How to Apply to Computer Science at the University of Southern Mississippi: the 124-Hour BS in Computer Science in the School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering, the Accelerated BS to MS, International English Requirements and Deadlines, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss, or USM), undergraduate computer science is offered by the School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering in the College of Arts and Sciences. 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.

Note: USM’s online catalog blocked our access, so we could not check the full course list or concentration names. The information below comes from the university’s program page and the school’s website; check the current catalog for course details.

1. The program

• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. The school’s accreditation page says it is accredited by ABET’s Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC).
• Where: the Hattiesburg campus, with a 100% online option.
• Credits and concentrations: the program page says the degree requires at least 124 credit hours and offers concentration options in specialized areas of computer science; the concentration names are in the catalog, which we could not check.
• Minors and certificates: students can add minors in Computer Science, Software Engineering or Web-Centric Computing, and certificates in Applied Cybersecurity and Computer Networking.
• Research: faculty research areas on the program page include artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, bioinformatics, virtual reality and cybersecurity, with research opportunities for undergraduates.
• Students pursuing computer science as a second bachelor’s degree must satisfy all accreditation requirements.

2. Getting into the major

• The admissions pages say some academic programs may have additional requirements. The computer science program page and the school’s pages we read list no extra admission or progression requirements; this is not published, so confirm with the school (215 Chain Technology Center, 601.266.4949).
• Changing majors: the school’s undergraduate advising page links to instructions on changing your major, but we did not read the specific conditions; not published.
• Accelerated BS to MS in Computer Science: high-achieving undergraduates in Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Information Technology can begin graduate courses in their senior year. Students must:
  • submit a preliminary application during or after the final semester of their junior year;
  • complete CSC 306, CSC 307, MAT 168 and MAT 340 (or CSC 300);
  • earn and maintain a GPA of at least 3.5.
  Accepted students take CSC 413, CSC 415, CSC 510 and CSC 511 as seniors, then formally apply to the Graduate School with the application fee and a statement of purpose.

3. How international freshmen apply

• Who uses it: the international applications are for students who are not US citizens or permanent residents; the application for fall 2027 admission is open.
• Age and grades: applicants must be at least 17 by the first day of classes. Strong freshman applicants present a minimum 2.5 GPA in core academic subjects. Each applicant is evaluated on the education system of their country, but a college-preparatory curriculum with English, math, science and social science is expected.
• Materials: the USM Application or the Common Application; a non-refundable USD 45 fee; copies of high school transcripts and/or school leaving examination results; and proof of English proficiency.
• SAT/ACT: optional, but required for freshman merit scholarship consideration.
• Deadlines: May 1 for fall (August start) and October 1 for spring (January start). Applications must reach International Student and Scholar Services by the deadline.
• Deferral: students who hold a USM I-20 with the SEVIS fee paid can request one deferral to the next term. The window is July 15 to September 1 for fall to spring, and December 15 to February 1 for spring to fall.

4. English requirements

• Minimum scores: TOEFL iBT 4 on the new scale (71 old); IELTS Academic 6.0 overall; SAT verbal 480 or ACT English 20; Duolingo 110; PTE Academic or PTE Express 54; Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency; iTEP 4.0; Gateway English Test 375; Oxford ELLT 7; Kaplan 450.
• Exempt countries and regions: applicants from the United Kingdom, Australia, English-speaking Canadian provinces, New Zealand, Ireland and the English-speaking Caribbean islands do not need to submit English scores.
• Other ways to meet the requirement:
  • completing the IB, Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level, or an accredited US or Canadian curriculum high school abroad, with C or better in all English courses and attendance in the final three years;
  • attending the final three years of secondary school in the US, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand with C or better in all English courses;
  • earning C or better in English Composition I and II at an accredited US college (the international admissions page adds at least two semesters of full-time enrollment).

