UT Arlington's MS in Computer Science, offered through the College of Engineering, sits inside a Carnegie R1 "very high research activity" university located squarely between Dallas and Fort Worth — one of the largest and fastest-growing job markets in the US. For applicants comparing UTA against flagship-brand public universities, the pitch is genuine research-university status, a test-optional, threshold-based admissions culture, and direct proximity to major DFW tech and defense employers, at a fraction of the cost of comparable private-university CS master's programs.
This guide walks through exactly what it takes to get into UTA's MS in Computer Science — acceptance rate realities, cost, requirements, English-test rules, and what graduates go on to do.
Acceptance Rate: What UTA Actually Publishes
UTA does not publish a specific acceptance rate for the MS in Computer Science, and it does not publish a single university-wide graduate acceptance rate at all — UTA's graduate admissions are decentralized, department by department, for both testing policy and review criteria.
What we know, grounded in UTA's own data:
- UTA's undergraduate acceptance rate runs at approximately 88%, reflecting UTA's test-optional, threshold-based admissions culture (guaranteed admission for applicants with a 3.25+ GPA). This is a limited proxy for graduate CS admission, which uses a different, department-level review process.
- UTA's College of Engineering is its largest college, enrolling more than 7,000 students, and Computer Science is consistently one of its most in-demand graduate programs — meaning practical selectivity for the MS in Computer Science is very likely tighter than the university's broadly accessible undergraduate reputation suggests, though UTA does not publish a number confirming by how much.
- Admission is evaluated against a minimum 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) graduate baseline plus department-specific criteria, rather than a fixed, publicly reported quota.
Bottom line: treat UTA's MS in Computer Science as more selective in practice than the 88% undergraduate headline figure, without assuming a specific percentage — UTA hasn't published one for this program.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
UTA publishes an estimated total cost of attendance for international graduate students rather than breaking tuition out separately on its public pages:
| Cost Item | Amount (USD/year) |
|---|---|
| Total estimated cost of attendance (graduate) | $41,230 |
This figure bundles tuition, mandatory fees, and estimated living expenses; UTA does not publish an itemized tuition-only breakdown for graduate international students in its general cost materials. UTA's Tuition Estimator tool provides a program- and credit-load-specific figure, worth running before committing, since Texas public university tuition can vary by college (Engineering programs, for instance, often carry differential tuition rates above the university baseline). UTA's graduate application fee is $90, plus a separate FCSA transcript-evaluation processing fee (roughly $90) for non-US transcripts.
For a standard two-year MS, total program cost using the published estimate runs roughly $80,000-$85,000 before any funding — notably lower than comparable CS master's programs at private research universities.
Admission Requirements
UTA's MS in Computer Science is administered through the College of Engineering under UTA's decentralized graduate admissions process. Based on UTA's published graduate requirements:
- ApplyUTA graduate application
- Non-US transcripts submitted for FCSA evaluation (carries its own ~$90 processing fee)
- English proficiency scores if native language is not English
- GRE/GMAT scores only if the specific department requires them — UTA states there is no blanket university-wide testing mandate
- Statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and (for some programs) writing samples
- Financial documentation for visa/I-20 eligibility
- Minimum 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) — UTA's published graduate baseline
Deadlines: Master's programs generally target March 15 for Fall and August 15 for Spring; individual departments can set earlier internal deadlines, so confirm directly with the Computer Science graduate program.
How to Get Into UTA's MS in Computer Science
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Confirm the Computer Science department's specific GRE/GMAT policy early. Because testing requirements are entirely department-dependent at UTA, don't assume it's required or waived — applicants sometimes over- or under-invest in GRE prep relative to what the CS department actually requires.
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Clear the 3.0 GPA floor with margin. Given Computer Science is one of the College of Engineering's most in-demand programs within a 7,000+ student college, a transcript meaningfully above the published minimum strengthens your file relative to UTA's broader, more accessible graduate baseline.
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Get your non-US transcripts through FCSA evaluation early. This process carries its own timeline and processing fee (~$90) separate from the main application — starting it late is a common, avoidable cause of application delays.
