12 Best Computer Science Universities in Europe

Looking for where to study computer science? I got you covered! This guide will help you navigate the best computer science universities in Europe and help you find a suitable university in Europe to study computer science.

Computer science is one of the most popular and necessary disciplines in the world today, therefore, nearly, if not all, universities across the world offer computer science programs. The discipline is also in high demand as we are in the digital/tech age and will be in a long long time. Therefore, computer science graduates, professionals, or specialists are in high demand.

Graduating from a computer science program or even getting a computer science skill like web development will put you in high demand and set you up for career success.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, nearly every university has a computer science program which can be challenging for you to find and pick a university that is right for you since there are so many options out there. Browsing through so many universities for computer science can be overwhelming even for you and it would only lead to confusion at the end which is why we have created this guide on the best computer science universities in Europe.

With the aid of this guide, you won’t just be searching aimlessly for universities with computer science programs, rather, you will have a more detailed list of the best ones where you can easily find suitable schools whose computer science programs are, not just the best in Europe, but among the best in the world.

Whether you want to pursue computer science at the undergraduate or graduate level, these computer science universities in Europe are tailored to serve your needs. And if you want to study computer science abroad, you are at the right place, with this article, you have killed two birds with one stone. We also have another guide on the best computer science universities in Canada and another on the best universities in California for computer science. These guides will help you find a suitable school abroad.

Before these universities in Europe were recognized and ranked as the best computer science universities in Europe, they went through a rigorous assessment by academic and university ranking organizations like Times Higher Education (THE), Shanghai University, Top Universities, QS World & University Rankings, and US News & World Report with their respective achievements in the field of computer science taken into account. It is from these organizations I got my research from, so the information provided here is 100% trusted.

To help you further, we also listed out the requirements on how to apply to computer science universities in the program. However, it is important to know that the requirements we have provided are just general ones and some universities may request more which may not be on our list here while other universities may need fewer requirements.

Requirements to Apply to Computer Science Universities in Europe

The requirements listed here are to get your mind ready for the things you may need and to also get you prepared. Normally, requirements vary by university, degree program type, and the specific computer science program you want. Contact your preferred institution, typically the admissions officer, to get correct and up-to-date information on the specific program you want to apply for.

The following are the basic requirements to apply to computer science universities in Europe;

1. Freshmen or applicants coming directly from high school must have offered mathematics or further math, statistics, computer science or its related subject, physics, and English language in high school.
2. Graduate applicants, that is students who want to pursue an MS or Ph.D. degree in computer science, must have completed a bachelor’s degree in computer science or its related field while a Ph.D. applicant must have completed both an undergraduate and master’s degree program.
3. International students from non-English speaking countries must take the recommended English language proficiency test and submit scores. The common tests are TOEFL, IELTS, and Pearson.
4. Graduate applicants should have the following documents in their portfolio: resume/CV, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and academic transcripts from previous institutions attended.
5. These best computer science universities in Europe are very competitive to enter, so, you may want to have an average GPA of 2.7 to 3.0 or higher.

How to Apply to Computer Science Universities in Europe

If you have selected two to three schools of your choice proceed to make contact with the school’s admissions office and prepare all necessary documents, then begin the application process. Once you have gathered all the required documents, applying is not much work to do.

All institutions have a portal or website where you can apply for your favorite degree program online and save the stress of doing it in person. This way, it is much easier and faster and you can apply to as many schools as you find suitable for your preferred academic degree program.

The best computer science universities in Europe aren’t exempted from this, they all have websites where you can apply for the computer science program whether as an undergraduate or postgraduate applicant. You will simply fill out the form and upload the required documents where and when necessary.

And that’s it. You have applied. Next is to wait for the offer of admission which can be sent to you via email or postcard.

Note that, there are some universities in Europe that charge a non-refundable application fee, and some of the best computer science universities in Europe may also charge an application fee as well. The fee varies from university to university but when you begin the application process you will find out about the application fee, how much it costs, and how to pay.

PS: Before diving into the main subject matter, read both subheadings carefully and try not to miss anything, they contain information to facilitate your admission into one of the best computer science universities in Europe.

Best Computer Science Universities in Europe

Listed below are the best computer science universities in Europe with further information on the respective schools. Let’s begin!

