Computer Science, BA (Hons) and MEng

Computer Science at Cambridge brings together disciplines including mathematics, engineering, the natural sciences, psychology and linguistics.

Study modern computer science, along with the underlying theory and foundations in economics, law and business.

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Overview

Number 1 in the UK for Computer Science (The Complete University Guide 2024)

Computer Science at Cambridge

Here at Cambridge, we pioneered computer science and we continue to lead its development today.

Our links to Computing go back to the 1930s when Alan Turing developed the theoretical foundations for computation. We’ve been at the forefront of Computer Science research ever since.

This is a broad and deep course that covers all aspects of modern computer science.

We have 3 and 4 year course options:

the 3-year course is a BA honours degree
the 4-year course includes a Masters, leading to a BA and Master of Engineering (MEng) degree

Whichever option you choose, you will develop practical skills in:

programming, in various languages such as OCaml, Java, C/C++ and Prolog
hardware systems, such as chip design

Teaching and facilities

Teaching

We are the oldest Computer Science department in the world – our Computer Lab has been at the forefront of research in Computer Science ever since its inception, in 1970.

We offer a learning environment that is creative, stimulating, modern and entrepreneurial. You will be taught by pioneers and leading researchers in this fast-moving field.

You'll also take part in group projects which will be presented to external companies. Find out more about how Computer Science at Cambridge can support your future career.

Facilities

The Department of Computer Science and Technology is packed with the latest technology. Our facilities include:

advanced lecture theatres
dedicated practical rooms

Our West Cambridge site, home of the Computer Laboratory, offers:

a fantastic environment for both study and relaxation
a large library stocked with the latest Computer Science publications
big and comfortable lecture theatres
a great café

At Cambridge, you'll also have access to the impressive Cambridge University Library, one of the world’s oldest university libraries.

Course costs

When you go to university, you’ll need to consider two main costs – your tuition fees and your living costs (sometimes referred to as maintenance costs).

Your living costs will include costs related to your studies that are not covered by your tuition fees. There are some general study costs that will apply for all students – you can find details of these costs here.

Other additional costs for Computer Science are detailed below. If you have any queries about resources/materials, please contact the Department.

Equipment

Laptop specification: £800 for a modern entry-level laptop is sufficient, but we recommend at least half the main drive is dedicated to a bootable Linux system, such as Ubuntu.
University approved scientific calculator: please see the Department website for details.

Books

You don't have to buy your own copies of textbooks, but it's strongly recommended. The number of textbooks you need depends on the course options you’ve chosen. The costs below are an estimate of how much you can expect to spend each year if you do purchase your own copies.

Year 1: Estimated cost of core texts £150.
Years 2, 3 and 4: Estimated cost of core texts £150 to £250 per year.

Your future career

There are more than 1,000 specialist computing and advanced technology companies and commercial laboratories in the Cambridge area, known as ‘Silicon Fen'.

A number of local firms and start-ups support our teaching and employ our graduates, in areas from chip design to mathematical modelling and AI.

As a graduate, you’ll have knowledge and skills that embody principles which will outlast today’s technology. This makes you highly sought after by industry and commerce alike.

Many of our graduates go on to work as:

programmers
software development professionals

Other graduates decide to pursue:

further study
careers in teaching and research

Many have also founded companies, or gained employment in:

software
hardware
the games industry
finance
communications
commerce

Course outline

Teaching

Teaching is provided through lectures, practical classes and small-group supervisions.

In your first year you will typically have 20 hours of teaching each week, including up to 12 lectures and practical classes.

Assessment

In your first and second year you will be assessed through 3-hour examinations, taken in the final term of each year.

In your third year you will be assessed through coursework and 3-hour examinations.

Practical work is undertaken and assessed in all years of the degree programme.

You won't usually be able to resit any of your exams.

Year 1 (Part IA)

You take 4 papers, including 3 compulsory Computer Science papers, covering topics such as:

foundations of computer science, taught in OCaml
Java and object-oriented programming
operating systems
digital electronics
graphics
interaction design
machine learning

You will also take a Mathematics paper, from the first year of the Natural Sciences course.

