How to Declare the CS Major
GPA/Prerequisites to Declare the CS Major
Students must meet a GPA requirement in prerequisite courses to be admitted to the CS major. Prerequisite and GPA requirements are listed below.
| Term admitted | Prerequisites required | GPA required |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2022 or earlier | CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 70 | 3.30 overall GPA in CS 61A, CS 61B, & CS 70 |
| Fall 2023 (Frosh-applied High Demand Computer Science) | CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 70 | 2.0 overall GPA in CS 61A, CS 61B, & CS 70 |
| Fall 2023 onward (Frosh-CS intended) | Criteria will be announced soon. Students should plan to take CS61A, CS61B, and CS70 in their first 2 years. | Subject to Comprehensive Review |
| Fall 2023 (Transfer-CS intended) | CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 70 | 3.30 overall GPA in CS 61A, CS 61B, & CS 70 (completed by the end of summer 2024) |
Transfer students admitted in Fall 2024 onward who did not select computer science on their UCB application will not be able to change their major to, or double major in computer science.
(Updated on 5/13/24)
Major Declaration Policies
- Per campus policy, students can retake and earn credit for a class in which they received a grade of D+ or lower. Beginning Spring 2017, prerequisite courses which have been retaken will be averaged to calculate the major application GPA (For example: CS 61A = D; CS 61B = A-; CS 61A = A-; CS 70 = A; averaged GPA = 3.1).
- If a student receives an NP in a pre-req, it will be factored as an F (0.0 grade points) when their CS major application is reviewed.
- If a student completes equivalent courses to our prerequisite courses (CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 70) at another institution, at least one course must be completed at UC Berkeley to calculate the major application GPA.
- Students who do not meet the minimum prerequisite and GPA requirements for the Computer Science major, may choose to appeal the major declaration decision after they have submitted an initial application to the major. Find our more about the Major Declaration Appeal Process.
Applying to the CS Major
Application timeline:
- The application period to declare the CS major opens approximately 1 week after grades are posted.
- You are eligible to submit the CS major application if you have finished the prerequisites and were admitted to UCB before Fall 2023, are a Fall 2023 transfer student, or were admitted as a High Demand CS student.
- You will be notified of the decision via email (approximately 3-4 weeks after the deadline).
- To receive the announcements about the opening of our application, please self-subscribe to our CS-intended mailing list by emailing sympa@lists.eecs.berkeley.edu with the text “subscribe cs-intended” in the body or the subject.
Major Application Form (status – OPEN)
Computer Science Comprehensive Review for First Year Students Admitted Fall 2023 or Later
This information is specific to the Computer Science (CS) major, and is supplemental to CDSS College guidance and policies about the Change of College or Simultaneous Degree application process. Students interested in the Computer Science major should be sure to review both documents.
(Updated on 4/9/24)
Group 1: Students Admitted in Fall 2023
- Students admitted in Fall 2023 who selected computer science on their admissions application have a guaranteed spot in that major, subject to completing prerequisites and maintaining good academic standing.
- First-year students admitted in Fall 2023 who did not select computer science on their admissions application may apply to the major via comprehensive review.
- Transfer students admitted in Fall 2023 who did not select computer science on their UCB application have until the end of Summer 2024 to declare the CS major.
Group 2: Students Admitted in Fall 2024
- Students admitted to CDSS in Fall 2024 will automatically enroll in their selected major.
- First-year students admitted in Fall 2024 who did not select computer science on their admissions application may apply to the major via comprehensive review.
- Transfer students admitted in Fall 2024 onward who did not select computer science on their UCB application will not be able to change their major to, or double major in computer science.
(Updated on 6/20/24)