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 has four prerequisites for admission:  

• Calculus II (including our Calculus for Data Scientists Boot Camp)
• Introductory Statistics
• Programming
• Linear Algebra (including our Linear Algebra for Data Scientists Boot Camp)

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.

Review the Prerequisite Key Topics page for more information about how you may meet the prerequisites for admission.

Short Answer Questions

Prompts for the next application cycle will be posted after August 15, 2025.

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. 

English-language Test Scores

If English was NOT the primary language of instruction at your undergraduate institution, you are required to submit your TOEFL or IELTS scores. These can be self-reported on the application, but all enrolling students must submit an official score report. Test scores are considered valid if taken within two years from the application deadline.  

TOEFL scores should be sent via ETS to institution code B875 (no department code needed). IELTS scores should be submitted electronically by the IELTS test center. No paper test report forms will be accepted. We have 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).

We will only waive the English Language Test Score requirement if your undergraduate degree was taught in English. We will not waive this requirement for graduate degrees taught in English or based upon your citizenship status.

Other Test Scores 

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

Transcripts

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

All enrolling students must submit proof of degree conferral at least two weeks prior to the start of their first term in the MSDS Online program. Send official transcripts electronically to sdsadmission@virginia.edu (preferred) 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

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 U.S. 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). 

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

I was admitted and need to delay my enrollment. Is that possible?

Students admitted to the School of Data Science’s MSDS Online program may request a deferral of their enrollment for up to one year 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 with the new cohort start date within two weeks. 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.  

I decided I prefer an in-person program. May I switch to the MSDS Residential program?

The MSDS Residential program is full-time, in-person, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, beginning each fall. If you wish to be considered for the MSDS Residential program, email sdsadmissions@virginia.edu no later than July 1.

I'm an international applicant. Is this program eligible for the F-1 Visa?

No. The MSDS Online program is a fully remote, part-time program, and MSDS Online students are not eligible for an F-1 visa. Those seeking an F-1 Visa should consider the full-time, in-person MSDS Residential option.