communications and signal processing personal statement

Graduate School Personal Statement

The graduate school personal statement is your chance to show the graduate committee what it would be like to have you in the department. Would you contribute positively to the program, work well with others, and have the necessary skills to undertake important research? Convince them you are worth the investment and that you’re a good match for their program through a compelling story that’s based on your concrete experiences .

If you are in a hurry, you can also check out this short video for quick tips.

1. Before you start

1.1. Reflect on your experiences and goals

Reflect on your experience, motivation, and research goals. What drives your research motivations, and how do your motivations link to your background and long-term goals?

Think beyond the technical space when brainstorming ideas for your personal statement. What do you care about and value—besides getting a higher-level degree? Include experiences that demonstrate your leadership, organization, and communication skills as well. Whether it’s growing up on a farm, mentoring high school students, or leading a robotics team, these experiences can be used to demonstrate motivation, commitment, and a good work ethic. These are attributes that can help you be successful in a research lab.

1.2. Do the research on your target program

To demonstrate how well you fit with the program, you must know what they value and what they are working toward. Each department has different goals and missions; some might value fundamental science, others engineering innovation, and others societal impact. Here are initial steps to take while researching a graduate program:

• Read the program’s website —specifically their mission statement. See what language they use to describe themselves, and echo that language in your personal statement. This is also a good place to see what kind of research is currently being performed. Looking at MIT NSE’s mission statement, what can we notice?

• Look up recent publications from your target research group (if you have one). The department’s website might not be up to date with any group’s new research directions. This will avoid the scenario where you express interest in working on a research project that has been abandoned.
• Get in contact with faculty in your target program. If you have had a positive discussion with someone at the department, describe how those interactions indicate that you will be a good match.
• State which professors in the program you would plan to work with and why their research interests you. Show how their research areas align with your background and your goals. You can even describe potential research directions or projects. This is even more effective if you have contacted the professor beforehand and spoken with them about the possibility of doing research for them. However, not naming a specific group of interest is not an automatic “reject.”

1.3. Consider your audience

A graduate committee will review your application and determine if you would make a successful graduate student in the department. Although the determination varies from committee to committee, the reviewers will be looking for the following criteria, which you should specifically address in your statement:

• Your ability to perform high-quality and independent research
• Your readiness to complete the expected coursework for your program
• Your likelihood to be a match in the department (ex: If you are currently in a physics program, you will need to explain why you’re seeking an advanced degree in nuclear engineering).

A graduate committee is usually composed of faculty from the program of interest—and may be the same people who will spend years working with you if you’re accepted. They more than likely have the following:

• A strong knowledge of the program’s general subject areas and familiarity with your proposed research area
• Familiarity with the academic setting and some courses, but not necessarily the courses you have taken
• Access to the rest of your application materials.

If applying to MIT’s Nuclear Science and Engineering department, you can assume your audience knows what a tokamak is, but you cannot expect (all of) them to know every component. Likewise, you need not list all of your courses but could emphasize one or two advanced subjects if they are relevant to your past and intended future research.

Return to Contents

2. Structure of a personal statement

As long as you stay within the specifications set by your target program, you have the freedom to structure your personal statement as you wish. Still, you can use the structure shown on the right as a loose guide for demonstrating match.

2.1. Create a personal narrative 

Build a personal narrative that ties together your personal history, experiences, and motivations. In addition to a few paragraphs (2-3) at the beginning of your statement, you can weave your motivation and goals throughout your document to create a cohesive story. This cements your identity into the minds of the graduate committee. If they remember you, they will be more likely to accept you!

When crafting a personal narrative, consider the following:

• What research directions are you passionate about, and why?
• Was there a moment that sparked your interest in your proposed field?
• What do you picture yourself doing in 10 years?

Keep these questions in mind as you are writing other sections of your personal statement.

2.2. Your Experiences

This section is typically 2-4 paragraphs long, with examples to illustrate your point. To decide which experiences to share, ask yourself these two questions: In which ways did this experience help me grow? Why should the review committee care? One common mistake is to describe an experience in great detail and then fail to translate it into relevant strengths that the committee would care about. Therefore, explicitly say what that experience means for your future goals, including your work as a graduate student.

2.3. Specific research interest  

Spend 1-2 paragraphs describing your research goals. Briefly summarize the projects you want to work on (and professors you’d like to work with, if applicable), and how those fit in with your experiences. Describe how your past experiences have prepared you for working on this new project in graduate school. If you’re already in graduate school, you can spend more time on this section, as it is also a part of your past experiences.

2.4. Career goals 

Finally, your long-term career goals should be a logical completion of the personal narrative you’ve built throughout the document, and usually takes up one paragraph. How will this graduate program fit into your future career? How will graduate school in general allow you to pursue these goals? Because your personal statement should show that you are a qualified match, describe how your goals overlap with those of the department or program. Your readers will not hold you to these goals, but they will see you are forward-thinking and have ambitions.

3. Maximize Effectiveness

3.1. use concrete examples.

Make your relevant experiences tangible by stating specific outcomes such as awards, discoveries, and publications. Whenever possible, try to quantify the experience. How many people were on your team? How many protocols did you develop? As a TA, how often did you meet with your students? Here are some examples of vague and concrete experiences:

3.2. Explain the meaning of your experiences

• Why was this experience important to your growth as a scientist?
• What did you gain from or demonstrate during that experience?
• How will this make you a better grad student?

