How to apply to Computer Science at Kean University: the 120-credit B.S. curriculum (fall 2026), declaring the major with a 2.5 GPA and 12 CPS credits at C or better, ABET accreditation, the April 30 international priority date, and what students in China, students in Canada and transfer students need

Kean University is in New Jersey. Computer Science is offered by the Department of Computer Science and Technology in the Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology. This guide summarizes what the university’s website says 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 options

• Degrees: the B.S. and B.A. in Computer Science, B.S. options in Information Systems, Cybersecurity and Data Science, and a five-year B.S./M.S. in Computer Science.
• Accreditation: the program page says the B.S. in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
• Co-op: the program page describes a five-year co-op option with 9 to 18 months of work experience.
• Location: the program page’s “Locations” field lists only Jersey City; confirm with the university where your option is taught.

2. B.S. curriculum (sheet effective fall 2026)

• Total: 120 credits: general education 31–32, the major 53, additional required courses 28–29 and free electives 6–8 (at least half at the 3000/4000 level).
• Major core (17 credits): CPS 1231 Fundamentals of Computer Science, CPS 2231 Computer Programming, CPS 2233 Data Structures and Algorithms, CPS 2800 Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence and CPS 2920 Computer Systems.
• Major concentration (24 credits): computer organization and architecture, operating systems, analysis of algorithms, computer security, human-computer interaction, database management systems, principles of networking and software engineering.
• Electives and capstone: three CPS 3000/4000 electives (9 credits), plus CPS 4951 Senior Capstone or CPS 4961 Senior Research (which needs prior research experience and an approved petition).
• Additional required courses: business and professional communication, technical writing, precalculus, discrete structures, Calculus I, applied statistics I, matrix and linear algebra, one 3000/4000-level math course and one 2000–4000-level math or science course. The sheet strongly recommends precalculus.
• Grades: a C or better in all major, additional and supporting courses, including the capstone; a 2.5 GPA in the major and overall to graduate.
• Skipping introductory courses: students who place into Calculus I are waived from precalculus; students with programming experience may start in CPS 2231 with departmental approval and skip CPS 1231. Waived credits go to free electives.
• Internships: an approved major-related internship can count for up to 6 free-elective credits; the sheet recommends the career education course.

3. Getting into the major

• Declaration requirements (from the curriculum sheet): a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, and at least 12 credits of CPS major courses completed at Kean with a C or higher in each.
• Direct entry at admission: the pages we read do not say whether first-year students enter the major at admission or declare later. This is not published; ask admissions or the department.

4. How first-year applicants are reviewed

• Testing: the freshman instructions say SAT/ACT is optional and required only for home-school and GED applicants; the test-optional page says students with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher and 16 college preparatory courses may choose not to submit. The two pages differ, so confirm with admissions.
• High school courses: the transcript must show 16 college preparatory courses: English 4, mathematics 3, history 2, lab sciences 2, two years of the same foreign language and 3 approved electives.
• Extra items for test-optional applicants: two letters of recommendation, a 1–2 page personal essay and a list of activities or work experience; placement tests in reading, writing and math are still required after admission.
• How to apply: Kean’s online application or the Common App; the USD 75 fee is non-refundable. Attending a virtual information session gives a promo code that waives the fee.

5. Dates and materials (international)

• First-year deadlines (no year shown): April 30 preferred application deadline, with rolling admission after that; May 1 preferred tuition deposit deadline.
• High school records: a course-by-course evaluation (including GPA) by a NACES member.
• Testing: SAT/ACT is optional and used for admission, scholarships, placement exemption or program qualification; Kean superscores.
• Recommended items: two letters of recommendation and a 1–2 page personal essay, both in English.
• Decisions: usually 2–4 weeks after the file is complete; the I-20 is issued after the tuition deposit.
• ESL: Kean does not offer ESL programs; apply once the English requirement is met.