5. Students at high schools in China

• Apply as an international freshman with high school transcripts or school leaving examination results; a core GPA of 2.5 or higher is considered competitive.
• Gaokao: the international admissions page accepts “school leaving examination results” but does not say how Gaokao scores are used or what score is needed; this is not published, so confirm with international admissions (601.266.5645).
• A-Level and IB: students who complete Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level or IB with C or better in all English courses and attend the final three years meet the English requirement (see above). We did not find the AP, IB or A-Level credit rules; check the catalog.
• Students who want a freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship must submit the SAT or ACT (see below).

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

• Canadian students who are not US citizens or permanent residents apply as international students.
• English: applicants from English-speaking Canadian provinces are exempt; attending the final three years of secondary school in Canada with C or better in English also meets the requirement.
• Grade requirements for BC courses are not published. The admissions pages only say a 2.5 core GPA is competitive and that applicants are evaluated within their country’s education system; confirm with international admissions how BC grades are converted.

7. Transfer students

• University transfer requirements (undergraduate admissions page): full admission for students with 30 or more transferable hours and a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.0. Others can be admitted through freshman requirements, also with a 2.0 college GPA.
• Transferring from a university abroad: use the international application (USD 45). A course-by-course credential evaluation from a current NACES member and English course descriptions for all courses are required, or credit may not be posted. USM says it does not guarantee that foreign coursework will count toward a degree. The international admissions page says high school transcripts are also needed if fewer than 30 credits were completed.
• English: transfer students can use an English test score or C or better in English Composition I and II at an accredited US college.
• Whether transferring into computer science has extra requirements is not published.

8. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 tuition: USD 10,794 a year for residents and USD 12,794 for non-residents (including a non-resident fee of USD 1,000 per semester, a USD 35 capital improvement fee and a USD 20 student activities fee each fall and spring semester).
• Cost of attendance (Financial Aid, fall 2026 and spring 2027, undergraduates on campus): out-of-state tuition USD 12,794, transportation USD 1,028, housing and food USD 12,320, personal USD 2,154, course fees USD 596 and books USD 764, totaling USD 29,656.
• International I-20 cost: International Student and Scholar Services gives a 2026-27 estimated minimum cost of USD 34,188 for the nine-month academic year, including tuition, housing, meals and other expenses. This is calculated differently from the cost of attendance above; for the I-20, plan funds by the international figure.
• Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarships (for 2027 high school graduates entering full-time in the fall right after graduation; students fully admitted with final test scores by March 1 are considered automatically, notified by March 31, and must accept by May 1):
  • GPA 3.0–3.24: from USD 1,500 a year for ACT 23–25 or SAT 1130–1220, up to USD 4,500 for ACT 32+ or SAT 1420+;
  • GPA 3.25 and above: from USD 1,500 for ACT 20 or SAT 1030–1050, USD 9,000 for ACT 30 or SAT 1360–1380, USD 10,000 for ACT 31 or SAT 1390–1410, and full tuition for ACT 32+ or SAT 1420+.
  Renewal requires a 2.5 USM cumulative GPA and 15 USM credit hours each fall and spring, for up to four years. The scholarship page notes that international students are taxed on scholarship amounts above full tuition.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• For fall 2027, apply by May 1; for an Academic Excellence Scholarship, be admitted with SAT or ACT scores by March 1
• Prepare TOEFL 71 (4 on the new scale), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 110
• Confirm with international admissions how Gaokao results are used

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

• Apply as an international student; English-speaking provinces are exempt from English scores

Transfer students:

• 30 hours with a 2.0 GPA meets the university’s transfer requirement; foreign credits need a NACES course-by-course evaluation

Sources: The University of Southern Mississippi, Computer Science program; School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering; ABET accreditation; Undergraduate international admissions; International admissions applications; Applicants and admission requirements; Transfers; Costs and scholarships; 2026-27 cost of attendance; International cost of study; Freshman scholarships; Academic Excellence Scholarships. Tuition and costs are the 2026-27 figures on the website; check the University of Southern Mississippi website and catalog for the latest information.