Even if it feels obvious to you, you need to explicitly answer these questions to your audience. Here are some examples experiences that have been expanded to contain meaning:

4. Quick Tips and Additional Resources

• Read the prompt carefully. Each school is unique, and will have unique requirements for their applications. If anything in those requirements contradicts with advice you read here or elsewhere, go with the application guidelines. Make sure your document meets criteria for length, formatting, font, file type, etc. specified in the application, and answers any specific questions asked.
• Double check your spelling and grammar. A well-written statement demonstrates your communication skills, which are essential for success in graduate school.
• Triple check that you have the right program and avoid accidentally putting the name of another graduate school into the document. Also check for specific labs or professors that you have mentioned in other statements. Using the search feature of your text editor will catch whatever you miss.
• Seek feedback from someone who’s not familiar with your work. Departments are diverse and your statement should make sense to someone in your field but outside your specific research area.
• Be strategic with letters of references. Do not go to professors who you think will write you the most positive letters. Instead, go to those who can write about specific experiences that demonstrates the skills that you want to highlight in your application. Each letter should bring new and complementing insights into who you are as a student and researcher.
• Check out other resources , such as The Key to Successful Applications (a blog post from MIT Graduate Admissions) and Apply to Grad School from MIT’s Career Development and Professional Development (CAPD).

5. Annotated Examples

Here are examples of graduate school personal statements from students who have been accepted into MIT NSE. Note that prompts vary from program to program, and sometimes from year to year within the same department. Be sure to follow the prompt for your program and your application cycle.

To get started or receive feedback on your graduate school personal statement, make an appointment with one of us. We would love to help you!

• Schools & departments

Signal Processing and Communications MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

Upcoming Introduction to Postgraduate Study session

Join us on the 26th June to learn more about studying at the University of Edinburgh.

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Programme description

Signal processing and communications provide the theoretical foundations for any application which generates, processes, transmits or stores any type of signal. They underpin many of the technological advancements which are currently driving rapid change in industry, such as the Internet of Things, machine learning and data science.

Our MSc in Signal Processing and Communications will enable you to contribute to the industries and research that will help make our world smarter, healthier, and more sustainable.

You will be immersed in the most recent and exciting developments such as; deep neural networks, compressive sensing, wireless communication theory, and numerical Bayesian methods, and you will gain an understanding of the theoretical foundations of the subjects, as well as recent advanced topics and how they are applied to solve practical situations.

Through the MSc research project, you will demonstrate applications and delve deeper into the underpinning theory by investigating a solution to a real-world signal processing and communication problem.

Who this programme is for

Our programme is suitable for graduates who wish to develop specialist knowledge and skills relevant to industries where signal processing, machine learning, and digital communications are integral. It is also suitable as advanced study in preparation for a PhD in the field, and as a graduate, you could have the opportunity to obtain a scholarship to continue your studies with us.

How will I learn?

You will receive lectures, coursework and practical exercises to deepen your knowledge and you will have opportunities to:

• learn from our internationally leading researchers whose research informs our teaching
• hone your programming skills
• access dedicated high-performance GPU computing facilities for your MSc project
• engage with the Institute for Digital Communications, often in collaboration with industrial partners

Programme structure

The MSc in Signal Processing and Communications is a full-time 12-month programme.

• You will take the following compulsory courses:
• Discrete-Time Signal Analysis
• Digital Communication Fundamentals
• Image Processing
• Probability, Estimation Theory, and Random Signals (PETARS)
• Engineering Research Methods with Grand Challenge
• Digital Signal Processing Laboratory
• Array Processing Methods and MIMO Systems
• Adaptive Signal Processing
• Machine Learning for Signal Processing
• Advanced Coding Techniques
• Advanced Wireless Communications

Courses can change from year-to-year. Those listed provide a representation of courses previously offered. Courses for the forthcoming year will be published on the Degree Programme Table in the Spring.

MSc Dissertation Project

In the summer months (May - August), you will complete your MSc dissertation project under the supervision of one of our academics.

Examples of recent topics include:

• Speaker recognition using artificial intelligence analysis on vocal signal
• Visible light communication for connectivity among autonomous vehicles
• Realtime Detection and Identification of Underwater Objects
• Improving image-guided cancer treatment by machine learning
• Deep Learning for Computational Imaging
• Multilingual detection of flu symptoms in tweets.

Learning outcomes

The programme is designed to provide broad training in digital communications, machine learning, and signal processing. We cover the theoretical foundations as well as advanced topics at the cutting-edge of current research.

The objectives of our programme are to:

• identify fundamental principles of signal processing and communications
• apply these principles in scientific and technological terms
• consider current limits and future priorities for signal processing and communications.

Career opportunities

The increasing demand for experts in signal processing and communications means you will be well-placed to develop a rewarding and exciting career.

On graduating you will be well placed to pursue a career in an industry such as:

• machine learning and deep learning
• data science
• internet of things
• communications
• medical images and physiological monitoring
• audio and speech recognition and production
• anywhere else signal processing is applied

Alternatively, you could choose to pursue research work in an academic or industrial environment or go into PhD studies in Edinburgh or in other prestigious institutions in the UK and abroad.

• Careers service

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, typically in electrical and/or electronics engineering with a specialisation in signal processing and/or communications.

We will also consider your application if you have a background in a related field, such as computer science, machine learning, physics or mathematics.

Entry into this programme is competitive. A typical offer will normally require a UK first class honours degree, or equivalent, and high grades in fundamentals, such as mathematics, signals and systems, probability and statistics, and communications and signal processing are required. In addition, some of the courses and/or your final MSc project may require programming or learning a new programming language. Therefore, you will normally need to demonstrate practical knowledge and/or experience in a high level programming language.