Year 2 (Part IB)

You take 4 papers, spanning core topics:

theory – including logic and proof, computation theory
systems – including computer architecture, computer networking
programming – including compiler construction, programming in C/C++
human aspects – including Human Interaction design, Artificial Intelligence

You also undertake a group project, which reflects current industrial practice.

Year 3 (Part II)

You choose from a large selection of topics which allows you to concentrate on an area of interest to you, such as:

computer architecture
applications (including bioinformatics and natural language processing)
theory

New topics inspired by current research interests include computer architecture, data science and robotics.

You will also work on a substantial project that demonstrates your computer science skills, and write a 10,000 to 12,000 word dissertation on it.

Projects are often connected with current Cambridge research, and many utilise cutting-edge technology.

Year 4 (Part III, optional Masters)

The fourth year is designed for students considering a career in academic or industrial research.

You will:

explore issues at the very forefront of computer science
undertake a substantial research project

Progression to fourth year depends on how well you do in your third year exams.

If you successfully complete the fourth year, you’ll get the MEng qualification, as well as the BA degree which you get at the end of the third year.

For further information about this course and the papers you can take see the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology website.

Changing course

It’s really important to think carefully about which course you want to study before you apply.

In rare cases, it may be possible to change course once you’ve joined the University. You will usually have to get agreement from your College and the relevant departments. It’s not guaranteed that your course change will be approved.

You might also have to:

take part in an interview
complete an admissions test
produce some written work
achieve a particular grade in your current studies
do some catch-up work
start your new course from the beginning

For more information visit the Faculty website.

You can also apply to change to:

Management Studies at the Judge Business School

You can't apply to this course until you're at Cambridge. You would usually apply when you have completed 1 year or more of your original Cambridge course.

You should contact your College’s Admissions Office if you’re thinking of changing your course. They will be able to give you advice and explain how changing courses works.

Entry requirements

Minimum offer level

A level: A*A*A
IB: 41-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Other qualifications: Check which other qualifications we accept.

Subject requirements

To apply to any of our Colleges for Computer Science, you will need A levels/IB Higher Levels (or the equivalent) in:

Mathematics
Further Mathematics to AS or A level if your school offers it. Please see the further guidance below.

If you’re studying IB, we ask for Analysis and Approaches for this course. If this isn’t an option at your school, please contact the College you wish to apply to for advice.

If you’re applying to Churchill, Downing or Lucy Cavendish, you will also need a third science subject at A level/IB Higher Level. If you apply to Christ's College you must have Further Mathematics A level.

Colleges will require A*/7 in Mathematics or Further Mathematics. Colleges may also require an A*/7 in specific subjects as part of your offer. If you apply to Churchill College they require an A*/7 in Chemistry, Computer Science or Physics as well as Mathematics or Further Mathematics.

These subject requirements are provisional for 2025 entry. Please check back in April 2024 for confirmed details.

Further Mathematics A level and additional maths

If your school offers Further Mathematics to AS or A level, you should take it.

Additional mathematics is helpful and all candidates are strongly encouraged to take up opportunities to develop their skills, such as by participating in olympiads or accessing the online resources in the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme.

What Computer Science students have studied

Most Computer Science students (who had studied A levels and started at Cambridge in 2017-19) achieved at least A*A*A* (81% of entrants).

All of these students studied Mathematics and most also took:

Further Mathematics (96%)
Physics (85%)
Computing (59%)

The majority of students who studied IB achieved at least 43 points overall.

Check our advice on choosing your high school subjects. You should also check if there are any required subjects for your course when you apply.

Admission assessment

All applicants for Computer Science for 2025 entry are required to take the Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) at an authorised assessment centre. You must register in advance for this test.

Please see the admissions test page for more information.

Submitted work

You won't usually be asked to submit examples of written work. You may be asked to do some reading prior to your interview, but if this is required the College will provide full details in your interview invitation.

Offers above the minimum requirement

The minimum offer level and subject requirements outline the minimum you'll usually need to achieve to get an offer from Cambridge.

