How to Apply to Engineering at Rutgers–New Brunswick: Apply to the School of Engineering, Take the Common First-Year Curriculum Before Choosing a Major, Four Years of Math Plus Physics and Chemistry, and Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Chinese, Canadian and Transfer Students

At Rutgers University–New Brunswick, undergraduate engineering is offered by the School of Engineering (SoE). You apply directly to the SoE; all first-year engineering students take the same common curriculum and declare a major at the end of their second semester. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Rutgers’ official websites, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Majors

• Major list (SoE “Majors and Areas of Study” page): aerospace engineering, applied sciences in engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and packaging engineering. The SoE says aerospace engineering is the only aerospace degree at a public university in New Jersey.
• Two counts of majors: the SoE admissions page says “10 engineering majors”, while the majors page lists the 11 undergraduate majors above; the “Energy Systems Engineering” entry on the same page describes a master’s program. Check with the SoE for the current list.
• Honors: the Honors College at Engineering is run jointly with the Rutgers–New Brunswick Honors College; the first-year engineering design sequence counts as the Honors College mission course.
• Computer science sits in the School of Arts and Sciences, not the SoE, and has its own guide on this site; engineering students can add computer science as a second major or minor.

2. Admission route: a common first year, then a major

• Apply to the SoE: everyone uses the Rutgers–New Brunswick application and chooses the School of Engineering. The SoE admissions page says first-year students explore all the majors before declaring.
• Common first-year curriculum (SoE curriculum page, about 35 credits):
  • Fall: Introduction to Data-Driven Design for Engineering Applications I (ID3EA I, 2 credits), General Chemistry I for Engineers, Introduction to Experimentation, College Writing, Calculus I, Analytical Physics I and a humanities/social science elective;
  • Spring: ID3EA II, General Chemistry II for Engineers, Calculus II, Analytical Physics IB, Engineering Mechanics: Statics and a humanities/social science elective.
  • The page notes that General Chemistry II is not required for electrical and computer engineering, nor, from the Class of 2030, for aerospace, civil, industrial or mechanical engineering, where it can count as a technical elective.
• When you choose a major: all first-year students declare a major in the spring semester and register for fall sophomore courses with their chosen department. The curriculum page does not state a GPA threshold or capacity limit for declaring, and the pages we read do not say what happens if a major is full; ask the SoE.
• Moving into the SoE from another Rutgers school: current students use the School-to-School Transfer application, open 1 February to 1 June for fall and 1 October to 1 December for spring.

3. High school prerequisites

• SoE entrance requirements (same for U.S. and international applicants, 16 academic courses): four years of English; no foreign language required; four years of math including algebra I, geometry, algebra II and precalculus or higher; one year of physics and one year of chemistry; six other academic courses (computer programming recommended).
• The SoE recommends calculus in senior year if you finish precalculus before then.
• Other factors: the quality of your program, SAT/ACT scores (the SoE requirements page still says “standardized tests optional for 2023 applicants”, an outdated note; the admissions office’s current policy is test-optional), class standing and extracurricular activities.
• Admitted student profile (admissions office, middle 50% of students regularly admitted to the SoE for fall 2026): SAT 1400–1520 (math 720–790, ERW 680–750), ACT 32–35, high school GPA 3.8–4.3, high school class percentile 80–95.
• Applications (admissions office, first-year class of 2025): 17,296 applications to the SoE and an entering class of 1,140.

4. Application rounds and deadlines (fall 2027 entry)

• Early Action (non-binding): 1 November 2026, decisions by 31 January 2027, reply by 1 May.
• Regular Decision: 1 December 2026, decisions by 28 February 2027.
• Apply by 1 December at the latest to be considered for honors and merit scholarships. After the deadlines, schools that are still open accept rolling applications; whether the SoE is still open depends on the application system.
• The first-year application fee for Rutgers–New Brunswick is $70.