Students from China

This degree is Band B.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

If you receive an offer of admission, you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place.

• £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Any applicants who are required to pay will receive an offer with full details. (If there is no information on your offer about the deposit, then you are not required to pay.)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

• Tuition fee deposits

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

Scholarships and funding, uk government postgraduate loans.

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Engineering International Masters Scholarships

The scholarships will be awarded to overseas applicants who have been accepted for admission on a full-time basis for an eligible postgraduate taught Masters programme within the School of Engineering.

The scholarship will be awarded broadly on the basis of academic merit with candidates requiring a first-class honours degree from a UK university or overseas equivalent.

Learn more about this scholarship:

• Engineering International Masters Scholarship

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Admissions Officer (lines open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm)
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 5737
• Contact: [email protected]
• Programme Director, Dr Javier Escudero Rodriguez
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Engineering
• Sanderson Building
• The King's Buildings Campus
• School: Engineering
• College: Science & Engineering

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September

Awards: MSc (12 mth FT)

Application deadlines

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines.

We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications may close earlier than the published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline.

We aim to make the majority of decisions within eight weeks of the selection deadline.

If we have not made you an offer by a specific selection deadline this means one of two things:

• your application has been unsuccessful, in which case we will contact you to let you know, or
• your application is still being considered, will be carried forward for consideration in the next selection deadline and we’ll be in touch once a decision is made

Selection Deadlines

• How to apply

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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Communications and Signal Processing MSc

This MSc equips you with the theory and practice necessary to begin a career as a design or development engineer in communications and signal processing.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:

Start date(s):

• September 2024

This is a unique degree. You'll benefit from our research strengths in communications, and digital signal processing.

Course highlights include:

• all major disciplines in communications engineering and signal analysis methodology
• the comprehensive treatment of advanced communication systems from theoretical and practical approaches
• innovative educational techniques designed to equip you with practical knowledge
• design skills and research methodologies
• you will develop transferable skills in research and knowledge acquisition

Our MSc Science Communication and Signal Processing degree is designed for both practising professionals and graduates in:

• electrical and electronic engineering
• computer engineering
• mechanical engineering
• communications, information and control engineering
• electronics
• information and science technology

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our  Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24.

See our  terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Related courses

What you'll learn.

Through compulsory modules you'll learn:

• the fundamentals of multimedia systems and image processing
• the main elements of the imaging and vision hierarchy. These include image acquisition, enhancement, analysis, compression and coding standards
• advanced topics in wired and wireless communications networks and security, their evolution and impacts on modern society
• modern communication networks and technologies, transmission and switching
• issues relating to modern telecommunications systems, protocols, flow and error control
• security and encryption and their importance in modern communication systems
• the principles of wireless and broadband communication networks
• recent developments in cellular mobile systems and access technology through consideration of the main international standards and multiple access systems currently in service world-wide
• fundamental concepts of multimodality sensing, data acquisition and their applications including data fusion and visualisation
• detailed knowledge of the simulation techniques for communications systems and other signal processing problems
• in-depth knowledge of the architecture of DSP devices and communications hardware
• emerging methods for the manipulation and analysis of single, multi-dimensional and random signals. You'll also learn how to conduct case studies in biomedical and healthcare applications
• discrete-time signal processing algorithms and approaches to measure deterministic and random signals in frequency domain. You'll also learn how to apply this knowledge to the design appropriate digital filters according to the application

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions .

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

How you'll learn

The course is delivered by the School of Engineering. The Communications and Signal Processing MSc programme uses a blend of teaching methods, including:

• lectures and tutorials
• visits to local and regional industry
• computer workshops
• laboratory work
• research projects
• case studies

Our industry leading academics are at the cutting edge of the subject. You'll learn from experts that produce high quality research.

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Computer assessment
• Oral examination
• Oral presentation
• Practical lab report
• Written examination
• Written exercise

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

• module handbooks
• course materials
• course announcements and notifications
• written feedback

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• personal tutors
• our University Student Services Team
• student representatives

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Dr Mohsen Naqvi Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Signal and Information Processing Areas of Expertise:

• Video:  Multimodal signal and information processing
• Video:  Multiple human tracking
• Video:  Online multiple human tracking
• Video:  Pose-driven human action recognition and anomaly detection
• Video:  Multimodal behaviour analysis
• Video:  AnomalyXPose demo
• Video:  Multimodal speech separation

Professor Gui Yun Tian Professor of Sensor Technologies

Areas of expertise:

• electromagnetic sensors
• sensor array and sensor network electromagnetic non-destructive evaluations
• advanced signal processing monitoring systems and applications

Professor Satnam Dlay Professor of Signal Processing Analysis

Area of expertise:

• Machine/deep learning
• Image/signal processing
• Biomedical imaging
• 3D imaging and multimedia healthcare

Dr Charalampos Tsimenidis Reader in Digital Communications

• wireless and underwater communications
• Internet technologies.

Professor Said Boussakta Professor of Communications and Signal Processing

Areas of Expertise:

• Wired and wireless communications networks
• Cryptography and security
• Fast algorithms and transforms for communications
• Communication systems
• Digital signal and image processing
• Digital signal processing in the encrypted domain

Dr Paul Haigh Lecturer in Communication

• digital communications system
• digital healthcare

Jeffrey Neasham Senior Lecturer

• biomedical instrumentation
• underwater acoustics
• ultrasound, analog and digital circuit design, and embedded software

Your development

The course is delivered by the School of Engineering. The School has an established programme of research seminars. These are delivered by guest speakers from academia and industry. They provide excellent insights into a wide variety of engineering research. This course will enable you to:

• access world leading research in signal processing and communications
• gain more experience of industrial context with applications
• have more flexibility and choice in your future career
• receive an enhanced educational experience

Professional skills

Effective communication is an important skill for the modern professional engineer. This course includes sessions to help develop your ability, through:

• formal guidance sessions dedicated to good practice in report writing
• through oral/poster presentations of project work

Your future

Graduate destinations.

