How to Apply for Computer Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato: the Computer Science B.S. with a shared computing core followed by an upper-division application (four team projects, a 2.5 GPA, essays and a recommendation), a 3.0 GPA, TOEFL 3.5 and May 1 deadline for international students, and the automatic International Maverick Scholarship

Minnesota State University, Mankato is in Mankato, Minnesota. Its computer science degree belongs to the College of Science, Engineering & Technology and is offered jointly by the Department of Computer Information Science and the Department of Integrated Engineering. This guide summarizes what the university publishes 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.

Degree and courses

• Degree: Computer Science B.S.; the 2026-27 catalog lists 76 major credits and 120 total credits, on the Mankato campus. A separate Computer Science - Software Engineering B.S. is an upper-division program students enter after two years of study. The pages reviewed do not mention ABET accreditation.
• Program model: lower-division students take the computing core shared by Computer Science, Computer Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Computer Engineering and Cognitive Science, plus math courses that earn a mathematics minor. The upper division is project-based: teams of four to five complete four semester-long projects from industry or research, with the option of a senior thesis.
• Core: CIS 121 Introduction to Programming, CIS 122 Data Structures, CIS 223 Algorithms, CIS 224 Computer Architecture; CS 301-304 (operating systems; software engineering and parallel computing; programming languages; databases and information security; 2 credits each); project courses CS 391W and 392W and capstone CS 491W (4 credits each); CS 495 Seminar, repeated every semester in the upper division; and CS 492W Capstone 2 or CS 498W Senior Thesis.
• Math: MATH 121 Calculus I, MATH 122 Calculus II, MATH 247 Linear Algebra I, MATH 280 and 380 Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science, and MATH 354 Probability and Statistics; completing them earns a mathematics minor.
• Other requirements: ENG 101; COMM 102 Public Speaking or ENG 271W Technical Communication; 8-9 science credits from at least two disciplines (biology, chemistry, geology or calculus-based physics).
• Electives: 12 credits of 2-credit topics courses such as network architectures, applied algorithms, operating systems, networking, algorithms and computability, parallel and distributed computing, intelligent systems, information management, information security, computational science, graphics and visualization, human-computer interaction, software engineering and platform-based development.
• Grades: all courses applied to the major, including required general education and support courses, need a C- or better, and D grades are not accepted; a 2.5 GPA in major courses is required to graduate. At least half of the computer science credits must be earned at Minnesota State Mankato.

How admission works: lower-division courses, then an upper-division application

• Admission to the major: required before taking 300- and 400-level computer science courses. Applicants need ENG 101, CIS 223, CIS 224 and MATH 280 with a C or better, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher in the required lower-division math and CIS courses, and an application with essays and a recommendation letter.
• Application materials (department page): two essays of 300-500 words (why you want to join this project-based program and how you will contribute to its learning communities); a 25-100 line code sample from an outside project or the Algorithms class with a 100-word description; and one recommendation (ideally from a math, science, CS or engineering professor or an industry mentor), or the name of a College of Science, Engineering & Technology faculty member you have spoken with. Current students and transfer students use different forms.
• Deadline: applications for spring 2027 entry to the upper division are due October 15, 2026; later applications are admitted only as space allows.
• First-year students: the department advises new students to follow the major’s four-year plan; whether there is a separate threshold at university entry is not stated on the department pages, so ask the college advising center.

Application timeline and materials (international undergraduates)

• Deadlines: students seeking an F-1 visa apply by May 1 for fall (August) and September 1 for spring (January); students with an active F-1 visa by August 10 and December 20.
• Application: create a StarID and complete the online application, choosing your major; the I-20 lists the major but not minors.
• Application fee: the paperwork page says a non-refundable USD 20 fee is required for all undergraduate applicants, while the application process page says the promo code “INTLMAV” waives the fee. The two pages differ; check the application system or ask the Kearney International Center.
• Materials: passport ID page, English scores, and transcripts, test results, diplomas and certificates from all schools (non-U.S. records must be originals or official copies translated into English).
• Testing: admission is test-optional and based on high school transcripts and GPA without scores; submitted scores are considered and can speed math and English placement. SAT/ACT scores must come from the testing agency. Students without scores or college coursework may need to take Accuplacer placement tests.