6. English requirements

• Minimums: TOEFL iBT 79 (paper 550), and a total of 4 for TOEFL tests taken after January 21, 2026; IELTS 6.0; Duolingo 105. Scores must be within two years and sent by the testing agency.
• Who must submit: applicants who completed secondary education in a country where English is not the principal language.
• Waiver: applicants may request a waiver with official documentation that secondary schooling was completed at an English-medium institution.

7. Students at high schools in China

• Transcripts: get a NACES course-by-course evaluation.
• Gaokao: the website does not say how Gaokao scores are used. This is not published; ask international admissions.
• A-Level, IB and AP: the pages we read do not give credit rules. This is not published; ask admissions.
• English: students at regular Chinese high schools need an English test; students at English-medium schools may request a waiver.

8. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC)

• English: the page uses “secondary education completed in a country where English is not the principal language” and gives no country list; graduates of English-medium schools may request a waiver with documentation. Ask international admissions how this applies to Canadian students.
• BC grades: the BC grade requirement is not published, and the transcript also needs a NACES evaluation; ask admissions.

9. Transfer students

• International transfer dates (no year shown): June 1 priority for fall and November 1 for spring, with rolling admission after that.
• Materials: USD 75 fee; a NACES course-by-course evaluation of university transcripts from outside the U.S.; proof of high school graduation for applicants with fewer than 30 college credits.
• English waiver: besides English-medium secondary schooling, at least 6 credits of college-level English at an accredited U.S. institution with a C or better also qualifies.
• Getting into the major: the same 2.5 cumulative GPA and 12 CPS credits at Kean with a C or better in each apply.
• Transfer scholarship: USD 1,000 one time for a 3.0 college GPA with an associate’s degree or at least 60 credits.

10. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 undergraduate tuition: full time (12–19 credits a semester) is USD 6,788.50 tuition plus USD 1,396.84 mandatory fees, USD 8,185.34 a semester.
• 2026-27 on-campus cost of attendance: tuition and fees USD 16,370, housing and food USD 20,168, direct costs USD 36,538; with books, transportation and personal expenses, USD 41,422.
• Which rate international students pay: the international FAQ says all non-immigrant visa holders (F, J, H) are charged out-of-state tuition and fees, but the 2026-27 tuition page lists a single undergraduate rate with no separate out-of-state figure. Confirm the international rate with Student Accounting.
• Freshman merit scholarships: first-year and transfer applicants are considered automatically. For priority consideration for the Livingston Scholarship, apply by February 1; other awards need a complete application by May 30. The page says the six levels range from USD 500 to full in-state tuition; in the table the top Livingston award covers in-state tuition and fees and the other five have four-year maximums of USD 4,000 to USD 20,000. Renewal requires the FAFSA, full-time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA. The page does not say whether international students are eligible; ask Scholarship Services.
• Test-optional applicants: the test-optional page says those with a GPA of 3.5 or higher can receive a one-time USD 1,000 Climb Higher Scholarship but are ineligible for merit scholarships.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply by the April 30 priority date; USD 75 fee
• Get a NACES course-by-course evaluation of the high school transcript
• Prepare TOEFL 79 (4 on the new test), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105
• Ask international admissions how Gaokao scores are used and about international tuition and scholarships

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

• Confirm whether English-medium documentation waives the English test and how BC grades are evaluated

Transfer students:

• Get a NACES course-by-course evaluation of university work; declaring the major needs a 2.5 GPA and 12 CPS credits completed at Kean

Sources: Kean University, Computer Science; CST undergraduate programs; Fall 2026 B.S. curriculum sheet; curriculum sheets and 4-year plans; International Freshmen Applicants; International Transfer Applicant; International Applicants; International Admissions FAQ; Freshman Application Instructions; SAT Test-Optional Admission; Tuition and Fees 2026-2027; Cost of Attendance 2026-2027; Merit Scholarships. Courses follow the curriculum sheet effective fall 2026 and costs are for 2026-27; the deadline pages show no year. Check Kean’s website for the latest information.