Welcome! Thank you for your interest in our PhD program.

GMU is an excellent place to pursue a PhD in computer science. We have a world-class faculty with research expertise in a diverse set of computer science areas, and our department ranks among the Top 50 Computer Science Departments in the US. Additionally, George Mason University is located in the center of one of the largest computer science and information technology corridors in the nation, and is in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., a major center for science and engineering research and funding. This makes the area a rich source for PhD research opportunities. Our PhD graduates have been highly successful both in academic and industrial positions.

To apply, go to the GMU Graduate Admissions web site. Please do not submit a hardcopy to the Computer Science Department. 

The GRE General Test is not required but recommended, especially for applicants who don't have academic degrees from US institutions.

Note to Spring 2024 Applicants: 

Applicants who request financial assistance are strongly encouraged to apply for Fall 2024 (as opposed to Spring 2024).  This note doesn't apply to prospective applicants who are currently GMU students or those who are not requesting financial aid. 

Faculty in the Computer Science department also participate in the inter-disciplinary PhD in Information Technology offered by the Volgenau School of Engineering, which has concentrations in Information Systems, Information Security and Assurance, and Software Engineering.