Student Application

PhD Program Admission at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

We are excited you are interested in the PhD program in computer science at TTIC!

TTIC, in admissions, employment and access to programs, considers all faculty, staff and students on the basis of individual merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. Notice of Nondiscrimination

Requirements to Apply

Requirements to apply: (more details are available below the application form on this page)

There is NO APPLICATION FEE to apply for TTIC’s PhD program.

Application Timeline

The academic year at TTIC begins in late September (Autumn Quarter).

To receive full consideration, applications must be received by DECEMBER 9.

Applications are only accepted between October 1 and February 28.

In exceptional cases an application may be considered outside this time frame. Exceptional cases usually require that the prospective student has already been working with TTIC faculty. In such cases, the student should contact the faculty they have been working with directly.

Material Submission

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all material, including reference letters, and transcripts arrive at TTIC in a timely manner. The application is considered complete, and evaluation can generally begin only after all such material is received. An application might be rejected if all material is not received within two months. Contact admissions@ttic.edu if difficulties arise in getting the material to TTIC.

TTIC accepts digital or hard copy transcripts. Digital transcripts must be sent securely by the institution with a certified digital signature from the records office, or a school’s service partner, such as Parchment, E-Scrip, National Student Clearinghouse, etc. (not by the student). The transcripts may be sent to etranscripts@ttic.edu. If sending a hard copy official transcript, it must be original, signed, sealed by the institution, and sent to:

TTIC Admissions
6045 S. Kenwood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637 U.S.A.

Transcripts must list the degree(s) awarded, or additional official copies of degrees awarded must accompany the transcript.

Foreign transcripts and documents should be issued in their original language AND be accompanied by official English translations of those documents. If your school does not issue official transcripts in English, you should send the original transcript AND an English translation. The translation should be prepared or verified by a school official or faculty member proficient in both the original language and English, or an official translation service or notary.

Documents (hard copy and/or digital) submitted to the TTIC Office of Admissions will not be returned/forwarded to the applicant or any third party at any point.

ADMISSIONS RESPONSE

Applicants who apply by December 9 (for autumn admissions) can expect to hear from a decision from the TTIC Office of Admissions by March 1st.

For applications submitted at other times, expect up to three months after application completion (including the receipt of letters and supporting documents) to hear a response.

Once you have applied

After you submit your application, you will receive two emails: Email 1: An email to confirm your email address. Email 2: An email to confirm the application was received, that includes a link to review the application and to make any necessary changes.

Please fill out the form below to start your application to TTIC. Once you have started this form you will be sent an email that will allow you to continue to access your application until it is complete.

TRUE APPLICATION VERIFICATION

Please note that any deliberate falsification or omission of application data may result in rescinding of admission, denial of permission to enroll, or dismissal from courses or the program. Through online application submission, all applicants affirm acceptance of these terms and conditions.

DIVERSITY AT TTIC

TTIC is committed to providing a supportive, respectful, and positive environment for all students, and welcomes and supports students and the wide range of backgrounds they bring with them to the Institute. TTIC is committed to increasing the diversity of its student body, and we especially encourage applications from those who may be underrepresented in our field. In addition to programs promoting more diverse recruiting and resources available to support all students, we further engage female graduate students through an active “Women at TTIC” group consisting of female faculty and students and joint functions with our female counterparts at UChicago, and TTIC students also have access to and enthusiastic participation with various groups and programs at the University of Chicago that support and enhance diversity. Students and faculty can also get involved in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.

Non-discrimination statement and Title IX

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

All students who gain acceptance to TTIC and maintain full-time status and good academic standing in the PhD program will receive:

The PhD program Academic Program Guide describes full-time status and academic requirements.

Learn more about financial assistance at TTIC.

CREDENTIALS

Retention of credentials: Credentials of non-matriculates and applicants not admitted are retained for one year. If the applicant does not request re-application by the end of that period, all materials are removed from our files.

Additional Information for Foreign Applicants

Important Information for Foreign Applicants

TTIC academic programs normally begin in the autumn quarter each year - it is not recommended to begin the program mid-year.

