Transfer Student Admission

Many students begin their engineering studies at a Washington state community college, or another college or university.

The preferred pathway for transfer students to enter the College of Engineering is to complete all engineering program/major prerequisites and apply to the UW and the department in tandem. First you apply to the University through the UW Office of Admissions. Then, before receiving an admission decision, you apply directly to the department. Use this page to plan your transfer.

Note: The process for applying to Computer Science & Engineering is different. See CSE Transfer Students.

Topics: Planning  Deadlines  UW application  Department app  Scholarships

1. Make a transfer plan

Research majors and admission requirements

Find information about the application prerequisites and the additional lower-division coursework required for the engineering programs you are considering. While the application prerequisites are your priority courses to take, it is best to complete as much of the freshman/sophomore curriculum as possible. You can find information on required courses as follows:

• Engineering at a Glance »
  Department overviews, including degrees offered, and links to department fact sheets and websites.
• Course Schedule Planning »
  Required courses and sample four-year plans for each department.

  Note: While General Chemistry II will sometimes transfer as Chemistry 1XX, students who complete General Chemistry I & II* with accompanying lab at a Washington State Community College will satisfy the admission and graduation requirements for the CEE, ISE, MSE and ME departments.
  
  *Courses such as Chemical Concepts, Introductory Chemistry and Chemistry Prep classes will not satisfy this requirement.

• Compare majors: Required courses by department »
  Comparison of the prerequisite courses for the different engineering majors (and courses required for graduation).
• UW Equivalency Guide »
  UW's list of equivalent classes at Washington community and technical colleges.
• UW Academic Planning Worksheets »
  One worksheet for each major you are considering, to track your progress and bring to meetings with UW advisers.

Know when to apply

Having researched prerequisites and application deadlines, you’re prepared to apply to begin your engineering degree. Engineering departments accept applications and admit students to the majors at different times. Find the quarters when the departments you're interested in are accepting applications in the tables below.

International transfer students

International transfer students are only admitted for autumn quarter unless they are already in the U.S. and meet department admission requirements for bioengineering or chemical engineering. Admission to the University for spring quarter will be contingent on direct admission to either the Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering department.

Meet with your current college adviser to plan your coursework

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.

Connect with UW and Engineering advisers

• Come to a Transfer Thursday information session, offered by the UW Office of Admissions.
• Meet with engineering advisers during Thursday drop-in hours.
• Email engradv@uw.edu with general questions.
• Call (206) 543-1770 to ask a question or set up an appointment.

2. Apply to the UW

Be prepared to apply to the UW by the application deadline listed for your intended start quarter. If you miss the UW application deadline, you will not be able to apply to an engineering department. See:

• UW Office of Admissions Transfer Students
• UW application deadlines for transfer students
• Spring Quarter UW applications

Apply to the UW

3. Apply to one or more departments

You will be applying to departments before you hear back from UW Admissions about your acceptance to the UW.

• To apply to a department — except Computer Science & Engineering — submit an Engineering Department Application form to each engineering department you're applying to. Details are on the online application form.
• Computer Science & Engineering applicants, see CSE Transfer Students.
• Each department has it's own criteria for admission, but all are based on GPAs earned in prerequisite courses and application essays. For more information, contact a UW Engineering adviser at (206) 543-1770.

Apply to a Department

Scholarships
In addition to the UW student scholarships and financial aid, students intending to major in engineering are invited to apply for Engineering Scholarships.