How to Apply to Computer Science at William & Mary: Declare a B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science after Enrolling, Three B.S. Concentrations, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At William & Mary (W&M), computer science is taught by the Department of Computer Science in the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics, which offers a B.S. in Computer Science, a B.A. in Computer Science and a computer science minor. Admission is not by major; you declare after enrolling. Here is what you need to know, based on W&M’s website, for fall 2027 entry: for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. How to apply, and when you choose computer science

• Common App only: W&M currently accepts only the Common App. International and other applicants use the same application, reviewed holistically, and admission is not by major.
• Preparing after you arrive: the department advises intended majors to complete, by the end of sophomore year, Introduction to Programming (CSCI 141), Data Structures (CSCI 241), Discrete Structures of Computer Science (CSCI 243), at least one other 300–400 level computer science course, and the calculus sequence (MATH 111 and 112). The pages we read do not give the declaration procedure or any grade threshold; ask the department’s undergraduate director.
• Course sequence: majors and minors must earn credit for CSCI 141 before taking any other computer science course; students arriving with test or transfer credit for CSCI 141 can start with CSCI 241 or 243. MATH 214, Foundations of Mathematics, can substitute for CSCI 243 but requires Calculus II.
• High school advice: the department strongly recommends completing calculus and an AP or IB computer science course in high school; good scores can place you into CSCI 241 or 243 in your first semester, leaving more time for research or study abroad later. For how AP and IB scores convert to credit, see section 4 and the catalog.

2. The computer science major

• B.S.: covers programming, data structures, algorithms, computer organization and software engineering, with electives in artificial intelligence, computer graphics, systems, networking, databases, human-computer interaction and cybersecurity. B.S. students choose a concentration when declaring: General, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, or Cybersecurity, each with its own required courses and electives.
• B.A.: has fewer required core courses and allows more electives from other departments (such as data science, geology and linguistics), suiting students who want to combine computing with another field.
• Detailed requirements: the department links to the undergraduate catalog, which returned a verification page when we tried to read it, so course counts and credits were not checked. See the catalog pages for the B.S. and B.A. in Computer Science.
• Honors thesis: undergraduate research is possible through an honors thesis.
• Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Pathway (BMAP): apply after reaching junior standing (54 credits) and before your final semester, with an overall GPA of at least 3.0. You need CSCI 140 or 141, CSCI 241 and CSCI 243 (or MATH 214), plus any two of CSCI 301, 303, 304 and 312, with a 3.0 GPA in these courses. Up to 18 graduate credits can count toward both degrees. BMAP admission does not guarantee admission to the master’s, which (non-thesis) requires 32 credits and is usually finished about a year after the bachelor’s.
• A related new major: in August 2026 the school announced a major in Applied AI, focused on applying existing AI technologies to real problems across disciplines; it is a separate major from computer science.

3. Deadlines and decisions

• Early Decision I (binding): due 1 November, decisions in early December, deposit by 5 January.
• Early Decision II (binding): due 5 January, decisions in early February, deposit by 15 February.
• Regular Decision: due 5 January, decisions by 1 April, deposit by 1 May.
• Deadlines are midnight in your time zone; transcripts, scores and recommendations may follow after the deadline. The Common App opens on 1 August.

4. Testing and English

• Test optional: any applicant may submit or withhold SAT or ACT scores, self-reported or official, and W&M superscores. Forty percent of the Class of 2029 applied test-optional. Scores are not required for merit consideration.
• International students: W&M strongly encourages an SAT or ACT if other external results (or predictions) such as IB, AP or A-Levels are not available.
• English: if English is not your native language and your schooling for the past four years or more was in another language, W&M strongly recommends TOEFL or IELTS. It generally looks for:
  • TOEFL 100 for tests on or before 20 January 2026, or 5 on the new scale from 21 January 2026, from a single date or MyBest;
  • IELTS Academic overall 7 or above;
  • Duolingo is accepted if TOEFL and IELTS are not available (no score is published).
  W&M notes these are not strict cut-offs in a holistic review.
• AP, IB and A-Level credit: typically AP 4 or 5 and IB HL 5, 6 or 7 earn credit or exemption, and A-Levels can earn credit. Students who completed a 13-year secondary programme and want credit for thirteenth-year courses submit translated syllabi for them with the application.
• Chinese and Canadian curricula: W&M publishes no Gaokao policy and no grade requirements for Canadian or BC curricula. It warns that 126.com and 163.com users may not receive its emails, so give an alternative address.

5. Costs and aid

• 2026-27 out-of-state estimates (US$): tuition 46,177, fees 8,072, housing 10,512, food 7,134, direct costs 71,895; with books, transportation, personal and loan costs of 3,757, the total is about 75,652.
• Aid for international students: W&M says it generally has no scholarship or loan funds for undergraduates who are citizens of other countries, so you must be prepared to fund your full education.
• Visas: students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa provide financial certification through iStart after admission and deposit.

6. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall due 1 March, with high school and college transcripts and a mid-term report by 15 March and decisions on 1 May; spring due 1 October, with decisions in mid-November.
• International transfers: students at universities outside the US who need an F-1 visa are admitted for fall only; international students at US institutions can apply for fall or spring. Holders of a bachelor’s degree cannot earn a second undergraduate degree at W&M.
• Competitiveness: the most competitive transfer applicants typically have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and rigorous transfer-oriented courses from the past year, such as math (statistics or calculus), lab sciences, social sciences, writing, and philosophical or religious thought. W&M receives about 900 fall transfer applications and enrols about 200.
• Credit: for courses taken outside the US, submit translated syllabi for each university course with your application; you may need an international evaluation for a preliminary credit decision, coordinated by the Registrar. Transfers must also meet W&M’s general education requirements.
• Documents: a high school transcript is required if you have fewer than 24 college credits.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through the Common App by November 1 (ED I) or January 5 (ED II or Regular Decision)
• Finish calculus in high school, ideally with an AP or IB computer science course
• TOEFL 100 (5 on the new scale) or IELTS around 7; without AP, IB or A-level results, consider sending the SAT or ACT
• Do not rely only on a 126.com or 163.com email address
• Plan to cover about $75,652 a year yourself; W&M generally offers no scholarships to non-US undergraduates

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

• Same deadlines; no Canada-specific grade requirements are published
• Non-US citizens are likewise generally not eligible for scholarships or loans

Transfer students:

• Apply by March 1 for fall, ideally with a GPA of 3.5 or higher; international students at universities outside the US can enter only in fall
• Prepare English syllabi for every course for credit evaluation; confirm after admission whether they count for CSCI 141 or other courses

Sources: William & Mary, Dates and deadlines; First-year applicants; Standardized testing; International testing; International expenses and aid; International credit; Transfer applicants; Recommended transfer courses; International transfers; Tuition; Computer Science undergraduate program; BS in Computer Science; BA in Computer Science; For high school students; Get started in computer science; Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Pathway; New Applied AI major. The undergraduate catalog returned a verification page, so detailed course counts and credits were not checked. Information is for fall 2027 entry. Check William & Mary for the latest details.