Education in Computer Science and Information Technology

Computer Science and IT programs in US universities are offered on all three education cycles: bachelor's, master's, and PhD. For admission, you must pass the SAT / ACT for bachelor’s or GRE / GMAT for master’s. Additionally, international students will have to provide a language certificate (IELTS / TOEFL).
Education in the United States is quite expensive. Tuition costs an average of 30,000-40,000 USD per year, and that is without living expenses. However, the abundance of the US universities in the top rankings (5 out of the 10 best universities in the world for Computer Science & Information Systems are American), the demand for programmers who graduated from US universities, and the rapid development of this field in the country (the world IT center Silicon Valley is located here) prove that it's not without a reason.

UK universities offer programs in the following areas: computer science, information networks, software engineering, artificial intelligence, medical (health) informatics. The programs offer bachelor's, master's (standard and integrated — MSci), and PhD degrees. Integrated Master's degree is a combination of bachelor's and master's degrees. It usually lasts for four years, three of which are devoted to the bachelor's degree and the last year to the master's degree. The advantages of MSci are a practical approach to the study of the subject and preparation for research activities in doctoral studies.
For admission a student usually needs to pass at least two A-Level tests and exams in certain subjects (eg, mathematics) with perfect scores as well as confirm the knowledge of English (TOEFL / IELTS). As a rule, theoretical programs require an excellent grade for A-Level mathematics, and business IT may not have specific grade requirements. The exact information should be checked on the websites of universities.

The main languages ​​of instruction in Swiss universities are French, German, and English. There are more than 46 bachelor’s programs in Computer Science. Often, Swiss universities offer internships in large international companies, and EPFL, for example, has Google and Microsoft recruiting future employees right on campus. For admission to a bachelor's degree in Switzerland, in addition to a certificate of secondary education, it is necessary to:

• Pass university entrance exams (for example, EPFL, ETHZ) or
• Study 2 years at the university in a home country, have A-Level diploma or take ECUS.

Some of the universities that offer CS and IT training in Switzerland are EPFL, ETHZ, University of Zurich, University of Basel, University of Geneva.

Bachelor's studies in the fields of Computer Science and IT at Canadian universities are available in one of three formats:

• Standard: 4 years with summer vacations;
• Co-op: combining study with paid work in local or international organizations. Typically, students receive up to 2 years of work experience upon graduation;
• Honors: an intensive study of a specialization in one area.

Admission requirements to Canadian CS and IT programs are usually as follows:

• For bachelor’s — the equivalent of 12 years of school education (except for Ontario and Quebec). It is necessary to clarify the requirements directly from universities: many accept a certificate of complete secondary from countries with 11-year secondary education system (sometimes with excellent final grades);
• For master's/doctoral studies — bachelor's/master's degree;
• Language certificate (TOEFL / IELTS).

Special attention in the certificate/diploma is paid to scores in English and mathematics/mathematical analysis.

Education in China will open up many opportunities for further employment. At least they have Shenzhen. That is a city in southern China which is called the country's IT hub — the center of startups and technological advances^[1]. Moreover, the state itself took the initiative to create the Greater Bay Area — an analogue of the Silicon Valley, as well as an integrated center of business and economy of Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and eight other cities^[2].
Chinese education in programming is recognized worldwide. According to QS ranking, 11 Chinese universities entered the top 100 Computer Science & Information Systems universities in 2020. In order to enroll in a local university, a foreigner needs to know Chinese. However, some universities offer training in English, for example, Peking University has a master's degree in programming (IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 100 is required). If you go to Hong Kong, you don't need to know Chinese. In addition, after graduation, you can stay to find work here. The city is a business center of Asia and the world.

CS and IT education in Russia can be obtained at colleges and universities. Colleges offer different programs: network and system administration, information systems and programming, information security, etc. For admission, a certificate and sometimes entrance exams are required. Upon completion of their studies, college graduates can get a job, but for low positions (intern / junior level). Employers often look specifically for candidates with higher education.

Studying in universities is more difficult, but it also provides better knowledge. The deepest and most scientific base, as a rule, is provided by programs in the following areas:

• Informatics and computer technology;
• Fundamental informatics and information technology;
• Mathematical support and administration of information systems.

Most of the remaining programs train specialists in a specific field with programming skills: applied computer science, software engineering, computational mathematics and cybernetics, business informatics, mechatronics and robotics, infocommunication technologies and communication systems, etc.

Sometimes you can find programs of a programming specialist (for example, at MSTU). They last longer (from 5 years) and prepare future specialists both theoretically and practically.