How to Apply to Computer Science at the University of North Texas: Guaranteed Admission Criteria, ABET-Accredited Curriculum and Math Starting Points for the BS in Computer Science, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of North Texas (UNT), undergraduate computer science is the BS in Computer Science offered by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering. It is taught on campus in Denton, with an estimated four years and 120 credit hours. The degree is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET, and classes and research are held at Discovery Park, about five miles from the main campus and served by a free shuttle. Here is what you need to know, based on UNT’s website, for students at high schools in China (including A-level and IB students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. The degree and curriculum

• Majors in the department: BS degrees in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and GIS + CS; there are also minors in Computer Science and Engineering and in Cybersecurity, certificates such as Game Programming, and the GradTrack bachelor’s-to-master’s path.
• Required computer science courses (from the College of Engineering 2026-2027 Academic Guide): Discovering Computer Science, Computing Tools and Techniques, Computer Science I and II, Foundations of Computing, Foundations of Data Structures, Vectors and Matrices, Analysis and Modeling, Assembly Language and Computer Organization, Software Engineering, Foundations of Cybersecurity, Systems Programming, Algorithms, Database Systems, Social Issues in Computing, and Capstone I and II; plus Digital Logic Design from electrical engineering.
• Focus courses: two core focus courses and two breadth focus courses (from lists in the degree audit system), plus two advanced CSCE courses of your choice.
• Math and science: Calculus I (MATH 1710) and two sciences with lab; Technical Writing (TECM 2700) and one advanced technical communication course.
• Texas core: includes communication, two American history courses, federal and state government, creative arts, language, philosophy and culture, and social and behavioral sciences.
• Grades: C or better in major requirements and the communication core; at least 120 total hours, 42 of them advanced.

2. Math starting points

• The academic guide gives three computer science sample schedules, starting with Calculus I, Pre-Calculus or College Algebra, depending on your math readiness.
• The Math Department requires a B or better in prerequisites to enter MATH 1650 (Pre-Calculus), MATH 1710 (Calculus I) and MATH 1720; to place into a higher math course, you take the ALEKS placement test, up to two times.
• Computer Science I (CSCE 1030) requires College Algebra (MATH 1100) and Discovering Computer Science (CSCE 1010). UNT does not say you need programming experience before you start.
• Under Texas’s TSI law, students must show college readiness (by testing or an exemption) before enrolling, or may need extra courses; ask UNT how this applies to international students.

3. Getting into the major

• Admission to UNT first: the department says students apply to the university, and once admitted, their application is forwarded to the College of Engineering for review. The international steps page also says acceptance to UNT does not guarantee acceptance into your chosen major, and to check department requirements and deadlines. The college’s review criteria are not published; ask the College of Engineering or admissions.
• Guaranteed admission to UNT (meet one; requirements vary by start term):
  • top 30% of the high school graduating class;
  • a cumulative unweighted high school GPA of 3.25 or higher (standardized to a 4.0 scale);
  • an unweighted 3.0 GPA in at least 12 hours of dual credit;
  • an unweighted 3.0 GPA in core courses (4 years of English, 4 of math, 4 of science, 3 of social science);
  • ACT 22 or SAT 1100 (UNT is test-optional; official score reports are required if you submit).
• If you do not meet these: UNT automatically reviews your application individually, considering factors such as school attended, courses, achievements, leadership, public service and activities, and emails you about any documents needed.
• Changing major after enrolling: changes into CS, CE or IT can be processed by Academic Advising; the pages read do not give a GPA or course threshold, so ask the College of Engineering advising office.

4. Dates and materials

• Application: ApplyTexas or the Common App; the international undergraduate fee is USD 85, non-refundable. International applicants who do not qualify for Texas residency are not eligible for a fee waiver.
• International freshman deadlines (application, all documents and fee): fall July 15, summer 3-week session April 15, spring November 15. Decisions are rolling.
• Scholarship priority: apply and be admitted by March 1 to be considered automatically for the UNT Excellence Scholarship.
• Academic records: transcripts and diploma showing all courses and marks from the final three years of secondary school, in the native language and English (translated by the school or a certified translator); notarized or copied transcripts are not accepted. Scans uploaded to myUNT are used for evaluation, and official documents are required before registration. Individual yearly marksheets are required, not a consolidated one.
• Proof of funding: after admission, submit the sponsor statement and bank certification through iNorthTX to request an I-20. The 2026-27 amounts did not display on the page read; check International Affairs’ financial requirements page or the tuition calculator.