On completing the course, many students progress into employment as design and development engineers in telecommunications and digital signal processing areas or onto a higher research degree.

Industry links

Our close links with industry and graduates provide you with a network allowing you to enhance your employability.

Our Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

The School of Engineering has a suite of world-class research and teaching laboratories. These have the latest electronic instruments and computer aided design software for Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) devices.

The facilities are among the most advanced of their type. This enables us to join the global race to develop ambient intelligence systems involving tiny sensors and computing devices embedded in much of what we use.

Stephenson Building

The Stephenson Building is a £110 million investment in world-class education, research and collaboration across Engineering. It’s a place for future engineers, researchers and designers to collaborate and tackle global challenges, together.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year).

If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See  our   searchable postgraduate funding page  for more information.  

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section .

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, admissions policy.

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB) Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

• How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages .

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You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:

• campus tours
• on-campus open days
• virtual open days

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

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If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

School of Engineering School Admissions Team Email: [email protected]

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

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Communications and Signal Processing

Welcome to Communications and Signal Processing (CSP).

The revolution  in communications and digital media in recent decades is based on the achievements of electrical and electronic engineers, who managed to solve major problems in signal transmission, propagation and processing.

The Communications and Signal Processing group, based in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department at Imperial College London, consists of 12 academic staff, 15 postdoctoral researchers and around 50 PhD students, all working on various aspects of communication theory, wireless communications, signal and image processing, computer vision, data and information processing, networking, optimization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. From basic methodology to practical applications in consumer electronics, healthcare, defence, wellbeing, remote sensing and the environment, the CSP group is at the forefront of research in these subjects.

In addition to training world-class researchers through the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering PhD programme, the group has a successful MSc course in Communications and Signal Processing.

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Our research.

Explore the research topics and themes that comprise the work of the CSP group.

Find out more

Meet the team of academic and professional services staff, postdoctoral researchers and postgraduate students that constitutes the CSP group.

Search our group

Join us! The CSP group is always looking for talented PhD candidates.

How to apply

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

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Discover more about research that informs teaching

MSc Communications and Signal Processing

Year of entry: 2024

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We require an Upper Second Class Honours degree or international equivalent in an electronic and electrical engineering discipline. This is a competitive application process and preference will be given to applicants with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

Applicants should have previously studied communication and signal processing engineering fundamentals, and also have good programing skills (i.e. C++, Java, MATLAB).

When assessing your academic record, we take into account your grade average with particular emphasis on relevant course units and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.

Full entry requirements

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Please see below for the staged admissions schedule.

Apply online

Find out how this course aligns to the UN Sustainable Development Goals , including learning which relates to:

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

Goal 9: industry, innovation and infrastructure, goal 11: sustainable cities and communities, goal 12: responsible consumption and production, goal 13: climate action, course options.

Course overview

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For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time) UK students (per annum): £14,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): £35,000

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Across our institution, we offer a number of postgraduate-taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.

The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Masters Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.

For more information, see the Fees and funding page or visit the University of Manchester funding for masters courses  website.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world's call to action on the most pressing challenges facing humanity. At The University of Manchester, we address the SDGs through our research and particularly in partnership with our students.

Led by our innovative research, our teaching ensures that all our graduates are empowered, inspired and equipped to address the key socio-political and environmental challenges facing the world.

To illustrate how our teaching will empower you as a change maker, we've highlighted the key SDGs that our courses address.

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Contact details

The School of Engineering creates a world of possibilities for students pursuing skills and understanding. Through dynamic research and teaching we develop engineering solutions that make a difference to society in an ethical and sustainable way.  Science-based engineering is at the heart of what we do, and through collaboration we support the engineers and scientists of tomorrow to become technically strong, analytically innovative and creative. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview, english language.

All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is:

• IELTS at least 6.5 overall with no subtest below 6.0.
• TOEFL iBT : at least 90 overall with no subtest below 20. We do not accept 'MyBestScore'. We do not accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition.
• Pearson PTE : at least 70 overall with no subtest below 65.
• An acceptable equivalent English Language qualification .

Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found here .

English language test validity

Application and selection, how to apply, staged admissions.

Applications for 2024 entry  :

Stage 1  : Application received by 27 October 2023; Decision by 8 December 2023.

Stage 2  : Application received by 15 December 2023; Decision by 9 February 2024.

Stage 3  : Application received by 1 March 2024; Decision by 26 April 2024.

Stage 4  : Application received by 3 May 2024; Decision by 21 June 2024.

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date. If this is the case we will let you know after the deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion.

Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be closed. We therefore recommend that you apply early in the cycle to secure your place with us.

Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place must demonstrate that they have met all the conditions of their offer by  31 July 2024.

Advice to applicants

We require the following documents before we can consider your application:

• Official Bachelor degree transcripts, including official translations and original language copies if study not undertaken in English. 2+2 and 3+1 applicants must provide official transcripts and certificates from both institutions.
• An official document from your university verifying your current weighted average mark (not arithmetic average) if this information is not included in your transcript of study.  Please note : where grades are given as a percentage, the weighted average mark must also be recorded as a percentage, not as a GPA grade.
• Degree certificate if you have already graduated.
• If still studying, please provide an official list of all the modules you are taking in your final year.
• A CV if you graduated more than three years ago.

