Admissions

We welcome applicants from all undergraduate majors or programs of study who have earned their bachelor's degree prior to matriculation from a three- or four-year accredited institution.

The M.S. in Data Science program requires four prerequisites for admission:  

• Calculus II (Single Variable Calculus)
• Introductory Statistics
• Introductory Programming (Python preferred)
• Linear Algebra  
  • Linear Algebra for Data Scientists (offered online by the School of Data Science)

You can still apply without having all prerequisites, but they must be completed prior to matriculation. Proof of completion will be required for any incomplete prerequisites if an applicant is admitted and accepts their offer of admission.

Check out Prerequisite Key Topics for course descriptions, whether courses you have taken count toward prerequisites, and how they can be fulfilled. 

Short Answer Questions

• Required: What about your individual background, perspective, or experience will serve as a source of strength for you or those around you at the School of Data Science? Feel free to write about any past experience or part of your background that has shaped your perspective and will be a source of strength, including but not limited to those related to your community, upbringing, educational environment, race, gender, or other aspects of your background that are important to you. (250 words or fewer)  
• Required: The School of Data Science organizes its curriculum using the Domains of Data Science Model. What are the practice areas that currently ignite your enthusiasm and curiosity? (150 words or fewer)
• Optional Addendum: An application addendum is not required; however, you may have additional information that would be useful for the admissions committee. Use this space to discuss positive dimensions of your background not otherwise highlighted in this application, or to provide insight and/or context regarding other aspects, including, but not limited to, aberrant grades, gaps in your academic record or resume, or other extenuating circumstances. (250 words or fewer; optional)

Audio

• Required: Data Science is about solving the world’s most challenging and compelling problems. Tell us about a time when you worked on a team to solve a meaningful data-related challenge. What was the problem, what was your role in solving it, and what was the outcome? (1 minute)

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required. If you are currently or were recently a student at a college or university, one recommendation should be from an instructor. If you are currently working, then one should be from a current or recent supervisor. The second recommendation may be from any person who knows you well and can speak to your preparedness for our rigorous STEM program, such as a current or former project manager, research advisor, internship supervisor, etc.

Résumé

A résumé or curriculum vitae helps us get to know an applicant beyond their formal academic coursework. There is no preference for students with or without professional work experience.

We hope your résumé will demonstrate your involvement in activities outside of school or work, including leadership, service, family responsibilities, civic engagement, coding or research projects you’re proud of, and any other accomplishments you’d like to share. Do not include high school information on your résumé. 

The application requires the following materials that must be submitted by the deadline date in order for it to be considered complete:

Transcripts

Applicants must upload unofficial transcripts of their entire post-secondary academic record to the online application, including all undergraduate- and graduate-level institutions attended. 

If admitted to the School of Data Science and you decide to accept your offer, you will be required to submit proof of degree conferral prior to course enrollment. Send official transcripts electronically to sdsadmission@virginia.edu or by mail to:

Mailing Address  
School of Data Science Admissions  
PO Box 401109  
Charlottesville, VA 22904

Physical Address (for DHL and FedEx)  
School of Data Science Admissions  
Room 232  
1001 Emmet Street North  
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Standardized Tests   
We do not require or accept scores for standardized tests (i.e., GRE, GMAT) in the holistic review of applications for our programs.

Application Fee

All graduate applications to the School of Data Science have a non-refundable application fee of $85 required for submission.  

Per UVA policy, we provide application fee waivers for US citizens and permanent residents who meet the Application Fee Waiver Eligibility criteria and submit an Application Fee Waiver Request Form. Application fees are automatically waived for all active military and veterans. In addition, application fees are waived for full-time UVA employees who have worked more than 90 days at the University (contact the admissions team for the employee fee waiver code).  

You cannot be granted a fee waiver after payment of the application fee. An application will not be considered submitted until the fee is paid. 

The School of Data Science values the backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences that our international students contribute to our community, and we welcome applications from around the world.

The following information is provided to help prospective international students through the MSDS application process. All students are considered in the same pool regardless of the prospective student’s citizenship and the country of the student’s undergraduate institution.

International applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution equivalent to a four-year American degree, which may include an undergraduate degree earned in three years.

Prerequisites

International applicants who completed the prerequisites under a different title (e.g., instead of Calculus II, the course is listed as Mathematics III on your transcript) must submit a course description and/or syllabus of the course to confirm the completion of the prerequisites.  

