Admission Information for MS in Data Science Programme Northwestern University - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

Application Checklist

Application Deadlines

Common Admissions Related Questions

Can I defer my application payment, and how do I pay?

DSP applications will be prepared for review after the application fee has been paid. Application fees are non-refundable and must be received by the stated application deadline.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards are accepted and processed using a secure online payment system. You will be directed to a separate, secure website where you will be prompted to enter your credit card information. Once the payment is successful, you will have completed the online application.

I have interests in more than one program. Can I apply to two programs?

You may only apply to one program at a time.

Can I apply to a program and get a decision before I finish my bachelor's degree?

You may apply to a program while you are in the process of finishing your bachelor’s degree. Applicants who are currently in their final semester and/or quarter of undergraduate study OR meet the required number of semester/quarter hours completed can be reviewed by the admissions committee for conditional admission.

What will happen to my application if I miss the deadline?

Applications are valid for one year from the date of original submission. If your application remains incomplete for more than one year from the original submission date, your application will be purged and you will need to begin the application process again.

How soon after the deadline will I receive a decision?

Admission decisions are posted in the application portal approximately six to eight weeks after the application deadline.

How do I contact you if I need more information?

To arrange an appointment with an enrollment adviser, please contact us at +91 80 4718 8686 or dsp@mygreatlearning.com

Do you offer application fee waivers?

To ensure equal treatment of all applications, your application will not be considered without the required application fee.

Transcripts

What official transcripts am I required to submit?

Applicants are required to submit transcripts from all U.S. institutions attended.

*Please note that applicants with credit outside of a U.S. institution will need the credit evaluated by a NACES member. Please refer to the section for international students below.

I took one course during the summer from a different university. Do I have to send the transcript for that one course?

You will need to submit all of your official transcripts from any previous United States college or university where you attempted academic work.

*Please note that applicants with credit outside of a U.S. institution will need the credit evaluated by a NACES member. Please refer to the section for international students below.

Should applicants with previous military experience submit a JST transcript?

Prior military service should be indicated in a resume as well as a submission of an official JST transcript.

May I send documents to the School of the Professional Studies before I submit my application?

Documents that arrive before your application are held in a pending file until the application and fee are submitted. Anything sent separately from your application should include the name under which you are applying and the name of the program to which you are applying.

Statement of Purpose

What are you looking for in the statement of purpose?

The admission committee wants to see a strong argument for why you are a good fit for the program in your statement of purpose for admission. Include in your statement of purpose who you are, what you want to achieve and why you think the graduate program will get you there.

How important is the statement of purpose?

We look at all the materials in an application carefully to get a holistic impression of an applicant and try to gauge their likelihood for success in the program. Your statement of purpose is especially important because it is one of the few pieces of the application that you create. You can't change your transcripts, but you can write a strong and logical statement. Your statement of purpose is a writing sample; be sure it is error free and well written.

Recommendation Letters

How can I get a strong letter of recommendation?

To ensure a strong letter of recommendation, educate your recommenders about the programme and your educational goals. Write your statement of purpose first. When you have made a convincing case for admission in your statement of purpose, share it with potential recommenders to highlight your talents in support of your application.

I have been out of school for several years and there is no one there who can write a recommendation for me. Can I get my employer to write one?

The purpose of submitting letters of recommendation is to give the admission committee an indication of your ability to succeed in the academic programme. It is recommended that at least one of the letters speak about your academic potential. Do not assume that no one remembers you at your undergraduate college, though it may take some work to reach a former professor. If you are unable to obtain a letter from a former instructor, you should ask someone who you think can best assess your academic potential for graduate study in your particular programme area. Letters of recommendation should not be from friends or family.

I want to send more than the required number of letters of recommendation because I feel this will enhance my chances of being offered admission. Does this indeed help?

It is not how many letters of recommendation you send but the information contained in these letters that contributes to the overall strength of your application. Send the required number of letters but choose these recommenders well.

GRE Scores

Is the GRE required for admission?

