Course requirements Deadlines Advising appointments Apply Scholarships
Transfer students are an important part of our community. The key to a successful application is to plan, complete the required coursework and pay close attention to the deadlines. Use this page to help you prepare. We look forward to learning more about your unique experiences and perspectives.
Transfer admission statistics
Approximately, each year
51% of transfer applicants are offered admission into an engineering major.
20% of those earning a bachelor’s degree started at the UW as a transfer student.
1. Prepare your transfer plan
Research majors and their admission requirements
Familiarize yourself with application prerequisites and the foundational coursework required by the engineering majors you are considering. While you should prioritize completing prerequisite courses, you should aim to complete as much of the freshman/sophomore curriculum as possible.
Resources to help you explore our majors and their admission requirements
- Explore UW Engineering
An overview of our departments, information on degrees offered, research, fact sheets and more. - Compare required courses by major
Comparison of the prerequisite courses for the different 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
Use these worksheets to track your progress (one for each major you are applying to) and bring to meetings with UW advisers.
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.
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. Be proactive to ensure that you are taking prerequesite courses so you will be ready come application time.
2. Know your application deadlines
You will need to apply to the UW and the majors you are interested in pursuing simultaneously. Engineering departments accept applications and admit students to the majors at different times. Keep these different deadlines in mind as you prepare to apply to both the UW and the majors.
International transfer students are only admitted for autumn quarter unless you are already in the U.S. and meet department admission requirements for bioengineering or chemical engineering, in which case you are welcome to apply for admission in the spring.
Timeline: applying for spring admission
Majors admitting for spring start: Bioengineering, Bioresource Science & Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Computer Engineering
Nov. 1
UW application opens
Dec. 15
UW deadline
Early Jan.
Engineering application opens
Jan. 15
Engineering deadline
5 P.M. PST
Mid Feb.
Admissions decisions announced
Timeline: applying for fall admission
Majors admitting for fall start: Aeronautics & Astronautics, Bioresource Science & Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Human Centered Design & Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
Dec. 15
UW application opens
Feb. 15
UW deadline
March 24
Engineering application opens
April 5
Engineering deadline
Early May
Admission decisions announced
3. Connect with us
If you have a general question about the College and its departments, email us or call (206) 543-1770 to ask a question or set up an appointment. Both in-person and virtual advising options are available.
Transfer Thursday sessions: every Thursday 3-4 p.m. PST
Prospective transfer students can meet representatives from the College of Engineering every Thursday to learn more about the transfer process. This drop-in advising hour with the engineering advisers takes place following the UW-wide Transfer Thursday session. Some individual engineering departments also hold Transfer Thursday drop-in hours (see below), that are separate from the College of Engineering drop-in hour. During these sessions, you can ask questions more specific to the departments and majors of your interest.
Connect with specific Engineering departments
| Department | Appointment types | How to book appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Aeronautics & Astronautics | Students must attend a UW Transfer Thursday information session before requesting an advising appointment. |
206-616-1115 |
| Bioengineering | Every Thursday during autumn quarter 3-4 pm. other appointment times also available. | |
| Bioresource Science and Engineering | Zoom information session/meeting Thursdays 2:30-4pm (may come in and out at any time during this period). Registration required – see “How to Book Appointment” | |
| Chemical Engineering | Every Thursday during autumn quarter 1-4 pm. Other appointment times also available. | |
| Civil & Environmental Engineering | Every Thursday during autumn quarter 3-4 pm. Other appointment times also available. | |
| Computer Science & Engineering | Information sessions for transfer students available. | |
| Electrical & Computer Engineering | Every Thursday during autumn quarter 2-4 pm except on the 2nd Thursday of the month when we do a virtual info session 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. |
Book drop-in appointment or register for an information session |
| Human Centered Design & Engineering | Available by appointment on Thursdays (in-person or virtual) | |
| Industrial & Systems Engineering | Available by appointment on Thursdays. Other appointment times also available. | |
| Materials Science & Engineering | Thursday same-day appointments available. | |
| Mechanical Engineering | Every Thursday during autumn quarter 3-4 pm. |
4. Apply to the UW and majors of interest
Apply to the UW
Prepare 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 major.
UW applicationApply to engineering majors
You will be applying to engineering majors before you receive an admission decision from UW Admissions.
- Submit an Engineering application for each engineering major you are applying to. Instructions and further details can be found on the online application form.
Scholarship opportunities
In addition to the UW student scholarships and financial aid, we encourage you to also apply for our Engineering scholarships. You can start this process once the scholarship application is open.
Engineering department advisers can also provide you with information about scholarship opportunities for specific majors. For example, the NSF-SSTEM program awards low-income transfer students from a Washington state community college who are pursuing materials-intensive engineering degrees (ChemE, MSE and MechE) with around $5,700 a year (renewable for up to two years).
Scholarship opportunities for transfer students are also available through the UW and partner organizations.