Computer requirements & recommendations

The MEDS program requires all students to have a personal laptop to use during the program. Our curriculum is designed to work across different operating systems and computers, as long as they meet some minimum requirements.

Specifically, your computer should:

• be no more than 4 years old, and in any case be fully supported by the manufacturer. For example, Apple won’t repair anything that’s more than 7 years old
  
• be running Windows, macOS or Linux. (Please note that we offer limited support for Linux)
  
• have at least 50 GB storage space available for MEDS applications and coursework
  
• have at least 8 GB of RAM (the more the better!)
  
• have a 64-bit CPU

If you have a Mac, be sure to update macOS to the newest supported version, as indicated by System Preferences→Software Update.

If you have a PC, you should have Windows 10 installed but if you don’t, you can purchase Windows 10 Education for $14.99 from UCSB.

New Computers

If you are purchasing a new computer, we recommend:

• at least 16 GB of RAM
• at least 512 GB of SSD (not “disk”!) storage
• the manucafturer’s extended warranty or service plan (e.g., AppleCare+).

If you are trying to decide between Mac and Windows we would recommend a Mac, but if you purchase or already have a Windows PC, don’t worry that will be just fine as long as it meets our minimum requirements.

You can purchase a Macbook Air using the higher education discount for $899 before tax and AppleCare. A PC can cost anywhere from $500 to more than $3,000; you generally get what you pay for.

Loaner equipment

If your computer breaks or dies, we can usually loan you a Windows laptop for up to a month, which should be long enough to have your computer repaired or buy a new one.

Home setup

At home you may want to have a dedicated computer setup that includes an external monitor (or 2!), keyboard, and mouse. A stable at-home Wifi connection is necessary for completing work remotely (i.e. off-campus).