GRE scores are not required, but strong scores bolster chances of admission for any applicants possessing weak academic credentials. Test scores (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL) should be sent directly from the testing agency to Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. Our Designated Institution Code for the GRE is 6256.

International Students

To pursue a graduate degree at the School of Professional Studies, an applicant must hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent.

Official transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S. are required to be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Applicants are required to have an official course-by-course evaluation completed. The course-by-course evaluation will serve as the official transcript for studies completed outside of the U.S.

Northwestern University School of Professional Studies will only accept official course-by-course evaluations if the evaluation explicitly indicates that the individual’s course of study is the U.S. equivalent of a bachelor’s degree (or master’s degree).

Do I have to send an original copy of my transcript from the non-U.S. institution as well as the course-by-course evaluation?

When an official course-by-course evaluation is submitted, it is not necessary to also submit an original transcript issued by the non-U.S. institution to the SPS admissions office.

Will the School of Professional Studies issue me a student visa upon acceptance into a certificate or degree program?

DSP does not qualify students for student visas. Students in the DSP programme will not be studying in the US as part of the degree, which is designed to be an online program with short residencies in India. 

If an international student in the DSP programme is currently in the U.S. on another type of visa and is interested in taking this program online, the student may not require a student visa if their current visa permits part-time study (e.g. L-1B, L-2, H-1B, or H-4). If you are in the U.S. on a visa other than an F-1 or J-1 visa, please speak with your visa sponsor to confirm your ability to enroll and study at SPS.

I am a foreign student but my undergraduate work was taken at an English-speaking institution abroad. Will the TOEFL or IELTS score requirement be waived?

To waive a TOEFL or IELTS test score requirement, applicants must provide an official course-by-course evaluation where the language of instruction is indicated as English.

Is the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) the only exam that you accept?

SPS accepts both the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. For the TOEFL, applicants must score 100 or higher on the internet based test. For the IELTS, applicants must receive a score of 7.0 or higher on the Academic IELTS exam. SPS's institutional code for the TOEFL is 9019.

My TOEFL score is more than two years old, so the Educational Testing Service (ETS) will not send official scores to you. Will you accept a photocopy?

TOEFL scores must be taken no more than two years before the intended quarter of entry. SPS will not accept a photocopy of a score report.

Graduate School Admission

If I am not admitted, can I be reconsidered for another cohort?

If you were denied admission to DSP, you may reapply in any future cohort in which you have substantially new materials to submit. This can be to your advantage, enabling you to amass additional and better academic credentials, more substantial letters of recommendation, or further professional experience. If you wish to speak with an enrollment adviser at SPS about your application, please call +91 80 4718 8686 or dsp@mygreatlearning.com to make an appointment.

I have been accepted into the programme, how do I enroll / register for classes?

Admitted students are automatically enrolled in the DSP programme. Admitted students receive an electronic letter of admission and are prompted to accept that offer of admission by confirming their intent to enroll. After confirming your intent to join the programme and tender the non-refundable $1,000 deposit, admitted students will be automatically enrolled in a set of classes each term that follows the prescribed MSDS-P cohorted curriculum required to graduate. No further action is needed from the student.

It is essential that you reach out to the programme support team at +91 80 4718 8686 or dsp@mygreatlearning.com if you need to take a term off or temporarily discontinue your studies.

I have been admitted for one cohort but I have decided to begin studies in a different one. What do I need to do?

To defer start, you will need to contact your academic adviser +91 80 4718 8686 or dsp@mygreatlearning.com  for instruction on deferring to a different cohort. Newly admitted students may defer their first enrollment for up to three quarters before being required to apply again.

How many classes may I take per quarter?

Students enrolled in DSP are required to take two courses per term. Students will be automatically enrolled in the correct cohort courses.

I have previous credits from another university, can I transfer them in?

DSP will not accept transfer credits.

Why is there a hold on my account?

As a DSP student you will be automatically enrolled into the appropriate term curriculum prior to term start. An enrollment hold will have been placed on your account in the meantime. No further action is needed from the student.

If you believe this is not the cause of a hold on your account, please contact an adviser at +91 80 4718 8686 or dsp@mygreatlearning.com.