References and personal statements are not required for your application to this programme.

If English is not your first language, we also require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application.

You must submit all these supporting documents with your application. If any of the above information is missing, we will not be able to consider your application and it may be withdrawn.

Applications received after the deadline will be considered at our discretion.

How your application is considered

We consider your full academic history including which course units you have taken and the marks obtained. Even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant course units in our final decision making.

If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have to assess if you are still able to fulfil the entry criteria.

Interview requirements

Overseas (non-uk) applicants.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Please upload a copy of your current valid passport with your application showing the photograph page with your application. For CAS purposes, this must show your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the date the passport is valid until, which must be later than the date of your planned arrival in the UK, and the start date of your course.

If you have previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4 visa as an undergraduate or postgraduate student, please send a copy of your previous CAS statement to us as it will assist with the issue of your new CAS statement. This includes study in the UK on study abroad programmes and any study that you did not complete.

You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. The Admissions Team will contact you at the appropriate time.

Your CAS number is only valid for one Tier 4 application.

Re-applications

If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have.

Course details

Course description.

This course delivers a thorough, methodical and wide-ranging education in communications, signal processing, and microwave engineering. It covers in-depth materials including digital communication, wireless communications, mobile networks, digital signal processing, communication networks, and optical communications. In addition, students can choose between course units that specialise in signal and image processing, or antennas and microwave systems engineering. 

The course is aimed at those with prior undergraduate level knowledge on communication and signal processing, wishing to enhance their skills to an advanced level for a rewarding career in related industries. Graduates are also capable to conduct PhD study in world leading research groups and contribute new ideas towards the advancement of technologies.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Excellent facilities

With access to an  extensive range of leading facilities , you will get hands-on with industry-standard equipment - improving your knowledge and skills, and preparing you for work post-graduation. Our flagship facilities include the  High Voltage Lab  and  Photon Science Institute .

The future of learning in Manchester  

Our Home for Engineering and Materials Science is transforming the way our students study, research and shape the world forever. Now, more than ever, is the time to study at the University of Manchester. 

At the heart of the building’s design is a desire to bring together all disciplines, in one connected and dynamic environment. The space supports a variety of teaching and learning styles, through blended lecture theatres, multi-purpose study spaces and over 250 state-of-the-art laboratories. There is also a range of technical spaces to help encourage students to shape their own learning environment.  

We want our facilities to show ambition as well as recognise the real-world challenges that students will face in addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time. Our Home for Engineering and Materials Science boasts some of the most unique, industry-leading equipment and instrumentation in the sector to meet today’s requirements and those of the future.  

Explore  Our Home for Engineering and Material Science .  

Disability support

Career opportunities.

On graduating you will be able to enter directly all areas of the modern communication and signal processing engineering industry, including the fast growing mobile and wireless technology sectors. You will also be prepared to begin PhD research programmes, which may lead to careers in research establishments and universities.

Careers Service

We are committed to helping you get the best start after graduation, that's why The University of Manchester's  award-winning Careers Service  will continue to support you two years after graduation. 

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Blog

Explore more about our students' experiences, our alumni and where they are now, and our department in  our blog .

Accrediting organisations

This course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

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Postgraduate media and communications personal statement example.

I think the exhilaration of delivering an impromptu speech is what makes me fall in love with debate. The pressure to convince the whole room filled with adjudicators and the peace I felt when walking to the podium were something I look forward to. Convincing the adjudicators and winning the debate round is euphoria as well as a reassuring feeling that I have fulfilled my duty on that fierce round, which is to win in the war of words. It is a passion that I discovered almost seven years ago and kept close to my heart to this day.

For the next six years, I immersed myself in the world of debate. Reinforcing the importance of communication and empowering students have been set as the agenda for the rest of my study. During the second year of high school, I devoted my time to teaching and assisting mute elementary students in an inclusive school. I saw how students with disabilities were rejected from getting into regular school even when they had their sixth grade diploma. They were minimized by society and were visibly less privileged than the normal kids. This experience taught me how vital communication is for us as a functioning subject in society. So vital that not having the ability to do so took away their basic privilege of having an education.

My work continues with teaching debate in my university when I became the president of International Relations Debating Club (IRDC) in my second year of study. During that time, I took the opportunity to co-teach with my lecturer in his “English for International Relations” class for two years and in a political business debate workshop. Along the way, I tutored students in my department and watching them gain their confidence through my teaching is one of the most fulfilling things I ever experienced. The fact that words could build someone’s character by changing their behavior intensifies my interest on communication and language. This was a great sense of achievement and an encouragement to further pursue my interest.

While my interest in public speaking and communication was gradually shaped throughout my academic life, my fascination in media was sparked late in my undergrad study during a Global Media Journalism class. It was when my lecturer played a YouTube video titled “President Obama’s Anger Translator” for the class. What appealed to me is the fact that the unexpected and unusual speech was considered as one’s creative expression in the Western part of the world. In the East, especially in my country, attempting to do such thing would result in offending media, the opposition side, citizens, or even the Eastern culture itself. I was captivated by the bluntness of politics and how humor, as a part of expression, has become such a powerful force that it could give critics in a way that alters the way people think.

Throughout the years, TV news has played immense role in determining whether I get to go outside or stay home. It determines whether there would be massive demonstration on the street or peace for the day. A country where racism thrives through newspapers and TV shows is a place that I have learned to call home. The power of media was truly felt a year ago when Jakarta’s governor, who was a double minority, was thrown to jail for the words he spoke during an interview. Words that were exaggerated by the mass media and repeatedly featured as the headline news eventually stirred anger to the racial majority in Indonesia. He had 4 years to transform Jakarta and he served his job well. I watched how preposterous it was when media has complete command over what people read that day. Over what people think and to their political standing. Media is a truly potent instrument that could steer a state’s dynamic.

