Home > Academics > Undergraduate Programs & Admissions > Undergraduate Admissions & Financial Aid

Undergraduate Admissions & Financial Aid

Prospective undergraduate students apply to the University of Michigan for admission. After being admitted, students typically declare a major after taking a year of coursework with an appropriate academic record and meeting any program or other entry requirements.

NOTE: Due to capacity constraints, students who are admitted to the University of Michigan in Fall 2023 or later must first be selected for the Computer Science (CS) major before they can declare the major. This selection policy, described below, is the same for students in both the College of Engineering and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA). The selection policy applies only to CS and does NOT apply to students seeking to major in the Computer Engineering (CE) or Data Science (DS) programs jointly administered by CSE with other units.

Scholarships and financial aid for undergraduate students are handled through the College that oversees a specific degree, or the University of Michigan. Following are relevant links:

Selection Process for CS Majors

Computer Science (CS) undergraduate majors are available to students in both the College of Engineering and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA). Both of these major programs are administered and taught by the Computer Science and Engineering Division (CSE).

As with many CS programs at other institutions, enrollment in Michigan’s CS major programs has grown rapidly over the past decade, and the number of interested students exceeds our teaching capacity. As a result, in order to provide a high quality education and to maintain a healthy community, we have limited enrollment into the CS majors under a selection policy. The selection policy applies to students in both the College of Engineering and the College of LSA.

NOTE: This policy affects students who are admitted for enrollment at the University of Michigan in Fall 2023 or later. Students admitted for enrollment prior to Fall 2023 are not subject to the selection policy and may declare the computer science major once they meet their college declaration requirements.

Selection Pathways

New student applicants or existing students are able to be selected into CS as follows:

  • Advance selection. Prospective students may apply for advance selection into a CS major at the time of application to the University of Michigan via the Common Application after choosing either Engineering or LSA as their home college. Applications will be assessed by the University of Michigan’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Most students will be selected via this pathway, but capacity constraints mean that many students admitted to the University will not be selected for the CS majors.

    Those who receive advance selection into a CS major must also meet their college declaration requirements (Engineering or LSA) before officially declaring the CS major.

    How to apply

  • Enrolled discoverers. Beginning in Winter 2024, students who did not apply for advance selection into a CS major at the time of application but who have developed an interest in CS may apply for selection once they have met their college declaration requirements (Engineering or LSA). Capacity constraints mean that not all who apply will be selected for the CS major.

    Students who previously applied for advance selection into CS and were not selected may not apply as an enrolled discoverer.

    Details on how to apply for selection as an enrolled discoverer will be available in 2023.

CS Majors Selection Process FAQs

Who is eligible to apply for the CS major on the Common Application?

Anyone applying to the University of Michigan for undergraduate study in the College of Engineering or the College of LSA is eligible.

If I do choose CS on the Common App and am not selected for that major, does that also mean I will not be accepted into the University of Michigan?

No, admission to U-M is determined independently of whether you receive the opportunity to enter the CS major. If you are accepted into Engineering or LSA, we hope you will still consider becoming a University of Michigan student. There are other fields of study related to information and computing at U-M and we encourage you to explore those possibilities:

In addition, many other engineering majors also include computing components.

If I do choose CS on the Common App, am not selected for the major, but am accepted to the University of Michigan, will I have another opportunity to apply to be a CS major?

No, you will not be able to major in CS if you applied for advance selection into CS on the Common App and were not selected for the major at that time. We encourage you to explore other opportunities for computing at U-M.

If I do choose CS on the Common App and I am selected for the CS major at the time of U-M admissions, am I obligated to pursue that major if I change my mind?

No, if in the course of your studies you find that you would rather pursue a different major, you are not obligated to declare CS.

If I do choose CS on the Common App and I am selected for the CS major at the time of U-M admissions, but decide to defer admission, will I still be able to declare CS?

Yes, your selection for the CS major will still be valid if you decide to defer admission.

If I do not choose CS on the Common App and am admitted to the University of Michigan, will I have another opportunity to apply to be a CS major?

