Computer Science 2025

[W0tnow]

My son is interested in CS for 2025 entry. We're kind of new to this as my oldest applied to medicine, which is pretty straightforward in terms of course selection.

My question is, given most of the universities have multiple CS courses (Bachelors, masters, placement year abroad, study year abroad, with AI, with Cyber security etc) is the general idea/advice to apply to just one (say the bachelor or masters) and then switch at some point (i guess depending on grades?) if you want to do some sort of placement or year abroad or masters? Otherwise you could use up all 5 of your choices at one university which seems a bit bonkers?

Thanks!

We're just starting our research into unis now, but it looks like in a lot of places it's possible to enter on a BSc and then switch into the placement/year abroad scheme at the end of first year, grades permitting. Additionally, it seems possible to decline the placement/ya if need be or if circumstances change.

Some programs seem to offer a sort of general first year where students do a little bit of everything (some AI, some security, some game design, some software engineering, etc), and then they switch into a specialist stream if they so choose. Others sell their programs as specialist from the very beginning; AI students study AI in depth from year one. Whichever is right will just depend in your DC and how certain they are about the path they want to take.

Some unis have higher grades to do the integrated masters so bear that in mind. Try to work out now whether your DC wants to do a bachelor's or masters and apply for that. You can email admissions to check but they are usually allowed to swap onto a masters from a bachelor's as long as they are getting good enough grades.
They they need to decide if they want a year in industry, but again I think it is easy to change your mind once you are there. Not everyone gets a placement either, so then they go straight into the third year.
Only apply to one course pet university unless it would be impossible to swap, in which case you can apply to two.
If unsure, apply for 3 year bachelor then swap once at uni if they want to add on a placement/masters.
Alternatively, if it's quite likely they would want the 5 year course, apply for that they they can always not do the placement/masters.
Of note, once you graduate and are job hunting, it really helps to have work experience. The placement year gives this opportunity and so they have an actual job on their CV when they graduate, which is really useful. I would recommend it if they want to go into a computing career.
Remember that CS is VERY competitive at the top 4-5 unis but there are lots of other excellent unis that do great courses that shouldn't be overlooked. Try to apply to a mixture as they are stories of people applying to the top 5 and getting no offers. Many companies do blind recruitment anyway so they don't know what uni you went to.
Does your DC do maths and FM at A-level?

@SavetheNHS That is helpful thank you. I’m starting to realise the competitive nature of CS, having read about lots of disappointed 3 or even 4 x A star school leavers. So we may skip the likes of Durham/Warwick/Bath when it comes time to apply.

My son is doing maths, FM, and CS.

He’s toyed with doing a course with a focus on Cyber Security or AI but I think has decided to keep it broad to keep options open. That said, the computer science with Mathematics courses have piqued his interest.

Thanks again.

If he's doing maths and FM I would suggest he considers choosing a course that requires maths. That's what my DC did, so they knew there would be maths content in the course (which is what they wanted). Your DS sounds as if they like maths too and I would agree that they should also look at joint CS/maths in that case.

My ds is in the first year of a CS degree. He applied for BSc with placement year at 5 different unis. They all seemed flexible on moving between course with placement and without and of course they may not secure a placement so have to swap. The placement year is definitely a good idea to gain work experience. Yes CS is very competitive what grades has he been getting so far?

@CousinGreg55 He’s due to get his first set of ‘real’ exams back shortly for maths and FM. At this point he is looking at (he thinks) A star maths, A or A star FM, And A for CS. I was thinking that he should apply for courses with a range of A star AA to AAB? We are wondering if he should do the MAT exam, not to apply for oxbridge, but to shore up his application? I think some universities (Southampton for example) look favourably on a solid entrance exam result, even if they don’t necessarily require it.

They are great results if he does get them, it's difficult to know where to apply until you actually get final predictions. Southampton are one of the few unis that don't do a placement year for the BSc Ithink they do for Msc. DS did get an offer from Southampton with 3 x A star predictions (though didn't get anywhere near his predictions).

I think your DS should have a look at Bath with those predicted grades - he could have it as an aspirational choice. For 2023 admissions the standard offer was A star A A, that’s gone up to A star A star A for 2024.

I haven’t heard about Southampton looking favourably on a MAT test for comp sci - my DC got an offer last year based on maths, comp sci and physics A levels - A star A A / A star A star B (maths had to be A star). No MAT.

Also worth taking a look at the CyberFirst bursary scheme:

https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/cyberfirst.html

@SabrinaThwaite I saw the MAT thing here.. it’s for the CS and Maths degree https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/mathematics-with-computer-science-degree-bsc#entry. Does your son like Southampton?

Thanks so much for the scheme info, that absolutely looks worth exploring.

