Applicants with a bachelor's degree in computer science and computer engineering are encouraged to apply. Applicants in related fields will also be considered for admission, but they may be required to take additional prerequisite courses. Credits earned for prerequisite courses cannot be used to meet the MSSE requirements. Admission to the program requires a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of 3.0. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for all international students.

The GRE is also required if one or more of the following conditions is true:

An unaccredited college or university awarded the undergraduate degree.
The undergraduate degree was in a discipline unrelated to software engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or information management.
The student's undergraduate cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0.
The year of the baccalaureate degree precedes the date of application to the College of Graduate Studies by more than six years.
International students should refer to the International Student Admission section of the Graduate Catalog for more information.

If the GRE is required, a minimum score on the Quantitative section of 650 (old grading scale) or 151 (new grading scale) is required, but this minimum score does not guarantee admission.

If an English language proficiency examination is required, then a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based exam, 78 on the Internet exam (including at least 20 in reading, 21 in listening, 17 in writing, and 20 in speaking), 6.0 on the IELTS exam, 3.8 on the iTEP exam, or 213 on the computer-based exam, is required. Students who do not satisfy these requirements, but who do satisfy the University's TOEFL requirements, will be tested upon arrival at CSU by the English as a Second Language Program. Depending on test results, students may be required to take a writing and/or speaking course.