Transcripts

If English was the primary language of instruction at your undergraduate institution: You must upload unofficial transcripts of your entire post-secondary academic record to the online application, including all undergraduate- and graduate-level institutions attended. You are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS and this requirement will automatically be waived on your application.

If English was NOT the primary language of instruction at your undergraduate institution: You must submit a course-by-course credential evaluation to help us better understand your educational background and capabilities. IEE and SpanTran are NACES-member companies that have created custom applications for the School of Data Science at a discounted rate. We accept transcript evaluations from all NACES-member evaluators.  

You will also be required to submit your TOEFL or IELTS scores. These can be self-reported on the application, but you will need to submit an official score report by Aug. 1 if you are admitted and choose to enroll. Test scores are considered valid if taken within two years from the application deadline.  

Official TOEFL and IELTS scores should be sent electronically; no paper reports will be accepted. To send your scores:

• TOEFL: institution code B875 (no department code needed).
• IELTS: no institution code or department code needed.

We require minimum scores of: 

• TOEFL (iBT): 100 overall (including minimum section scores of 22 in speaking, 22 in writing, 23 in reading, and 23 in listening).
• IELTS: 7.0 overall (including minimum section scores of 6.5).

All admitted students who accept their offer to enroll must submit proof of degree conferral by Aug. 1. Send official transcripts electronically to sdsadmission@virginia.edu or by mail to:

Mailing Address   
School of Data Science Admissions   
PO Box 401109   
Charlottesville, VA 22904

Physical Address (for DHL and FedEx)   
School of Data Science Admissions   
Room 232   
1001 Emmet Street North   
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Standardized Tests   
We do not require or accept scores for standardized tests (i.e., GRE, GMAT) in the holistic review of applications for our programs.

Application Fee

All graduate applications to the School of Data Science have a non-refundable application fee of $85 required for submission.  

The School of Data Science is committed to diversity which we define as excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspective and lived experience. We acknowledge that financial disparities exist that may discourage prospective students from applying. In hopes of creating and increasing access to our graduate programs, we currently provide application fee waivers to:  

• Recipients of DACA, Deferred Enforced Departure, or Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Please contact Degi Betcher if you meet this eligibility.
• Citizens from the countries listed below, defined by the United Nations as the least developed countries (LDCs). The application system will automatically waive the payment based on the citizenship you select on the application. International applications from countries not listed as LDCs will not be eligible to receive need-based application fee waivers.  
  • Afghanistan
  • Angola
  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Comoros
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Gambia
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Haiti
  • Kiribati
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Niger
  • Rwanda
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • United Republic of Tanzania
  • Yemen
  • Zambia

For technical questions about the application, contact sdsadmission@virginia.edu. For all other questions, connect with us.

OPT/STEM OPT  

MSDS graduates will be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (12 months) and consecutively STEM OPT Extension (24 months).  

F-1 Visa/I-20  

Admitted international applicants will be required to submit supplemental documentation to the International Student & Scholars Program confirming the financial resources available for their study in the United States. Timely submission of the I-20 request form and financial forms will be important in receiving the I-20 form and applying for the F-1 student visa or transferring the SEVIS record. Connect with the International Student Office with all questions related to student visas & immigration statuses. Do not submit financial documentation with your application. 

Students admitted to the School of Data Science’s MSDS Residential program may request a deferral of their enrollment to the next cohort start date if facing extreme hardship or mitigating circumstances. To request a deferral, students must accept their offer of admission, pay the non-refundable $500 tuition deposit (applied toward future tuition), and submit the deferral request form located in the Application Portal. Please be specific in your deferral request.  

The Admissions team will review deferrals within 72 business hours. If granted, students must accept a revised offer of admission for the next cohort date within two weeks of the date of offer. Deferrals are not guaranteed and are granted at the discretion of the School of Data Science. Students admitted from the waitlist may not request a deferral. Students who are not granted a deferral may reapply to the program in the future. All deferral requests for the MSDS residential program must be submitted by May 1.  

Federal financial aid and need-based fellowships are limited to eligible U.S. Citizens and eligible non-citizens. There are also several external scholarships and funding options available to international students, some of which can be found on the Funding Your Degree page. The F1 Visa does permit part-time UVA-based employment for full-time students in the MSDS Residential program. Any employment would be available after you begin classes and will not be outlined in your offer letter.  

All UVA students must meet the health insurance verification requirements. Read the details of the health insurance requirements here.