FAQs

How long will the program take?

The Ph.D. in Data Science typically requires five years of full-time study for students who have not completed a master's degree in a related field. This will include completion of coursework in years 1-2. Year 3 will include a transition from coursework to independent research, and the final year or years will include completion of research and dissertation work. More information may be found on the Academics page; the Graduate Record is the official repository for all academic requirements.

What can I do with a Ph.D. in Data Science?

Data science doctoral graduates are highly sought after for employment. Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, you will have the tools to set your research direction, teach and advise students, and work at the forefront of government or industry.

Can I pursue the program part-time and/or online?

No. The program is full-time, in-person in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

How much does the program cost?

Tuition and fees are set annually by the University of Virginia Board of Visitors in early spring. School-funded doctoral students receive a tuition waiver, fellowship wages, and health insurance. These students will serve as graduate teaching assistants or graduate research assistants throughout the Ph.D. program.

Do you admit students who do not receive School funding?  

Unfortunately, space is limited, and we only admit students who are funded.  

How many students are in each Ph.D. in Data Science cohort?

The School aims to admit ~10 students each year.  

Whom do I contact with questions about the online application?

For technical questions related to accessing or submitting the application, contact sdsadmission@virginia.edu. For any other questions about the admission process, contact the admissions team.

Can you provide an informal or unofficial evaluation of my credentials to let me know my chances of being admitted?

No. We only evaluate completed and submitted applications after the application deadline.

Is there a preference for students who have just finished their undergraduate or master’s degrees or those who have work experience?

There is no preference. Each year, we expect to have students who have just finished their degrees and students who are recent working professionals returning to school.

​​​​Do I need a master’s degree to apply?  

No. Intellectually curious students who have met the prerequisites will be prepared for our Ph.D. program.  

Can I apply if I already have a Ph.D.?  

We believe the Doctor of Philosophy degree is a research degree at its core that is not tied to a particular academic discipline. Anyone may apply to the Ph.D. in Data Science program, and all applications are reviewed holistically.  

I come from a non-STEM or non-traditional academic discipline (e.g., natural sciences, humanities, business, law) and am interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Data Science. Will I be competitive in the admissions process?  

The Ph.D. in Data Science at the University of Virginia is intended to be a broad degree, designed for students with a variety of academic backgrounds and disciplines. Students with a strong foundation in technical data science principles who have completed the prerequisites typically perform well in the curriculum. Our faculty represents just a fraction of the interdisciplinary ways in which data science can be applied.  

Will my application be more competitive if I know my thesis topic?  

While it’s rare for an incoming student to be certain about their thesis topic, we will ask you to indicate areas of research interest in your application.  

Do I need to match with a research supervisor to be offered admission?  

Not at first. The Ph.D. in Data Science program is not a “direct match” program, meaning that we do not require you to secure a research advisor who will fund your degree through their research grant and supervise your research prior to applying for our program. 

We admit Ph.D. students whose interest aligns with our faculty research interest areas. Once enrolled, we facilitate interactions between faculty and Ph.D. students to showcase their research, and you’ll choose a supervising faculty member by the end of your second year in the program.  

Will my application be more competitive for admission if I reach out to faculty and ask if they will serve as my research advisor prior to applying to the Ph.D. in Data Science?  

While we will ensure that we have faculty aligned with your interest area, you do not need their support via a letter of recommendation or through a commitment of funding. We encourage you to check out our faculty research interests prior to submitting your application, and our faculty are happy to answer questions about their research. Data Science faculty will not vet applications outside of the formal admissions process.  

What is the application process like?  

The application opens in August and is due in early January of the following year. The admission committee reads applications holistically and after the submission deadline and extends requests for interviews in mid- to late-February. Interviews may be online or in-person. Each year, the admission committee extends offers to candidates who were not invited to formal interview days as well. Decisions will be sent to all applicants in early March; we ask that applicants accept or decline their offer of admission as soon as possible and no later than April 15.  

What are the prerequisites for admission?

The Ph.D. in Data Science program has four prerequisites: multivariable calculus, statistics, linear algebra, and programming.

How do I know if I have satisfied the prerequisites?

Check the list of Prerequisite Key Topics to find the exact topics you are expected to learn in each prerequisite course. These are foundational skills you will need to start the program.  

Must all prerequisites be completed prior to submission of the application?

No, however competitive applicants tend to have most, or all, prerequisites completed or in progress when they apply.

How do I show which prerequisites I've completed/plan to complete?

The application contains a prerequisites section where you must detail how and when you plan to complete any remaining prerequisites. If you are admitted and a prerequisite was in progress or planned at the time you applied, then completion of that prerequisite will be a condition of your admission.

Proof of completion will be required for any incomplete prerequisites if an applicant is admitted and accepts their admission offer, and all prerequisites must be completed by the deadline stated in your offer letter. If you do not complete the prerequisites by the deadline, your offer of admission will be rescinded. Updates to prerequisite completion should be uploaded to your application portal.

A non-refundable application fee of $85 is required prior to submission of the application. In some circumstances, we offer application fee waivers, as outlined below. Fee waivers cannot be granted after payment of the application fee. Applications are considered complete once the fee has been paid OR the fee waiver has processed.

Domestic applicants: The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs offers a range of fee waivers for domestic students, including, but not limited to: current or former AmeriCorps or Peace Corps members, active duty service members or veterans, current recipients of the Pell Grant, and other criteria.

International applicants: Review your eligibility for a fee waiver under "Application Requirements - International Applicants."  

If you do not meet these criteria, we cannot grant an application fee waiver. 