Yes, enrolled students who did not request to be considered for advance selection into the CS major via the Common App during the original application process may apply for the major as an enrolled discoverer once they have fulfilled requirements for declaring CS in their respective college (Engineering or LSA). Details on how to apply for selection as an enrolled discoverer will be available in 2023.

Who is responsible for reviewing and making decisions about the applications for the CS major?

The University of Michigan Undergraduate Admissions Office reviews and makes decisions about selection for the CS major based on criteria developed by the Computer Science and Engineering Division.

What kinds of things will the U-M Undergraduate Admissions Office be looking for in determining who will be selected for the CS major opportunity?

There are a myriad of talents and experiences that can help make a student a great candidate for studying CS at U-M, such as dedication to service, an ability and desire to work collaboratively on teams, and consideration of the impact of computing in the context of the broader world. Creativity, innovation, and the learning experience are enhanced through bringing together students from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

If I requested advance selection into the CS major and was not selected, is there an appeals process?

No, selection decisions may not be appealed.

If I did not realize that the option to apply for advance selection in CS was on the Common App, do I have a second chance to request selection for the CS major?

Yes, you may participate in the application process for the major as an enrolled discoverer after matriculating in the College of Engineering or the College of LSA.

Who can prospective students contact with questions about the advance selection process for CS?

The University of Michigan Office of Undergraduate Admissions administers the admissions process for undergraduates and the selection process for CS. They can be contacted at: https://admissions.umich.edu/explore-visit/contact-us

How should I decide whether to apply for CS on the Common App or wait until after I come to the University of Michigan?

If you are excited about the prospect of learning computer science and believe you can contribute in ways described above, then you may want to request to be considered for advance selection into CS on the Common App. If you are uncertain, you may choose to wait and take courses in computing and other disciplines during your first year of study before making a decision. In either case, a limited number of students will be selected.

How should I decide whether to apply for CS in the College of Engineering or the College of LSA?

Core major requirements are almost exactly the same for both majors, while other coursework differs between the colleges. Explore a detailed comparison of the major options.

Will I have a better chance of getting into CS if I apply via the College of Engineering or the College of LSA?

There are many factors considered in the admissions process. We recommend choosing the college whose curriculum and requirements better meet your needs and academic interests.

Once I apply for the CS major, when will I know whether or not I have been selected?

If you requested advance selection into the CS major on the Common App, you will learn whether you have been selected for CS at the time you are notified about your admission to the University of Michigan.

Is there a deadline or timeframe to apply for the CS major?

There are two opportunities to apply for the CS major:

  • At the time of application to the University of Michigan via the Common App. The deadline for this is the same as the deadline for application for admissions to the University.
  • Students who did not apply for advance selection into the CS major via the Common App may apply for selection into the major at such a time as they have fulfilled requirements for declaring CS in their respective College. A limited number of students will be enrolled through an application process currently under development for implementation during the 2023-2024 academic year.

I matriculated at U-M before Fall 2023 and either haven’t declared a major or am interested in changing my major to CS. Does the selection process apply to me?

Students currently enrolled or matriculating prior to Fall of 2023 will be able to declare CS without the need for additional selection.

I was admitted to the University of Michigan before Fall 2023 but deferred and will not be matriculating until Fall 2023 or later. Does this selection process apply to me?

No, if you were admitted prior to the admissions cycle for Fall 2023 matriculation, this process does not apply to you.

If I am selected for CS, declare CS as my major, and then change my mind and pursue another major, am I able to change my mind again and return to the CS major?

Yes, declared CS students who change their majors may switch their major back to CS.

Can I get a dual degree in another school or college if I am majoring in CS?

Yes, you may pursue a dual degree if you are selected into the CS major. Learn more about dual degree requirements.

What if I’m a transfer student? Does this selection process apply to me?

No, the selection process does not currently apply to transfer students.

Does the new selection process apply to the CS Minor?

No, the selection process does not apply to the CS minor.