How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Notre Dame: University Admission With an Engineering Intent, First-Year Engineering Before Choosing a Major, Four Years of Math Plus Physics and Chemistry, and Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Chinese, Canadian and Transfer Students

The University of Notre Dame, in Indiana, offers undergraduate engineering through its College of Engineering. First-year students are admitted to the university and indicate an intended major; those interested in engineering join the First-Year Engineering program and choose a major by the end of the first year. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Notre Dame’s official websites, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Majors

• Undergraduate majors (College of Engineering “All Undergraduate Programs” page, by department):
  • Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering: aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering;
  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: chemical engineering;
  • Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences: civil engineering, environmental engineering, environmental earth sciences;
  • Computer Science and Engineering: computer engineering, computer science (this site has a separate guide to Notre Dame computer science);
  • Electrical Engineering: electrical engineering.
• Five-year dual degrees: Arts and Letters/Engineering, MBA/Engineering and Science/Engineering.
• The college also offers minors in engineering, the Integrated Engineering and Business Practices program and the NAE Grand Challenges Scholars Program.

2. Admission route: First-Year Engineering, then a major

• University admission: you indicate an intended major in engineering on the application; you are admitted to the university, not to a specific engineering major.
• First-Year Engineering: the college says first-year students who indicate an interest in engineering join the First-Year Engineering program, a two-semester course sequence focused on discernment, and make a decision about their major by the end of the first year. It includes hands-on activities, alumni and student panels and lab tours across the disciplines. First-Year Engineering students have more than 20 hours of drop-in help each week.
• Entering a major: once you declare, you are assigned an engineering academic advisor. The pages we read do not state a GPA threshold or capacity limit for choosing a major; ask the First-Year Engineering office.
• Changing into engineering from another college: the college’s policies list a “change major into the College of Engineering” process, done in consultation with your advisor and the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies; detailed conditions are not given on that page.

3. High school prerequisites

• University minimum (international application information page): 4 units of English, 3 of mathematics (algebra I, algebra II and geometry; 4 preferred), 2 of a foreign language (3–4 preferred), 2 of science (4 preferred) and 2 of history/social science (3–4 preferred).
• Extra requirements for engineering intents (admissions FAQs):
  • 4 units of math are required, including an advanced math course (precalculus or calculus);
  • a unit of chemistry is required;
  • all engineering majors also require a unit of physics.

4. Application rounds and testing

• Restrictive Early Action (REA): 1 November, decisions in mid-December (admit, deny or defer to Regular Decision). You may also apply to other schools’ Early Decision II. Notre Dame says REA suits students for whom Notre Dame is a top choice and who can submit their strongest application by 1 November.
• Regular Decision (RD): 4 January, decisions in mid- to late March.
• Testing: SAT/ACT are optional for the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry), for first-year and transfer applicants; Notre Dame will require the SAT or ACT again from the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry).
• Students outside the U.S. in the IB Diploma, A-Levels (3+) or the French Baccalaureate may submit predicted scores in place of SAT/ACT results.
• Materials: Common App or Coalition, an official high school transcript and a teacher evaluation from a core subject. Notre Dame does not offer alumni or on-campus interviews and encourages students who want to further show English proficiency to interview with InitialView or Vericant.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Prerequisites: take math through precalculus or calculus (four units in total), plus chemistry and physics.
• Gaokao: Notre Dame does not explain how Gaokao results are used; not published.
• English (required if English is not your first language; strongly recommended scores):
  • TOEFL iBT: 100 overall with at least 25 in Speaking on the pre-February 2026 scale, or a 5.5 average with no section below 5.0 on the updated scale;
  • IELTS 7.5; Duolingo 125;
  • the English test is waived with SAT ERW 650+ or ACT English or Reading 26+.
• The TOEFL Special Home Edition is not accepted; scores must come from the testing agency.

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

• Notre Dame does not publish separate requirements for Canadian or BC curricula; the international requirements apply, including the engineering math and science requirements. How specific BC courses (such as Pre-Calculus 12, Physics 12 and Chemistry 12) map onto these is not published.
• Notre Dame’s international page groups Canada under “Canada, Europe, and the Middle East”.
• IB and A-Level students may submit predicted scores in place of SAT/ACT.

7. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 average cost: tuition $69,280, required fees $514, housing and food $18,992, books $1,250, personal $1,200 and travel $750, about $91,986 in total.
• Need-blind for international students: Notre Dame practises need-blind admission for all students, including international applicants, and meets 100% of demonstrated need with scholarships rather than university loans. International applicants requesting need-based aid submit the CSS Profile.
• Merit scholarships: all international students are considered, and most do not require a separate application.

8. Transfer

• Deadlines: spring 2027 entry, 1 October 2026; fall 2027 entry, 15 March 2027.
• Eligibility: at least 24 transferable credits and a full year at an accredited institution (dual-enrolment courses do not count), with a B or higher in the courses required by your intended college.
• College of Engineering transfer requirements:
  • apply to a specific major within the college; once admitted to a major, changes are not typically granted;
  • complete in the first year: Calculus I, Calculus II, Chemistry I (with lab), calculus-based Physics I (with lab) and Writing and Rhetoric or Composition; credit by examination can satisfy some of these;
  • first-year engineering students take two Introduction to Engineering courses, which two rigorous technical electives can replace;
  • mechanical and aerospace, chemical and biomolecular, and environmental earth sciences intents also need Chemistry II (no lab required); civil, electrical, computer science and computer engineering intents need a rigorous science technical elective (no lab required);
  • first-year coursework that closely mirrors Notre Dame’s is more competitive; the college does not favour substituting sophomore courses for first-year requirements.
• Mechanical and aerospace transfer places, two statements: the engineering transfer page says these majors are “traditionally not open to transfer students”, while the admissions transfer page says majors such as mechanical and aerospace engineering have “very limited availability”. Both are given here; check with admissions before applying for either major.
• AP credit (engineering exceptions on the transfer courses page): AP Chemistry 5 for General Chemistry I; AP Physics C: Mechanics 5 for Physics I (with lab); AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism 5 for Physics II (with lab).
• Transfer decisions consider space in the intended major; you can list an alternate intended major on the application.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China

• Apply by 1 November (REA) or 4 January (RD) with an engineering intended major
• Take four years of math including precalculus or calculus, plus chemistry and physics
• TOEFL 100 (5.5 new scale), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 125; SAT/ACT optional for 2027 entry and required from 2028 entry
• Submit the CSS Profile if you need aid

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• International requirements apply; engineering intents need four years of math plus physics and chemistry; IB and A-Level students can use predicted scores in place of SAT/ACT

Transfer students

• Fall 15 March, spring 1 October; at least 24 credits and a full year of college; two semesters of calculus, Chemistry I and Physics I with labs, and writing, with B or higher; confirm transfer space for mechanical and aerospace with admissions

Sources: University of Notre Dame, College of Engineering undergraduate programs; Advising and academic support (First-Year Engineering); Engineering processes and policies; Restrictive Early Action and Regular Decision; International applicants; International application information and English requirements; Application FAQs (high school course requirements); Transfer applicants; Transfer courses required; College of Engineering transfer requirements; Aid and affordability; Costs. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 rates). Check Notre Dame for the latest details.