Is the GRE, GMAT, or other graduate school standardized test required?

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

Do I have to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores?

If you have or will obtain an undergraduate degree from an institution in which English is the primary language of instruction, you do not need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. 

If you have or will obtain a degree from an institution in which English is NOT the primary language of instruction, you must submit results of English-language proficiency exams. You must self-report either a TOEFL or IELTS score on the application. Both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training exams are accepted.

Enrolling students must provide official score reports. Official TOEFL scores should be submitted via ETS using institution code B875 (no department code needed). Official IELTS scores should be submitted electronically by the IELTS test center (No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted; no institution code or department code is needed). 

Are there minimum TOEFL and IELTS scores?

Yes. The minimum internet-based TOEFL score requirement is 100 (including section minimum scores of 22 in Speaking, 22 in Writing, 23 in Reading, and 23 in Listening). The minimum IELTS score requirement is 7.0 total with a minimum score of 6.5 in each section. The TOEFL/IELTS must be taken within the last two years to be considered valid.  

If I don’t meet the minimum English-language test score, could I still be offered admission?  

Your ability to read, write, and fluently speak English is essential for success in our fast-paced, collaborative program and greater data science and UVA community. That said, our admission considerations are holistic and include many factors. If offered admission, the committee would require new test scores that meet the minimums and additional English-language preparation prior to or upon arrival in the program.  

What is your offer rate?  

We review all applications holistically and each year receive many more qualified applicants than we are able to admit. We anticipate an incoming cohort of ~10 students each year.  

What admission decision may I receive?  

We have three admission decisions: Admit (including Conditional Admit), Waitlist, or Deny.  

Conditional admission means we would like to offer you admission to the program; however, you must meet a specified condition by the deadline listed in your offer letter. For example, if a prerequisite is in progress at the time of application, we will offer you conditional admission requiring you to submit proof of completion of that course prior to the start of classes. Those who do not meet their conditions of admission prior to the start of classes will have their offer of admission rescinded.  

How does the waitlist work?  

Our waitlist is unranked; when spots become available, we re-review candidates. It is helpful (but not required) to send any updates if you have them, such as semester mid-term or final grades, a new job or project, etc. Although the waitlist varies each year, we have previously made anywhere from 1-3 offers.  

Our decision deadline is April 15. As soon as that passes, and if we have room, we will make offers from the waitlist through July. If you receive an offer, you must accept or decline the offer by the deadline in your offer letter.

If I am denied admission to the Ph.D. program, can I be considered for the M.S. in Data Science program?

If you are denied to the Ph.D. program and you wish to be considered for the MSDS, please reach out to sdsadmissions@virginia.edu. The M.S. in Data Science is not focused on research and is not a path to the Ph.D. program; instead, it a professional degree providing a strong foundation in essential data science skills. 

May I apply to both your Ph.D. and M.S. in Data Science programs in the same cycle?

Yes, as they are separate cycles and reviewed independently; however, we do try to release those decisions at the same time. 

If I am denied admission, can I apply again?  

Yes, you are welcome to reapply to any of our graduate programs. We encourage you to review the prerequisites for admission and reach out to a member of the admissions team if you have questions about the application process.

I was admitted but have extenuating circumstances preventing me from enrolling this fall. May I delay my enrollment to next year?  

You may request to delay your offer of enrollment to the next cohort start date if you are facing extreme mitigating concerns. This is called a "deferral request." To request a deferral, accept the offer of admission and submit the deferral request form in your application portal.  
 
The admissions team will review deferrals within 72 business hours. If granted, you must accept a revised offer of admission for the next cohort date within two weeks of the date of the 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 must be submitted no later than June 1. 

Is this program eligible for the STEM OPT Extension?  

Yes, Ph.D. in Data Science graduates will be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (12 months) and consecutively STEM OPT Extension (24 months).

Can I receive an application fee waiver?

See the "About Application Fee Waivers" section above.  

Do I need to submit an English translation of my transcript?

Yes. All transcripts not translated to English must be accompanied by an English translation from NACES-accredited transcript verification service. SpanTran is a NACES-member company that has created a custom application for the School of Data Science at a discounted rate. This translated transcript must be submitted by the application deadline. 

Applications without the required English translation from an accredited transcript verification service by the deadline will be incomplete and withdrawn from consideration for admission.

I am an enrolling student. How do I get my 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, which your admission offer letter will detail. 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 and immigration statuses.  

I accepted my offer of admission to the Ph.D. program through the portal. What’s next?  

SIS & UVA Computing ID:  
Create your UVA Computing ID and access your Student Information System (SIS) Account. The Office of Student Affairs will contact you via your UVA email address with important updates about the mandatory orientation.

Classes:  
Over the summer, you will have a one-on-one meeting with the Ph.D. program director to discuss courses for your first term; be sure to bring course descriptions of graduate-level courses you believe have satisfied any Foundation courses. You will enroll in the courses through SIS.

Housing:  
There are many housing options available to graduate students, including on-Grounds housing offered through UVA or off-Grounds housing in the city of Charlottesville. Whether you are seeking furnished or unfurnished, single or shared occupancy, there are many options to choose from that will fit your needs. Enrolling students will be added to a group chat for the cohort, which is a great place to connect about housing.

Life on Grounds:  
There are plenty of opportunities to get to know your new classmates once you arrive on Grounds. The SDS Office of Student Affairs puts on social and educational events outside of the classroom, such as resume building sessions, lunch meetings, get-togethers, and more. You will be connected to these resources and events at Orientation.