No GRE, per the FAQ
The FAQ says GRE general exam scores are no longer required or accepted.
Doctoral · Princeton Computer science
Princeton Computer Science PhD: no writing sample, and the FAQ says no GRE
The Princeton Computer Science admissions requirements page, published for Fall 2027, says the department does not require the writing sample or policy memo mentioned in the application and that admission is for the Fall semester only. The graduate FAQ, whose deadline line still refers to fall 2026, says the GRE general exam is no longer required or accepted and lists three letters, transcripts and a personal statement of up to 1,000 words. Applicants typically hold a degree in computer science, engineering, science or mathematics.
Official information · last verified for 2027-28 entry
What Princeton asks for in Princeton Computer Science PhD
Taken from the Princeton Department of Computer Science graduate admissions requirements page and its graduate FAQ and read on 2 November 2026. The page describes 2027-28 entry. For a 2028-29 start, applied for in 2027-28, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; Princeton's requirements, dates and funding for 2028-29 are awaiting publication, and none is stated here.
No writing sample
The department does not require the writing sample or policy memo in the application.
No fallback to the master's
A PhD applicant who is not accepted is not considered for the master's.
Official sources
- Princeton Computer Science: Graduate FAQcs.princeton.edu
- Princeton Computer Science: Admissions Requirementscs.princeton.edu
Read on 2 November 2026 on the Princeton Department of Computer Science graduate admissions requirements page and its graduate FAQ, which describes 2027-28 entry. The Graduate School's own admissions pages were not read and are not stated. No deadline, fee, funding amount or place number is stated.
The decision
Does your record fit what the programme page asks?
This guide concerns only the Princeton research degree. The reading below is Avandy's judgment (heuristic), built from what the programme page says.
It fits if
you have a degree in computer science, engineering, science or mathematics and can write a focused statement of up to 1,000 words.
Think again if
you were planning to apply to the PhD with the master's as a fallback. The FAQ says it will not consider you for it.
Check the page
The Graduate School's programme page is the source; deadlines, funding and score thresholds change by cycle and are not stated here.
How the application is read
What the programme page lists
The requirements page, labelled for Fall 2027, says the writing sample and policy memo are not required and that PhD applicants submit TOEFL, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test where needed. The FAQ lists transcripts, three letters of recommendation and a personal statement, and says the GRE general exam is no longer required or accepted. The FAQ's deadline line refers to fall 2026, so treat its other answers as needing a check against the requirements page. This guide states no deadline, fee or funding term.
How the programme runs
Focus and working pattern
Admission is for the Fall semester only and full-time. The department does not accept applications to its master's programme for Fall 2027, applicants are not pre-screened, and no credit may be transferred toward the PhD.
Avandy's judgment
Where an application can go wrong
These points are Avandy's heuristic reading of the page. They are not Princeton rules and carry no probability.
Preparing the GRE
The FAQ says GRE general scores are no longer required or accepted, though its deadline line is from the previous cycle.
Planning on the master's as a fallback
The FAQ says PhD applicants are not considered for the master's, and the department is not accepting master's applications for Fall 2027.
Writing a general statement
The FAQ asks for academic and career plans related to the department and to specific areas of computer science.
Next steps
A sensible order of work
The order is Avandy's suggestion, built from the page's own steps.
Check your record
Compare your coursework and experience with the stated expectations.
Prepare the written work
Draft the statements and writing sample the page asks for, in the formats it lists.
Plan the tests
Check which tests are required, optional or not accepted.
Read the current page
Read the programme page for the cycle you apply in.
Planning for 2028-29 entry
Planning for 2028-29 entry: what carries over and what awaits publication
Princeton's programme page describes entry in 2027-28. A start in 2028-29 means applying in the 2027-28 cycle, under rules Princeton has not yet published. Each item below is either last verified for 2027-28 entry, which means Princeton published it for the previous cycle and it may change, or awaiting publication for 2028-29 entry.
The structure of the programme and the application
The expectations, the written work and the test policy are described on Princeton's programme page, which carries no entry-year label. Princeton has not published the following cycle.
Deadlines, places, funding and fees
This guide states none of them. Princeton publishes them per cycle; read the page again for the cycle you apply in.
What to do now
Check your record against the programme page, prepare the written work it lists and plan any required test.
Support
Independent support with the research statement and fit
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Princeton University or any of its departments, and it has no relationship with any member of staff. Support sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant and a PhD-level Academic Mentor help the applicant test a research idea against the department's published research areas and plan their own statement. Support here is limited to testing a research idea against the department's published research themes and planning the applicant's own statements; it does not extend to contacting staff on the applicant's behalf. Avandy does not write or submit any part of an application, cannot arrange a supervisor and promises no outcome or funding.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
What does the Princeton Computer Science PhD ask for?
Applicants typically have a degree in computer science, engineering, science or mathematics.
Is a test required?
The graduate FAQ says the GRE general exam is no longer required or accepted, but its own deadline line still refers to fall 2026, so the department's current wording for Fall 2027 should be checked. For English proficiency, PhD applicants submit TOEFL, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test unless an exemption applies.
Does this guide state a deadline?
No. The page carries no entry-year label and this guide states no deadline, fee or funding. Check the programme page for the cycle you apply in.
Does the programme include funding?
This guide did not use Princeton's funding sections and states no funding.
Students and families
Talk to us about the Princeton Computer Science PhD
Tell us about your degrees, your research experience, the research question you want to pursue and the supervisors or groups you have in mind. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to develop the research statement.