Good Morning CS graduate students, If you are considering taking the CS Ph.D. qualifier exam this academic year (i.e., in Spring 2026), please complete the following survey by November 20th, 2025 (use vt.edu email to access the form): 2026 CS Ph.D. Qualifier Exam -- Student Interest Survey  https://forms.office.com/r/NHYPS17494 This survey aims to gauge students' interest in taking the CS Ph.D. Qualifier Exam, scheduled to be conducted between January 20th and March 1st of 2026. All students planning to take the qualifier exam must submit this form; however, this form is not binding. Filling out this form does not register you for the exam. Steps to register for the exam will be provided after the area-specific qualifier committees are formed. If you are unsure about taking the exam this year, please fill out this form. Students in the Ph.D. program are expected to take this exam approximately 18 calendar months after they begin the VT CS Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. Qualifier Exam is a mandatory milestone, and students must complete it on time. Tentative Timeline of the Exam: • November 20th: Last day for students to express interest in taking the 2026 Ph.D. Qualifier Exam • January 1st - 6th: Ph.D. Qualifier Exam webpages go online. Students register for the exam • January 20th to March 1st: Students take the exam • March 15th: Committees finalize the results for (1) Qualifier Exam, (2) Excellence in Depth, and (3) Waiver, if applicable • March 20th: Results released to students Additional information on VT CS Ph.D program milestones and requirements is available in the 2025-26 Grad Manual https://virginiatech-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/sara83_vt_edu/EUIau1mE.... Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Best wishes, Gulzar — Muhammad Ali Gulzar Assistant Professor Virginia Tech | Department of Computer Science 220 Gilbert Street, Room 4106 Blacksburg, VA 24060 (540) 231-0851 | gulzar@cs.vt.edu | https://people.cs.vt.edu/~gulzar