Students are selected on the basis of their portfolio, which includes required and optional components.
Admission Committee may invite the applicant for an interview.
Portfolio composition and requirements for applicants 2023-2024:
| Portfolio component | Obligatory / optional | Comments |
|---|
| 1. Application form | Obligatory | see How to Apply
|
| 2. Diploma and academic transcripts* | Obligatory | Bachelor’s (Specialist’s or Master’s) diploma and official transcripts of previous education. If you have not yet received your Bachelor’s diploma, please include an official copy of your most recent academic transcript. |
| 3. English language proficiency certificate** | Obligatory | Please submit a copy of a certificate confirming your proficiency in English.
Native English speakers and students who have obtained a previous degree in English do not need to submit proof of their English proficiency.
|
| 4. CV | Obligatory | Please submit a standard CV, including your educational background, work and research experience, publications (if any), and professional achievements |
| 5. Motivation letter | Obligatory | Please submit a letter of motivation, describing your reasons for applying in the context of your long-term career goals and background (no more than 1 page, A4). The quality of your English is also evaluated. |
| 6. Recommendation letters | Obligatory | Please submit two letters of recommendation from someone familiar with your academic work and/or professional experience. Please provide your recommenders with HSE’s letter of recommendation guidelines |
| 7. International professional certificate(s) | Optional | You may submit a copy of any international professional certificate (if any)
|
| 8. Scientific papers and publications | Optional | List of articles in scientific and professional journals, conferences, collections of student work, etc., indicating the author's name and the title of the publication |
| 9. Diploma(s) of student competitions prizewinners | Optional | You may submit a copy of the diploma of the prizewinners of student competitions (if any) |
| 10. Grants/Scholarships/Awards | Optional | You may submit an official letter confirming the awarding of a personal grant/scholarship by a state body, or a private company |
*You need to have a degree in Computer Science or Applied Mathematics and Informatics or at least to have courses in Algorithms and Data Structures, Programming, Databases Theory and Advanced Mathematics (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Probability Theory and, Mathematical Statistics) in your diploma or certificates. The Admission Committee takes into consideration the number of hours, the final assessments, and your university ranking.
** Accepted certificates:
- CAE (Certificate of Advanced English);
- BEC Higher (Business English Certificate);
- IELTS 6.0 and higher;
- TOEFL IBT (Internet Based) 80 and higher (calculated from 0 to 120);
- TOEFL ITP, including those provided by the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 450 and higher (calculated from 370 to 677)
- TOEFL PBT (Paper Based) 500 and higher (calculated from 310 to 677);
- TOEFL СBT (Computer Based) 232 and higher;
- CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) A / B / C;
Or
- A certificate from the previous institution confirming the training was fully in English;
- Confirmation of the citizenship of the country where English is the official language;
