team directly via email to request a permit.

Please be sure to include the course prefix and course number when requesting permits  (e.g. CS 5381) and your Rnumber.

All TTU MS students MUST complete a comprehensive evaluation to graduate. There are five (5) different options for students in the CS Dept. to complete this:

1. Master's Thesis - Students must publicly defend their completed thesis to satisfy this requirement. Six (6) hours of CS 6000 - Master's Thesis AND CS faculty approval is required.
2. Complete an approved Industry Career Certificate through Coursera. Can begin as early as first semester in the program.
3. Work Experience - Students can participate in an approved internship/CPT (see grad advisor). The internship/CPT requires co-enrollment in CS 5000 - Practicum in Computer Science. Or professional students may ask that their full-time job be considered to satisfy this requirement (see grad advisor). 
4. Master's Project - Students will complete an oral examination wherein they present publicly on project results. Requires three (3) credit hours of CS 6001 - Master's Project AND CS faculty approval.
5. Master's Report - Students will complete an oral examination wherein they present publicly on project results. Requires three (3) credit hours of CS 6002 - Master's Report AND CS faculty approval.

The CS Dept. no longer offers an exam option. 

You and the faculty member who has agreed to hire you must contact the CS Dept. business manager, Kelly Cooper via email at kelly.m.cooper@ttu.edu

The CS Grad Advising Team does not oversee hiring/onboarding for TAs or RAs.

No. 

Students may consider discussing grade replacement with an academic advisor to improve their GPA, but this will not remove the course from your transcript.

MSCS and MSSSE students can only enroll in 13 credit hours per semester.

The CS Grad Advising Team performs weekly schedule audits to ensure that all students are adhering to department policy. Students found in violation of the policy will receive a warning email informing them to make schedule changes. It is the responsibility of the student to regularly check their email so that they are apprised. Students may be subject to registration holds if they are found in violation of department maximum enrollment policy. 

Under very limited circumstances, students may request that they be allowed to enroll in more than 13 credit hours. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Students on academic probation cannot enroll in more than 13 credit hours per semester. 

Enrolled hours for PhD students will be determined in conjunction with their faculty supervisor/research advisor.

The MSCS, MSSSE and graduate certificates are offered virtually. Students must indicate that they will attend as a distance student when applying. 

Distance courses are strictly reserved for true distance students. Lubbock campus students are expected to enroll in face-to-face coursework. 

The PhD is not offered online. Students must be in Lubbock to complete the PhD. 

The courses are not offered at any of the TTU satellite campuses. They are available as asynchronous, distance courses with no weekly meeting time. Students may be expected to make temporary arrangements to take midterms and final exams, but will not be expected to come to campus in Lubbock.