Align Apply

GPA minimums

• 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• 8.0 on a 10.0 scale
• 80 on a 100 scale

Test score minimums

Khoury College is GRE test-optional. You may apply without a GRE. If you wish to submit GRE scores, we will consider them as a supplementary material only.

Transcript requirements

Transcripts from all previously attended post-secondary education institutions (after high school) are required. For applicants who have graduated from any post-secondary education program(s), degree certificate(s) are also required. If transcript(s) and/or degree certificate(s) are issued in a language other than English, an English translation must accompany the native language documents. An English translation only will not be deemed sufficient. For applicants who are pursuing or have completed a four-year undergraduate degree program, a minimum of six semesters of courses, grades and credits must be reflected in uploaded documentation (for three-year undergraduate degree programs, a minimum of four semesters must be present).

For applicants who have obtained credentials from India, semester mark sheets and degree certificate(s)/provisional certificate(s) are required in addition to the consolidated transcript. If semester mark sheets are unavailable, an official communication on institutional letterhead must accompany the consolidated transcript indicating any retakes/backlogs associated with the program.

For applicants who have obtained credentials from China, the degree certificate and graduation certificate are required.

Also include the reverse side of the transcript(s) when uploading your documentation; specifically any grading scale information, legend, or university instructions included on the reverse side of the transcript(s) should also be included in the scanned copy.

Please upload a PDF copy of your transcript to the application. We will not review unless this step is completed. Official final transcripts must be submitted within 30 days of the start of the semester. Unsubmitted transcripts will result in a registration hold for the following term. Please allow 7-10 business days for processing after receipt.

If you are unsure as to whether you already provided us with your final transcript, feel free to check the status on the application portal.

English proficiency tests

TOEFL = 90 or IELTS = 6.5

Note: We will not super-score the IELTS or TOEFL.

At this time we accept all at home versions of the English Language Tests.

International students may waive the English Language Test ONLY IF they have received a 4+ year degree (bachelor’s or doctoral) at an Instruction where the language of instruction is English.

The following circumstances do not qualify for a waiver:

• 2-year master’s degree received in an English-speaking country
• 2+2 or 3+1 programs (joint programs between international institutions)

For international students —  a WES evaluation is not required.

Please upload a PDF copy of your test scores to the application. We will not review unless this step is completed. Official test scores must be submitted within 30 days of the start of the semester. Unsubmitted test scores will result in a registration hold for the following term. Please allow 7-10 business days for processing after receipt.

If you are unsure as to whether you already provided us with your test scores, please check the status on the application portal.

Recent professional résumé

Your résumé should list your detailed position responsibilities.

Letters of recommendation

For students who are applying directly from their undergraduate program, we recommend two academic references and one professional reference. For students who are applying from the workforce, we recommend two professional references and one academic reference. These are guidelines and not requirements.

Essays

Align applicants are given three essay prompts in lieu of the statement of purpose. Two out of three are required. They are:

• Essay 1 (250 words): Align students often cite the critical importance of perseverance — the capacity to keep iterating and working a problem. Tell us about a time you had to persevere. How has that shaped your career trajectory?
• Essay 2 (250 words): Some of our students wish to take their passion and combine it with tech; others wish to leave their past experiences behind and dive head-first into the computer science world. What drives your transition into tech?
• Optional (250 words): If you believe the above questions have not given you an opportunity to tell us enough about yourself, feel free to use this section to highlight something about yourself that is essential to understanding who you are and what drives you.

Align bridge course waivers

If you’re entering the Align program with some computer science experience through a course taken prior to joining Align or through professional training, you may apply for a course waiver. MS Computer Science Align, MS Data Science Align, and MS Cybersecurity Align students will be considered for a maximum of two course waivers, specifically only for CS 5001 and/or CS 5002. Waivers for CS 5004, CS 5008, DS 5010, DS 5020, CY 5001 or CY 5003 are not allowed.

Students opt into the waiver process and submit supporting materials through the admissions application. Supporting materials required for the waiver include official transcripts, course syllabus of the course(s) taken, and/or description of applicable work experience and must have been submitted with the student’s admissions application or they will not be considered. Supporting material submitted through another modality will not be considered. This course waiver process is only open to enrolled incoming students.

Please review the CS 5001 and CS 5002 course descriptions in the catalog. Supporting materials included in your application for waiver consideration must demonstrate comparable prior experience. (Note: Not all online courses through sites such as Coursera or EdX will qualify for a waiver.)

Impact of waivers on course registration

For MSCS Align:
• Approval of CS 5001 waiver: You will take CS 5002 Discrete Structures and CS 5004/5005 Object Oriented Design.
• Approval of CS 5001 and CS 5002 waivers: You will take CS 5004/5005 and CS 5008/5009.
• Approval of CS 5002 waiver: You will only take CS 5001 (note: this option will not meet minimum credit requirements for international students studying on an F-1 visa or Canadian study permit.)

For MSDS Align and MSCY Align, students with approved waivers will work with their advisor to determine course registration.

Course waiver request decision timelines

Students must be enrolled to be considered for a course waiver.
Fall semester: Decisions are communicated by the end of June or the end of August.
Spring semester: Decisions are communicated by the end of November or the end of December.