@W0tnow Thats the Maths with Comp Sci degree, not the straight Comp Sci degree though (which has a higher typical offer). No requirement for STEP / MAT / TMUA for Comp Sci.

My DC decided to take a year out to work and travel - has reapplied for 2024 entry with grades in hand but for MEng / MSci courses rather than the BEng / BSc.

"I’m starting to realise the competitive nature of CS, having read about lots of disappointed 3 or even 4 x A star school leavers. So we may skip the likes of Durham/Warwick/Bath when it comes time to apply."

It isn't all about A level grades, personal statements go a long way to showing interest in a subject. Ds is doing CS at Durham, yes he was 4 A stars at A level including fm but he loved CS from year 10. Alongside the usual coding he developed an interest in Cyber Security specifically Ethical Hacking, there are lots of things online to feed into what you love. TED talks on youtube, guest lecturers on youtube talking at top universities, podcasts, basic tests that walk you through things like security so look for "challenges" talk to his teacher, get info from them about what past students may have done, he read news articles with headlines about companies being hacked and their data held hostage. He attended local DevOPs Meet Ups (google for your local area, you can see how it works in real businesses) did a summer course at a uni in the summer of year 12 (look into that) and so he could show not what he loved but why he liked certain elements of it.

None of this was actually for his personal statement he did this for himself but made notes on everything he attended/read/listened to and what he got from it, where it led to, what he enjoyed, what he found challenging. Both Ds1 and Ds2 (not going to study CS) spent their summer of year 12 learning the coding language for the NEA for A level for fun, it meant when they came to create the game in year 13 it was a walk in the park compared to those learning it from scratch.

Addressing his grades now, if he does get an A why is it an A what can he do to get it up to an A star? What was he missing on his papers? Learn from that, the higher the grades the more choice in uni applications. If he hasn't already, Craig n Dave on Youtube cover A level and every exam board. Best of luck to him.

Would also recommend learning to code, if your DS isn’t already into that. Python is a good place to start.

My DS is 3rd year comp Sci at Southampton - he loves it. Currently living back at home as on a work placement year. He’ll go back in September for final year. He did choose an integrated masters, but says if the company he’s working for offer him a job he will take it and not do the masters year.

please do holler if you have any questions!

I know this is an old thread, but just thought I’d bump. 5 CS applications are in. One of them Southampton @Lara53 Anyone else? Also Durham and Bath which may be a long shot despite 3 A star predicted.

Mine has gone to Birmingham and is enjoying it. Decided against Bath on the basis of not liking the city, although the uni campus is lovely.

Is University of Surrey any good for CS, they do a placement year on the BSc and the employment statistics on graduation look v good.

@jennylamb1 As is being discussed on a HE thread, students apply for the placement year. They have become really difficult to get and if you look at the other thread, multiple applications are being made. If any student thinks placements are sorted by the uni, think again. It’s multiple applications because, essentially, it’s a job and hugely competitive.

@TizerorFizz do you mean multiple applications to the same uni? As in one application for a 3 year course and another fir a 4 year with the inclusion of a placement year? Do you mind linking the thread? Thanks

She means multiple applications applying for placement year jobs.
My ds is going CS and is applying for placements. He hasn't got one yet and it is very time consuming

Ahh I see. Thanks.

@W0tnow Yes. I did mean applying for numerous placements and not getting one and the time it takes. Unis make it appear they have placements ready and waiting, like a school work experience portfolio. They don’t. They give advice on applying. They might have a few links with industry, but nowhere near enough. So I’m just saying be careful about taking this option. There can also be several stages to go through, assessment days in term time and lots of rejections which can leave students feeling deflated. Applications are done in y2 and will be running alongside uni modules that count towards the degree. Although placements can be valuable, so can working in the holidays. So it’s important to weigh everything up.

When applying for degree courses: aim for 2 of the best dc can get to is usually the best advice. Then add two dc should definitely be ok for and one if it goes pear shaped! CS is hugely competitive, so choose wisely and go for integrated masters if he can. When on the bachelors courses, there’s usually the option to upgrade to integrated masters though. So keep this in mind. Is that a better option than trying to get a placement?

Im sorry but im no good at links. It’s on the HE thread.

@TizerorFizz thanks for you detailed answer. It was as expected. He’s applied for bachelors with a view to upgrading. He’s also applied for CS with Math rather than pure CS with the view that he may be able to throw the net a little wider when applying for placement/grad jobs. Anyway, fingers crossed!

My DS has also applied for maths with CS and also has A A A predictions. 5 offers in now, going to offer holder day at Birmingham at the beginning of March. Currently Lancaster is his favourite.

Congratulations to your son! Which other universities did he apply to?

We avoided those requiring specific additional exams or further maths A level (he's doing further maths AS as an extra).

Applied to Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Lancaster and Birmingham.