Admissions – Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction (HCIM)

• Complete the UMD Graduate School application.
• Pay the application fee of $75 to the UMD Graduate School.
  • Application Fee Waiver: Unfortunately, the HCIM program doesn’t provide application fee waivers, but the graduate school does. You are welcome to check if you qualify for an application fee waiver here.
• Upload transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate courses at each institution you have attended.
  • Unofficial transcripts may be submitted initially. Official transcripts will be required upon admission and enrollment.
  • Applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution. If you have questions, read more about this requirement.
  • Applicants must have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework. If you do not meet this, provide more detail in your Statement of Purpose.
• Provide a Statement of Purpose describing your experiences and interests that will help you succeed in the program.
• GRE scores are optional for both domestic and international applicants.
• If you are a resident of the State of Maryland or believe you qualify as one, be sure to fill out the Maryland Residency section of the Graduate Application. If you have questions about Residency Classification, email resclass@umd.edu.
• You will be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries. Please check on the list of English speaking countries and options for providing evidence of English proficiency here.
  • See the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirements for instructions on submitting scores. The University of Maryland’s TOEFL Institution Code is 5814.
  • You can find English language proficiency requirements here. Please note that your English proficiency scores (including listening, writing, reading, and speaking sub-scores) must satisfy the criteria for full enrollment to be accepted to the HCIM program. HCIM is a very rigorous program that requires an excellent command of the English language. Therefore, Bridge and Intensive English programs are not an option for applicants to the HCIM program. Please see the minimum English Proficiency Scores Requirements for full HCIM admission below.

iBT TOEFL Requirements 

IELTS Academic Requirements

 PTE Academic Requirements

• HCIM Supplementary Application
• Portfolio – For more information on the portfolio, click the link. Under Application Requirements scroll down to What should I submit for the required portfolio?
• Admission to the HCIM program is competitive. The admissions committee will evaluate applications holistically to assemble a diverse cohort consisting of roughly equal numbers of students with backgrounds, experiences, and skills in the social sciences, art/design, and computers/technology.
• Applicants are not required to have prior programming experience. All students will be required to take a programming course. Consult the HCIM FAQ for more information about the program and admissions.
• Submit the names and e-mail addresses of three academic or professional references.
• Upload a current resume or CV.

University of Maryland Graduate School Application: See the Graduate School’s Step-by-Step Guide to Applying.

1. Application Fee: There is a non-refundable application fee ($75) for each program to which an applicant applies.
   • Application Fee Waiver: Unfortunately, the HCIM program doesn’t provide application fee waivers, but the Graduate School does. The Graduate School waives the application fee for applicants from selected organizations and/or preparatory programs. You are welcome to check if you qualify for an application fee waiver here.
2. Transcripts: In the online application to the Graduate School, you will be able to upload a copy of your unofficial transcript in the Previous Education section. The copy of your unofficial transcript is sufficient for the purposes of the review process of your application. However, if you are offered admission and choose to enroll in the University of Maryland, you will need to send your official and unopened (in a sealed envelope) transcript to: University of Maryland, College Park, Enrollment Services Operation, Attn: Graduate Admissions, Room 0130 Mitchell Building, College Park, MD 20742
3. Statement of Purpose
   • In the online application to the Graduate School, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Purpose responding to these questions.
4. Letters of Recommendation: All programs require three (3) letters of recommendation. Provide the names and email addresses of three individuals who will provide online letters of recommendation. Letters should come from current/former faculty members, employers, colleagues, and in rare cases personal references. Letters should not come from family members or those unable to speak to your ability to complete a graduate degree.
5. CV/Resume: A current resume or CV should be uploaded in the “Upload Requirements” section of the application.
6. Supplemental Materials: Remember to submit the additional materials required by your program, described above.
7. Maryland State Residency Information: If you are a resident of the State of Maryland or believe you qualify as one, be sure to fill out the Maryland Residency section of the Graduate Application. If you have questions about Residency Classification, please direct them to resclass@umd.edu.
8. Exam Scores

• GRE
  • Institution Code: 5814
  • Department and Major Field code for all programs at the INFO College: 4701 (Library and Information Science)
    

    Program	GRE Requirements
    HCIM	Optional for both domestic and international applicants. GRE scores are typically in the 40th percentile verbal, 60th percentile quantitative.

• TOEFL/IELTS/PTE
  • You will be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries. Please check on the list of English speaking countries and options for providing evidence of English proficiency here.
    • See the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirements for instructions on submitting scores. The University of Maryland’s TOEFL Institution Code is 5814.
    • You can find English language proficiency requirements here. Please note that your English proficiency scores (including listening, writing, reading, and speaking sub-scores) must satisfy the criteria for full enrollment to be accepted to the HCIM program. HCIM is a very rigorous program that requires an excellent command of the English language. Therefore, Bridge and Intensive English programs are not an option for applicants to the HCIM program. Please see the minimum English Proficiency Scores Requirements for full HCIM admission below.

  iBT TOEFL Requirements 

  iBT TOEFL	Requirements for Full Enrollment
  Total	96
  Speaking	22
  Listening	24
  Reading	26
  Writing	24

  IELTS Academic Requirements

  IELTS	Requirements for Full Enrollment
  Overall	7
  Listening	7
  Reading	7
  Writing	7
  Speaking	6.5

   PTE Academic Requirements

  PTE Requirement	Requirements for Full Enrollment
  Total	68
  Writing	68

The University of Maryland (UMD) is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international student community. The UMD office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students. International applicants are encouraged to explore the services the ISSS office offers and contact them with related questions.

The UMD Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; however, it is not a guarantee of attendance. After receiving an admission decision from the graduate school, admitted international students will receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland, which will require the submission of additional documents. Please see the UMD Graduate Admissions Process for International applicants for more information.

STEM ELIGIBILITY: Our Master of Human-Computer Interaction (HCIM) program is STEM certified, enabling our students to potentially work in the U.S. for up to three years after graduation via the U.S. Homeland Security’s STEM OPT program. Please visit UMD’s OPT STEM extension webpage for more information about the application process.

You will be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries. Please check on the list of English speaking countries and options for providing evidence of English proficiency here.

• See the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirements for instructions on submitting scores. The University of Maryland’s TOEFL Institution Code is 5814.
• You can find English language proficiency requirements here. Please note that your English proficiency scores (including listening, writing, reading, and speaking sub-scores) must satisfy the criteria for full enrollment to be accepted to the HCIM program. HCIM is a very rigorous program that requires an excellent command of the English language. Therefore, Bridge and Intensive English programs are not an option for applicants to the HCIM program. Please see the minimum English Proficiency Scores Requirements for full HCIM admission below.

iBT TOEFL Requirements 

IELTS Academic Requirements

 PTE Academic Requirements

The INFO College Student Services Office maintains application files until they are evaluated for admission or the application deadline for the requested semester has passed. To defer your enrollment for a subsequent academic year, the applicant must notify the INFO College Graduate Student Services Office PRIOR to the beginning of the original entry semester. Otherwise, the application will be deleted.

An applicant wishing to be considered after the file has been deleted must again pay the required Graduate School application fee and re-apply to both, the University of Maryland Graduate School and the College of Information Studies. The new application will be evaluated on the basis of admission standards existing at the time of reapplication.