5. English proficiency

• Tests (taken within two years, single sitting; no TOEFL MyBest or IELTS One Skill Retake): TOEFL iBT 79 (tests before January 21, 2026) or 4 (from January 21, 2026), IELTS Academic 6.0, PTE 53, Duolingo 100, Michigan English Test section scores of 54, or C1 on Cambridge C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency.
• High school exams: AP English Language and Composition 5; IB Higher Level English A1 grade 5; C or higher in GCSE/IGCSE English Language or English First Language; SAT 560 on both critical reading and writing; ACT English 21.
• Citizenship or schooling: citizens of listed English-speaking countries, which include Canada (except Quebec), meet the requirement; so does graduation with three years of attendance at a high school in an approved country.
• Medium of instruction letters are not accepted. Without proof of English, you may be admitted conditionally and complete Level 6 at UNT’s Intensive English Language Institute (IELI).

6. Students at high schools in China

• Records: transcripts and diploma for the final three years of secondary school, in Chinese and English, from a high school recognized by the Ministry of Education.
• Gaokao: UNT does not say how Gaokao results are used; ask international admissions.
• A-levels, GCSE/IGCSE: applicants with GCSE or similar exams need at least five passes at C or higher; a C in GCSE/IGCSE English meets the English requirement. How A-levels are used in review is not published.
• IB, AP: IB HL English A1 at 5 or AP English Language at 5 meets the English requirement; IB and AP credit rules were not checked for this guide.
• International applicants must also meet the freshman criteria; UNT standardizes GPAs to a 4.0 scale, but how Chinese grades are converted is not published.

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

• English: Canadian citizens (except Quebec) meet the requirement; if you are not a Canadian citizen but finished high school in Canada, check the approved-country rule with admissions.
• Records: transcripts and diploma for the final three years of high school.
• Grades: UNT does not publish BC grade requirements; ask admissions how the class rank, GPA or test criteria in section 3 are applied.
• Texas’s Uniform Admissions Policy does not apply to graduates of out-of-state high schools.

8. Transfer students

• International transfer requirements (you must be eligible to return to your last institution):
  • fewer than 30 transferable hours: high school graduation and a 2.5 college GPA, with high school and college transcripts;
  • 30–44 hours: a 2.25 GPA;
  • 45 or more hours: a 2.0 GPA.
• International transfer deadlines: fall August 1, summer 3-week session May 1, spring December 1.
• Credit: the department says programming courses (C, Java, Python and so on) generally transfer as CSCE 1030 (and CSCE 1040 if a second course is completed); upper-division courses are evaluated at orientation. It urges community college students to take math and programming early, or they will have few courses available at UNT.
• Credential evaluation: reports from NACES members are accepted if sent directly by the evaluation service.

9. Costs and scholarships

• Costs: UNT gives an average 2026-2027 cost of attendance of about USD 29,698 for a Texas resident living on campus with 15 hours a semester. Out-of-state and international tuition figures are not listed on the pages read; use UNT’s tuition estimator (estimatemytuition.unt.edu). International students pay an International Student Fee each semester and are billed automatically for UNT health insurance. Costs for 2027-2028 have not been published.
• UNT Excellence Scholarship: open to international students. The criteria currently published are for fall 2026: first-time freshmen admitted by March 1 with all high school transcripts are considered automatically, with awards of USD 2,000 to 12,000 a year for up to four years based on class rank and unweighted GPA; SAT 1350 or ACT 30 adds USD 1,000 a year. Without a class rank, awards are based on GPA and academic records. Students who do not qualify are considered for the USD 1,000-a-year UNT Achievement Scholarship. Criteria for fall 2027 have not been published; check closer to the time.
• Out-of-state tuition waiver: non-Texas residents and international students receiving either award may be eligible for a Texas competitive scholarship waiver to pay in-state tuition, subject to conditions.
• International transfer students are eligible for Transfer Excellence Scholarships.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through ApplyTexas or the Common App and be admitted by March 1 for scholarship consideration; send all fall materials by July 15 at the latest
• Check the guaranteed admission criteria: top 30%, a 3.25 unweighted GPA, or SAT 1100 / ACT 22
• Submit TOEFL 4 (new scale), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 100, plus three years of transcripts and your diploma in Chinese and English
• Prepare for the ALEKS math placement test to start in Calculus I

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

• Canadian citizens (except Quebec) meet the English requirement; send three years of transcripts and your diploma
• Ask admissions how BC grades are evaluated

Transfer students:

• Meet the 2.5 / 2.25 / 2.0 GPA for your hours; take math and programming early; apply by August 1 for fall

Sources: University of North Texas, BS in Computer Science; CSE undergraduate programs; CSE undergraduate; CSE undergraduate advising; College of Engineering 2026-2027 Academic Guide; Freshman admission requirements; Freshman deadlines and fees; English language proficiency; International deadlines and fees; International steps to apply; Required academic credentials; Tuition, costs and aid; UNT Excellence Scholarship; International scholarship opportunities. The curriculum is based on the College of Engineering 2026-2027 Academic Guide. Check UNT’s website and catalog for the latest.