Ask HN: Go to grad school in US to study CS without an undergrad degree?

[p17b]

I was wondering if it is possible to go for grad school in the states and study CS or any other degree (if CS program not available) without an undergrad degree. I did went to undergrad in my home country and studied generic business program but never actually finished it because of my lack of interest in it and pursuing a startup during college. Now that I want to get out of my home country I want to see if it is possible to jump the hoops of going through an undergrad and straight-up enroll for a grad school. I am 27 y/o based in South Asia.

[Bostonian]

I don't think you need an undergrad degree in CS, but you may need to have some undergrad degree and the knowledge of a CS major. Here is what Georgia Tech says:

https://www.cc.gatech.edu/faq

6. I am interested in your MSCS program but I do not have a computer science degree. Can I still be considered for admission?

Yes, you will be considered for admission. We review applications holistically in order to determine applicant’s suitability. The admissions committee considers several factors when making admission decisions; academic performance at prior institutions (GPA), experience, background, GRE test scores, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation. In general, we expect students who enter the program to be very comfortable working with multiple programming languages such as C, Java, and Python (there is no provision within the program for make-up any deficiencies) and to have taken several more advanced topics, such as Advanced OS, Networking, Theory, and/or Algorithms.

7. What can I do to be competitive? What do you recommend for applicants without a CS undergraduate background?

The following is what we recommend for applicants without a strong undergraduate background in computer science:

1. Must know how to program

2. C programming (proficient)

3. Java

4. Algorithms

You can gain this knowledge through undergrad classes, MOOC, or learn it through work experience.

[p17b → Bostonian]

I am assuming they expect an applicant to have at least some sort of undergrad degree in any field any other than CS to be considered for their MSCS program. I don't have any degree yet.

[p1esk → p17b]

You’re assuming correctly. Just finish your degree. If you feel ready for masters program, finishing bachelors (either business or CS) should be easy.

[brudgers]

Generally, graduate schools require graduation. But not necessarily always. When they don't, students usually have to complete undergraduate requirements first as part of the graduate program.

Academic requirements vary by institution, department, and specific program. It's possible that someplace there is something that matches your credentials. But it's a search problem that involves looking for candidate options and contacting promising candidates for more information. Then figuring out the visa part of the equation.

[sloaken]

There is a test called the GRE (Graduate Records Exam). Many but not all require it. If you can score well on that you might have a good argument for skipping an under graduate degree.