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Bachelor Programme

Computer Science

The Allen School's Computer Science major is aimed at students most interested in designing software systems and applications, and it also suits students who want a double major with another College of Arts & Sciences subject. Compared with UW's Electrical & Computer Engineering degree, which focuses on hardware, circuits and the physics of computation, the CS major goes deeper into software, algorithms and data, along with areas such as artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction. UW says most of its computer science and computer engineering students are admitted directly to the Allen School as first-years, which the school calls its main admission pathway.

University

University of Washington

Country

United States

Level

Bachelor

Field

Computer Science

Duration

4 years full-time

Language

English

Campus

Seattle

Degree

Bachelor of Science (BS) with a major in Computer Science

Intake

Autumn (late September). Winter first-year entry is not open to international applicants and spring first-year entry is not offered

Application Deadline

Autumn 2027 entry (Common App; international applicants pay a non-refundable US$95 fee and fee waivers are not available): the application opens 15 August 2026 and closes 15 November 2026. English test scores must come from exams taken on or before 31 December 2026. Decisions are released 1-15 March 2027, and most admitted students confirm by 1 May 2027 (check your offer letter for the exact date). UW does not use Early Decision or Early Action. Winter quarter first-year entry is not open to international applicants

Tuition Information

2026-27 tuition and fees at the Seattle campus (full-time, 10 to 18 credits a quarter, three quarters: autumn, winter and spring): US$45,789 a year for nonresident students, the rate international students pay (US$15,263 a quarter), compared with US$13,873 for Washington residents. Both figures include the U-PASS transit pass. UW Student Financial Aid's 2026-27 nonresident undergraduate cost of attendance for students living on or off campus adds housing and food of US$18,858, books and course supplies of US$900, transportation of US$1,074 and personal/miscellaneous costs of about US$2,508, for an estimated total of US$69,129. International Student Services adds the required International Student Health Insurance Plan (ISHIP) at US$537 a quarter, giving its own three-quarter estimate of US$70,740. The Office of Admissions cost page still shows a slightly lower nonresident tuition line (US$44,460, total US$67,800). Some majors and courses charge extra fees, and flights and visa costs are not included. UW does not offer financial aid or scholarships to international undergraduates. Rates for students starting in autumn 2027 have not been published yet

Admission Requirements

  • School or college: Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. Admission route: Direct to Major (DTM) into the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, and only for autumn entry. You must list Computer Science or Computer Engineering as your first-choice major on the first-year application; listing it second means you are not considered. No computing experience is required and decisions are holistic. UW says that if you are not admitted directly as a first-year, you are unlikely to get into CS or Computer Engineering later, because both are capacity-constrained majors
  • Testing: SAT/ACT not required. UW is test-optional, and reviewers do not see test scores in the holistic review, though high scores (1400 SAT / 31 ACT or above) may be considered for a small number of applicants who would not otherwise be admitted. Homeschooled applicants and students from schools without letter or numeric grades must still submit the SAT or ACT
  • English proficiency (international applicants): official TOEFL iBT of at least 4.0 (new score scale for tests from 21 January 2026; 76 on the older 120-point scale), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo English Test 110, taken by 31 December 2026. UW does not superscore English tests, does not accept TOEFL MyBest and has no conditional admission. Admitted international students average TOEFL 107, IELTS 7.6 and Duolingo 139. You are exempt if all your primary and secondary schooling was in Australia, Canada (English-speaking provinces), the UK, Ireland, New Zealand or the US. Alternatively, an average B in grade 10-12 English courses at an English-medium school plus SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 580 or ACT English 22 meets the requirement
  • Minimum preparation (CADRs): 4 years of English, 3 of math plus a math-based quantitative course in senior year, 3 of social science, 2 of a world language, 3 of science including 2 of lab science, and half a year each of arts and an academic elective. You self-report courses and grades through STARS; students at schools outside the US that follow a national curriculum also upload unofficial transcripts from grade 9 onwards. UW does not interview, use recommendation letters or track demonstrated interest
View Official Programme Page