How to Apply to Computer Science at Yale: Get Into Yale College, Then Declare a CS B.S. or B.A. or One of Four Combined Majors by the End of Sophomore Year, With Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

All Yale undergraduates study in Yale College, which does not admit by major; students declare a major by the end of sophomore year. Computer Science offers a B.S. and a B.A. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Yale’s websites (the major section follows the Yale College Programs of Study 2026–2027), for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. The Computer Science major

• Programs: the CS B.S. and B.A., and four combined majors run with other departments: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Computer Science and Economics, Computer Science and Mathematics, and Computer Science and Psychology. They share a common computer science core.
• Prerequisites: the catalog lists none for the major. Apart from CPSC 2000 and CPSC 2010, introductory courses assume no previous computing knowledge; students without programming experience can start with CPSC 1001, and those with experience can go straight to CPSC 2010.
• Core courses: CPSC 2010; CPSC 2020 or MATH 2440 (discrete mathematics); CPSC 2230 (data structures); CPSC 3231 with CPSC 3232, or the more intensive CPSC 3230 (systems programming and computer architecture); and CPSC 3650 or 3660 (algorithms). Taking CPSC 3230 means one fewer core course and one more elective.
• B.S.: 12 term courses including the senior project: six core courses (five with CPSC 3230), five intermediate or advanced CS courses (six with CPSC 3230) and the senior requirement.
• B.A.: 10 term courses including the senior project: six core courses (five with CPSC 3230), three intermediate or advanced CS courses (four with CPSC 3230) and the senior requirement.
• Senior project: CPSC 4900, original research with a faculty adviser.
• Electives: the department advises covering theory, systems and languages (databases, networking, operating systems, programming languages, systems security) and applications (artificial intelligence, graphics, computer vision, human-computer interaction, machine learning, natural language processing, robotics). There are no fixed tracks.
• Mathematics: CPSC 2020 provides the core mathematical background; for electives such as graphics, computer vision, neural networks or numerical analysis, Yale suggests more linear algebra and calculus (e.g. MATH 2220 or 2250, MATH 2260 and MATH 1200).
• Other rules: all courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade; courses taken elsewhere may count with approval from the director of undergraduate studies; majors are advised to complete CPSC 2010 and 2230 by the end of sophomore year.
• Simultaneous B.S./M.S.: available up to the Class of 2029 only; it ends from the Class of 2030.
• Caps or thresholds: the catalog does not mention a cap or grade threshold for declaring Computer Science; this is not published. Check with the director of undergraduate studies.

2. Students at high schools in China

• One process: all applicants, regardless of nationality, go through the same whole-person review with the same requirements.
• Platforms: the Common Application, the Coalition Application on SCOIR, or QuestBridge; submit only one per cycle.
• Materials: recommendations, a school report with transcript, and SAT or ACT scores. All materials must be in English, with certified translations; self-translations are not accepted.
• Gaokao: Yale states that international leaving exams and English tests do not meet its SAT/ACT requirement, and it has no Gaokao-specific policy.

3. Students at Canadian high schools

• The same platforms, materials and SAT or ACT apply. Yale sets no province-specific grade requirements.
• If you have had at least two years in English-medium secondary education, no English test is needed.

4. Rounds and timeline

• Single-Choice Early Action (also called Restrictive Early Action): deadline 1 November, decisions in mid-December (admit, deny or defer). It is non-binding.
  • You generally may not apply early action or early decision elsewhere;
  • exceptions include non-binding rolling admission, non-binding early programmes at public institutions, early programmes notifying after 1 January (“Round 2”), and institutions outside the U.S.;
  • deferred applicants get final decisions in late March; denied applicants cannot reapply in Regular Decision that year.
• QuestBridge National College Match: deadline 1 November, binding, with match results in early December.
• Regular Decision: deadline 2 January, decisions in late March, reply by 1 May.
• Yale says applying early gives no advantage.

5. Testing and English

• The SAT or ACT is required; you can self-report and send official scores before enrolling. There is no preference between tests, superscores are accepted, and the ACT Science and Writing sections are optional.
• October and November tests are generally in time for the early round; January and February tests for Regular Decision.
• AP and IB scores, including predicted IB scores, are optional.
• English: non-native English speakers without at least two years in an English-medium secondary school must submit an English test. Yale says its most competitive applicants typically have:
  • TOEFL 5 or higher for tests after 21 January 2026, or 100+ for earlier tests;
  • IELTS 7 or higher;
  • Cambridge English (C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or B2 First) 185 or higher;
  • Duolingo 120 or higher.
  These are reference points, not minimums.

6. Transfer students

• Entry level: transfer students start as sophomores or juniors, in the fall only, and must study at Yale for at least two years (four terms).
• Eligibility: at least two terms (or three quarters) completed with at least four transferable course credits; applicants usually have 8 to 18. Those with fewer than two terms should apply as first-years.
• Deadline and decisions: 1 March, with decisions in early May. The SAT or ACT is also required.
• Credit:
  • up to the equivalent of 18 Yale course credits, with at least 18 completed at Yale;
  • courses in subjects Yale teaches usually transfer;
  • AP, IB and dual-enrolment courses taken before high school graduation do not transfer;
  • at least three-quarters of transferable courses must have an A or B, with none below C.
• Computer Science: most majors are open to transfers, but some departments’ rules or prerequisites may not fit into the remaining terms. The CS core is sequential, so plan it against the Yale College Programs of Study before you transfer.

7. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 costs (US$): tuition 72,500, student activity fee 185, housing 12,080, food 9,520, plus estimates of 1,000 for books and 2,700 for personal expenses; travel varies by home address. 2027-28 figures are not yet published.
• Aid: Yale considers all applicants, including international students, without regard to ability to pay (need-blind), meets 100% of demonstrated need, and awards aid as scholarships with no required loans.
• International aid packages include housing, meals and two round trips a year, and take into account differences between the U.S. and home-country economies; the CSS Profile is required.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply by 1 November (Single-Choice Early Action) or 2 January (Regular Decision)
• Take the SAT or ACT; if you have had fewer than two years of English-medium schooling, take TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge English or Duolingo
• Attach certified translations of non-English documents; file the CSS Profile if you need aid

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Same deadlines and materials; no English test needed after two years at an English-medium school

Transfer students:

• Apply after at least two terms; deadline 1 March, decisions in early May; up to 18 course credits transfer
• Plan the core against the Programs of Study and take CPSC 2010 and 2230 early

If you want Computer Science: start with CPSC 1001 or 2010 depending on your programming background, declare by the end of sophomore year and complete the CPSC 4900 senior project.

Sources: Yale University, First-year application; Admissions timelines; Standardized and English testing; International students; Affordability; Cost of attendance; Transfer application; Transfer eligibility and credits; Transfer timeline; Yale College Programs of Study 2026–2027: Computer Science. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Yale for the latest details.