The only department with both degrees
Computer Science is the only Princeton department that offers both the A.B. and the B.S.E.; the two have different general education requirements.
Undergraduate · Princeton
Princeton Computer Science: choosing between the A.B. and the B.S.E.
Princeton's Computer Science department is the only one that offers both the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Students apply to the university, not to the department, and the department's own page sets the two degrees side by side: course counts, when to declare, general education and independent work. For an A-level or IB applicant interested in computer science, the useful questions are how the two degrees differ, which suits your interests, and what Princeton asks of all applicants, including SAT or ACT for fall 2028. This guide claims no direct admission to Computer Science and does not repeat Avandy's general guide to Princeton's two degrees.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Princeton says about Princeton Computer Science
Taken from Princeton Admission's Academics, Standardized Testing and International Students pages and the Computer Science department's degrees and requirements page, read on 31 October 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Princeton's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Different course counts and declaration
The B.S.E. requires 36 courses over four years and declares in the spring of the first year; the A.B. declares in the spring of the second year.
Same departmental spine
Both need eight computer science departmental courses, the prerequisites COS 126 or ECE 115, COS 217 and COS 226, COS 240 and four core courses.
Independent work for both
BSE students complete at least one term of independent work, and every Princeton senior writes a thesis or, in some engineering departments, a substantial project.
SAT or ACT for fall 2028
Princeton says first-year applicants seeking to enrol in fall 2028 will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores.
Official sources
- Princeton Admission: Academicsadmission.princeton.edu
- Princeton Computer Science: Undergraduate Degrees & Requirementscs.princeton.edu
- Princeton Admission: Standardized Testingadmission.princeton.edu
Read on 31 October 2026 on Princeton Admission's Academics, Standardized Testing and International Students pages and the Computer Science department's degrees and requirements page, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Princeton's Undergraduate Announcement, the independent work handbooks, the engineering school general requirements, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The two degrees
What the department puts side by side
The department's page lists the B.S.E. at 36 courses over four years and the A.B. at a lower count that depends on the class year, both with eight departmental courses and the same computer science prerequisites. The A.B. adds a different general education pattern and declares in the spring of the second year, while the B.S.E. declares in the spring of the first year and adds the engineering school's requirements. The page describes an independent work sequence for each degree, which differs by class year. This guide did not read the independent work handbooks.
Is it the right degree?
A.B. or B.S.E. in Computer Science
Princeton lets students choose after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
The A.B. fits if
you want computer science alongside wide study across the seven general areas and a language requirement.
The B.S.E. fits if
you want computer science inside the engineering programme, with its mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering requirements.
Another department fits if
your interest is quantitative but not computing. Avandy's Princeton ORFE guide covers one such department.
Admission and testing
SAT or ACT for fall 2028, and your school record
Princeton says first-year applicants seeking to enrol in fall 2028 will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores. International applicants should present internal grades and achieved marks from external exams, for example British A-Level or the International Baccalaureate, with predicted or achieved results sent by the school official. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Princeton's.
How much breadth do you want?
The A.B. has more general education; the B.S.E. has more science and engineering.
When are you ready to declare?
B.S.E. students declare a year earlier than A.B. students.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Princeton says one is needed for fall 2028.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Princeton's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Princeton's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 31 October 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Princeton has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Princeton for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Compare the A.B. and B.S.E. columns on the department's page and plan the SAT or ACT.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Princeton University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Princeton University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Princeton Computer Science?
No. Princeton says students apply to the university, not to individual departments, programs or schools.
What is the difference between the A.B. and the B.S.E.?
The two have different general education requirements, course counts and declaration times; the B.S.E. declares in the spring of the first year and the A.B. in the spring of the second.
What do both degrees share?
Eight departmental courses, the COS 126, 217 and 226 prerequisites, COS 240 and four core courses.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Princeton says first-year applicants seeking to enrol in fall 2028 will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores.
How should an A-level or IB student present results?
Princeton says the academic record should include internal grades and marks from external exams such as British A-Level or the IB.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Princeton's wording with no entry-year label. Check Princeton's pages again when Princeton publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Princeton Computer Science
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, whether an A.B. or a B.S.E. suits them and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.