English requirements

• One of: TOEFL iBT 61 (tests before January 21, 2026) or 3.5 (tests after), IELTS 5.5, Duolingo 95, PTE 47, completion of the university’s Intensive English Program, or ELS level 112 in the U.S.
• SAT/ACT: the international first-year page lists SAT Critical Reading 400 and ACT English 15; the paperwork page lists SAT Reading 22 or Critical Reading 400 and ACT English 18. The two pages differ; confirm with the international center.
• These are university minimums; the pages say Aviation-Professional Flight and Nursing require higher scores and do not mention computer science.

Students at high schools in China

• Grades: completion of secondary education (generally 12 years) with cumulative results equivalent to a U.S. 3.0 GPA or higher. China is not among the countries with additional listed requirements, so how Chinese grades are converted is not published.
• English: TOEFL 3.5, IELTS 5.5 or Duolingo 95, among other options.
• Gaokao: how Gaokao results are used is not published; ask the Kearney International Center (international@mnsu.edu).
• A-Level, IB, AP: the paperwork page links to IB transfer credit information; A-Level and AP credit rules were not on the pages reviewed, so ask the university.

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• The international first-year page has no separate requirements for Canada or BC. How BC diplomas and grades are evaluated and whether Canadian students are exempt from English testing are not published; ask the Kearney International Center.
• Students who need a student visa follow the same deadlines and materials as other international students.

Transfer students

• International transfers without U.S. credits: the same requirements as U.S. transfer students, a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and completion of 67% of attempted courses, plus TOEFL 61, IELTS 5.5 or another listed option. Students not transferring credits do not need an outside evaluation; to transfer foreign credits, request an ECE evaluation through the university portal after receiving the F-1 visa (USD 100, about 4-6 weeks).
• Transfers with U.S. credits: official U.S. transcripts must be sent directly by each college; Freshman English Composition I with a C or better meets the English requirement.
• Entering computer science: transfer students also apply to the upper-division program, using the department’s transfer form, with the same conditions (the four courses with a C or better, a 2.5 GPA in lower-division math and CIS courses, essays and a recommendation). The department says upper-division students come from its own lower division and a national and international network of feeder schools.

Costs and scholarships

• International Maverick Scholarship: awarded automatically to all new international undergraduates unless they opt out. To keep it after the first year, students must maintain F-1 or J-1 status, a term GPA of 2.5 or a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and complete at least 12 credits each semester.
• Official tuition (rates as of July 2026): 13 or more credits are charged at a banded rate. Two semesters of tuition and fees total USD 13,266 with the Maverick Scholarship and USD 20,406 without.
• Estimated cost of attendance (year not stated): tuition and fees USD 13,137 with the scholarship and USD 21,013 without; on-campus housing and meals USD 13,658; orientation, books, health insurance and personal expenses USD 7,500; totals of USD 34,295 with the scholarship and USD 42,171 without. The page advises budgeting for at least an 8% increase.
• Global Maverick Access Scholarship: 20 awards a year for first-year F-1 students from listed countries with a 3.5 high school GPA, worth USD 4,000 in total (USD 500 per semester over four years); apply by May 1 for fall. China and Canada are not on the eligible country list.
• Other: current international students can also earn the Refer-A-Friend Scholarship and compete for the Gladys B. Olson International Student Endowed Scholarships, based on academic results and engagement on campus.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Have grades equivalent to a 3.0 or higher; if you need a visa, apply by May 1 for fall
• Prepare TOEFL 3.5, IELTS 5.5 or Duolingo 95; CIS 121 requires MATH 112, 113, 115 or 121, so build a strong math base
• In your first two years, finish ENG 101, CIS 223, CIS 224 and MATH 280 and keep a 2.5 GPA in math and CIS courses before applying to the upper division
• Ask the international center how Gaokao results are used and whether the application fee is waived

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

• Ask the international center how BC grades are evaluated and whether English testing is waived

Transfer students:

• Keep a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher; arrange any credit evaluation; check the four courses and 2.5 GPA for the upper division and prepare essays, a code sample and a recommendation

Sources: Minnesota State University, Mankato, 2026-27 catalog: Computer Science (BS); Computer Science and Information Technology programs; Computer Science program; Computer Science: students; Computer Science: upper-division application; International first-year requirements; International undergraduate application process and calendar; Submitting international paperwork; International transfer students without U.S. credits; Official international undergraduate tuition and fees; International bachelor student cost of attendance; International Maverick Scholarship criteria; International student scholarships; Global Maverick Access Scholarship. Courses follow the 2026-2027 catalog and official tuition rates are those published in July 2026. Check Minnesota State Mankato’s website for the latest.