University of California, San Diego

• CV/ResumeRequired

  A resume or curriculum vitae should be uploaded to the UCSD Application for Graduate Admission. It should highlight details such as academic history, relevant work experience, skills, publications, honors/awards.

• Statement of purposeRequired

  Required; submitted online through the UC San Diego Application for Graduate Admission. There is no specific word limit, but be concise and specific. Requests to update the Statement of Purpose are not granted after submission.

• TranscriptsRequired

  Unofficial transcripts should be uploaded online to the UCSD Application for Graduate Admission. Official transcripts from all prior higher education institutions attended will be required after an applicant receives their official offer of admission. Applicants who attended any University of California campus, including UCSD, must provide official transcripts of the UC coursework.

• Three letters of recommendation3 letters

  The page does not specify who the recommenders should be.

  Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. Additional letters may be submitted, however, you must submit a minimum of three (3) letters. All letters should be submitted by the application deadline. LORs are submitted via the online application only.

• GRE (not required for Fall 2027)Optional

  Applicants for Fall 2027 Admission to the Data Science Graduate Programs (MS and PhD) will not need to provide a GRE score. Applicants who have already completed the GRE may include their scores; ask ETS to send them to UC San Diego institution code 4836 (department codes are not needed).

• Duolingo English Test, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBTIf your degree wasn't taught in EnglishRequired — waiver possible

  Duolingo English Test (DET): Accepted in place of TOEFL or IELTS. Minimum Total Score: 120 (out of 160); scores valid for two years from the test date; sent electronically from Duolingo to UC San Diego. HDSI states no higher minimum.

  IELTS Academic: Accepted. University-wide minimum IELTS Academic score: Band Score 7; HDSI states no higher minimum. Official results sent by the test center (IELTS E-Delivery to University of California, San Diego Graduate Admissions); unofficial copies not accepted.

  PTE Academic: Accepted. The minimum PTE Academic score required for graduate admission is Overall Score: 65; HDSI states no higher minimum.

  TOEFL iBT: Accepted (HDSI lists TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic and Duolingo English Test). University-wide minimum: 4.5 for the new internet based test (iBT) or 85 for the previous iBT; HDSI states no higher minimum. TOEFL MyBest Scores are not accepted. Institution code 4836. Scores reported no more than 2 years after the test date.

  Waiver / exemption: Demonstrated English proficiency is required for all international applicants. Exempt if you have earned or will be earning a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree with grades of B (3.0) or better from either a regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, or a foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English, verified by looking up the institution in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). No other documentation may be used in place of WHED.

Who can apply

• Bachelor's degree, undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0Required

  Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field such as engineering, computer science, mathematics, statistics, cognitive science, scientific disciplines, or quantitative social sciences such as economics or computational social science. Other degree options are acceptable with demonstrated course work or experience in programming, calculus, probability, and statistics. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

• Multivariate calculus (academic preparation)Optional

  The catalog lists five key areas of undergraduate preparation: algorithmic and programming skills, data organization methods and skills, numerical linear algebra, multivariate calculus, probability, and statistics. Foundational (Group A) courses are offered for students lacking some of these.

• Numerical linear algebra (looked for)Optional

  The admissions committee typically looks for experience in numerical linear algebra, probability/statistics and programming languages; applicants with a variety of majors are encouraged to apply.

• Probability/statistics (looked for)Optional

  The admissions committee typically looks for experience in numerical linear algebra, probability/statistics and programming languages.

• Programming languages (looked for)Optional

  The admissions committee typically looks for experience in numerical linear algebra, probability/statistics and programming languages.

• Essay 1 · RequiredStatement of Purpose: There is no specific word limit, but be concise and specific in preparing your statement, giving information that demonstrates your level of preparation and potential for success in graduate school.

  Statement of Purpose: There is no specific word limit, but be concise and specific in preparing your statement, giving information that demonstrates your level of preparation and potential for success in graduate school.