Outside academic study, I enjoy doing mixed martial arts, which allows me to have more structure and discipline in my daily activities. I do Muay Thai two or three days a week with my coach to perfect my movement and stamina. Playing guitar and ukulele is also a favorite pastime of mine. It is a perfect way to relax and recharge. Honing my guitar skill and training my vocal chord are aspects that I will continuously and joyfully work on.

In order to maximise my learning process in my undergrad study, I also spent 4 years studying French in the French Embassy and took DELF. Learning French has opened up my perspective about other states and has enabled me to grasp meaning even more profoundly when communicating with other people or reading text.

I would relish the chance to study in such contemporary degree that reflects the growing emphasis in communication, culture, and media. Working in media industries or corporations is such an interesting career prospect to me and is something that I am planning to do after completing my Masters degree. I believe that the university of Nottingham would maximize my postgraduate learning with this contemporary study and its diverse diaspora communities of international students. With specific modules like “Issues and Challenges in Contemporary Media” and “Language”, I believe that I would be ready to work in the ever-changing environment of media industries. I am excited about meeting students from different states and understanding their culture as well as the way they communicate.

My 6 years of experience in public speaking gave me an opportunity to communicate with my lecturers, fellow friends, seniors, and the marketing team in my campus. This opportunity of working with different demographics gave me strong organizational skills and a unique experience to engage in high level discussions related to my field of study. My enthusiasm in learning different fields of interest and the wide range of subjects during my undergrad study (e.g: law, economics, marketing, journalism, etc) have made me accustomed in using different lenses in solving an issue, which made me a better problem-solver. I believe that this set of skills will prepare me to face the challenges during my year as a postgraduate student.

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When deciding on a career path, you’re likely to have different considerations in mind. You want to have a skillset for which there is a wide demand in growing industries. You also need to be certain your expertise will remain relevant in the technologically uncertain years to come, when AI and automation will change many of our jobs as we know it. Finally,  people currently entering the workforce increasingly want to work in fields where they will be able to make a positive social impact . So, is there a way to combine all these needs and desires in one career choice? Yes, if you decide to become a signal processing engineer!

Signal processing – the enabling technology for the generation, transformation, extraction and interpretation of information via electronic signals – is essential for our smartphones and wearable devices, as well as the latest health care technologies, digital cameras and our digital assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home . Taking stock of the immense power and promise of signal processing, it’s not difficult to see how it can be the ideal vocational path for a person with an interest in science, technology, or math, and a desire to change the world. The case for a career in signal processing is threefold:

• Signal Processing Plays a Key Role in Multiple Industries : Unlike in most fields of study, in signal processing, futue jobs are not defined by or restricted to a single professional area. Signals are used to transmit information in nearly every imaginable field. They are used extensively in what will likely be a high-growth industry in years to come: health care. Signal processing is essential for the use of X-rays, MRIs and CT scans, allowing medical images to be analyzed and deciphered by complex data processing techniques. Signals are used in finance , to send messages about and interpret financial data. This aids decision-making in trading and building stock portfolios. The most exhilarating new movies are made possible by multiresolution signal processing in digital cameras , making entertainment a lucrative market for people with this skillset. And of course, there is the ever-dynamic consumer electronics industry, where smartphones, wearable devices and digital home assistants couldn’t exist without processing engineers. Basically, whatever industry interests you probably implements signal processing.
• Signal Processing is the Technology of the Future: Many young people are concerned how technology is impacting their future job prospects. But when you’re caught in the tide you swim with it, not against it. That’s why you should explore the possibilities of signal processing, the technology underpinning most of our disruptive innovations. Just to give a few examples, the latest breakthroughs in health care are enabled by signal processing engineers, who are developing ways to more quickly and accurately process medical images . Hollywood will want to scoop up the best minds in the field to make the most memorable and exciting films. And in Silicon Valley, where disruption is the order of the day, the top tech companies are constantly seeking out experts in signal processing to help develop the latest product or platform. These are the growth industries of the modern economy – and signal processing is the growth skillset in these fields.
• Signal Processing Can Serve a Social Purpose : Whether addressing inequality, making our economy more sustainable or combatting epidemics, it’s key that researchers and policymakers have access to all the relevant data. Signal processing allows for the expansion of computing power and data storage capabilities , making signal processing engineers indispensable for understanding and tackling our biggest global problems. A career in this field isn’t just about employment opportunities or guarding against your job being automated. It’s about contributing to improving the world.

The diversity, relevance and ongoing importance of signal processing makes it an ideal area to study and pursue as a vocation. And just imagine being able to say, in an increasingly digital world, that you - quite literally - make everything possible.