• The University of Oxford Department of Computer Science
• The University of Cambridge Department of Computer Science and Technology
• Technical University of Munich School of Computation, Information and Technology
• Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) School of Computer and Communication Sciences
• Imperial College London Department of Computing
• ETH Zurich Department of Computer Science
• The University of Edinburgh School of Informatics
• Delft University of Technology Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
• University College London (UCL) Department of Computer Science
• Catholic University of Leuven Department of Computer Science
• Lund University Department of Computer Science
• The University of Milan Department of Computer Science

1.      The University of Oxford Department of Computer Science

The University of Oxford is one of the world’s leading universities based in Oxford, England with a strong focus on learning, teaching, and research. It was established in 1096 – making it the world’s oldest university – as a collegiate research university. There are four academic divisions in the school which houses branches of departments providing quality education in various academic programs to undergraduate and postgraduate students from different backgrounds.

The Department of Computer Science is just one of the many departments in one of the academic divisions at the University of Oxford. The department offers three first undergraduate degree courses for fresh students that involve a substantial computer science component:

• BA or Masters in Computer Science (three or four years)
• BA or Masters in Mathematics and Computer Science (three or four years)
• BA or Masters in Computer Science and Philosophy (three or four years)

Furthermore, the department offers six full-time graduate courses leading to an MSc in Advanced Computer Science, an MSc in Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science, a Ph.D. in Computer Science (DPhil), Oxford 1+1 program, Health Data Science for doctoral training, and Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (AIMS) also for doctoral training. Two part-time graduate programs are leading to an MSc in Software Engineering and an MSc in Software and Systems Security.

The wide range and quality of computer programs offered at the University of Oxford are one of the many reasons that make it rank among the best computer science universities in Europe. Aside from this Oxford has one of the longest-established computer science departments in the country. Today it is home to a community of world-class research and teaching.

2.      The University of Cambridge Department of Computer Science and Technology

Another collegiate research institution of higher learning, the University of Cambridge, is a top-leading institution in the UK and the world. It was established in 1209 in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and has since been offering world-class academic degree programs to students at home and sundry. The institution has more than 150 departments, faculties, and other institutions organized into six schools.

The Department of Computer Science and Technology is one of the many academic departments at Cambridge and provides undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The undergraduate program in computer science is completed in three years and awards the BA honors degree and if you achieve a high standard in the third year you can stay for the fourth year and earn a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree together with a BA.

The master’s course is a one-year program that leads to an MPhil in Advanced Computer Science and there is also the three-year doctoral course for those who want to be at the frontline of research and join leading scientists to solve complex world issues.

The University of Cambridge Department of Computer Science and Technology is consistently ranked among the best computer science universities in Europe by Times Higher Education at no.6 and 7 position for the years 2023 and 2024 respectively. In addition, Cambridge was a pioneer of computer science and continues to lead its development. There are more than 1,000 specialist computing and advanced technology companies and commercial laboratories in the area (known as ‘Silicon Fen’)

3.      Technical University of Munich School of Computation, Information and Technology

The Technical University of Munich also referred to as TUM or TU Munich, is a public research university in Munich, Germany, and is ranked as one of the best computer science universities in Europe. The university has four campuses across Germany and one outside the country as well, in Singapore. The university specializes in engineering, technology, medicine, and applied and natural sciences organized into 15 schools and departments.

The university is ranked among the best computer science universities in Europe because of its top-notch Master of Science in Computational Science and Engineering (M.Sc.CSE) degree offered by the Department of Informatics. The program is full-time and the language of instruction is the English language. In addition, The Department of Computer Science at TUM is one of the largest and leading faculties for teaching Informatics in Germany.

4.      Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) School of Computer and Communication Sciences

EPFL or the Swiss Federation Institute of Technology is one of the best computer science universities in Europe based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The three missions of the institution are simple but powerful: education, research, and innovation.

Its School of Computer and Communication Sciences is a leading center in Europe for education and research in the field of computing. The School offers a bachelor’s program in Computer Science and another in Communication. Students who want to gain extensive and in-depth knowledge can enroll in any of the four master’s programs:

• Computer Science
• Communications
• Data Science
• Cyber Security

The Ph.D. students are involved in research on a broad range of topics.

5.      Imperial College London Department of Computing

The Imperial College London public research university in London and established in 1907. The world-class university aims to benefit society through excellence in science, engineering, medicine, and business. The institution houses the Department of Computing which offers research-led education in undergraduate and postgraduate courses and Ph.D. research.

