Study MS Programs at Santa Clara University

Disclaimer: The conversation transpired in March 2020.

In conversation with Ms.Susan Macias Gutierrez- Assistant Director - MS Admissions, Santa Clara University discussed ‘Why consider MS programs from Santa Clara University, USA?’ Susan also discussed university ranking and accreditation, eligibility criteria, program structure, Scholarships and admission process, and job opportunities post-program completion.

Q. Can we get the admission only with IELTS score and without GRE?

A. At this point, candidates should have GRE or GMAT scores for getting admission to an MS program. ETS has launched TOEFL iBT®? Special Home Edition and GRE Special Home Edition test for students worldwide except Iran and mainland China. You can visit the ETS website for more details. In certain cases, if the candidate has relevant work experience of more than 4 years then it grants a test waiver for the GRE or GMAT.

Aspirants can get the GMAT/GRE waiver form by emailing at msadmissions@scu.edu.

The university is also accepting Duolingo English Test.  It is a fast, convenient, and affordable English proficiency test. Students need not take any appointments or go to test centers for giving this exam. They can give this exam from home. They can finish the test in 1 hour and get results in less than 2 hours. Aspirants just need to send their results to Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business.

Q. What is the deadline for spring 2021?

A. The MSIS spring deadline is October 15.  The program starts in January.

Q. Is full-time internship counted as work experience?

A. Internships are not counted as not full-time professional experience, however, candidates can mention them in their resume.

Q. Does the university offer Masters in Business Administration?

A. The university offers an MBA Program. Candidates can email at gradbusiness@scu.edu for more information.

Q. What is the minimum GRE and IELTS cutoff for getting admission to master's in Computer Engineering?

A. Anyone can apply for the MS program as there are no cutoffs set by the university. The university looks at the candidate’s profile including their academic strength, Letters of recommendation, work experience, and standardized test scores while giving admission.

As mentioned above, the university has not set any cutoffs for MS programs. There are some average requirements that candidates can consider while applying for MS courses.

For MSBA

Average age of applicants	28
Average GPA requirement	3.48
Average GMAT requirement	668
Average GRE requirement	315
Average Months Employed/work experience	30

For MSF

Average age of applicants	27
Average GPA requirement	3.18
Average GMAT requirement	603
Average GRE requirement	309
Average Months Employed/work experience	40

For MSIS

Average age of applicants	25
Average GPA requirement	3.30
Average GMAT requirement	648
Average GRE requirement	315
Average TOEFL requirement	102
Average Months Employed/work experience	30

Q. What if the candidate is in last year and their final results have not come out yet?

A. Final year students should submit the last results which they have with them. Many final year candidates who do not have their final year scores apply to the university.

Q. Does the university provide scholarships to Indian students?

A. All the applicants who receive admit are considered for a scholarship if they before May 1. The scholarship amount depends on the student’s profile.

Q. What are the requirements for IELTS and GRE waiver?

A. candidates need to give the IELTS, TOEFL, or Dulingo tests to prove English Language proficiency. It can be waived if they score above 50% in the verbal section of the GRE or GMAT.

Q. Is Campus Placement available or not?

A. Placement for each program listed below:

79% of the Fall 2018 graduating class was employed by 6 months after graduation. Students went on to work for companies such as Cisco, EY, Facebook, Apple, Google, Agilent Technologies, Linkedin, Samsung Research America, Roku and many more. Some of the students’ positions include Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Data Architect, and Machine Learning Engineer.

For MSF (MSFA): 72% of the Fall 2018 graduating class were fully employed 6 months after graduation. Some of the companies where students are employed include Marvell Semiconductor, Marvell Technology, eHealth Inc. Validus Capital, Western Digital, Tawkify, and Cypress. Students pursue titles like Financial Analyst or FP&A positions.

For MSIS: 93% of the Fall 2018 graduating class was employed at 6 months after graduation at reputed companies like Amazon, Applied Materials, Google, Intuitive Surgical, Kalderos, Linkedin, McAfee, Pacific Gas and Electric, Telenav, and Yahoo. Some of the titles of students include Data Analysts, Data Engineers, Database Developer, Project Manager, and Product Engineer.

Q. Can students get admission in January Intake?

• Students can get admission only for the MSIS program in January. The deadline for applying to this program is October 15.

Q. What are the documents required for the application process?

• Online application form
• Application fee to be paid by credit card
• Resume
• Business Essays
  • Essay 1: What excites you most about your intended field of study?
  • Essay 2: What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation and how will a degree from Santa Clara help you achieve these aspirations?
  • Essay 3:  Discuss any attributes, experiences, or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to the school and/or business profession.

• Academic records and transcripts
  • International Transcripts (study outside the U.S.): For candidates who received a conferred degree (undergraduate or graduate) from a school outside the U.S., are required to submit the course-by-course WES ICAP evaluation. Candidates should prepare for this process at least two months in advance as this is a lengthy process. Also, candidates should request for the WES report to be delivered electronically to the Leavey School of Business.
  • U.S. Transcripts (study electronically in the U.S.): Scan the official transcript from each institution from which you studied in the United States, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs.
• GMAT score
• GRE score
• TOEFL score:  If your first language is not English, submit your official TOEFL (preferred) or IELTS test score. TOEFL score can be waived if the Verbal section of the GMAT or GRE is above the 50% mark
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• Personal Statement