• THIS WEEK: Join NASA’s Dr. Jacqueline Le Moigne as she shares her journey through academia, the private sector, and pivotal roles at NASA, emphasizing her work in signal processing, computer vision, and related technologies. Register now! https://x.com/IEEEsps/status/1785057479606288505
• Join NASA’s Dr. Jacqueline Le Moigne for this interactive webinar as she shares her journey through the realms of signal processing, computer vision, and related technologies, including her pivotal roles at NASA. https://x.com/IEEEsps/status/1782468413551423536
• Great crowd at the Student Job Fair at #ICASSP2024! Thank you to our sponsors for furnishing an exciting, engaging event! https://x.com/IEEEsps/status/1780817453569687559
• Thank you to our Women in Signal Processing Luncheon panelists for their wisdom and insights during today’s event at #ICASSP2024! https://x.com/IEEEsps/status/1780458637338530252
• Free Machine Learning (ML) Lecture Series from IEEE SPS From basics to recent advances, unlock the secrets of ML with Prof. Sergios Theodoridis! https://x.com/IEEEsps/status/1779931297093222415

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Among over a million participants in the annual national university entrance examination in China, few 

students in the liberal arts would succeed in getting admitted into science and 

engineering majors. It is 

even a greater accomplishment for such a student to enter the country’s top

-ranking university to study 

the state-designated Level-I Intensive Subject. Motivated by my strong love for electrical engineering and 

backed up by a level-headed recognition of my academic potential, I faced the challenge and succeeded. 

With excellent performance in the entrance examination, I was accepted by Institute of XX where I chose 

to specialize in Information Engineering at the Department of Electronic Engineering. 

While 

feeling 

pleasantly 

surprised 

success, 

former 

teachers 

family 

members 

expressed their deep concern that my way of thinking through many years of training in liberal arts would 

hamper 

undergraduate 

academic 

performance 

engineering 

disciplines. What 

happened 

proved 

that they were not totally unjustified in their misgivings. In the first semester, I did experience some sort of 

disorientation and maladaptation in a competitive environment. But with due adjustments in my state of 

learning 

strategies, 

background 

liberal 

blessing 

disguise; 

instead 

constraining 

scholastic 

development, 

helped 

competitive 

classmates 

highlight my unique advantages. 

I started practicing the violin since six and for ten years I won many awards and honors. My long-time 

musical training has endowed me with an intuitive inspiration and this makes it possible for me to achieve 

unexpected results in solving practical problems. For instance, in doing a course project on Digital Clock

I drew inspiration from the synchronic theory of the digital network and constructed on the microcomputer 

synchronized 

network 

master-slave 

communication. 

means 

random 

digits, 

simulated 

clock sliding in the nodal point system at different levels of communication. Obtaining clock signal from 

timing 

chain, 

realized 

simple 

model 

nodal 

point 

clock 

synchronization in the digital network, which was rated by 

my advisor as the “most original design of the 

recent years.”

Encouraged by this initial success, I attempted to play a more active role in extracurricular activities in 

sports. 

acted 

master 

departmental 

chorus 

editor-in-chief 

journalism 

society. 

terms 

sports, 

member 

Institute’s 

mountaineering 

group 

player 

volleyball 

second 

prize 

league 

match. My comprehensive involvements in extracurricular activities have improved my team spirit and 

leadership, and produced a positive effect on my way of analyzing and solving problems. Compared with 

average students, I tend to apply an integral or a total approach in dealing with specific problems and to 

achieve systematic optimization. 

In the experiment on traffic light circuits, I did not allow myself to be confined to the simple requirements 

of a functioning light system. In view of the latest theoretical developments in traffic control, I expanded 

the scope of my experiment. Based on the statistics concerning the fluctuations of the traffic flow during 

different 

internals 

designed 

program 

perform 

simulation 

fixed 

mathematical model and a simple model of traffic light control under the pre-installed plan. Based on this, 

I studied the advanced adaptive system and by integrating the collected basic traffic information, Internet 

communication, and the technical concepts of simple fuzz control, I carried out theoretical design of the 

intelligent traffic control system and endeavored to realize the “green wave” effect under the road network 

Introducing Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac

New Capabilities for Understanding and Creating Language

Image Playground Makes Communication and Self‑Expression Even More Fun

Genmoji Creation to Fit Any Moment

New Features in Photos Give Users More Control

Siri Enters a New Era

A New Standard for Privacy in AI

ChatGPT Gets Integrated Across Apple Platforms

Text of this article

June 10, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Setting a new standard for privacy in AI, Apple Intelligence understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Intelligence , the personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant. Apple Intelligence is deeply integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. It harnesses the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. With Private Cloud Compute, Apple sets a new standard for privacy in AI, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.

“We’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do.”

Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for users to enhance their writing and communicate more effectively. With brand-new systemwide Writing Tools built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.

Whether tidying up class notes, ensuring a blog post reads just right, or making sure an email is perfectly crafted, Writing Tools help users feel more confident in their writing. With Rewrite, Apple Intelligence allows users to choose from different versions of what they have written, adjusting the tone to suit the audience and task at hand. From finessing a cover letter, to adding humor and creativity to a party invitation, Rewrite helps deliver the right words to meet the occasion. Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while also suggesting edits — along with explanations of the edits — that users can review or quickly accept. With Summarize, users can select text and have it recapped in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.

In Mail, staying on top of emails has never been easier. With Priority Messages, a new section at the top of the inbox shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day dinner invitation or boarding pass. Across a user’s inbox, instead of previewing the first few lines of each email, they can see summaries without needing to open a message. For long threads, users can view pertinent details with just a tap. Smart Reply provides suggestions for a quick response, and will identify questions in an email to ensure everything is answered.

Deep understanding of language also extends to Notifications. Priority Notifications appear at the top of the stack to surface what’s most important, and summaries help users scan long or stacked notifications to show key details right on the Lock Screen, such as when a group chat is particularly active. And to help users stay present in what they’re doing, Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention, like a text about an early pickup from daycare.

In the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.

Apple Intelligence powers exciting image creation capabilities to help users communicate and express themselves in new ways. With Image Playground, users can create fun images in seconds, choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is easy to use and built right into apps including Messages. It’s also available in a dedicated app, perfect for experimenting with different concepts and styles. All images are created on device, giving users the freedom to experiment with as many images as they want.

