How to Apply to Computer Science at the University of Notre Dame: The Common Core and Five Concentration Tracks in the College of Engineering, a First Year of Engineering Courses, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, computer science is offered by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering, which also offers computer engineering. Here is what you need to know about fall 2027 entry, based on Notre Dame’s official websites, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Admission

• First-years are admitted to the University: you list an intended major, and the decision is admission to the University. The pages we read do not say whether computer science has a cap or when first-years formally enter the major; ask the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• Listed under two colleges: the admissions majors list shows Computer Science under both the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Engineering. This guide covers the engineering degree; we have not checked the requirements of the Arts and Letters route, so ask the department.
• No programming background assumed: the department says its programs do not assume previous programming experience.
• High school courses: applicants with an intended major in Engineering need four units of mathematics including an advanced course (pre-calculus or calculus), a unit of chemistry, and physics, which all engineering majors require.
• Accreditation and outcomes: computer science is ABET-accredited, and the department says its placement rate has been at or near 100% for many years.

2. Curriculum

• Scope: the department’s curriculum applies to students entering fall 2025 and beyond, totalling 124 or 124.5 credit hours.
• First year: university writing, Engineering Design (EG 10117), Engineering Computing (EG 10118), chemical principles, Calculus I and II, General Physics I and the Moreau First Year Experience, among others.
• From the second year: discrete mathematics, fundamentals of computing, data structures, computer organization and software systems, plus Calculus III, Physics II and linear algebra; in the third year, probability and statistics for machine intelligence, design and analysis of algorithms, and theory of computing.
• Five tracks: all students complete a common core and then four courses in one of five tracks:
  • AI & Data Science (Introduction to Artificial Intelligence required);
  • Software Engineering (at least one of two designated courses);
  • Systems Engineering (no required course);
  • Human-Centered & Visual Computing (Human-Computer Interaction required);
  • Foundational CS (no required course).
  A project course is also required, either within the chosen track or as a designated project elective. Some track courses are graduate courses open to qualified undergraduates.
• Other: seniors take Ethical and Professional Issues. Computer engineering is a separate program run jointly with the Department of Electrical Engineering, which students choose after their first year.

3. Decision plans and deadlines

• Restrictive Early Action: 1 November, supporting documents by 15 November; decisions by mid-December (admit, deny or defer to RD). You may not apply to another school’s binding Early Decision I, but may apply to other Early Action and Early Decision II programs. Notre Dame says it is highly conservative in REA and recommends it only for applicants at the very top of the pool.
• Regular Decision: 4 January, supporting documents by 15 January; decisions mid- to late March.
• Confirmation: by 1 May with a $500 deposit.
• REA applicants receive priority consideration for merit scholarships.

4. Testing

• SAT/ACT are optional in the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry) for first-year and transfer applicants; you may self-report scores and send official ones if admitted.
• From the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry), SAT or ACT will be required.
• Students outside the US completing the IB Diploma, three or more A-Levels or the French Baccalaureate may submit predicted results instead of SAT/ACT.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Materials: Common App or Coalition, an official transcript including any national exam results, one core-subject teacher letter, a counselor evaluation (recommended), an $85 fee, and the CSS Profile if requesting aid.
• Coursework: at least 16 units, including four of English, three of math (four preferred), two of foreign language, two of science and two of history or social science.
• Gaokao: Notre Dame does not say how Gaokao results are used, only that transcripts should include national exam results.
• Interviews: no alumni or campus interviews; Notre Dame encourages students from China to interview with InitialView or Vericant.
• There are no quotas by region, country or school and no minimum GPA; list your school’s own grading scale if it is not 4.0.

6. Students at Canadian high schools

• There are no Canada- or BC-specific requirements; the general international rules apply, and Notre Dame groups Canada with Europe and the Middle East on its international student stories page.
• Students whose first language is English and whose schooling was primarily in English do not need an English test.

7. English requirements

• An English test (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE Academic) is required if English is not your first language or your secondary education was not primarily in English.
• Strongly recommended scores:
  • TOEFL iBT: 100 overall with at least 25 in speaking on the old scale, or a 5.5 average with no section below 5.0 on the new scale;
  • IELTS 7.5; Duolingo 125.
• Waivers: SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing of 650 or above, or ACT English or Reading of 26 or above.
• TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is not accepted; scores must come directly from the testing agency.

8. Costs and aid

• 2026-27 average cost: tuition US$69,280, mandatory fees 514, housing and food 18,992, books 1,250, personal 1,200 and transportation 750, about $91,986 in total.
• Need-blind for international students: Notre Dame says admission is need-blind for all students, including international applicants, and it meets full demonstrated need with grants and scholarships rather than loans.
• Applying for aid: international first-years submit the 2027-28 CSS Profile (code 1841, available 1 October) and upload documents through IDOC.
• Merit scholarships: all international students are considered, mostly without a separate application.

9. Transfer students

• Deadlines:
  • spring 2027: 1 October 2026, decisions 1 December 2026 to 5 January 2027;
  • fall 2027: 15 March 2027, decisions 20 May to 14 June.
• Eligibility: at least 24 transferable credits and one full year at an accredited institution (dual enrollment does not count), with B or better in required courses for your college. Recent admitted transfers averaged a college GPA of 3.75 or higher.
• Space in the major: transfer decisions consider space in your intended major; Notre Dame names Neuroscience and Behavior among majors with very limited availability; transfer space in computer science is not published. Changing majors after admission needs your dean’s permission.
• Testing: SAT/ACT optional for transfers in 2026-27.
• Aid: Notre Dame says need-based aid is available to international transfer students.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply by REA (1 November) or RD (4 January) with computer science in the College of Engineering as your intended major
• Take four years of mathematics (including pre-calculus or calculus), chemistry and physics
• TOEFL 100 (5.5 new scale), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 125; SAT/ACT optional
• Consider an InitialView or Vericant interview; submit the 2027-28 CSS Profile if requesting aid

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

• General international rules apply; English test waived if English is your first language and schooling was in English; IB or A-Level students may submit predicted results instead of SAT/ACT

Transfer students:

• Deadlines 15 March (fall) and 1 October (spring); at least 24 credits and one full year of college, with B or better in courses required by Engineering; transfer space in computer science is not published

Sources: University of Notre Dame, Computer Science and Engineering undergraduate; Computer Science curriculum (entering fall 2025 and beyond); Computer Science concentration tracks; Majors; Apply and important dates; Restrictive Early Action and Regular Decision; International applicants; International application information; Admissions FAQs; Transfer applicants; 2026-2027 cost of attendance; Financial aid for international students. Information is for fall 2027 entry. Check Notre Dame for the latest details.