Information for New Graduate Students Fall 2023

Welcome to the Department of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin! You were admitted to our program because we believe you will be a future star in the field of computer science, and we are very honored to have you join our department!

Below are very important dates and useful information. Links are embedded in the checklists you can download at the bottom of this page to provide you with additional information and answer your questions. We encourage you to use these links. If you do not find the information you need, please contact the CS Graduate Office.

International Students

As an international student at The University of Texas at Austin, there are additional steps you will need to follow prior to your enrollment at the university. To complete these steps you will need to log into myIO.

June 7

Submit your Background Coursework Form to the Box folder HERE for review

  •  Please complete the Background Coursework Form and upload it along with your supporting documentation in a single PDF with your EID in the name (e.g., Background_EID)  HERE
  • Please do not submit multiple files, a document without your EID on it, or a document that is NOT a PDF-- we will ask you to resubmit.
  • Note: Students who have previously completed a degree (undergraduate major or Master’s) in Computer Science do not need to fill out the form.

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Deadline to apply for a Fall 2023 TA position

All incoming doctoral students and MS students interested in applying for a TA position must submit a TA application by Wednesday, June 7 If you received an offer of TA funding in your admission letter, you must still fill out the application so that we can match you with a course.

Start by visiting UTCS Direct and under ‘Accounts’ select 'Request a New CS Account’ (You will be able to request an account beginning May 15. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for the account to be created). Once you have your CS account, return to UTCS Direct and under ‘Graduate Students’ you can access the TA Application.

June 1- July 21

Registration for incoming CS students - See your Registration Information Sheet (RIS) for bars & registration times.

August 1Deadline for incoming PhD students to complete the course proposal survey. August (International Students Only)

After arriving in the U.S. International Students can complete the New Student Check-In process

International Student Orientation. Event details and new student information are posted here

Prior to Orientation

CNS has prepared five brief orientation videos to help students prepare for graduate school. The videos provide helpful information about everything from professional development to student support, and can be viewed at your own pace here: https://cns.utexas.edu/graduate-education

August 17

CS Graduate Student Orientation
GDC 2.216 (Auditorium)
10 AM - 4:00 PM

Tentative schedule:

10:00 AM - UTCS Graduate Student Welcome: Don Fussell (Dept. Chair)
10:15 AM - UTCS Graduate Student Welcome: Greg Plaxton (Graduate Advisor) 
10:30 AM – Academic Integrity (Calvin Lin)
10:45 AM – Department Computing Resources & Facilities 
11:00 AM – Internships and Job Opportunities (OEA)
11:15 AM – New Employee Onboarding 
11:30 AM - Fellowships, Understanding the Registration Calendar, and Completing Registration 
 
1 PM – Lunch break, GDC Atrium

2:00 PM - Advanced Degree Career & Professional Development Team at Texas Career Engagement
2:30 PM - CNS Graduate Education & Career Development (Scott Burghart)
3:00 PM - Graduate Representative Association of Computer Sciences (GRACS)
3:15 PM -  Graduate Women and Gender Minorities in Computing (GWGMC)
3:30 PM - Graduate Student Tea Time Social 

*Recording will be published after orientation within 1-2 business weeks.

August 18

Please be sure to plan to attend this year's Graduate School Orientation

August 16-20 - Registration re-opens. See your Registration Information Sheet (RIS) for registration times.
August 21 - First class day. 
August 24 - Pay your tuition and fees by 5:00 p.m. This is the 4th class day. After this date, you cannot make your own changes to your registration. 
August 25 - September 6 - Changes to your registration may be made through the department offering the course. If you wish to add/drop a CS course, please email the CS Graduate Office.

Advising

Advising: Incoming PhD students must complete the proposal survey for their Fall course schedule by August 1 for approval by the Graduate Adviser. Students' bars will be cleared after Dr. Plaxton approves your proposal survey. All PhD students must register for CS 398T in their first fall semester.

Master's: There is no formal advising required for master's students. The advising bar will be cleared prior to registration. Please direct any questions to the CS Graduate Office.

COVID-19 Vaccination Information

Want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from UT Austin? The COVID-19 Vaccine Form is open to current students, faculty and staff who want to receive the vaccine from the university. Learn more and find the form at protect.utexas.edu/vaccine

For the latest campus news and resources, visit https://coronavirus.utexas.edu/

Checklists and Forms: