Check Your CMU Andrew Email Account

Your student record will be automatically created after paying your tuition deposit and completing your enrollment form in the Slate application system. You should receive an email with your new Andrew ID after about three business days. Once you have access, you should make sure that you check that email regularly.

Submit Your ID Photo

Submit a photo for your CMU ID by July 1.

Manage Your Immunizations

The Health Services new student website lists the immunizations required for CMU students. Your immunization record, signed by a health care provider, is due by August 1. If you are unable to obtain these vaccinations prior to arrival on campus, you can receive them from University Health Services before the first day of classes. Failure to comply will result in administrative suspension and being barred from campus. If you have questions, call Student Health Services at 412-268-2157.

Send Your Transcript

You must provide official transcript(s) confirming your graduation by July 1, 2025. If you will not have graduated by then, inform Dorothy. If electronic transcripts are provided by your institution, they are preferred over paper ones. However, in order to preserve security features, they need to be sent directly from the school (or its electronic transcript provider) to Dorothy, not scanned by the incoming student. If your school does not provide electronic transcripts, contact Dorothy to request a physical mailing address instead.

International Students: Fill Out Your Forms

If you are not a U.S. citizen and need a student visa, you will need an I-20 form, which will allow you to obtain the F-1 student visa. However, the I-20 CANNOT BE ISSUED until you have provided the necessary information to CMU's Office of International Education (OIE). OIE's goal is to process the I-20 within six weeks of receiving your information, so you should submit your materials ASAP (ideally in April). You are required to provide proof of financial support for the first year in the M.S. program. More information is on the OIE webpage.

CMU's classes begin Aug. 24, 2026.
View the full academic calendar on The HUB website.

You must take two courses in the first semester:

• 10-701 Introduction to Machine Learning or 10-715 Advanced Topics in Machine Learning
• 36-700 Probability and Mathematical Statistics or 36-705 Intermediate Statistics

Master's students usually take 10-701 and 36-700, while Ph.D. students usually take 10-715 and 36-705. If you haven't already taken a graduate-level Introduction to Machine Learning course, you should take 10-701. If you don't think you would have the preparation necessary for a PhD in Statistics, you should take 36-700.

You should also register yourself for a third course, which should be from the core or electives lists. If you already have machine learning experience, core courses are a great pick. Otherwise, an elective can be a better way to start. Learn more on our curriculum page.

Useful Links

• How to Register for Courses
• Schedule of Classes
• Student Information Online

After course registration begins, it will remain open through the start of classes. Since electives may fill up quickly, registering early is strongly recommended.

You must be registered for at least 36 units to be considered full-time by the university. One unit is defined as requiring an average student to spend about one hour each week to earn an average grade in that course, implying that a 36-unit courseload should take about 36 hours of work each week. However, machine learning master's students must earn at least a B- for a course to count toward their degree, and most students aim to earn A's, meaning that 36 hours per week is a low estimate. Because of this, and because it can take students time to acclimate to a new learning environment, machine learning master's students may only take 36 units in their first semester. (Small exceptions can be made for a student looking to add a three-unit physical education class or similar, but it should not be a class that requires additional academic work.)

Most courses are 12 units. Some courses are mini courses and are usually six units. Two six-unit courses can be paired together to count as one full elective. Note that if a six-unit course lasts for an entire semester, it requires about six hours of work each week. However, if a six-unit course lasts for half a semester, it requires about 12 hours of work each week for that half of the semester. This means that if you want to take two half-semester mini courses, you should take them in different halves of the semester. In the course catalog, Section A1 (or B1, C1, etc.) is for a first-half mini, and Section A2 (or B2, C2, etc.) is for a second-half mini. Section A (or B, C, etc.), without any numbers, is used for a full-semester course.

Students wishing to engage in research must find a research adviser before registering for research units. It is generally hard to find a research adviser before attending the Machine Learning Orientation, so students are encouraged to register for a full-time schedule of courses now and then drop one later if they choose to replace those units with research.

Classes fill up quickly, but seats are often held in reserve for departmental discretion, so please be patient for a few weeks as departments work through registration. Departments often prioritize their own students (e.g., the Machine Learning Department would prioritize our M.S. and Ph.D. students) followed by students in their own school (e.g., the School of Computer Science), so your stated position on the waitlist is not necessarily indicative of your odds of being enrolled.

1. The Graduate Student Orientation for all incoming Carnegie Mellon graduate students is August 11–13.
2. The Machine Learning Department Graduate Orientation is August 20–21. This orientation is intended primarily to introduce you to the Machine Learning Department and the School of Computer Science. MLD faculty will give presentations about the projects they're working on, which will give you an idea of the kind of research that happens in our department and throughout SCS. It's also a great opportunity to meet the other new MLD graduate students.
3. International students only: The International Graduate Student Orientation welcome session will be during the CMU-wide Graduate Student Orientation (August 11–13). This includes a mandatory, in-person check-in with OIE. OIE will provide the specific timing and information about this check-in in late summer.

Both of the first two orientations are optional, but strongly recommended. All students are encouraged to arrive in Pittsburgh no later than August 10 so they can attend the CMU orientation on August 11–13 and then spend the following week settling into their apartment, figuring out bus routes, recovering from jet lag, etc. before classes start.

For international students, the OIE check-in that's held during the International Graduate Student Orientation is mandatory. All international students should arrive in Pittsburgh by August 10. (Emergency exceptions can be made for visa or flight delays, up to the first day of class. However, OIE won't have enough time to handle emergency cases if those who can arrive by August 10 decide to wait. Being checked in by the first day of class is non-negotiable.)

Your Andrew user ID is automatically assigned when you are entered into the Student Information System. It is determined by an algorithm and you can't select your own ID. You need your Andrew ID to view your student account, register for courses, sign up for health insurance, and more.

You should receive an email with your Andrew ID and information about setting your password within 3 business days of submitting your tuition deposit and completing the enrollment form in the application system. If you did not, email Dorothy.

Visit the Computing Services Account and Identity Management page if you have problems with your account.

Much of your personal information can be updated in SIO, like your address.

You can also change your Preferred Name or to request a Directory Information Restriction.

For example, you may prefer your course instructors call you by a name that's different from your legal first name, such as a nickname, your middle name, an anglicized name, or a name matching your gender identity.

The Directory Information Restriction prevents outsiders from learning that someone is a student here. It's generally for students who have concerns about their safety, like if they would be at risk if a parent learned they're studying here.

SIO also includes NameCoach, where you can record yourself saying your own name. This is helpful for me, your course instructors, the university president when he wants to brag about your project (yes, it's happened!), and any other university employees who want to talk to you or about you, up to and including when you walk across the stage at Commencement. I strongly encourage you to take the minute to record your name, even if you think it's straightforward. I recommend saying your full name twice, once at normal speed and once slowly.

All full-time students are required to have health insurance and will be enrolled in and assessed a charge for the individual basic plan offered through the university student health insurance program. The charge will appear on the invoice of the first semester of attendance in the academic year.

Each student is required to take one of the following actions:

1. Enroll in the basic plan;
2. Upgrade the plan by enrolling in extra health insurance options during the open enrollment period; or
3. Apply for a waiver from the mandatory plan.

Students, especially those not covered by their parents' American health insurance plans, are strongly encouraged to enroll in CMU's health insurance plan. The coverage is much better than most Americans have access to and the price is much lower than most Americans pay. In addition, it's easy to use at both the student health clinic on campus and across the country (e.g., during a summer internship outside Pittsburgh). International students should be particularly cautious of scams targeting people who may not be very knowledgeable about the American medical system, since seemingly good deals can result in massive charges for people unfamiliar with deductibles, copayments, pre-approvals, in-network and out-of-network services, etc.

You must enroll during the open enrollment period (July 1–mid August). If you don't enroll or get a waiver, you will be automatically enrolled in the basic plan and will be charged a late enrollment fee.

Payment for university health insurance is due by August 15 along with your fall tuition.

Refer to the University Health Service's website for complete information about immunization requirements, student health insurance, and more.

New Pittsburgh campus students must verify required vaccinations using the CMU Immunization Record Form (signed by a health care provider) in HealthConnect no later than August 1, 2025.

Questions about health services can be directed as follows:

• General information: health@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-2157.
• Immunization information: health@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-2157 (option 2)
• Insurance information: shinsure@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-2157 (option 3)

CMU does not have on-campus housing for graduate students, but it does have resources to help new students find off-campus housing, including general information and links to some available apartments.

CMU's Graduate Student Association has created a Graduate Student Housing Handbook with useful information about neighborhoods, common prices reported by actual CMU students, and questions to keep in mind. They also answer some frequently asked questions about housing on their website.

If you are interested in sharing an apartment with another machine learning graduate student, the MLD Slack group is a great way to connect with current students who have an empty room or with other new students who would like to share a place. (If you have your Andrew ID and haven't already been invited to join this Slack group, email Dorothy for an invite.)

If you will be looking for an apartment before you arrive, the best times are either in early May or mid-July. Most leases are for one year, ending in May or August. You can sign a lease any time if the space is available, but people don't always let the landlords know whether they'll be renewing until 30–45 days before the end of the lease. There is usually a little overlap in August — old leases may not be over until the end of August, but you need a place by mid-August. But it's often possible to "bunk in" with older students for a few days until your place becomes available, or you can stay in a hotel, Airbnb, etc. temporarily.

View the full 2025/2026 Academic Calendar.

Career Fairs begin the first week of September.

All Machine Learning graduate students are required to complete a summer practicum (either an internship or research related to machine learning). Most M.S. students choose to complete this in the form of a paid internship, and the September career fairs are an excellent way to arrange these internships.

Information about which employers will be in attendance will be posted on the Career and Professional Development Center website later in the summer, along with opportunities to attend free workshops on how to prepare for the career fairs, how to make a good first impression and what to expect in an interview. Mike Stowell is the dedicated career consultant for the School of Computer Science master's programs.

Formal business attire is always required at career fairs, and we recommend students plan ahead and bring a suit or similar interview clothing with them. It also reduces stress to revise your resume in advance, although printing it on resume-quality paper can be done on campus at Tartan Ink.

The Career and Professional Development Center has created an online summer workbook for students to work through to prepare their resume, cover letter, etc. Completion of this workbook is recommended for all students.

You will also likely want to join the MLD LinkedIn group to network with MLD alumni. Membership is limited to current and former MLD faculty, staff, and students, so you will need to request to join and wait for approval.

International students completing an internship in the United States will need to work with the Office of International Education to arrange for Curricular Practical Training authorization. (CPT authorization is not required for on-campus research.) While these documents aren't required until March, students should be aware that federal law requires that international students' internships fit entirely within the summer semester (May 17–August 20, 2027).

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will receive an I-20 form, which will allow you to obtain an F-1 student visa. However, the I-20 CANNOT BE ISSUED until you have an Andrew account and have sent the necessary information to the Office of International Education. Please note that you are required to provide proof of financial support for the first year in the M.S. program. If you have dependents, you will be required to show that you have additional funds available to support them.

Note that all students applying for the F-1 visa are required to pay a SEVIS fee in addition to any other required filing fees. You will also have to pay to have the documents shipped to you.

If you are already in the U.S., you will request a transfer through your foreign student adviser rather than receiving a new I-20 form. However, you will still need to complete all of the standard international student information for CMU. For additional information regarding visas, visit the Office of International Education website.

If you are already a CMU student, you should instead use the Change of Program form from OIE. It must be submitted at least 30 days before your current I-20 expires or before the change of program occurs, whichever is first.

International students will also receive information with the I-20 form regarding the International Student Orientation program sponsored by the Office of International Education. Checking in with OIE after arriving in the U.S. is mandatory.

Visa Denials
During the past few years, some international students' initial visa requests were denied. However, when resubmitted, the vast majority of M.S. students were approved and able to arrive on time (excepting the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic). Visa delays seem particularly common for students from China, but their visas have ultimately been approved.

With the political instabilities around the world, we encourage students to apply for visas as soon as is safe and practical, and to keep in contact with both us and OIE about the process.

Administrative Delays
It is common for students studying computer science to experience administrative processing delays when getting a visa. The major code on your I-20 will show "artificial intelligence" instead of "machine learning" because there are only a limited number of major codes provided by the U.S. government. This is not a cause of concern; we cannot change this and all areas of computer science are considered sensitive technologies. If there is anything you need to do, you will be contacted with information.

Advice for Non-Native Speakers
The Student Academic Success Center provides language support for non-native English speakers. Their workshops and online resources are valuable resources for non-native English speakers. These resources are all free.

Office of International Education
The OIE provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Your ID card is your official Carnegie Mellon photo identification and it gives you access to campus buildings. You must have an ID card as a graduate student.

To obtain your card:

• Submit your photograph via the ID Photo Submission Application before July 1.
• You will pick up your ID card from the HUB at the start of the fall semester.
• Current CMU students (e.g., fifth-year master's students) whose ID cards are expiring should take their old ID card to the HUB for replacement.

You can learn more about tuition and related issues at the following links.

• MSML tuition: http://www.ml.cmu.edu/academics/ms-finance.html
• Graduate Fees: https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/tuition/graduate/index.html.
• Billing: https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/billing/index.html. 
• Payment Options: https://www.cmu.edu/sfs/billing/payments/index.html.

Your student account information can be found at https://s3.andrew.cmu.edu/sio.