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Application Process

Thank you for your interest in the Computational Social Science M.S. Program. We welcome applicants from all geographic, disciplinary, and personal backgrounds to apply. Applicants interested in pursuing a graduate degree in Computational Social Science must apply through UC San Diego's Graduate Division. If you have questions about the application process you can email us at css-advising-g@ucsd.edu

The application fee is $135 for domestic applicants and $155 for international applicants. You may qualify to have this fee waived: UC San Diego Fee Waiver Application.


Apply here: https://connect.grad.ucsd.edu/apply/

Important Deadlines:

  • 2023-2024 applications open September 7, 2022.

  • Priority application deadline: January 18, 2023 

    • International students are strongly encouraged to apply by the priority deadline to ensure ample time to request a visa.
  • Application reopens: January 20, 2023 
  • Final application deadline: March 1, 2023

Application Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree (earned, or anticipated to be conferred before start of the M.S. program)

    • GPA typically of 3.0 or higher

    • Prior coursework in statistics and/or formal logic is recommended

    • Prior experience with calculus or programming is not required, but may prove beneficial

  • International applicants to the University of California San Diego must meet English language requirements outlined here

  • Two letters of recommendation. 

    • Please submit two letters of recommendation for a complete application. These letters should address your academic and/or professional qualifications for pursuing an M.S. Letter writers that are able to provide context and clarity with respect to your ability and potential to excel in a graduate program are the most helpful in evaluating your application.

  • Personal statement

    • Online Statement of purpose only; 1000 word limit.

    • Personal statement must address the following questions:
      1) What relevant preparation have you undertaken for this program?
      2) How can the CSS M.S. program at UC San Diego help you realize your professional goals, both immediate and long term?

  • Resume/CV

  •  As of 2022, applicants are no longer required to submit scores for the GRE. Applicants can optionally submit scores for the GRE General Test (verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections), but applicants submitting scores will be given no specific preference or consideration during the admissions process relative to applications without GRE scores.

Information Session 

Join us at our upcoming virtual information session to learn more about our one-year Master of Science (M.S.) in Computational Social Science (CSS) program at UC San Diego. This session will be facilitated by the CSS Program Director and CSS Graduate Advisor. Please see below to register for our upcoming session.

Upcoming Sessions: 

  • Thursday, November 10, 2022 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. PST
  • Thursday, January 5, 2023 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. PST

Previous Sessions:

  • Wednesday, September 28, 2022 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. PST

If you are unable to attend our information session and have questions about our program please email css-advising-g@ucsd.edu.