How to Apply to Computer Science at Howard University: The 120-Credit BS in Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Architecture, Suggested Concentration Pathways, Common App Application and Test-Optional Policy, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

Howard University is in Washington, DC. Its undergraduate computer science degree is taught by the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Architecture. Here is what you need to know, based on the university’s website, for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Degree and curriculum

• BS in Computer Science (BSCS): accredited by ABET’s Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC); at least 120 credits.
• Credit breakdown (two documents differ):
  • 2026-2027 Plan of Study: CS core 58 credits, technical electives 16, free electives 6, liberal arts core 33, non-technical electives 9 (including the 3-credit African American cluster core).
  • 2026-2027 Computer Science Program Handbook: CS core 55, technical electives 16, free electives 6, liberal arts core 34 (36), social sciences and humanities electives 9, total 120 (122).
  Follow the checklist the department gives you when you enter.
• CS core (as listed in the handbook): Exploring Computer Science, Computer Science I–III, Systems Programming, Computer Organization I, Theory of Computation, Object Oriented Analysis and Design, Fundamentals of Algorithms, Software Engineering, Structures of Programming Languages, Database Systems, Operating Systems, Intro to Computer Networks, Intro to Cybersecurity I, Applied Data Science, and Senior Design Project I and II. The plan of study lists Object-Oriented Programming Using Java where the handbook lists Object Oriented Analysis and Design.
• Math and science: the plan of study includes Calculus I and II, Discrete Structures and Linear Algebra (or Robotics Linear Algebra); students take three science courses.
• First year: Computer Science I (4 credits) and Exploring Computer Science in the fall; Calculus I, Systems Programming and Computer Science II in the spring.
• Suggested pathways: the department has no formal concentrations recorded on transcripts or degrees, but lists 11 suggested pathways to guide course choices: Computer Science (default), Artificial Intelligence, Human-Centered Computing, Robotics, Cybersecurity, Gaming, Computer Systems and Networks, Computational Biology, Computational Chemistry, Computational Mathematics and Computational Physics. The computational biology, chemistry and physics pathways specify their science courses.
• Graduation: a 2.0 cumulative GPA university-wide and the last 30 credits at Howard; the college also requires a 2.0 major GPA.

2. How admission works

• Holistic review: the secondary school record, SAT/ACT scores (if submitted), leadership in school and community, talents and educational objectives.
• Program admission: the admissions page lists programs with portfolio or audition requirements (art, theatre, music, architecture and design); computer science is not among them. Whether computer science has separate admission criteria is not published.
• Switching in later: changing school or college uses the Intra-University Transfer Form, and changing major within a college uses the Change of Major form; one listed condition is good academic and financial standing (a 2.0 GPA for undergraduates). Specific requirements for entering computer science are not published; ask the department (EECS@howard.edu).
• Recommended high school courses: 4 years of English, 3 of math, 2 of social science, 2 of lab science and 2 of a foreign language; Howard says it values a well-rounded curriculum over the exact years.

3. Application timeline and materials (international first-year)

• Application: Common App only; the fall 2027 application is open, and there is no spring entry for international first-year students. The fee is USD 45 (non-refundable); the admission office does not issue its own waivers but accepts the Common App fee waiver.
• Deadlines:
  • Early Action (non-binding): November 1, decisions in late December.
  • Early Decision (binding): November 1, decisions in late December.
  • Regular Decision: February 1, decisions in early April.
  Documents are due on the same dates, and the deposit by May 1. Early applicants whose files are incomplete after November 1 move to Regular Decision.
• Testing: for the 2026-27 cycle, SAT/ACT scores are not required for a complete application, non-submitters are not disadvantaged and remain eligible for scholarships; joint-degree programs such as BS/MD are excluded. Only official scores from the testing agency count; October is the last test date for early applicants and December for Regular Decision; ACT scores are not superscored.
• Recommendations: two letters, one from the high school counselor and one from a teacher, submitted through the Common App.
• Essays: the main Common App essay is required; Howard has one optional essay.
• Academic records: grades 9 to 12 (or 13). For listed systems such as IB, British curricula (GCSE/IGCSE with AS/A-Level) and Singapore, the counselor submits internal transcripts and exam results (predicted or final). Students from systems not on the list need a NACES evaluation with a US-equivalent GPA, and this cannot be waived.

4. English requirements

• TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS 6.5 overall; only these two tests are accepted, and TOEFL scores must come from ETS.
• Automatic waiver: students from a nation where English is an official language, or who have studied in the United States for at least four years.
• Possible waiver: if your secondary school teaches in English, a school administrator can submit a letter and documentation confirming that English is the official language of instruction and that your courses were taught in English.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao: the website does not say how Gaokao results are used; ask admissions (admission@howard.edu).
• Regular high school: the international credentials list (the document on the page is dated 2023) does not include the Chinese national curriculum, so a NACES evaluation is required, with transcripts sent directly from the school to the agency.
• A-Level, IB: British curricula and IB are on the list, so no evaluation is needed; submit GCSE/IGCSE and AS/A-Level results or IB grades.
• AP: the college grants credit for AP exams according to the university’s published list of exams and scores.

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

• The admissions page says Canadian high school students follow the domestic first-year requirements rather than the international credentials process; the deadlines are also November 1 and February 1.
• Score requirements for the BC curriculum are not published; ask admissions.

7. Transfer students

• Minimums: 15 transferable credits from an accredited institution, a 2.5 cumulative GPA, and a C or better in both a college-level English and a college-level math course. Howard cannot render a final decision for applicants who do not meet these by the deadline.
• International transfer deadlines: spring November 1 (decisions in early December) and fall April 1 (decisions in late June), with applications and documents due the same day; grades not earned by April 1 are not considered for fall.
• Materials: a NACES evaluation for any study outside the US; TOEFL 90 or IELTS 6.5, with the same waivers as for first-year applicants.
• Transfer criteria vary by school and college; extra requirements for computer science are not published.

8. Costs and aid

• 2026-2027 undergraduate on-campus estimate: tuition USD 37,996, fees USD 1,040, housing USD 13,618, food USD 7,430, books USD 1,220, transportation USD 1,154 and personal USD 2,468; with estimated federal loan fees the total is USD 66,182. The table has no separate international column.
• Aid for international students: they cannot receive federal aid but can submit the HU ISFAA for institutional aid (including Howard freshman scholarships), by the deadline of their application plan for priority consideration. Scholarships reflect merit, and amounts are only given after the file and ISFAA are reviewed; they are not published.
• Karsh STEM Scholars: covers tuition, mandatory fees, room, board and a book allowance; the test-optional policy also applies for 2026-27. Whether international students can apply is not stated; check with the program.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Submit through the Common App by November 1 or February 1, and file the HU ISFAA for aid
• From a regular high school, arrange a NACES evaluation with a US-equivalent GPA early
• Prepare TOEFL 90 or IELTS 6.5; ask your counselor and a teacher for recommendations
• Ask admissions whether Gaokao results are used

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

• Apply under the domestic first-year requirements and ask how BC grades are reviewed

Transfer students:

• By April 1, have 15 credits, a 2.5 GPA and a C or better in college English and math

Sources: Howard University, BS in Computer Science program page; Computer Science Program Handbook (2026-2027); Computer Science Plan of Study (2026-2027); CEA academic policies and procedures; International first-year admission; International transfer admission; First-year international admission credentials; 2026-2027 estimated cost of attendance. Deadlines are for fall 2027 entry; check Howard’s website for the latest.