UBC vs SFU computer science

At UBC Vancouver, computer science sits inside the Bachelor of Science. Your high school offer is for Science. You take a general first year, then apply for a specialization such as the computer science major. UBC Science calls this the specialization application. It runs in May, after your first winter session ends.

SFU works another way. Its Computing Science major sits in the Faculty of Applied Sciences and leads to a BSc or a BA. The SFU calendar lists direct admission from high school as one way in. So the offer you get in Grade 12 can already name the program you want to study.

This changes how you should read each offer. A UBC Science offer is a strong start, but it is not a seat in the major. An SFU Computing Science offer puts you in the major on day one. Ask yourself how you would feel if the UBC major did not work out after first year.

UBC's computer science department sets the floor. You must be in good standing, which means not on academic probation. You must also have taken CPSC 107 or CPSC 110 before you apply. The department says this is a minimum and does not guarantee admission.

The department also gives a sense of the competition. It says entry has historically needed an average in the low 80s, and that every year is different. For a competitive average, it suggests you aim for at least the high 80s. That average is your UBC average from first year, not your high school marks.

You list up to three choices on the specialization application. UBC Science tells you to put the program you really want first and to apply only where you meet the eligibility rules. A sensible plan is to pick a second choice you would also enjoy, such as another program that uses computing. The CS major is not the only door to coding courses at UBC.

SFU says admission to Computing Science is competitive. The calendar explains that a separate admission average is set for each entry route each term, based on the spaces available. That is why SFU shows a range from past years instead of one fixed number.

Its historical range page lists the high 80s to low 90s for Computing Science over the past three years. The same range applies to Canadian students and to students on a study visa. SFU warns that a grade at or above the range is not a guarantee. Treat it as a guide to how strong past admitted students were.

Once you are in, you still have to keep your marks up. The calendar puts students below a 2.40 cumulative grade point average on probation within the school. Students who try to move into Computing Science from another SFU program face a competitive average too, with minimums of 2.67 in computing courses and 2.40 overall. Direct entry is the simpler path, so apply to the major from Grade 12 if it is your goal.

From Ontario, both schools want ENG4U, MHF4U and one Grade 12 science from biology, chemistry or physics. UBC also asks for Grade 11 chemistry and physics, SCH3U and SPH3U. UBC may waive the physics course if you have 86% or higher in senior math and chemistry. SFU asks for ENG4U at 70%, three more approved courses and one Grade 11 science, and it recommends Calculus and Vectors.

From BC, both schools take English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 and one of Anatomy and Physiology 12, Chemistry 12 or Physics 12. UBC names Pre-Calculus 12 and wants Chemistry 11 and Physics 11. SFU accepts Pre-Calculus 12 or Calculus 12 and sets no Grade 11 course rule. It needs at least five approved Grade 12 courses.

UBC looks at all your academic Grade 11 and 12 marks. It pays most attention to the courses that relate to your degree. It also needs at least 70% in Grade 11 or 12 English. If you plan to apply to both schools, take chemistry and physics in Grade 11. That one choice keeps both routes open.

It is easy to compare the wrong numbers. SFU's high 80s to low 90s range describes high school averages of admitted students. UBC's low 80s figure describes UBC first-year averages of students who got into the major. One is a Grade 12 number and one is a university number.

UBC's program page shows no recommended grade range for the Bachelor of Science. The school says it reviews all your relevant Grade 11 and 12 work. So there is no UBC high school cut-off to set beside SFU's range. A number from another website is not UBC's own.

Plan for that second number if you pick UBC. A strong Grade 12 report card gets you into Science. Your first-year UBC marks decide the major. Think about how you study when courses get harder, not only about your Grade 12 average.

Most UBC high school applicants write a personal profile, and the Bachelor of Science is one of those degrees. The questions need short answers of about 50 to 500 words. You also name two referees. If you are in high school, one of them must be a school official such as a counsellor or teacher. Neither referee can be a friend, a family member or a paid agent.

SFU's Computing Science page lists no supplement. Your courses and marks carry the decision. That makes SFU simpler to apply to, but it also means you have no written part to show context.

The UBC application for September 2027 closes January 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. To be considered for its biggest entrance awards, apply by December 1, 2026. SFU's Fall 2027 application runs from October 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 on EducationPlannerBC. Its documents are due February 28, and most offers must be accepted by May 1.

UBC's current calendar lists domestic Science tuition at $206.69 per credit. SFU's Fall 2026 calendar lists $220.61 per unit, and $231.64 per unit for upper-division computing courses. If you took 30 credits in first year, that would be $6,200.70 at UBC and $6,618.30 at SFU, by our calculation. Both schools add student fees, and housing is separate.

UBC notes that its Board of Governors reviews tuition every year, so the Fall 2027 rate is not set yet. SFU's rates come from its Fall 2026 calendar. Use them for a first budget and expect a new table next year. UBC fees and SFU fees give fuller detail.

Co-op is optional at both schools for computer science. UBC's department says over 45% of its undergraduates join. At SFU each work term is at least 12 weeks or 420 hours of paid work, and you pay $932.08 per co-op term. Neither school promises a placement. You still apply and interview for jobs.

Choose UBC if you want a broad first year in science and you are ready for a second competition. You will take math, science and computing courses together before choosing. If you love the major, the challenge is your first-year average. Read the UBC Computer Science guide for the full course plan.

Choose SFU if certainty about the major matters most. You compete once, in Grade 12, against the past high 80s to low 90s range. Keep your marks steady after that. The SFU Computing Science guide covers SFU's dates and awards.

You can apply to both. That is a reasonable plan, because the deadlines are about two weeks apart and the course lists overlap. Look at each school's hub for residence and money: UBC and SFU.