Offered by University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Canada, BA/BS in Computer Science is a bachelor's degree in Computer Sciences programme. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 34,942 per semester (CAD 6,563 per semester for local students).
Also offered as: Master's Degree, Doctorate
At a glance
Degree:Bachelor's Degree
Field:Computer Sciences
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 6,563 / semester
International tuition: CAD 34,942 / semester
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The University of Waterloo's Computer Science program leads to a Bachelor of Computer Science or a Bachelor of Mathematics in Computer Science, offered through the Faculty of Mathematics at the undergraduate level. Coursework begins with functional programming and data-abstraction fundamentals alongside supporting mathematics, then draws on more than 70 computer science courses covering topics such as algorithms, human-computer interaction, privacy and network security, artificial intelligence, and the social implications of computing. Students can pursue specializations including Artificial Intelligence, Bioinformatics, Business, Computational Fine Art, Digital Hardware, Game Design, Human-Computer Interaction, and Software Engineering, and a Computer Science minor is also available for students in other programs. It is offered either as a co-op option, alternating study terms with paid work terms, or as a regular full-time course of study, delivered on the main Waterloo campus. The program suits students who enjoy mathematics and problem-solving and are drawn to software development, artificial intelligence, data science, interface design, or cybersecurity, and it sits alongside related Waterloo offerings such as Data Science and Software Engineering.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry from Ontario high school. Required: six Grade 12 U/M courses including Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, any Grade 12 U English, and one other 4U course, with Grade 11 Introduction to Computer Science recommended. Admission to Computer Science is competitive: the Faculty of Mathematics selects individually, with an admission average trend of the low to mid-90s. The Admission Information Form (AIF) is required for admission; writing the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest or the Euclid contest is optional but required for certain Faculty of Mathematics scholarships. International and non-Ontario applicants follow the equivalent OUAC route with the program's prerequisite subjects. Applicants whose secondary education was not in Canada or in English follow the same OUAC route and must meet Waterloo's institution-wide English proficiency requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (6.0 minimum band, 6.5 in writing and speaking), TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with 5 in writing and speaking for tests from 21 January 2026 onward (90 overall with 25 in writing and speaking for earlier tests), PTE Academic 63 (65 in writing and speaking), or Duolingo 120 (125 in Literacy and Production).
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Waterloo admits first-year students for September entry only, through the OUAC, with identical deadlines for domestic and international applicants. For Fall 2027, most programmes must be applied to by 1 February 2027 with documents due 15 February 2027; Engineering programmes (excluding Architecture) close earlier, on 15 January 2027, with documents due 1 February 2027, and require an online interview. Waterloo states a deadline may be extended if a programme is not yet full, but publishes no separate rolling-admission date and no explicit application-opening date. Pharmacy is a named exception with its own earlier deadline; Social Work and the Conditional Admission to Pharmacy stream are directed to programme-specific timelines outside this page. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
