How to Apply to Computer Science at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs: Assured Admission Criteria for the BS, Bachelor of Innovation and BA in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), undergraduate computer science is taught by the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. 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. Degrees and courses

• Five undergraduate programs: the department lists the BS in Computer Science, the Bachelor of Innovation (BI) in Computer Science, the BA in Computer Science, the BI in Computer Science Security and the BI in Game Design and Development, plus minors in computer science and in game design and development, and accelerated master’s programs.
• BS in Computer Science: accredited by ABET’s Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC). At least 120 credits with a cumulative CU GPA of 2.0, at least 45 of them at the 3000 level or above; a C or higher in CS and GDD courses applied to the major, and a 2.0 GPA in all CS and GDD coursework; an exit interview with the department in the final semester; and the last 30 credits completed while registered in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
• BI in Computer Science: also ABET CAC accredited. At least 125 credits, at least 45 of them at the 3000 level or above, a C or higher in courses applied to the major and a 2.0 GPA in CS courses.
• BA in Computer Science: 120 credits, made up of 36 credits of computer science technical courses, 12 of mathematics and up to 30 of university-wide general education; the remaining credits (about 42) can go to a department track, a minor or even a second major. A C or better is required in all computer science courses, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Tracks are General, Cybersecurity, Game Design, and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. A student cannot earn both the BA and the BS in Computer Science at UCCS.
• Course lists: the program pages point to the academic catalog for coursework details. We could not read the catalog; see the BS Computer Science page at catalog.uccs.edu for the required courses.

2. How admission works

• Assured freshman admission for the BS (department program page): top 30% of the high school graduating class, and ACT composite 25 or SAT 1120 or above. Expected high school work: English 4 units; math 4 (at least two years of algebra, one of geometry and one of advanced math); natural science 3 (one year each of physics and chemistry); social science 2; foreign language 2 (one language); academic electives 1. Students who don’t meet these can be admitted by the Engineering Committee but are not guaranteed admission to the college.
• Assured freshman admission for the BI: top 30%, GPA 3.0, and ACT 25 or SAT 1120; expected work of English 4 years, math 4 (at least two years of algebra and one of geometry), science 3 (with lab work), social science 3, foreign language 1 and electives 2.
• BA admission: upper 40% of the graduating class, and ACT 21 or SAT 1060.
• What UCCS admissions says: the first-year page says UCCS is test-optional and has no minimum GPA or ACT/SAT requirement, giving the most weight to course strength and GPA; 75% of admitted students have a weighted GPA of 3.0 or higher and ACT 20 or SAT 1070 or higher. This differs from the test criteria on the program pages; both are given as written. Ask admissions how Engineering criteria are judged if you apply without test scores.
• If you don’t meet Engineering criteria: the first-year page says applicants to nursing, business or engineering who don’t meet the criteria are considered for the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences until they meet the professional college’s requirements. The specific criteria for moving over are not published; ask an Engineering advisor.

3. Application timing and materials

• Applying: use the UCCS application or the Common App. The first-year page says there is no fee for Colorado residents and USD 50 for out-of-state students; the international page explains how to pay by card or check but does not give an amount.
• Deadlines: the admissions pages we read do not list first-year or international deadlines. UCCS says earlier applications are reviewed sooner and may have priority for scholarships; confirm dates with International Admissions (intladms@uccs.edu).
• International first-year materials: high school transcripts and all secondary exam results, sent officially by the issuing school (documents not in English need a certified translation; translations signed by a notary are not accepted); English test scores or proof of an exemption, which can be emailed as PDFs to ugapp@uccs.edu.
• After admission: submit the I-20 request form with financial documents. The scholarship application is in the MyUCCS portal, and most scholarships close on March 1. Canadian citizens do not need a visa but still need an I-20 and must pay the SEVIS fee.

4. English requirements

• Minimum scores for direct admission: TOEFL iBT 4; IELTS 6.0; PTE 58; Duolingo 105; ACT English 14; SAT ERWS 400; Cambridge CPE C or CAE B; AP English Language or Literature 4; IB HL English A (Literature, or Language and Literature) 4; AS or A Level English C.
• Exemptions: citizens of countries whose first or official language, or language of instruction, is English and who completed all secondary or post-secondary schooling there provide a letter from the school. The list includes Canada (except Quebec), the UK, Singapore and Australia; China is not on it. A year of coursework at a US college including English Composition I with a C or higher also counts.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao: UCCS does not say how Gaokao results are used. Ask International Admissions.
• Records: transcripts and the diploma for 12–13 years of secondary study, plus all secondary exam results, with certified translations if not in English.
• A-Level, IB and AP: A-Level English at C, IB HL English at 4 or AP English at 4 meets the English requirement. Credit rules are on the transfer site’s credit-by-exam page, which we did not read; ask admissions.
• Build strong math: assured admission to the BS expects 4 years of math plus a year each of physics and chemistry.

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

• Citizens of Canada (except Quebec) who completed all secondary school in Canada can be exempt from English testing with a letter from the school.
• Required scores for BC courses and how they are converted are not published; ask admissions.
• Canadian citizens don’t need a student visa but still need an I-20.

7. Transfer students

• Who is a transfer: students with 24 or more credits of transferable college coursework; the application fee is USD 50.
• Engineering GPA: the transfer site says the College of Engineering and Applied Science requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and Calculus I plus calculus-based physics and/or college chemistry are highly encouraged. The department’s program page says transfers need a 3.0 GPA with at least 30 hours of college coursework and a solid math and science background, and are almost always reviewed by the Engineering Committee. The two pages give different credit thresholds; both are given as written.
• Students who don’t meet a professional college’s criteria are automatically considered for the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences and can move once eligible.
• Courses from outside the US: a course-by-course evaluation by a NACES or AICE member is required, and transferability is decided course by course after admission.

8. Costs and scholarships

• Fall 2026 tuition: on the rate sheet, new undergraduates share a table with continuing juniors and seniors; non-resident tuition in the Colleges of Business and of Engineering and Applied Science is USD 15,855 per semester at 15 credits (USD 8,220 for Colorado residents). Mandatory fees are extra, and Engineering courses carry USD 15 per credit, up to USD 180 a term (except ECE, MAE and graduate courses). The sheet does not list international students separately or give a yearly total; use UCCS’s bill estimator.
• Aid: international students are not eligible for federal or state aid. The aid office says merit-based scholarships that don’t require Colorado residency should be available to international students; read the fine print.
• Scholarships: admitted students can apply from December 1 to May 1 for the next aid year (some dates are earlier); the accepted-student page says most scholarships close on March 1. UCCS does not list amounts for international-only scholarships.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply early, since earlier applications are reviewed sooner; confirm deadlines with International Admissions
• Prepare TOEFL 4, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105, or use A-Level, IB or AP English results
• For the BS, plan for 4 years of math plus physics and chemistry; consider sending ACT/SAT scores
• After admission, submit the MyUCCS scholarship application by March 1

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

• Ask your school for a letter to waive English testing; confirm how BC grades are reviewed

Transfer students:

• Engineering expects a 3.0 cumulative GPA, ideally with Calculus I and calculus-based physics or chemistry; get a course-by-course evaluation for courses from outside the US

Sources: University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Computer Science undergraduate programs; BS in Computer Science; Bachelor of Innovation in Computer Science; BA in Computer Science; first-year admissions; international admissions; English proficiency; accepted international students; transfer requirements; Fall 2026 tuition rate sheet; scholarships; aid for international students. Tuition is for Fall 2026; check the UCCS website for the latest information.