How to apply to Computer Science at Valdosta State University: the ABET-accredited 120-hour B.S., its Regular, Cybersecurity and AI tracks and four-year map, international deadlines, English requirements, fall 2026 tuition and the international out-of-state tuition waiver, and requirements and timelines for students in China, Canada and transfer applicants

Valdosta State University (VSU) is in Valdosta, Georgia. Its B.S. in Computer Science is offered by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Technology. 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

• Accreditation and credits: the B.S. in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET and requires 120 hours; the program page lists the format as Traditional.
• Grades (graduation checklist for the 2026-2027 catalog onward): a C or higher in every CS and math course required for the degree.
• Field of study (Core Area F, 19 hours): MATH 2262, CS 1301, CS 1302, CS 2620 and a science course. The core also includes MATH 1112 or 1113, MATH 2261 and a lab science sequence.
• Senior college curriculum (33 hours): CS 3101, CS 3200, CS 3335, CS 3410, CS 3520, CS 4121, CS 4321, CS 4345, CS 4500, CS 4721 and CS 4900.
• Choose one track:
  • Regular (6 hours): one 3000-level and one 4000-level CS elective, such as Foundations of AI, Introduction to Cybersecurity, UNIX Programming, Web Programming, Introduction to Big Data/Machine Learning, Biometric Recognition, Parallel Programming, Network and System Security or Artificial Intelligence;
  • Cybersecurity (12 hours): CS 3300, CS 3750, CS 4625 and CS 4884;
  • AI (9 hours): CS 3800, CS 4731 and CS 4820.
• Supporting math (9 hours): MATH 2150, MATH 3600, and MATH 4651 or 4901. The department notes that CS majors can earn a math minor with two more courses or a data science minor with three.
• Starting out: the four-year map says CS 1010 is not required but is a gentle introduction before CS 1301 and counts as a general elective; students with programming experience can consult an advisor about starting with CS 1301. The map starts with CS 1010 and MATH 1113 in the first fall and CS 1301 and MATH 2261 in the spring, with yearly milestones such as two math courses and at least one CS course by the end of year one, and CS 1301 and CS 1302 by the end of year two. The map uses different core area labels from the 2026-27 checklist, so follow the checklist and catalog when choosing courses.
• Hands-on work: CS 4800 internship credit (15–20 hours a week), faculty-supervised research projects, or technical work at VSU IT; the department also mentions the co-op program and the ACM student chapter.
• Advising: University Advising handles students with fewer than 60 hours; CS majors with 60 or more hours are advised in the department.

2. How admission works

• The pages we read do not describe a separate entry requirement for Computer Science. The department says a change of major or minor is requested by emailing your name and student number to majorchanges@valdosta.edu; whether any grade requirement applies is not stated, so ask the department.
• Freshman admission requirements page: applicants with an academic GPA of 3.2 or higher can be admitted without ACT/SAT; those at 3.1 or below should submit scores meeting ACT English or Reading 17 and Math 17, or SAT EBRW 480 and Math 440. VSU also requires a Freshman Index of at least 2040, calculated from the core-curriculum GPA and test scores, and reviews out-of-state students’ courses against their state’s graduation standard. The page does not say whether these rules apply to international applicants.

3. Deadlines and materials

• International deadlines (all materials must arrive; no year shown): April 1 for fall, August 1 for spring and February 1 for summer. Once the file is complete, admissions makes a decision and issues an I-20 to admitted students.
• Materials: the online application; sealed official transcripts from high school and all colleges (no personal copies); a NACES-member evaluation for coursework from outside the US (VSU offers a discounted electronic application with TEC); a Certificate of Finance showing at least USD 35,284 for nine months (the linked form is labeled 2024-2025); a medical form; and passport and visa copies. All international students must buy the VSU health insurance plan.
• Application fee: the amount is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions.

4. English requirements

• The international page lists: IELTS 6.0; TOEFL 69 (internet) or 523 (paper); PTE 53; Michigan English Test 55; Cambridge English Scale 169 (CPE 180); Cambridge IGCSE or O-Level English at D or better; or completion of Level 6 at VSU’s English Language Institute with a B average. Duolingo is not listed.
• The page words this requirement for non-native speakers transferring from a non-English-medium institution outside the US, so first-year applicants should confirm with admissions what to submit. No country exemption list is given.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Chinese high school transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES member before review.
• How the Gaokao is used and score requirements for Chinese high school grades are not published; ask admissions@valdosta.edu.
• A-Level, IB and AP: the freshman page links to VSU’s AP, IB and Cambridge AICE credit pages; check those pages or ask admissions which courses they cover. IGCSE or O-Level English at D or better can prove English proficiency.

6. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC)

• The admissions page defines international students as those living outside the US who will need an F-1 visa to study in the US, or non-US citizens and non-permanent residents in the US on an F-1 or other visa. Ask admissions which process Canadian students follow. Coursework from outside the US needs a NACES evaluation.
• Whether Canadian students are exempt from English testing is not stated, and score requirements for BC courses are not published; ask admissions.

7. Transfer students

• International transfers with credit from universities outside the US must send a professional course-by-course evaluation (VSU recommends Josef Silny & Associates) directly from the evaluator; admissions then works with faculty advisors to place the credit.
• Up to 90 semester hours can transfer toward a bachelor’s degree.
• Conditions for entering Computer Science as a transfer are not published; ask the department.

8. Costs and scholarships

• Fall 2026 undergraduate fee schedule (on campus): at 15 hours a semester, out-of-country tuition is USD 10,950 and the total with mandatory fees is USD 11,768; the in-state total is USD 3,653. A double residence hall room is USD 2,671 a semester and the freshman meal plan USD 2,260.
• The international student services cost page still points to the 2024-2025 fee schedule; use the fall 2026 schedule on the bursary page.
• International Student Scholarship: in practice an out-of-state tuition waiver for international undergraduates on F-1 or J-1 visas, letting recipients pay in-state tuition and fees. Criteria include a 3.0 high school GPA (or equivalent) and an essay, along with extracurricular involvement and financial need; applicants submit the application form, a personal statement and a recommendation letter. Awards are limited and reviewed case by case each semester, and students who finish Level 6 at VSU’s English Language Institute have priority. Renewal requires 12 credit hours a semester, a 3.0 cumulative GPA and service activities, and the waiver applies to in-person classes only. VSU advises against counting on it when preparing the Certificate of Finances.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Prepare IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 69, PTE 53 or another accepted score
• For fall, apply and send all materials by April 1
• Get a NACES evaluation of your high school transcript and prepare proof of funds
• For the International Student Scholarship, prepare a 3.0 GPA, a personal statement and a recommendation
• Ask admissions about the application fee and whether the Gaokao is considered

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

• Ask admissions which process to follow, and get a NACES evaluation
• Ask admissions whether you need an English test and how BC grades are reviewed

Transfer students:

• Arrange a course-by-course evaluation of university work outside the US
• Up to 90 hours can transfer
• Ask the department about entering Computer Science

Sources: Valdosta State University, B.S. in Computer Science; Department degree programs; Advising (checklist, electives); Four-year map; Experiential learning; Freshman admission requirements; International admissions; International student costs; International Student Scholarship; Non-US college transcripts; Tuition and fee schedules. Check Valdosta State’s website for the latest information.