With Image Playground, users can choose from a range of concepts from categories like themes, costumes, accessories, and places; type a description to define an image; choose someone from their personal photo library to include in their image; and pick their favorite style.

With the Image Playground experience in Messages, users can quickly create fun images for their friends, and even see personalized suggested concepts related to their conversations. For example, if a user is messaging a group about going hiking, they’ll see suggested concepts related to their friends, their destination, and their activity, making image creation even faster and more relevant.

In Notes, users can access Image Playground through the new Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool palette, making notes more visually engaging. Rough sketches can be turned into delightful images, and users can even select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area. Image Playground is also available in apps like Keynote, Freeform, and Pages, as well as in third-party apps that adopt the new Image Playground API.

Taking emoji to an entirely new level, users can create an original Genmoji to express themselves. By simply typing a description, their Genmoji appears, along with additional options. Users can even create Genmoji of friends and family based on their photos. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.

Searching for photos and videos becomes even more convenient with Apple Intelligence. Natural language can be used to search for specific photos, such as “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt,” or “Katie with stickers on her face.” Search in videos also becomes more powerful with the ability to find specific moments in clips so users can go right to the relevant segment. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject.

With Memories, users can create the story they want to see by simply typing a description. Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc. Users will even get song suggestions to match their memory from Apple Music. As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private on device and are not shared with Apple or anyone else.

Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri becomes more deeply integrated into the system experience. With richer language-understanding capabilities, Siri is more natural, more contextually relevant, and more personal, with the ability to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. It can follow along if users stumble over words and maintain context from one request to the next. Additionally, users can type to Siri, and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels right for the moment. Siri also has a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when Siri is active.

Siri can now give users device support everywhere they go, and answer thousands of questions about how to do something on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Users can learn everything from how to schedule an email in the Mail app, to how to switch from Light to Dark Mode.

With onscreen awareness, Siri will be able to understand and take action with users’ content in more apps over time. For example, if a friend texts a user their new address in Messages, the receiver can say, “Add this address to his contact card.”

With Apple Intelligence, Siri will be able to take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps. For example, a user could say, “Bring up that article about cicadas from my Reading List,” or “Send the photos from the barbecue on Saturday to Malia,” and Siri will take care of it.

Siri will be able to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to the user and their on-device information. For example, a user can say, “Play that podcast that Jamie recommended,” and Siri will locate and play the episode, without the user having to remember whether it was mentioned in a text or an email. Or they could ask, “When is Mom’s flight landing?” and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.

To be truly helpful, Apple Intelligence relies on understanding deep personal context while also protecting user privacy. A cornerstone of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, and many of the models that power it run entirely on device. To run more complex requests that require more processing power, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple devices into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence.

With Private Cloud Compute, Apple Intelligence can flex and scale its computational capacity and draw on larger, server-based models for more complex requests. These models run on servers powered by Apple silicon, providing a foundation that allows Apple to ensure that data is never retained or exposed.

Independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to verify privacy, and Private Cloud Compute cryptographically ensures that iPhone, iPad, and Mac do not talk to a server unless its software has been publicly logged for inspection. Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute sets a new standard for privacy in AI, unlocking intelligence users can trust.

Apple is integrating ChatGPT access into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between tools.

Siri can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise when helpful. Users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly.

Additionally, ChatGPT will be available in Apple’s systemwide Writing Tools, which help users generate content for anything they are writing about. With Compose, users can also access ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a wide variety of styles to complement what they are writing.

Privacy protections are built in for users who access ChatGPT — their IP addresses are obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for users who choose to connect their account.

ChatGPT will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o. Users can access it for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and access paid features right from these experiences.

Availability

Apple Intelligence is free for users, and will be available in beta as part of iOS 18 , iPadOS 18 , and macOS Sequoia  this fall in U.S. English. Some features, software platforms, and additional languages will come over the course of the next year. Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to U.S. English. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence .

Press Contacts

Cat Franklin

[email protected]

Jacqueline Roy

[email protected]

Apple Media Helpline

[email protected]

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The developing Human Connectome Project fetal functional MRI release: Methods and data structures

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Recent advances in fetal fMRI present a new opportunity for neuroscience to study functional human brain connectivity at the time of its emergence. Progress in the field however has been hampered by the lack of openly available datasets that can be exploited by researchers across disciplines to develop methods that would address the unique challenges associated with imaging and analysing functional brain in utero, such as unconstrained head motion, dynamically evolving geometric distortions, or inherently low signal-to-noise ratio. Here we describe the developing Human Connectome Project's release of the largest open access fetal fMRI dataset to date, containing 275 scans from 255 fetuses and spanning the period of 20.86 to 38.29 post-menstrual weeks. We present a systematic approach to its pre-processing, implementing multi-band soft SENSE reconstruction, dynamic distortion corrections via phase unwrapping method, slice-to-volume reconstruction and a tailored temporal filtering model, with attention to the prominent sources of structured noise in the in utero fMRI. The dataset is accompanied with an advanced registration infrastructure, enabling group-level data fusion, and contains outputs from the main intermediate processing steps. This allows for various levels of data exploration by the imaging and neuroscientific community, starting from the development of robust pipelines for anatomical and temporal corrections to methods for elucidating the development of functional connectivity in utero. By providing a high-quality template for further method development and benchmarking, the release of the dataset will help to advance fetal fMRI to its deserved and timely place at the forefront of the efforts to build a life-long connectome of the human brain.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

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