OMSCS Admissions

What are the admission criteria for the OMS CS degree program?

Preferred qualifications for admitted OMS CS students are an undergraduate degree in computer science or related field (typically mathematics, computer engineering or electrical engineering) from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants who do not meet these criteria will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis; significant professional or other work experience with supporting recommendations may qualify as an adequate substitute for the appropriate academic credentials, however work experience will not take the place of an undergraduate degree. Georgia Tech will not admit applicants into the OMS CS degree program without the minimum qualifications for success. The Georgia Tech minimum criteria used in determining each applicant's eligibility for consideration shall include:

Evidence of award of a bachelor's degree or its equivalent (prior to matriculation) from a recognized institution, demonstrated academic excellence, and evidence of preparation in their chosen field sufficient to ensure successful graduate study; and For international applicants, satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

I don’t have the academic credentials for full admission now, but I would like to work toward that. What advice do you have?

The best advice is to take (and pass) courses in computer science from an accredited institution. If you don’t have a computing background, passing these courses will present its own challenges and give you a preview of what the OMS CS curriculum will be like. If you have a computing background (either academically or professionally) and just need to plug a few holes, such courses are a great way to do it. All applicants to the OMS CS or other graduate degree program must meet the Georgia Tech minimum admission criteria (see above), however admission is not guaranteed for those who meet the minimum criteria.

If I meet the admission criteria, am I automatically admitted?

No applicant is automatically admitted. All applications are reviewed by a faculty committee to ensure that those admitted can succeed in the program. Applicants who are selected for admission will be conditionally admitted into the degree program and must pass two OMS CS foundational courses with a grade of B or better within a year from when they matriculate to be fully admitted.

What are the foundational courses?

They are indicated by stars in the course listings on the Current Courses page of this website.

What kind of proof of U.S. citizenship is required?

For more information on accepted proof of citizenship, please visit the Georgia Tech graduate admissions website

I’m not a U.S. citizen and/or don’t live in the United States. May I still apply?

How does the admissions process work?

Prospective students will have to furnish materials commonly required for graduate admissions (prior degrees, transcripts, etc.). For full information about application requirements, please visit the Program Information page of this website.

Do applicants need to take the GRE?

No.

When can I apply?

Application periods, including deadlines, will be announced on the OMSCS website under the Program Information page.

How do I apply?

First, review the information on the Program Information page, which explains the relevant dates, costs and student information necessary for application. During application windows, a link to the OMS CS application site will be posted on the Program Information page.

If my country’s primary language is English, do I still have to provide a TOEFL or IELTS score?





Please visit Exceptions are given to the applicants from countries where English is the SOLE OFFICIAL language of instruction (Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada-except Québec province, England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda and Wales). An applicant is exempt from TOEFL and IELTS only if they are a naturalized citizen, a Green Card holder or have spent at least one year in residence and enrolled at a U.S. college or university.Please visit this OMSCS page for further information regarding the TOEFL and IELTS requirements for the OMSCS program.

Can I submit my TOEFL or IELTS scores after the application process ends?





Lawful Presence

Under Policy 4.1.6, the lawful presence of any student applying to an institution must be verified before a final offer of admission can be extended. This policy applies to any student admitted for the Georgia Tech Fall 2011 semester or any semester thereafter. If the student will remain living outside of the U.S. and will be enrolling only in distance education courses, then it is not necessary to verify lawful presence. International students residing outside the United States do not need to submit proof of lawful presence. All other applicants must submit proof of lawful presence. Please visit the No. TOEFL or IELTS scores are due upon completion of your application.Under Policy 4.1.6, the lawful presence of any student applying to an institution must be verified before a final offer of admission can be extended. This policy applies to any student admitted for the Georgia Tech Fall 2011 semester or any semester thereafter. If the student will remain living outside of the U.S. and will be enrolling only in distance education courses, then it is not necessary to verify lawful presence. International students residing outside the United States do not need to submit proof of lawful presence. All other applicants must submit proof of lawful presence. Please visit the Lawful Presence page of our website for a complete list of acceptable lawful presence documents.

What is meant by official or unofficial transcripts? When can I send them?

Official transcripts can be delivered in several ways. Most common are those delivered directly to Georgia Tech from your academic institution. Some institutions also provide certified PDFs to alumni for use in graduate applications, as well as sealed, physical transcripts. If you are accepted to OMS CS, you will be asked to verify your unofficial transcript provided at the time of application with an official copy through one of these methods.

I am an international student. Do I need to have my transcripts translated or converted?

You will be asked to provide an unofficial English translation of your transcript AND native language transcripts upon application. If your undergraduate institution does not grade on a 4.0 scale, you do NOT need to convert your GPA. The Office of Graduate Studies does not accept self-converted GPA's and will do their own conversion.

How many recommenders will I need? What is the process?

Applicants must procure recommendations from three individuals. As part of the application, applicants will provide their recommenders' email addresses. Those individuals will be contacted through email and provided instructions on how to submit their recommendations online. A physical letter will not be required.

How do I provide criminal and academic misconduct history?

On the OMS CS application, you will be asked to report your own history to be verified by Georgia Tech's Office of Graduate Admissions.

Is there a cap on admissions?

There is no hard cap on admissions, however Georgia Tech controls enrollments until the necessary infrastructure is in place to deliver a high-quality, supported degree program to enrolled students.

When will the program start and run until? What’s the academic calendar and schedule for the program?

All relevant dates are maintained on the Registrar's website

What is the curriculum, and how does it compare to the curriculum for the residential degree?

The curriculum in the OMS CS represents a subset of the on-campus curriculum, allowing for a full MS in computer science but with only some of the specializations available in the on-campus program. The OMS CS curriculum will expand as more courses come online.

I don’t have a formal education. Do I still qualify for the program?

Georgia Tech grants graduate admission only to applicants who have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent prior to matriculation.

May I take OMS courses for college credit without being enrolled in the degree program?

No, Georgia Tech does not currently offer OMS courses for credit to students not enrolled in the degree program.

I’m not interested in the degree program, credentials or credit, but I would like to take the courses for free. Is this possible?

Yes, the OMS courses are available for free on the Udacity website . These free courses do not carry college credit and offer limited academic support. Additionally, course videos are posted for many of the current courses; visit the Current Courses page and click on a course to view the videos for that course.

Will the degree I receive from the OMS CS program be the same as the on-campus MS in Computer Science or will my degree say “Online”?

Your diploma will read "Master of Science in Computer Science," exactly the same as those of on-campus graduates. There will be no "online" designation for the degrees of OMS CS graduates.