The undergraduate program awards a BEng/MEng in Computing and a BEng/MEng in Joint Mathematics and Computer Science. The postgraduate courses award MSc in Computing, Advanced Computing, AI, Specialist Degrees, Integrated MRes/Ph.D., and MRes AI and Machine Learning.

Imperial College London Department of Computing is one of the best universities in Europe for computer science ranking at no. 3 in the UK and no. 11 in the world. In addition, the department is one of the largest computing departments in the UK and is a world leader in academic research in computer science.

6.      ETH Zurich Department of Computer Science

ETH Zurich was established in1854 as a public research university located in Zurich, Switzerland and its top-notch programs in computer science make it rank among the best computer science universities in Europe. The Department of Computer Science at ETH offers bachelor’s and master’s programs, summer research fellowships, exchange programs, and Ph.D.

The bachelor’s degree takes three years to complete the master’s program takes two years to complete and the Ph.D. takes 4-5 years to complete. The department is aimed at undertaking basic research, and developing reliable, efficient, and secure computer and IT solutions for use in society, industry, and science.

7.      The University of Edinburgh School of Informatics

The University of Edinburgh School of Informatics is one of the best computer science universities in Europe located in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. The university has three colleges with a total of 21 schools and the School of Informatics is one of these schools in charge of providing undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in computer science.

Prospective students who want to pursue a degree program in computer science will send their application to the School of Informatics. There are eight taught MSc programs and a wide range of Ph.D., MPhil, and MSc research programs offered by the School of Bioinformatics.

This is one of the best computer science universities in Europe consistently ranked in the top 30 in the world by THES and QS World.

8.      Delft University of Technology Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

TU Delft, as it is commonly known, is a public technical university in the Netherlands and is consistently ranked as the best university in the country. Its engineering program is also prominent in national and international ranking levels as it ranked among the top 15 in the world in 2020. The university offers bachelor, master, Ph.D., minor, exchange, honors, online, and post-academic & professional programs in a wide range of academic programs.

The university’s computer science program is one of the best in the country and Europe. The program offerings include a Bachelor of Computer Science and Engineering – which takes three years to complete – and an MSc in Computer Science – which takes 24 months to complete. The language of instruction is English.

The Delft University of Technology is one of the best computer science universities in Europe and offers a degree that is recognized anywhere in the world.

9.      University College London (UCL) Department of Computer Science

UCL Department of Computer Science was established in 1826 and ranks as one of the best computer science universities in Europe. The institution operates as a major public research university in London, United Kingdom, and is the second-largest university in the UK by total enrolment.

The UCL Computer Science is a global leader in experimental research and offers top-notch degree programs designed to recognize the importance of computer systems in commerce, industry, government, and science. There are three programs at the undergraduate level: the BSc in Computer Science – takes 3 years to complete – four-year Computer Science in MEng, and Mathematical Computation in MEng.

There’s also a wide range of postgraduate taught and research computer programs leading to MSc, MRes, and Ph.D.

10. Catholic University of Leuven Department of Computer Science

KU Leuven is a leading higher education and research university located in the city of Leuven, Belgium. The institution is one of the best computer science universities in Europe, offering a Master’s and Advanced Master’s program in computer science through its Department of Computer Science.

The master’s program encompasses the fields of informatics, computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematical engineering, and digital humanities. No undergraduate program in computer science is offered at KU Leuven, also, the master’s courses are fully taught in English.

11. Lund University Department of Computer Science

Lund University is located in Sweden and its Department of Computer Science is ranked at no.1 in the country and no. 61 in the world accosting to THE Most International Universities in the World Rankings. The department offers undergraduate and graduate level education which are taught in English languages.

If you are considering attending here as an international student, the university offers scholarships to help pay for your tuition.

12. The University of Milan Department of Computer Science

The University of Milan, Italy houses one of the best computer science departments in Italy, globally recognized for its computer science master’s program integrating both theoretical and practical elements. The department also provides bachelor programs in computer science for those who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Conclusion

Here are the best computer science universities in Europe at your fingertips and I made sure that these universities accepte international students into their computer science programs before adding them to this list, in fact, I used that as a criteria to include them here.

Now, you don’t need to look for suitable schools for computer science, they are all at your fingertips.

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