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 (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) |
For students admitted in Fall 2023 onward (Frosh-CS intended), please refer to the comprehensive review section below.
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 1/9/25)
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)
Comprehensive Review
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 becoming Computer Science majors should be sure to review both the information listed on this page and the CDSS College guidance and policies.
For the most up-to-date guidance on comprehensive review, please join the EECS 101 Ed Stem page and follow the comprehensive review discussion. For general application inquiries and/or troubleshooting, contact the CDSS undergraduate advising team.
(Updated on 1/9/25)
Who can apply to the CS major via comprehensive review?
- First-year students admitted from Fall 2023 onward who did not select computer science on their admissions application may apply to the major via comprehensive review.
- Transfer students are not eligible to apply to CS via comprehensive review.
| Completed Prior to Application (final grades required) | Completed or In Progress (enrolled in the Spring) |
|---|---|
| Have completed: Math 1A, Math 1B (or approved substitution) | Linear Algebra (Math 54 OR Math 56 OR EECS 16A), and CS61A, CS61B, CS70 |
| Have at least 2 of the 3 completed: CS61A, CS61B, CS70 |
Deadline: students must submit their comprehensive review application by January of their 6th semester to be considered for admission to the CS major.
(Updated on 12/17/24)
How do I prepare for CS comprehensive review?
- Review lower division requirements
- Review upper division requirements
- Fill out a program plan detailing how you will complete the remaining CS requirements within your EGT. Submit this plan to your comprehensive review application.
- Prepare responses to the following four prompts (length: 250 words max):
- Did you have any CS exposure prior to coming to UC Berkeley?
- What experiences (inside and/or outside the classroom) have led you to this major? How have you been able to learn more about this major at UC Berkeley?
- What unique background, experience, or perspective would you contribute to the Computer Science program? Please do not describe involvement in UC Berkeley student-run clubs and organizations.
- What are your future goals and how do you see this major helping you achieve those goals?