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The department makes the recommendation for admission and final approval comes from the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions. If you wish to accept the offer of admission but decline the financial aid offer, please notify Kara MacGreogr MacGregor (kmacgreg@illinois.edu) in the Department of Computer Science.
Acceptance and Resignation of Assistantship Appointments
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and supports the resolution which states that students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15 (Fall/Summer admission offers) or December 1 (Spring admission offers). Earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this resolution which is meant to allow students the opportunity to consider more than one offer with ample time to make final decisions. After the April 15 deadline, an offer by the institution and its acceptance by the student constitutes an agreement which both parties expect to be honored. You can read more about this resolution and see a list of schools that abide by this agreement by visiting www.cgsnet.org (Resource for Student Link).
Assistantship Time Commitment and Minimum Coursework Requirements
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Students who hold a research or a teaching assistantship are required to register for at least 8 hours of graduate level coursework. Students who hold a fellowship eligible for a tuition-waiver are required to register for at least 12 hours of graduate level coursework. This is required to receive the tuition waiver. Students should also be aware that there are other situations which may require full-time registration (12 hours) to maintain their status. The following are some instances that may require full-time registration, but may not include all situations - international student on a visa, student who has a previous education loan in deferment, student who receives medical insurance coverage from parent or spouse that requires the student to be registered full-time, etc.
Waiver of Tuition and Partial Fees
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- Maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 for each semester as a CS graduate student
- Having a passing SPEAK exam or SPEAK score (TOEFL iBT (24/30), TSE (50/60) or IELTS (8)) within the first academic year.
- Meeting with Program of Study Committee (which is assigned by the department) and completing the Program of Study form by the end of the first semester (see Program of Study section in CS Graduate Student Handbook for more information).
- Maintaining full-time registration (as stated in the CS Graduate Student Handbook).
- Receiving a positive evaluation of your assistantship duties as indicated by departmental and supervisor's annual reviews.
Teaching Assistantship Orientation Programs
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All incoming graduate students should plan to arrive at least three weeks prior to the start of the term to complete all necessary paperwork, especially International students new to the United States. Per current Homeland Security legislation, International students may arrive no earlier than 30 days prior to the date listed on their visa eligibility form. When making plans to arrive, the student should be aware that university housing should be arranged well in advance. The department recommends that new International students visit the International Student and Scholar Services Office (ISSS) website. This site contains useful information for incoming International graduate students.