Education · 1 of 4

The most common path

There is no single required route, but this one gets the most interviews.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Take every math you can. Advanced Functions and Calculus are required for most computer science (CS) degrees. Computer science courses help but are not required.

2. 2

   Computer science or software engineering degree

   4 to 5 years with co-op

   Four years. Choose a school with co-op: Waterloo, Toronto, UBC (University of British Columbia), McGill, Concordia and many others alternate study and paid work terms.

3. 3

   Internships and side projects

   During school

   Employers care more about what you have built than your grades. A GitHub with real projects matters.

4. 4

   First job

   Final year

   New grad hiring happens in the fall for the following summer. Apply early.