Application Requirements – Ph.D.

Please note the application and funding deadlines.

Before you start your application confirm that you meet the Program Requirements and Emphasis Area Requirements for your desired area of study.

No application fee waivers are provided.

To be eligible for admission, applicants must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

Applicants to all emphasis areas should have completed coursework in computer programming or be able to provide documented experience in programming.

Upper-division undergraduate coursework in differential equations and linear algebra. The equivalent courses at Boise State are MATH 301 and MATH 333.

Upper-division undergraduate coursework in data structures and algorithms. The equivalent courses at Boise State are CS 321 and CS 421.

Upper-division undergraduate coursework in data structures and introductory systems programming. The equivalent courses at Boise State are CS 253 and CS 321.

Upper-division undergraduate coursework in linear algebra and calculus-based statistics. The equivalent courses at Boise State are MATH 301 and MATH 361.

New emphasis beginning Fall 2025! Upper-division undergraduate coursework in data structure and essentials of data science. The equivalent courses at Boise State are CS233 and CS321.

Content on this page is provided as a quick reference for planning. All official degree requirements are published on the Graduate Catalog site.

Applicants to the computing Ph.D. program must submit all of the items listed. All materials will be collected via the online application system. We recommend reviewing the information on this page and collecting everything before you begin the application process.

• Applicants without a Masters degree are recommended to have a GPA of 3.0 or above in the last 40 hours of undergraduate coursework.
• Applicants with a Master’s degree are recommended to have a GPA of 3.3 or above in their Master’s degree program.
• Official transcripts must be sent to Boise State by your previous school or an approved transcript service provider. Official transcripts must be received no later than the application deadline to be reviewed by International Admissions and our Computing PhD Admissions Committee. Applications with missing official transcripts will not be reviewed. Instructions for submitting official transcripts are provided here.
• International Applicants – Visit the International Admissions page regarding the submission of international transcripts.

All Computing areas of emphasis and certificate programs require applicants to have programming experience and meet certain pre-requisite course requirements. It is not always clear how those requirements have been met just by looking at transcripts so these questions will provide important context for the Computing Admission Committee. Some questions will refer to specific courses at Boise State as examples, so please refer to the undergraduate course catalog as you complete the form. View the undergraduate course catalog.

Applicants will identify any potential or planned faculty advisor names on the Admission Questionnaire. Applicants are encouraged to contact potential faculty advisors prior to application.

Instructions for adding the completed Admission Questionnaire to your application materials are provided via this link.

Complete the Admission Questionnaire

A Statement of Purpose is a statement of your research experience, interests and goals.

The Statement of Purpose will be uploaded to a field in the application system.

Do not use templates. Ensure that your Statement of Purpose clearly defines your goals, aspirations, strengths and research interests based on your past experiences and endeavors. The goal is to compile a statement that demonstrates motivation, skill, and the ability to be successful in a doctoral program.

The Computing Ph.D. Program has a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism, which includes using templates.  Applications that are found to contain plagiarized material will be denied.

The Curriculum Vita (CV) should provide a detailed and comprehensive description of the applicant’s academic and professional credentials and achievements.

The CV will be uploaded to a field in the application system.

Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation.

We recommend requesting letters from a variety of sources including academic advisors, work supervisors or others who have served in a supervisory capacity.

Applicants will provide email addresses for each of their references via the application system, and references must electronically submit recommendation letters prior to the application deadline. Applications with fewer than three recommendation letters will not be eligible for review by the Computing Admission Committee. Reference letters should be submitted on letterhead.

View instructions for adding recommendation providers to your application. 

For International Applicants Only:

• International graduate applicants must demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to be considered for admission to Boise State. There are several approved ways for applicants to demonstrate English proficiency. Please refer to the International Admissions Office website for current test score requirements.
• Test results should be sent as official copies directly from the testing agency. Boise State University’s school code for sending TOEFL scores is 4018.

Now that you have collected your materials you can begin the application submission process.

Apply Now!

Need additional information? Refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page.