In some cases, you'll get a higher or more challenging offer. Colleges set higher offer requirements for a range of reasons. If you'd like to find out more about why we do this, check the information about offers above the minimum requirement on the entry requirements page.

IB offers

Some Colleges usually make offers above the minimum offer level. Find out more on our qualifications page.

All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant College admissions office if you have any queries.

Next steps

Discover your department or faculty

Visit the Department of Computer Science and Technology website - The Department of Computer Science and Technology website has more information about this course, facilities, people and research.

Explore our Colleges

Find out how Colleges work - A College is where you’ll live, eat and socialise. It’s also where you’ll have teaching in a small group, known as supervisions.

How to choose a Cambridge College that's right for you - If you think you know which course you’d like to study, it’s time to choose a College.

Visit us on open day

Book an open day - Get a feel for the city and the University.

Find an event - We offer a range of events where you can find out more about Cambridge, Colleges, and your course. Many of our events have hybrid options so you can join us virtually.

Find out how to apply

Find out how to apply and how our admissions processes work - Our admissions process is slightly different to other universities. We’ve put together a handy guide to tell you everything you need to know about applying to study at Cambridge.

Improve your application - Supercurricular activities are a great way to engage with your chosen subject outside of school or college.

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Contextual information

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However, please note that superficially similar courses often have very different structures and objectives, and that the teaching, support and learning environment that best suits you can only be determined by identifying your own interests, needs, expectations and goals, and comparing them with detailed institution- and course-specific information.

We recommend that you look thoroughly at the course and University information contained on these webpages and consider coming to visit us on an Open Day, rather than relying solely on statistical comparison.

You may find the following notes helpful when considering information presented by Discover Uni.

Discover Uni relies on superficially similar courses being coded in the same way. Whilst this works on one level, it may lead to some anomalies. For example, Music courses and Music Technology courses can have exactly the same code despite being very different programmes with quite distinct educational and career outcomes.

Any course which combines several disciplines (as many courses at Cambridge do) tends to be compared nationally with courses in just one of those disciplines, and in such cases the Discover Uni comparison may not be an accurate or fair reflection of the reality of either. For example, you may find that when considering a degree which embraces a range of disciplines such as biology, physics, chemistry and geology (for instance, Natural Sciences at Cambridge), the comparison provided is with courses at other institutions that primarily focus on just one (or a smaller combination) of those subjects.You may therefore find that not all elements of the Cambridge degree are represented in the Discover Uni data.

Some contextual data linked from other surveys, such as the National Student Survey (NSS) or the Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE), may not be available or may be aggregated across several courses or several years due to small sample sizes. When using the data to inform your course choice, it is important to ensure you understand how it has been processed prior to its presentation. Discover Uni offers some explanatory information about how the contextual data is collated, and how it may be used, which you can view here: https://discoveruni.gov.uk/about-our-data/.

Discover Uni draws on national data to provide average salaries and employment/continuation data. Whilst starting salaries can be a useful measure, they do not give any sense of career trajectory or take account of the voluntary/low paid work that many graduates undertake initially in order to gain valuable experience necessary/advantageous for later career progression. Discover Uni is currently piloting use of the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data to demonstrate possible career progression; it is important to note that this is experimental and its use may be modified as it embeds.

The above list is not exhaustive and there may be other important factors that are relevant to the choices that you are making, but we hope that this will be a useful starting point to help you delve deeper than the face value of the Discover Uni data.

Computer Science, BA (Hons) and MEng

Computer Science at Cambridge

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Computer Science at Cambridge

Teaching and facilities

Teaching

Facilities

Course costs

Equipment

Books

Your future career

Teaching

Assessment

Year 1 (Part IA)

Year 2 (Part IB)

Year 3 (Part II)

Year 4 (Part III, optional Masters)

Changing course

Minimum offer level

Subject requirements

Further Mathematics A level and additional maths

What Computer Science students have studied

Admission assessment

Submitted work

Offers above the minimum requirement

IB offers

Discover your department or faculty

Explore our Colleges

Visit us on open day

Find out how to apply

Discover Uni data

Contextual information

Key information

Cambridge Admissions Office

About this site

Information for

Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge