Admission to our programme is based on selection criteria, which includes your academic performance as well as how well your background aligns with the background required for the programme. Capacity is limited and admission is very competitive, so the minimum requirements listed below does not guarantee admission:

To be admitted for Honours in Computer Science, you

• need a degree that covers our Computer Science curriculum
• must have obtained an average of at least 65% for your Computer Science modules in your final year. The yearbook lists the minimum average required to apply as 60%, but due to the number of applications we receive for the BSc Honours in CS programme, you typically require at least 65%.
• must have a strong mathematical foundation, covering both Algebra and Calculus
• must have at least 32 credits at second-year or third-year level in quantitative modules, which include any module under the following subjects: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Mathematical Statistics, Bioinformatics, and Operations Research and the modules: GIT242 Digital Photogrammetry and GIT341 Spatial Modeling (note their prerequisites)
• must have practical programming experience; our Honours degree has a strong focus on programming and it is imperative that you can program to successfully complete the Honours degree

Note, that meeting the minimum requirements means that you will be considered for selection, but does not guarantee admission.

• To register for any individual postgraduate module you need either a degree in Computer Science or must have already fulfilled all the requirements to obtain one and to receive it at the next scheduled graduation ceremony. Furthermore, the same mathematics, programming, and Computer Science background as needed for an Honours in Computer Science is required.
• The entry requirements for a Masters in Computer Science is a degree in Computer Science and an Honours degree
• The entry requirements for a Doctoral in Computer Science is a thesis-based Masters degree and a degree that covers the required Computer Science background.

The important steps are:

Step 1

This step is only for prospective Masters and Doctoral students. You need the agreement of a staff member that will supervise your Masters/Doctoral thesis. Browse through our Research pages and read more about the kind of work we do. You can also look at our staff’s publications to get an idea of the kind of topics they are interested in. If you have found an area of our research that interests you, contact the responsible staff member to discuss potential topics. It is not essential to agree on a specific topic at this stage, but it is very important to obtain the staff member’s agreement to be your supervisor. If at all possible, make an appointment for a face-to-face meeting.

Step 2

This step is for all prospective Honours, Masters, and Doctoral students. Apply by completing the application forms and uploading all the required documentation. The links are available via several pages

• the Stellenbosch University website; under the Students menu, choose Prospective Postgraduate Students. The links are available under the Application to SU menu.
• the Science Faculty website; under the What can I study? drop-down menu, click on Postgraduate Programmes. The links are available on this page as well as under the Application to SU drop-down menu.
• the Postgraduate Studies website; the links are available on this page as well as under the Application to SU drop-down menu.

The closing dates are:

• for Honours applications: the end of October, but please check the Science Faculty site for the specific date.
• for Masters and Doctoral applications: the end of September, but please check the Science Faculty site for the specific date.

The university allows students to enter as part-time students. The degree then extends over more years; the honours degree can be extended to a maximum of two years, which must be consecutive. A part-time Masters degree extends over three to four years. Generally speaking, this is a much harder alternative and requires self-discipline and dedication.

Honours students should take note of the following:

• The project has to be completed within either the first or the second year.
• You have to complete 6 semester-modules in total, but you can choose which ones to complete in which year.
• All of our modules are presented during working hours, and there is no option at the moment to attend lectures after-hours. If you have a full-time job, you will have to arrange with your employer to attend lectures.

We also welcome applications from foreign students. In addition to the application steps mentioned above, you should also contact the university’s Postgraduate Office for administrative details about studying at Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch University has many partnership agreements with foreign universities, making it easy to arrange student exchanges. Our 16 credit modules are equivalent to 8 ECTS credits, and all of the modules are presented in English.

Computer Science does not offer any direct support for students, but the university as a whole does, and of course there are many external bursaries available. The university’s portal for prospective students is a good source of information about such bursaries and up-to-date details about tuition fees. (International students should also have a look at the “Student fees and funding » Funding” section of the Postgraduate Office website.)

Most of our undergraduate modules require teaching assistants and we expect students who have completed them to get involved with at least one such module. While it will not provide enough income to support your studies, these positions can provide some supplemental income. But more than this: becoming a teaching assistant is not only a wonderful way to help the next generation of Computer Science students with their studies, but also a great opportunity to consolidate your own knowledge!

Some supervisors also have research funds available to support Masters or Doctoral students, but once again it may not necessarily provide enough income to cover all your expenses. Note that you cannot rely on this and must talk directly to the supervisor about this option.

All honours modules presented by Computer Science require:

• the four core third-year Computer Science modules,
• Mathematics and Probability Theory & Statistics (Applied Mathematics) up to first year, and
• preferably at least one of Mathematics or Applied Mathematics up to second year.

Digital Image Processing requires:

• a working knowledge of Fourier Analysis; this is covered in Applied Maths 364.

Computer vision requires:

• linear algebra; this is covered in Applied Mathematics 214 and Mathematics 214.

For information about and the application procedure for the structured MSc in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, see mlai.sun.ac.za.

If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact our post-graduate coordinator by sending an email to [email protected].