How to apply to Computer Science at Fairfield University: the BA and BS in the School of Engineering & Computing, service-learning to industry capstone, five-year BA/MS, English requirements and merit scholarships, and requirements and timelines for students in China, Canadian high school students and transfer students

Fairfield University is a Jesuit university in Fairfield, Connecticut. Computer Science is offered by the School of Engineering & Computing. This guide is based on the university’s website and is written 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 courses

• Degrees: the program page lists a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, plus a minor.
• Credits: under course requirements the page lists two Computer Science majors, one at 127 credits and one at 122 credits, and a 20-credit minor. It does not say which is the BA and which the BS; access to the catalog was blocked, so we could not check the courses. Use the catalog.
• Hands-on curriculum: the page says students get the equivalent of 20 months of real-world experience through sophomore service learning, a junior entrepreneurship experience and a senior industry capstone, plus mentoring and internships.
• Accreditation: the accreditation section on the CS page describes ABET engineering accreditation for the BS in Electrical Engineering and does not say whether Computer Science is ABET accredited; ask the school.
• Five-year BA/MS: a dual degree combining the BA in Computer Science with an MS in Data Science, with industry internships after sophomore year and a final capstone.
• Graduate credit: current undergraduates can take up to 6 graduate credits within the bachelor’s, which may reduce the credits needed for a later Fairfield master’s.

2. Choosing the major

• Whether CS has its own admission bar, and the conditions for switching in from another major, are not published; ask the School of Engineering & Computing.

3. First-year application

• Deadlines (no year shown): Early Action November 1; Early Decision I November 15 (decision December 15); Early Decision II and Regular Decision January 15 (decisions February 15 and April 1).
• EA decision date differs: the first-year page says December 20–January 15; the international requirements page says January 1.
• Materials: Common App and essay, a USD 65 fee or waiver, official transcript, school report and counselor recommendation (accepted up to two weeks after the deadline). Interviews are optional but encouraged.
• Testing: the first-year page says SAT/ACT are optional. The transfer page says the test-optional policy is for domestic students and that international and home-schooled students must submit scores. The two differ; international applicants should ask admissions.
• Review: holistic, with the high school record as the most important part, including year-by-year performance and rigor, plus personal qualities and activities. For fall 2026 (Class of 2030), admitted students had an average weighted GPA of 3.9, a middle-50% SAT of 1320–1420 among those submitting, and 62% applied test optional.

4. International applicants

• Deadlines: the same as first-year.
• Materials: the Common App; secondary school transcripts, national examination results, graduation certificates or other proof of completing secondary school, sent directly by the school or a NACES-approved evaluator (many applicants use TEC, which has a Fairfield portal); non-English documents need originals and translations, and electronic copies are not accepted; a counselor recommendation; and a Certificate of Finances. Files are not reviewed until complete.
• After admission: a passport copy, and an Affidavit of Financial Support if a parent or sponsor is paying, before the visa process.

5. English requirements

• International undergraduate requirements: everyone whose native language is not English submits TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, as official institutional reports. TOEFL iBT 4.5 for tests from January 21, 2026, or 80 for earlier tests; IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 115.
• Different figures: the international transfer section of the same page lists Duolingo 105, TOEFL 80 or PBT 550, and IELTS 6.5.
• First-year page: TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo are highly recommended for non-native speakers who have lived in the U.S. fewer than three years.

6. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao: the international requirements ask for “results from national examinations”, but the website does not say how Gaokao scores are used or what is required; ask international admissions.
• Documents: Chinese transcripts and graduation certificates need translations and must come directly from the school or a NACES evaluator.
• A-Level, IB, AP: the transfer page says AP, IB and college courses from high school are evaluated for credit after enrollment, not during admission; A-Level credit is not published.

7. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC)

• English: the website asks students whose native language is not English for a score and does not list exempt countries; ask admissions whether Canadian students need one.
• BC grades: no BC grade requirements are published; ask admissions.

8. Transfer students

• Deadlines: November 15 for spring and April 1 for fall; later applications are reviewed on a space-available basis.
• GPA: a cumulative 2.5 (4.0 scale) for the School of Engineering & Computing.
• Materials: the Common App for transfers, a USD 65 fee, official high school and college transcripts, and a Dean of Students certification; midterm grades are optional.
• Credits: only courses of three or more credits with a C or better are considered; at least 60 credits, including the last 30, must be earned at Fairfield over four full-time semesters.
• International transfers: credits from a non-U.S. institution need a WES course-by-course evaluation, plus course descriptions (translated if not in English).
• Scholarships: a limited number of merit awards for admitted transfers, announced at admission.

9. Costs and scholarships (2026-27)

• Tuition: USD 61,390 full time (the same for arts and sciences, business, education, engineering and nursing).
• Other direct costs: student activity fee USD 1,025, first-year orientation USD 425; rooms USD 8,560–18,540, board USD 7,690 or 8,430; engineering lab fee USD 132 per course. Full-time undergraduates must have health insurance.
• Total cost of attendance: an estimated USD 88,229 for a first-year resident, including books, transportation and miscellaneous costs. International students are not listed separately.
• Merit scholarships: the international page says all students, regardless of citizenship, are considered automatically with no separate application. There are no minimum grades or test scores; awards are USD 10,000–30,000 a year, for tuition only.
• Need-based aid: the international page says international first-year and transfer students can apply using the CSS Profile.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through the Common App (USD 65), by EA November 1 or ED I November 15
• Prepare TOEFL 4.5 (old 80), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115, and have transcripts, national exam results and certificates with translations sent by the school or a NACES evaluator
• Ask admissions whether international applicants must send SAT/ACT and how Gaokao scores are used; submit the CSS Profile to apply for aid

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

• Ask admissions whether you need an English score and how BC grades are read

Transfer students:

• Deadlines are April 1 for fall and November 15 for spring; Engineering & Computing requires GPA 2.5; at least 60 credits must be taken at Fairfield

Sources: Fairfield University, Computer Science; School of Engineering & Computing undergraduate programs; First-year applicants; First-year admission profile; International students; International student applicants; Transfer students; Undergraduate tuition 2026-27; University merit scholarships. Costs are for 2026-27; application dates are shown without a year. Check Fairfield’s website for the latest.