How to Apply to Computer Science at the University of Cincinnati: The CEAS BS in Computer Science, Program-Based Review and Alternating Paid Co-op from Sophomore Year, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Cincinnati (UC) in Ohio, undergraduate computer science is the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS), accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. UC says it invented cooperative education (co-op) in 1906. Here is what you need to know, based on UC’s official website, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Getting into the major

• Program-based review: the program page says admission criteria vary based on a comprehensive review of course strength, academic performance, co-curricular activities and application materials.
• High school preparation: English (4 units); mathematics including algebra, geometry and pre-calculus or calculus (4); science including chemistry and physics (3); social sciences (3); electives (5).
• Fall start only: the program page says first-year students must begin in fall, applications are rolling, and high school students who want scholarship consideration must apply by 1 November of senior year.
• Pre-Engineering: referral only. Admissions staff place students there when more preparation is recommended. After 1–3 semesters, students who meet the transition criteria (see section 7 for computer science) are guaranteed admission to CEAS programs.
• ACCEND: CEAS offers a bachelor’s plus master’s in five years, usually approved after two semesters based on academic record; the page does not say whether computer science is included, so check with CEAS.

2. Curriculum and co-op

• What you learn: the program page lists computational information systems, software development, data science, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with ACM chapter activities and hackathons.
• Curriculum guides: guides for each class year are hosted on a separate UC system whose robots.txt disallows all crawlers, so this guide has not checked the specific courses, credits or program length; see the curriculum section of the program page for your class year.
• Co-op schedule: the CEAS FAQ says that from sophomore year students alternate academic and co-op semesters for five co-op experiences, and after the first year summers count as full semesters. Co-ops are typically 35+ hours a week for 15–18 weeks, on site, remote or on campus.
• Part of the degree: the program page says professional practice experience is a degree requirement, which normally precludes transfer admission beyond the third-year level.
• Pay and fees: the FAQ says most students earn around USD 10,000 per semester (USD 15–25 an hour). Students usually take no classes during co-op but pay a small fee to remain full time. The co-op page says students earn USD 61,000 in total on average.

3. Dates and materials (international first-year)

• How to apply: the Common App, with a USD 100 non-refundable fee.
• Early action: 1 November for fall, giving priority for more competitive programs and required for the University Honors Program; UC suggests completing everything by 20 October.
• Rolling deadlines: the international page lists 1 March for fall, 1 November for spring and 1 March for summer, on a space-available basis. The computer science page says first-year students must start in fall; follow the program page.
• Materials: official school transcripts and test scores; a recommendation letter is optional. SAT and ACT are optional. The page does not state a year.
• Housing: first-year international students must live on campus in their first year.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Chinese curriculum: list current courses in the Common App and have your school upload grade 10 and 11 transcripts plus available grade 12 results; graduates send final grade 12 results, the graduation certificate and an English translation. The page does not mention the Gaokao, so whether and how it is used is not published.
• A-levels and IB: follow the British or IB curriculum instructions; UC awards credit for A-levels, IB and similar curricula, which this guide has not checked course by course.
• English (CEAS): IELTS 6.5 (6.0 writing and speaking, 5.5 others); TOEFL before January 2026 79 (20 writing and speaking, 15 others), after that 4.0 (4.0 writing and speaking, 3.5 others); Duolingo 100 (100 production and conversation); PTE 53; Cambridge 176 (C1 Advanced recommended); ELS 112; or SAT EBRW 480 or ACT English 19. Scores must be within two years of the start term.

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

• Transcripts: list current courses in the Common App and have your school upload ministry grade 9–11 records and available grade 12 results; graduates send proof of the provincial diploma. BC grade requirements are not published.
• English exemption: a full year of high school in a first-language English country with a C or better in standard (non-ESL) English exempts you, and the list includes Canada (except Quebec). Tell your admissions counselor; the final decision is made by international admissions and the academic departments.

6. Tuition and scholarships

• Tuition (2026-2027 cohort, Uptown campus, full time per semester): USD 15,079 for non-Ohio residents, including a USD 7,667 out-of-state surcharge; CEAS undergraduates also pay a USD 504 program fee per semester; health insurance and other fees are extra.
• Tuition guarantee: tuition, mandatory fees and room and board are fixed by cohort for up to four or five years depending on program length.
• International scholarships: mainly the International Outreach Award, USD 5,000–15,000 a year on the Uptown campus, reviewed automatically from your application; the minimum is a 3.0 unweighted GPA, and a complete application by 1 November guarantees consideration. It applies only to the non-resident surcharge. UC does not offer full-ride or need-based scholarships to international undergraduates.
• The cost table on UC’s international finance page is still for 2022-2023, so it is not used here.

7. Transfer and internal transition

• External transfer (2026-2027 criteria): computer science requires MATH1061, no science course, an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and a math/science GPA of 2.8. Meeting the criteria guarantees admission; applicants within 0.2 GPA points, or with more than 75 credits who passed the minimum courses and meet the overall GPA, may get holistic review without a guarantee.
• Math/science GPA: for computer science it uses CHEM1040, MATH1061, MATH1062, MATH2076, STAT2037, CS2071 and one of biology, chemistry or physics, among others listed.
• Transfer deadlines: fall 2026 apply by 1 July and confirm by 1 August; spring 2027 by 1 November; summer 2027 by 1 March. Applicants with fewer than 24 credits who do not meet transfer criteria may be reviewed as first-year applicants and must send high school transcripts.
• International transfer: use the transfer application (USD 100). Coursework outside the U.S. needs a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES member. Transfers are normally admitted no higher than the third-year level.
• Internal transition into CEAS: good academic standing and a UC GPA of 2.0; computer science requires MATH1061 and a 2.8 math/science GPA, which guarantees admission. For spring 2027 the rolling deadline is 1 November 2026 and the end-of-semester deadline 5 December. Changing majors may affect scholarships.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Take four years of math including pre-calculus or calculus, plus chemistry and physics
• Apply through the Common App by 1 November for early action and guaranteed scholarship review
• Meet CEAS English: IELTS 6.5 (6.0 writing and speaking) or TOEFL 4.0; SAT/ACT optional
• Fall start only; first-year students live on campus

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

• Have your school upload grade 9–12 records; a year of high school in Canada (except Quebec) with C or better in English can exempt you from English tests

Transfer students:

• MATH1061, overall GPA 3.0 and math/science GPA 2.8 guarantee admission; fall deadline 1 July
• Get a NACES course-by-course evaluation for coursework outside the U.S.; entry is normally no higher than third year

Sources: University of Cincinnati, BS in Computer Science; Pre-Engineering Program; Change of major and transition criteria; Transfer criteria; Math/science GPA courses; CEAS co-op; Co-op FAQs; ACCEND; International first-year requirements; Transcript requirements by country; English exemptions; International transfer requirements; International scholarships; Tuition and fees; Out-of-state surcharge; Program fees. The international deadlines page does not state a year, and tuition is for the 2026-2027 cohort. Check UC for the latest details.