Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

About the school

The University of California Irvine - Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science began as a department in 1968. It embodies excellence, collaborative innovation, and computer science and information technology creativity. The School of Information and Computer Science has three departments Statistics, Information, and Computer Science - and covers a wide range of fields like - design of algorithm and data structures, computer architecture and embedded computer system, network and distributed systems, machine learning and data mining, computer games and virtual world, social and mobile computing, and many more.

The Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences is ranked 29th in the United States for Computer Science, as per the U.S. News & World Report, in 2016, 14th in public university programmes, 4th in human-computer interaction, 9th in software engineering, and 8th in databases.

Where is the school located?

The University of California Irvine - Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences is located in the vibrant city of Irvine, California.

Life at Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science offers its students much more than just classrooms and labs. The multicultural campus cultivates a strong school spirit, while student organisations and clubs cater to specific interests. These include the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), Hack, ICS Student Council, Management Information Student Society, Video Game Development Club, and Women in Information and Computer Sciences. Athletic pursuits are also encouraged with the UCIs 23 Division I athletic teams and the Anteater Recreation Centre, which is accessible to students for workouts. The school of ICS also supports black culture and encourages students to participate in black programmes and events.

With regards to student accommodation, housing is set in the Arroyo Vista housing community located near the Anteater Recreation Centre. It is open to all students interested in Information and Computer Science. The housing offers informal social and academic functions for students to get involved in science and information. It aims to connect the students of ICS to the faculties, alumni, and even businesspersons to showcase their abilities and expertise. The house also organises corporate visits, and provides opportunities to participate in symposiums and workshops related to academic, community, and career opportunities.

Additional benefits of studying at Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

• Research-Focused: The School of Information and Computer Science faculties actively lead various research laboratories, which helps the students get hands-on experience in the field. In addition, at the school of ICS, the students can conduct their own research that is supported through several grants and gifts, and contracts from public and private institutions such as the State of California, the U.S. Department of Education, Boeing, Disney, Experian, Google, Intel, IBM, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and many others.

Admissions criteria

Aspiring candidates must apply through the university's official website. Candidates can find detailed instructions on how to apply on the official website.

Every application has a specific deadline and candidates have to submit the application before the deadline.

The following are the documents required for graduate admission:

• A complete application form
• Bachelor's degree
• Completed essays
• Three letters of recommendations from an employer, academic, etc.
• Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statement
• Academic transcripts
• Graduate admissions test results (GMAT, GRE, LSAT)
• Resume/CV
• A minimum GPA of at least B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0) is required

Fees and other expenses

The following are additional fees and expenses for domestic students -

• Student Services Fee: $1,106
• Associated Graduate Student Fee - AGS: $27
• UCI Student Centre Fee: $267
• UCI Student Centre Fee - Continuation: $278.21
• Bren Events Centre Fee: $69
• Recreation Centre Fee: $264
• eTechFee: varies
• Document Fee: $80
• Grad. Student Health Insurance Plan Fee: $4,871.85

Guidance for international students

International candidates must check the ICS official website to check for eligibility criteria. In addition, international applicants must certify that they possess sufficient funds to cover all tuition fees, transportation, and housing facilities. A Visa Request Form must be submitted to show the verification of financial resources, which must be provided before issuing a visa.

The following are additional requirements for international students:

• Proof of English proficiency: You must obtain the minimum score in the following exams to be eligible- TOEFL Paper-Based exam: 550, TOEFL Internet-Based exam: 80, IELTS: 7.0, and TOEP: 5.

Job placements

• Flexible Career Opportunities: Graduates of the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science pursue various careers in both academic and industry. They find great opportunities to solve real-world problems across a wide range of domains, including automotive, aerospace, consumer product, cybersecurity, engineering, data science, national defence, gaming, finance, and pharmacology, among many others. Graduates also secure roles within research and development teams focusing on building advanced technologies, analysing and securing data, designing, and maintaining computing infrastructure. Additional career options available to graduates include starting their own businesses or working as independent consultants.