MCS Computer Science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

The Department of Computer Science is one of the longest established computer science departments in the world and is consistently ranked as a top-5 graduate program. The MCS in Computer Science is a professionally-oriented, coursework-based degree program offered as an on-campus program or online.

Faculty: Grainger College of Engineering | Department: Computer Science | Study mode: full-time | Location: Champaign, IL, United States

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree equivalent to that granted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The recommended background for students entering a Computer Science graduate degree program is a bachelor's in computer science or computer engineering. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general aptitude tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical) are not required . However, in some cases, GRE general scores may provide helpful supporting information. Applicants to the MCS program must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 (A = 4.00) in their undergraduate studies (international GPAs are systematically converted) to be considered. The department reserves the right to admit applicants with lower GPAs under rare and exceptional circumstances. If an applicant also holds a graduate degree, the minimum GPA for that degree must be 3.00.

Domestic applicants: USD 21,272 a year (2026-27). Illinois resident rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Non-Illinois U.S. resident tuition for this programme: $40,444. Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insura Source

International applicants: USD 40,444 a year (2026-27). International rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insurance, housing and other expenses as the source states them separately Source

Not all graduate programmes offer admission in all terms; term availability is set by each programme of study.

Graduate applicants apply online through the Graduate College application; deadlines and term availability are set by each programme. Medicine, law and veterinary medicine applicants apply directly to their colleges.

Apply through the official page: https://siebelschool.illinois.edu/admissions/graduate

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