Admissions

From your first campus visit to your graduation day, the College of Engineering puts you on a path toward a dynamic career.

Whether you envision yourself as an entrepreneur, a game developer, a CEO of a major company or a researcher working on the cure for cancer, we can help you realize that vision.

Opportunities are endless in the College of Engineering. Our students take classes and work in labs alongside internationally recognized engineers and computer scientists. They travel the world, designing clean water and sanitation systems in underdeveloped countries and experiencing entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley.

NC State engineering students work with doctors and veterinarians to find ways to treat disease or help an amputee have a better life. They study life-sized structures to improve our bridges and highways, find ways to innovative manufacturing, and develop new methods for mitigating and preventing environmental hazards.

Name your passion, and you can find it in one of our 18 undergraduate programs. Engineering at NC State integrates classroom learning, research and hands-on experience, and our graduates emerge with the skills they need to succeed.

And they put those skills to good use.

First Year Admissions

Application review is holistic in nature. However, a student’s high school academic record, including grade point average (weighted and unweighted) and class rank, receives significant emphasis in engineering admissions decisions.

Students who have taken and performed well in advanced courses, particularly in math, chemistry, and physics, are best prepared for the academic rigor of the College and are more competitive in the admissions process. Also considered are standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) as well as extracurricular activities and leadership experiences. The typical first-year student admitted to the College has an unweighted grade point average ranging from 3.8 – 4.0. Many engineering first-year students were in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. For the most recent year in which test scores were required for admissions (2019), the middle 50 percent of incoming first-years had SAT scores in the 1340-1450 range and ACT scores in the 30-33 range.

For complete information on the admissions process, including deadlines and other requirements, see NC State’s Undergraduate Admissions. Be sure to read about application deadlines and notification dates.

Engineering First Year Program

All first-year students are admitted to the Engineering First Year Program (EFY). Students who know which engineering major they plan to pursue may indicate it on the admissions application as their intended major; their advisor will be a faculty member from that department during the first year. Students who are undecided on an intended major will be admitted as “undecided” to the Engineering First Year Program; their first-year advisor will be in the College’s Academic Affairs office. Please note that indication of an intended major on the admissions application has no effect whatsoever on admissions decisions. Students must successfully complete English composition, calculus, chemistry, physics and introductory engineering and computer courses before joining an academic department. EFY students also begin their General Education Program (GEP) electives (PDF).

Graduate Admissions

The College of Engineering offers a comprehensive range of doctoral and master’s degrees. Admission to graduate study in engineering is granted by the Graduate School. Committees in each College of Engineering department review applications sent to them from the Graduate School and make recommendations for admittance.

Graduate Application

The Graduate School requires that those wishing to apply complete an online application. Only online applications are accepted.

Prospective students apply for specific degree programs and date of enrollment. Some degree programs have requirements and deadlines of their own. Listed below are the Graduate School deadlines, but please contact individual departments for possible deadline variations.

Applications and all supporting documents must be received by the Graduate School or program deadline, whichever is earlier (see also tuition, fees and support in Graduate Academics).

International students are encouraged to apply but must supply additional information.

	Fall	Spr	Sum 1	Sum 2
U.S. Citizens:	Jun 25	Nov 25	Mar 25	May 10
Internationals:	Mar 1	Jul 15	Dec 15	Dec 15

Advanced Opportunities for Grad Students

Research is at the core of our engineering mission at NC State, and our 3,300-plus graduate students are the heart of that research.

We’re consistently among the top colleges nationally in annual research expenditures, and those funds support studies that address society’s grand challenges. We’re leading the search for sustainable energy sources, using big data and nanotechnology to improve human health, engineering a more secure world and creating tools to improve quality of life.

Join a master’s or doctoral engineering program at NC State, and you’ll work alongside world-leading researchers. Among our 300-plus tenured and tenure-track faculty members are 18 members of the National Academy of Engineering with one a member of all three National Academies, three winners of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and three members of the Inventors Hall of Fame. Our faculty members lead two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), and NC State is one of only two universities leading multiple ERCs.

Those faculty experts drive graduate engineering on campus and online. Engineering Online, our nationally ranked distance education program, offers master’s degrees and certificate programs in engineering and computer science.

Distance Education Graduate Degrees

The College also offers distance education graduate degrees through its Engineering Online (EOL) program for engineers, computer scientists and technical professionals who are unable to participate in on-campus programs.

Transfer Admissions

Every year, more than 25 percent of the students receiving a degree in engineering and computer science at NC State University are students who began their education at another institution. They come from community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and from institutions in foreign countries. Transfer students are a valuable part of the College of Engineering and NC State University. We appreciate your interest in pursuing a career in engineering or computer science at NC State, and we are ready to help you accomplish your goal!

Engineering and computer science are professions filled with opportunities, challenges and rewards. Selecting the tabs below will answer many of your questions about transferring to the College of Engineering.

Engineering/Computer Science Transfer Admission Requirements

Review the transfer admission recommendations for engineering and computer science before applying. The numbered list below contains the minimum recommendations to be considered for transfer into the College of Engineering at NC State.

Since transfer admissions into the College are very competitive, meeting the minimum recommendations only guarantees that a transfer application may be considered; it does not guarantee admission. As such, the minimum recommendations listed here should be used as a baseline.

Minimum Recommendations

Important notes: 

• The NC State University course number is written in parentheses for your reference. A course taken at another institution must be equivalent to the exact NC State course and completed with a grade of C- or better.
• If NC State courses are taken, the overall NC State GPA must be at least 2.0. Core courses (chemistry, calculus, and physics), also known as C-wall courses, require at least a C.

1. 30 credit hours or more of transferable college-level courses
2. Minimum 4 credit hours of English composition, 4 credits (ENG 101) One or more English composition (ENG 1**) courses may be combined to fulfill the requirement (total > 4 credits).
3. College chemistry course with lab, 4 credits (CH 101 and CH 102)
4. Calculus I, 4 credits (MA 141)
5. Calculus II, 4 credits (MA 241)
6. Calculus-based Physics I with lab, 4 credits (PY 205 and PY 206)

Recommendations for Competitive Applicants

• Minimum 2.5 math GPA on last two math courses at MA 141 level or higher
• 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA^†

^†Competitive applicants for most programs will have cumulative GPAs ≥ 3.0. Due to high demand, some programs are more competitive and preference is given to applicants with higher GPAs. In some cases, applicants with a 3.0 ≤ GPA < 3.5 may increase their competitiveness with strong performances in additional, technical coursework (e.g., Calculus III, Physics II, Engineering Statics, Chemistry II, Organic Chemistry, etc.). To select the appropriate courses, refer to your intended NC State engineering degree requirements.

• Please note that students interested in computer science who already hold a bachelor’s degree in any field other than computer science or computer engineering should pursue the Computer Programming Certificate (CPC). After completing the CPC, students should consult a CSC departmental advisor regarding the possibility of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science at NC State. 

Apply to Transfer

Once you meet the transfer admission minimum recommendations, you are ready to apply to NC State’s College of Engineering. The College of Engineering accepts applications primarily for fall transfer.  Fall transfer applicants should complete any final transfer recommendations by the end of the spring semester prior to transfer.  A small number of highly competitive students for whom it would be beneficial with respect to time to graduation will be considered for spring transfer.  Competitive spring transfer applicants will exceed all recommendations listed above, having more transferable courses and a very high GPA’s.  No spring transfer applicant with transfer recommendation courses in progress will be considered for admission.  Application information (deadlines, how to submit transcripts, application, etc.) can be found at NC State Admissions.

Select an item below for more information.