How to apply to Computer Science at Truman State University: the BS in the Computer and Data Sciences Department, its sample four-year plan, foreign-language requirement and three elective areas, the free application and international deadlines, English requirements, 2026-27 costs and automatic scholarships, and requirements and timelines for students in China, Canada and transfer applicants

Truman State University is in Kirksville, Missouri. Its Computer Science Major (BS) is offered by the Computer and Data Sciences Department. This guide summarizes the official requirements 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

• Core content: the major page says the core covers concepts, programming, data structures, mathematical structures, the theoretical foundation of computing, systems programming, computer architecture and the ethics of computing.
• Sample four-year plan (revised July 2024):
  • Semester 1: CS 100 Computer Science Seminar (1 cr), CS 180 Foundations of Computer Science I (4 cr), MATH 198 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (5 cr) and Elementary Foreign Language I;
  • Semester 2: CS 181 Foundations of Computer Science II and CS 191 Computing Structures, with MATH 263 Calculus II, CS 291 Models of Computation or STAT 290 Statistics;
  • Years 2–3: CS 250 Systems Programming, CS 260 Object-Oriented Programming and Design, CS 291, CS 310 Data Structures and Algorithms, CS 330 Computer Architecture and Organization, CS 345 Cyberethics (writing enhanced) and STAT 290;
  • Years 3–4: CS electives from Areas A, B and C, plus CS 495 Senior Computer Science Seminar (1 cr).
• Elective areas: Area A includes Internet Programming, Software Engineering and Database Systems; Area B includes Operating Systems, Compilers, Parallel and Distributed Processing, Computer Security Fundamentals and Computer Networks; Area C includes Introduction to Bioinformatics, Programming Languages, Computer Graphics, Artificial Intelligence and Automata Theory and Formal Languages, among others.
• Other requirements: the BS requires Elementary II proficiency in a foreign language, which the plan says can be taken in any semester; graduation needs at least 120 hours; all students complete a Portfolio to graduate.
• Note: the plan is only a sample; official degree requirements are in the catalog (catalog.truman.edu). We could not read the catalog, so the official major credits and required-course list are not published on the pages we read (see the catalog).
• Experience: the major page says some students have interned as early as their freshman year; students can do individual software projects, REUs or one-on-one research with faculty.
• Accreditation: the pages we read do not mention ABET accreditation.

2. How admission works

• Admission to the major: whether Computer Science has its own admission threshold, and what is required to switch in, is not published. Ask admissions or the department.
• First-year review: the freshman application page says decisions are founded on high school performance and test scores, with holistic review of the essay, talents and involvement. Testing is optional, and admitted students can submit scores later for more scholarship consideration.
• Recommended high school curriculum: 4 units of English, 3 of math (4 strongly recommended), 3 of social studies or history, 3 of natural science, 1 of fine arts and 2 of the same foreign language.

3. Dates and materials

• First-year (domestic): applications open August 1 for the following fall and are reviewed on a rolling basis. December 1 is the priority deadline for competitive scholarships, and decisions usually come within two weeks of a complete file. Students can use Truman’s application or the Common App, and applying is free.
• Materials: transcripts with at least six semesters of grades, a 1–3 page essay and optional test scores; an activities list or resume is required for competitive scholarship review.

4. International requirements

• Who applies as international: students attending on an F-1 or J-1 visa, and students educated outside the United States regardless of immigration status.
• Fee and admission types: there is no undergraduate application fee; Truman offers full and conditional admission; there is no separate scholarship application.
• Deadlines: June 1 for fall and November 1 for spring (no year is shown, and the page still carries an old “Spring 2021/Fall 2021 Application” heading, so check with admissions).
• Materials: the online application; English scores or a conditional application; official transcripts sent by the school from an official school email address, including all secondary records for first-year applicants; the Certificate of Financial Support; a bank statement dated within 90 days showing three months of transactions and a balance covering one year of costs; and a copy of the passport photo page.
• Optional scholarship materials: a resume, activities list, personal statement, awards or portfolio are considered for scholarships.

5. English requirements

• Test scores (from the last five years): TOEFL iBT 81 (or 4.5 on the 1–6 scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 120, PTE 58, SAT Reading and Writing 560, ACT Reading and English 22, IB English A (HL or SL) 5, or AS/A Level English Literature or Language at B or higher, among others.
• Conditional admission: students without proof of English can apply conditionally and complete Level 9 at The Language Company or another approved U.S. ESL program before full admission.
• Waiver: students who completed most of their secondary schooling in a listed native English-speaking country can request a waiver in the application; the list includes Canada and the United Kingdom.

6. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao: whether Gaokao scores are used is not published. Ask admissions.
• Transcripts: your high school must send them directly from an official school email address; copies you send yourself count only as unofficial.
• A-Levels: A-Level exams at C or higher can earn transfer credit depending on the score; international students with B or higher on at least three A-Levels automatically receive a USD 2,000 A-Level Scholarship each year.
• IB: IB Diploma holders receive a USD 2,000 scholarship each year for up to four years.

7. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC)

• English: students who completed most of their secondary schooling in Canada can request the English waiver in the application; admissions confirms eligibility.
• BC: grade requirements and conversion for the BC curriculum are not published. Ask admissions.

8. Transfer students

• Materials: international transfer students submit all secondary school records and official transcripts from every university attended; deadlines are the same as for international first-year students.
• English: transferring English Composition I with an A, or English Composition II with a B or higher, from a U.S. university satisfies the English requirement.
• The transfer GPA requirement and the conditions for entering Computer Science are not published. Ask admissions.

9. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 international undergraduate estimate: tuition USD 20,297, housing and meals about USD 13,034, required recurring fees about USD 1,170 and health insurance USD 1,921, for recurring billable costs of USD 36,422; plus one-time orientation and immunization costs of about USD 1,032 and books of about USD 1,000. Proof of funding for the I-20 is USD 38,454.
• Presidential Honorary Scholarship: reviewed automatically at application and can reach 50% of tuition or more; renewable for 8 semesters with a 3.25 Truman GPA, and students renewed at full value serve the university 4 hours a week.
• Share of recipients: the international undergraduate cost page says more than 90% of international undergraduates earn scholarships, while the international scholarships page says about 85% of new international students receive scholarship assistance; the two figures differ. The cost page also says high-achieving international freshmen pay USD 7,000–11,000 a year in tuition on average after scholarships.
• Proof of funds: the international scholarships page says scholarships are usually partial, and students must still prove one year of financial support.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Prepare English scores such as TOEFL 81, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 120
• Apply by June 1 for fall and have your school email official transcripts
• Submit the Certificate of Financial Support and bank statement
• Ask admissions whether Gaokao scores are used

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

• Request the English waiver in the application
• Ask admissions how BC grades are reviewed

Transfer students:

• Submit all secondary and university transcripts
• Ask admissions about the transfer GPA and entry to Computer Science

Sources: Truman State University, Computer Science major; Sample 4-year plan; Freshman application; International admission; International application and deadlines; International admission requirements; English proficiency; 2026-27 undergraduate costs and scholarships; International scholarships. Costs are 2026-27 estimates; check Truman’s website for the latest.