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Write a statement of purpose tailored to a specific CS subfield. As with any competitive graduate CS program, naming a concrete research or technical interest (AI/ML, systems, cybersecurity, etc.) and connecting it to prior coursework or project work stands out more than a generic interest statement.
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Apply well ahead of the March 15 Fall deadline. Individual departments, including Computer Science, can set earlier internal deadlines than UTA's general graduate date — confirm and apply early rather than assuming the published master's deadline is final.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
UTA's graduate-level English proficiency policy applies to the MS in Computer Science:
- IELTS: minimum 6.5 overall, recommended 7.0
- TOEFL: minimum 79 overall, recommended 90 — with sectional minimums of 22 (writing), 21 (speaking), 20 (reading), and 16 (listening) on the legacy 120-point scale (or 4.5 writing / 4 speaking / 4 reading / 4 listening on the redesigned 6-point scale)
- Duolingo English Test: minimum 100
- PTE Academic: not listed among UTA's officially accepted graduate English tests as of research date — confirm directly with UTA admissions before relying on a PTE score
- Waiver: waived for applicants holding a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited US institution. Required for all other applicants whose native language is not English; individual departments may set requirements above this university-wide floor.
UTA's Speaking sub-score (21/30 legacy scale) is flagged as the most commonly underprepared area among graduate applicants, since it's achievable but still trips up applicants who focus disproportionately on Reading and Listening during test prep. UTA does not run a dedicated English-proficiency bridge or pathway program for graduate applicants — its GPA-based "conditional admission" track applies to undergraduate academic review only and does not substitute for meeting the English-proficiency minimum. For general context on UTA's broader admissions picture, see University of Texas at Arlington: Acceptance Rate, Fees, IELTS/TOEFL Requirements & How to Get In.
Career Outcomes
UTA does not publish graduate-level employment or salary outcomes for the MS in Computer Science, or for its graduate programs generally. What we can point to as the best available context:
- Top recruiters (university-wide graduate): Lockheed Martin, Raytheon (RTX), American Airlines, Fidelity Investments, JPMorgan Chase, and Texas Health Resources — spanning aerospace/defense, airlines, and finance within the DFW metroplex
- No graduate employment rate or average starting salary figure is published by UTA for the MS in Computer Science specifically
Graduates of the STEM-designated MS in Computer Science qualify for the standard 12-month OPT period plus the 24-month STEM OPT extension, for up to 36 months of total US work authorization. UTA's location — directly inside the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, one of the largest metro job markets in the country — puts CS graduates within commuting distance of a dense concentration of tech, defense, and finance employers, even though UTA doesn't publish program-specific placement statistics to quantify this advantage.
FAQ
Does UTA publish a specific acceptance rate for the MS in Computer Science? No. UTA doesn't publish a university-wide graduate acceptance rate, let alone a CS-specific one. Treat the 88% undergraduate figure as general context only — CS master's admission is decentralized and very likely more selective in practice.
Is the GRE required for UTA's MS in Computer Science? It depends entirely on current department policy — UTA states test requirements vary by program with no blanket mandate. Confirm directly with the Computer Science graduate program before assuming a GRE score is or isn't needed.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for UTA's MS in Computer Science? The minimum is IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 79, with TOEFL sectional minimums of 22 writing / 21 speaking / 20 reading / 16 listening — the Speaking sub-score is the area applicants most often underprepare for.
How much does UTA's MS in Computer Science cost? UTA publishes a bundled total estimated cost of attendance of $41,230/year for international graduate students, covering tuition, fees, and living expenses — roughly $80,000-$85,000 for a two-year MS, notably below comparable private-university programs.
Does UTA offer conditional admission for graduate CS applicants? UTA's conditional-admission track is GPA/academic-record based and applies at the undergraduate level; it does not lower or bypass the English-proficiency requirement, and no dedicated graduate English-bridge program was found.
What career outcome data does UTA publish for CS graduate students? UTA doesn't publish graduate-level employment or salary figures for Computer Science specifically. The best available context is its list of top graduate recruiters (Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, American Airlines, Fidelity, JPMorgan Chase, Texas Health Resources) and the DFW metroplex's overall employer density.