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Prospective Transfer Students

Many students choose to begin their engineering studies at a Washington state community college, or at an out-of-state institution, and then transfer to the UW. Below are some tips to make the process as smooth as possible.

On this page: Plan ahead, Apply to UW, Apply to engineering, Application deadlines, Scholarships, Bridge to campus life

Planning Your Community College Course Work

• Familiarize yourself with the application prerequisites and the other freshman and sophomore course work for the engineering programs you are considering. While the application prerequisites are your priority courses, it is best to complete as much of the freshman/sophomore curriculum as possible. Information on required courses can be found at the following locations:
  • Engineering department sites
  • Sample four-year plans
• Review the UW Equivalency Guide to identify equivalent classes at your college.
• Find out the application quarters for the engineering programs you are considering. All engineering programs admit students for autumn quarter. Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering also admit students for spring quarter. Students interested in Bioengineering should visit the Bioengineering site for information on transfer strategies.
• Meet with your community college adviser to plan your course work. Many of the courses you will need are part of sequences, and since some courses will be offered only certain quarters, it is critical to know the timing of the course offerings at your college.
• Meet with an adviser in the UW Engineering Advising and Diversity Center (EADC):
  • Call (206) 543-1770 to set up an appointment.
  • Come to a Transfer Thursday information session, offered by the UW Office of Admissions. Engineering advisers are available on a drop-in basis. No appointment is necessary.

  If it is difficult for you to make it to the UW, connecting with an EADC adviser through a phone appointment is also an option.

Applying to the University of Washington and to an Engineering Program

Transfer students typically apply to the UW after completing engineering admission requirements. If, however, you are a transfer student and have not yet completed these courses, you can be admitted to the UW as a pre-engineering major, particularly if prerequisite courses are not offered at your other school. Once you meet the prerequisites, you can apply to one or more engineering departments.

Application deadlines vary for general UW admission and admission to engineering departments. Therefore, you need to complete two applications at two different times to gain admission to one of the engineering departments. In some cases, the general University of Washington application will be due several months before the engineering department application is available.

Please contact an adviser if you have questions about the timing of your applications, or about any other application requirements.

Step 1: Apply to the University of Washington

The University of Washington application deadlines are as follows:

Quarter	Transfer Students/ Post Baccalaureates	International Students (Not US Citizens/Not Refugees)
Autumn	February 15	January 15
Winter	September 15	No admissions
Spring	December 15	No admissions
Summer	February 15	January 15

To find out more about applying to the UW, see UW Office of Admissions. To request an application, call the application request line at (206) 543-5150.

Step 2: Apply to Engineering Department(s)

Once you have completed the prerequisite courses for one or more engineering programs, you can apply for admission to those programs. If you plan to apply to more than one department, be sure to meet with an adviser to create a course plan that will meet the prerequisites for all your chosen departments.

To apply to one or more departments, submit an Engineering Department Application form and unofficial transcripts to each of your chosen engineering departments. Most departments accept electronic versions of your transcripts through an online submission form. Details are on the online application form.

If you need assistance with the application, please contact an adviser in the Engineering Advising & Diversity Center Office at (206) 543-1770.

Transfer applicants are considered at the same time as applicants who are UW students. The criteria by which applicants are judged vary from department to department, but are based in part on the GPA earned in prerequisite courses. For more information, contact an adviser in the Engineering Advising & Diversity Center Office at (206) 543-1770.

Application Deadlines by Quarter

Quarter	Due Date	Departments Admitting during the Quarter
Autumn	July 1	All departments.
Winter	See advisor	Paper Science & Engineering only.
Spring	February 1	Bioengineering, Computer Science, Electrical, Industrial, Materials Science, Paper Science, Technical Communication The following departments DO NOT ADMIT students Spring Quarter: Aeronautics and Astronautics, Civil & Environmental, Chemical, and Mechanical Engineering.
Summer		No departments admit students during summer quarter.

Note that the engineering department application deadline is significantly later that the UW deadline (July 1 versus February 15 for autumn). The online application for engineering departments is opened in early to mid-June for autumn application and early to mid-January for spring application.

Engineering Scholarships

In addition to the general student scholarships and financial aid offered by the University of Washington, students intending to major in engineering are invited to apply for College of Engineering scholarships. See Engineering Scholarships for the common application form and additional details.

Bridge Week for Incoming Students

Bridge is a one-week residential experience for incoming first year or transfer engineering students planning to major in engineering. Usually held in the first part of August on the UW Seattle Campus, students live in a UW Residence Hall. Learn more about the Bridge program.

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