5. Students at high schools in China

• English test required (New Brunswick minimums): TOEFL 79 for tests taken through 21 January 2026, or 4.5 on the new scale from 22 January 2026; IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, PTE 53, Michigan English Test 56, Cambridge B2; or SAT ERW 550 or ACT English 21. Scores must be within two years and sent by the testing agency.
• Transcripts: self-report courses and grades in STARS and send official documents on enrolment; non-English documents need a professional translation.
• Gaokao: the admissions office does not say how Gaokao scores are used; not published.
• Prerequisites: check them against the SoE requirements above; you need physics and chemistry, and math through precalculus.
• Cooperative programs (2+2, 3+1, 3+2): the SoE has agreements in selected majors with partner universities, including South China University of Technology and Beijing University of Chemical Technology. They are for university students who have completed two or three years of foundation courses at their home institution and apply as transfer students; they are not a route for high school students.

6. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• The same deadlines apply. Rutgers does not publish requirements for Canadian or BC curricula; check your courses against the SoE’s 16-course requirement, especially four years of math through precalculus plus physics and chemistry. How specific BC courses (such as Pre-Calculus 12, Physics 12 and Chemistry 12) map onto these is not published; ask international admissions.
• Students at English-medium schools can email international admissions to request an English test waiver, reviewed case by case.

7. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 Rutgers–New Brunswick, non-New Jersey residents: tuition $36,831, fees $4,008, food and housing $21,943, on-campus total $62,782. The admissions office notes that these figures use School of Arts and Sciences rates and vary by school; check the university’s school-specific tuition table for the SoE.
• F-1 and J-1 students pay out-of-state tuition plus at least a $500 SEVIS administration fee, medical insurance, health services fees and other costs.
• International scholarships: admitted international students are automatically reviewed for Rutgers International Scholarships, which are limited; apply by 1 December.
• SoE scholarships: the SoE’s endowed scholarships are for continuing students only; first-year and new transfer students can apply after one full-time semester in an engineering major. U.S. residents and international students may apply, each year, and awards are not automatically renewed. The portal for 2027-28 reopens on 5 April 2027.
• University merit scholarships (awarded by admissions at entry) are renewed for SoE students who take at least 12 credits each semester, keep pace with the four-year curriculum and hold a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher (3.5 for the Presidential Scholarship).

8. Transfer

• Deadline: external transfers for fall apply by 1 February 2027 (decisions by 15 April) through the Rutgers application; the admissions office reviews applications.
• SoE transfer requirements (SoE transfer page):
  • at least 24 college credits by the expected semester of entry and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 (“among other requirements”);
  • Calculus I and II (4 credits each), calculus-based Physics I and Chemistry I;
  • AP credit must come with AP scores of 4 or 5; credit from placement or proficiency exams, including CLEP, does not count;
  • no D or F grades in key courses (math, physics, other sciences and engineering).
• Credit: courses equivalent to Rutgers courses at accredited institutions generally transfer with a C or better. New Jersey community college students can check equivalencies on NJTransfer.org.
• Numbers: the SoE says it admits an average of 260+ transfer students a year (2019–2023 data); the admissions office reports 1,260 transfer applications to the SoE in 2025 and 161 enrolled. The middle 50% college GPA of transfers admitted to the SoE for fall 2026 was 3.5–3.9.
• The SoE holds virtual drop-in advising for prospective transfers from 14 September to 18 December 2026, Mondays 2–3 pm and Fridays 3–4 pm (U.S. Eastern time).

Checklist

Students at high schools in China

• Choose the School of Engineering; apply by 1 November (Early Action) or 1 December (Regular), and no later than 1 December for scholarships
• Take four years of math through precalculus (ideally calculus in senior year), physics and chemistry
• TOEFL 4.5 new scale (or 79), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115; SAT/ACT optional
• Take the common first-year curriculum and declare a major in the spring

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• Same deadlines; check math, physics and chemistry against the SoE’s 16-course requirement; English-medium students can request a waiver

Transfer students

• Fall deadline 1 February; at least 24 credits and a 2.75 GPA; Calculus I and II, calculus-based Physics I and Chemistry I, with no D or F in key courses

Sources: Rutgers University, School of Engineering undergraduate admissions; SoE admissions requirements; SoE majors; Engineering curriculum (first-year common curriculum); Honors College at Engineering; Cooperative programs for international students; SoE transfer admissions; SoE transfer guidelines; SoE scholarships; How we make decisions and admissions profile; Rutgers–New Brunswick dates and deadlines; Required credentials for international applicants; 2026-27 tuition and fees. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 rates). Check Rutgers for the latest details.