UCF, Computer Science and the Institute of AI

UCF’s Computer Science PhD is the oldest computer science doctorate in Florida and was the university’s first PhD programme. Faculty research covers machine learning and AI, computer vision, natural language processing, neural networks, computer security, networking, computer architecture, software engineering, bioinformatics, quantum computing, virtual reality and human-computer interaction.

The Institute of Artificial Intelligence is a university-wide initiative that brings more than two dozen faculty members from four UCF colleges into one building. Its director, Mubarak Shah, founded UCF’s computer vision programme, which the institute says is ranked No. 9 nationally on CSRankings, and is known for work including the UCF-101 action recognition dataset. IAI researchers had 33 papers accepted at NeurIPS 2026, one of the leading machine learning conferences.

IAI faculty work across computer vision, machine learning, mathematics, healthcare AI and more. Check the IAI faculty page to see whose research matches yours. You apply through UCF’s Graduate Studies system to a degree programme such as Computer Science, then work with a faculty adviser.

Funding Routes: What Each One Pays

How the Trustees Fellowship works: you can’t apply for it directly. Your graduate programme nominates you by 1 February. Your full application and test scores, including TOEFL for international students, must be in by 15 January or your program’s earlier deadline. Selection looks at awards and honours, experience in your field, and research experience with a statement of research interest. You must study full time (9 credit hours in Fall and Spring). Local fees such as health, athletic and building fees aren’t covered, and there’s no summer stipend.

Programmes you shouldn’t count on:

• IAI AI for All Doctoral Fellowships ($30,000 a year plus tuition): the most recent round began in Fall 2026, and the page says applications are closed. No 2027 round has been announced (verify on official website).
• STRONG-AI Scholarships: only for US citizens and permanent residents.
• Presidential Doctoral Fellowship: also limited to US citizens and permanent residents.

International students are normally charged out-of-state tuition, so don’t accept an offer until the funding is confirmed in writing. A student visa also requires proof that you can pay your costs.

Documents You Need

• Online application through UCF Graduate Studies, with the application fee (check the current amount in the application form)
• Résumé
• Statement of your educational, research and professional career objectives
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official GRE score taken within the last five years
• English test score
• Official transcripts and an official certification of your degree showing the award date. Pakistani applicants should ask their university’s controller of examinations for both now. A WES or Josef Silny course-by-course evaluation is only needed if you request transfer credit.

The engineering college has said that its PhD application fee waiver isn’t being offered, and its other waivers apply only to selected master’s programmes, so budget for the fee.

How to Contact Faculty

For a US PhD, funding often depends on whether a professor wants you in their group. A short, well-researched email can make a real difference.

1. Shortlist three to five professors from the IAI and CS faculty pages.
2. Read two recent papers from each one.
3. Write a short email (under 200 words): who you are, your research experience, one specific link between your work and theirs, and whether they are taking students for Fall 2027. Attach your CV.
4. Check the CECS Research Positions page, which lists Graduate Research Assistant openings with advisers’ email addresses.
5. Don’t wait for replies before applying. The 1 December deadline won’t move.

A third-party listing reports that IAI faculty member Dr. Yadi Cao is recruiting funded PhD students in scientific machine learning for 2027 (verify on official website).

What the PhD Involves

• 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, covering core courses, electives and a dissertation
• A qualifying review and a candidacy exam
• Candidacy is reported to call for a first-author paper accepted by a peer-reviewed conference or journal (verify in the Graduate Catalog)
• Graduates work in academia, industry and government, with employers including Amazon, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman

Your Plan for the Time Left

1. Today: book your GRE and English test, or email UCF if no date will reach them in time. Request your transcript and degree certification.
2. This week: ask three referees, preferably research supervisors. Start your UCF application.
3. Next week: email professors, and write your statement around your research direction and the faculty you want to work with.
4. By 25 November: upload everything and pay the fee. Remind your referees.
5. Before 1 December: check that official scores and transcripts have arrived, and submit.
6. After submitting: tell the Computer Science graduate office you would like to be considered for fellowships and assistantships.

🔗 Official Sources

• UCF Computer Science PhD
• 2027 Doctoral Application Deadlines and Requirements
• UCF Graduate Fellowships
• CECS Graduate Affairs: Applying
• CECS Research Positions
• UCF Institute of Artificial Intelligence