How to Apply to Computer Science at Temple University: The BS and BA in the College of Science and Technology, November 1 Early Action and International Scholarships, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At Temple University, undergraduate computer science is offered by the Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) in the College of Science and Technology, as a Computer Science BS and a Computer Science BA. Here is what you need to know, based on Temple’s admissions website, Undergraduate Bulletin and department website, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Getting into Computer Science

• The department says applicants to its undergraduate programs apply through Temple’s Undergraduate Admissions, using the Common App and choosing an intended major.
• The requirements for changing into Computer Science after enrolling are not stated on the pages read. Ask the College of Science and Technology advising office or the department’s undergraduate faculty advisor.
• The Computer Science BS is offered at the Main campus in Philadelphia and at Temple Japan. Temple also runs Rome and Japan Entry Year programs, where students spend the first year abroad before moving to Main Campus.

2. Curriculum (2026-2027 Bulletin)

• BS: 123 credits in total, 73 to 74 for the major. Required CIS courses include Introduction to Academics in Computer Science, introductory programming in Python or C, Program Design and Abstraction, Mathematical Concepts in Computing I and II, Computational Probability and Statistics, Computer Systems and Low-Level Programming, Data Structures, Systems Programming and Operating Systems, Data Structures and Algorithms, Software Design, and a capstone project or independent research.
• BS electives: 15 to 16 credits from courses such as artificial intelligence, computability theory, computer architecture, software security, mobile development, data science, cloud computing, foundations of machine learning, deep learning and large language models, and digital forensics; linear algebra or Calculus III can count as one elective.
• Mathematics and science: Calculus I and II, plus two laboratory science courses from one department’s sequence (such as biology, chemistry or physics).
• Residency: at least 9 major courses, including 7 CIS courses, must be taken at Temple. The college also requires 90 credits within the College of Science and Technology, the College of Liberal Arts and/or the College of Engineering, 45 of them at the 2000 level or above.
• BA: 55 major credits. Temple’s major page says the BA requires 9 CIS courses and the BS 10, plus four to five upper-level electives and a probability course; the BA suits students who want more courses outside the major.
• Accelerated programs: the BS can be combined with an MS in Computer Science or Computational Data Science, completed in five years.

3. International first-year dates

• The Common App opens on August 1; Temple uses the Common App exclusively.
• Early Action: November 1, with a decision by January 10; it is not binding, and Temple says Early Action applicants are generally admitted at a higher rate.
• Regular Decision: February 1. Admitted students pay the enrollment deposit by May 1.
• Spring start: November 1.
• The application fee is USD 55. The pages show no year.

4. Materials, testing and English

• Transcripts: for a four-year high school curriculum, Temple reviews grades 9 to 11 and current grade 12 progress; for a three-year curriculum, it strongly recommends also sending the final year of “primary school”, as the page puts it. Non-English documents need translations.
• Testing: test-optional; applicants without scores are equally eligible for merit scholarships.
• Recommendations: optional, no more than two.
• English minimums (full admission): TOEFL 79 (4.0 new scale, no sub-score below 4.0), IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 110, PTE 53, Cambridge C1/C2 180, MET 56, iTEP 4.0, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 550. Slightly lower scores (such as IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 3.5) can lead to Bridge admission, with 12 credits and extra support in the first semester.
• Exemptions: English is your native language, or you have completed three or more years in a curriculum taught only in English.
• The pages differ: the first-year international page says international first-year students must submit an English test; the international FAQ says academically qualified students who submit no language scores receive provisional admission and are placed in the Intensive English Language Program. Both are given here; confirm with admissions.

5. Students at high schools in China

• How Gaokao results are used is not stated; submit high school records as described above.
• A-levels, IB and AP: Temple accepts advanced credit as determined by the examining body; see Temple’s advanced credit policy for details.

6. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• Requirements for BC or other Canadian curricula are not published. Submit grades 9 to 12 as for other international first-year applicants.
• Three or more years in a curriculum taught only in English meets the English exemption.

7. Transfer students

• Anyone who has enrolled at a college after high school applies as a transfer, regardless of credits; students who only took summer courses after high school apply as first-years.
• International transfers: rolling review, with deadlines of June 1 for fall and November 1 for spring; Common App, USD 55 fee.
• International transfer students are automatically considered for awards of USD 1,000 to 8,000. Whether Computer Science has extra prerequisites for transfer students is not stated.
• Transfer students entering the College of Science and Technology take the CST Transfer Seminar (SCTC 2001).

8. Costs, aid and scholarships

• Tuition: tuition varies by school and program. The cost overview gives base annual out-of-state tuition of USD 36,600 (no year shown). Student Financial Services’ 2026-27 example shows out-of-state tuition and fees of USD 37,698 and a total cost of attendance of USD 64,384 for the College of Liberal Arts; College of Science and Technology figures are not in the example.
• Scholarships: international first-year students are automatically considered for merit scholarships of USD 1,000 to 20,000 a year. Two international scholarships need a separate application: #YouAreWelcomeHere (USD 20,000 a year, three to five first-year students) and #WhyUS (USD 2,000 to 10,000 a year, about thirty first-year and two to three transfer students).
• Need-based aid: not available to international students.
• I-20 funding: sponsors need to verify about USD 35,000.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply Early Action by November 1 on the Common App with Computer Science; Regular Decision closes February 1
• Prepare IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 4.0 (new scale); testing is optional
• For the separately awarded international scholarships, submit the scholarship application too

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

• Submit grades 9 to 12; three years in an English-only curriculum exempts you from an English test

Transfer students:

• Apply by June 1 for fall or November 1 for spring, and confirm Computer Science prerequisites with the department

Sources: Temple University, Computer Science BS (2026-2027 Bulletin); Computer Science BA; CIS undergraduate majors; Computer Science major; First-year international students; International transfer students; International FAQs; Cost overview; 2026-27 cost of attendance. The application date pages show no year, and costs are for 2026-27. Check Temple’s website for the latest.