Foreign transcripts and documents should be issued in their original language AND be accompanied by official English translations of those documents. If your school does not issue official transcripts in English, you should send the original transcript AND and an English translation. The translation should be prepared or verified by a school official or faculty member proficient in both the original language and English, or an official translation service or notary.

Additional documents may be requested by TTIC upon review of your original application and document submittal.

If detailed transcripts are not available, the certificates must be accompanied by official statements showing the class or quality of degrees or diplomas, and marks received on degree examinations as compared with the maximum marks obtainable. If the schools that you attended are no longer in existence, or if it is impossible to obtain official documents from any schools, please ask the Ministry of Education in your home country to furnish an official statement testifying to the impossibility of obtaining records. The Ministry should also be requested to supply TTIC with a list of courses ordinarily followed in the school or university.

English Language Requirements

Applicants who are international students and are not native English speakers or have not studied for at least one academic year within the last five years in a school in the United States, or in an English-medium school in the following countries, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Caribbean, British West Indies, British Virgin Islands, Canada: All Provinces, except Quebec, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Exemption from submitting a TOEFL does not imply exemption from sitting for an additional Academic English Proficiency Assessment if it is found necessary according to the Admissions team.

To be successful in the academic program, it is essential that each graduate student is competent in understanding and communicating in English. The assessment of English competency will be made based on two factors: 1) the TOEFL or IELTS score, and 2) applicant interviews.

The minimum TOEFL score to be considered for admission is 92 on the internet-based test (iBT) and 580 on the paper-based test (PBT). Please note that the computer-based test results are no longer valid (see the TOEFL website for more information) The TOEFL code for TTIC is 8503 and can be mailed to: TTIC Office of Admissions / 6045 S. Kenwood Ave. / Chicago, IL 60637 U.S.A..

The minimum IELTS score allowed is 7. Minimum required scores in the IELTS are an overall score of 7, and no lower than 7 on any sub-section of the test. (Note: students are required to take the Academic Reading/Writing test within IELTS, not the General Training Reading/Writing test).

English competence, evaluated based on the test scores and an interview with a TTIC representative, is factored into the final admissions decision.

An applicant may be admitted with an English proficiency test score lower than that listed above. The score must still fall within the range listed below:

6.0-6.9 IELTS 61-91 TOEFLiBT 500-579 TOEFL

In such cases, and as terms of acceptance, the applicant must enroll in and complete an English enhancement course from the University of Chicago English Language Institute in the Language Skills or Pronunciation and Conversation Skills course list. This must be completed in the first quarter after enrolling at TTIC. All course expenses and material fees will be covered by TTIC, and an official record/score of attendance/completion must be submitted from the English Language Institute and kept on file in the TTIC Registrar’s Office.

If you have further questions, please contact the Admission Office of TTIC, 6045 S. Kenwood Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60637. Telephone: 773.834.2216. Email: admissions@ttic.edu

FAQ:

Transcripts

We recommend having official transcripts set to arrive at our office prior to the application deadline to avoid any delay in sending offer letters. If you have a challenge with providing official transcripts to TTIC, or have questions, contact the TTIC Admissions Office admissions@ttic.edu.

Some institutions’ adoption of Credit/No Credit and other unique-to-the-pandemic grading applications during this unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruption will not put an applicant at a disadvantage. TTIC will work with applicants and/or institutions to give all transcripted credit proper acknowledgement.

GRE scores

TTIC does not require applicants to report GRE scores.

English Language Proficiency Exams

Both IELTS and TOEFL exams can now be scheduled as at-home tests in most countries. These are proctored online versions of the tests that can be taken in test users’ homes. TTIC will accept scores from these test versions. If you are interested please review TOEFL at-home testing or the IELTS Indicator.

WAIVING FERPA RIGHTS

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, enrolled students have access to educational records concerning them. Students are also permitted to waive (refrain from using) the rights of access to their letters of reference. If you waive this right, that means you agree that you will not be allowed access to this particular item (the letter of reference) in your record.

Most people who write letters of recommendation feel more comfortable knowing they can write an honest assessment that is not designed to be read by the subject of the letter. Inside the application, when you designate a recommender, you have the option to waive your FERPA rights, and your recommender will be notified of this.

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