How to apply for engineering at Iowa State University: choose any of 15 majors on admission or start in Undeclared Engineering, finish the Basic Program with a 2.00 GPA before 2000-level engineering courses; admission routes and prerequisites for domestic, international (including Chinese) and transfer students

Engineering degrees at Iowa State University in Ames are offered by the College of Engineering. This guide covers U.S. domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. Computer science sits in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and has its own guide on this site.

1. Engineering majors

• 15 majors: aerospace, agricultural, biological systems, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, construction, cyber security, electrical, environmental, industrial, materials, mechanical and software engineering, plus Undeclared Engineering.
• ABET: the 2026-2027 catalog says 14 programs are accredited by the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission: aerospace, agricultural, biological systems, chemical, civil, computer, construction, cyber security, electrical, environmental, industrial, materials, mechanical and software. That catalog section does not list biomedical engineering.
• Other options: many majors offer concurrent BS/MS, BS/MEng or BS/MBA degrees; industrial, materials and mechanical engineering have accelerated paths that can be finished in three years.
• Co-op: the college strongly encourages co-op or internships; the catalog says co-op students generally need an extra semester.

2. Admission: pick a major, then the Basic Program

• No admission by major: Iowa State says it does not make admission decisions by major. The college says that once admitted to Iowa State and the College of Engineering you can choose any of the 15 majors, with no year-long pre-engineering program.
• Undeclared Engineering: if you are unsure, choose Undeclared. All engineering majors share the same first-year general education and introductory courses, so it does not delay you; more than 200 students join the Engineering Exploratory learning community each year, with dedicated advisors.
• Basic Program: the common foundation, usually completed in year one: Calculus I and II (MATH 1650, 1660), engineering chemistry (CHEM 1670 or equivalent), Physics I with lab (PHYS 2310, 2310L), Critical Thinking and Communication (ENGL 1500, C or better), Engineering Orientation (ENGR 1010), an engineering computation lab (ENGR 1600 or a department equivalent) and a library research course.
• Before 2000-level engineering courses: a Basic Program GPA of at least 2.00 and an Iowa State cumulative GPA of at least 2.00. Students who have not met this may take 2000-level engineering courses for no more than two semesters. Transfer courses used in the Basic Program need a C or better but are not counted in the Basic Program GPA.
• Graduation: at least a 2.00 GPA in a department-designated Core of 2000-level and above courses (no fewer than 24 credits).

3. High school preparation

• University minimum: 4 years of English; 3 years of math (one year each of algebra, geometry and advanced algebra); 3 years of science (at least two of biology, chemistry and physics, one year each); 2 years of social studies.
• Engineering adds: 2 years of a single world language. The catalog says students without it must meet the requirement by graduation.
• Engineering recommends: 4 years of math including trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus or advanced math; 4 years of science including biology, chemistry, physics and a lab, with one full year of chemistry strongly recommended; 3 years of social studies.
• Trigonometry: before Calculus I you must show trigonometry proficiency through test scores, college trigonometry credit or MATH 1430 (Preparation for Calculus). Math, English and chemistry placement generally follows high school preparation and test scores, with placement assessments at orientation.
• Prior credit: up to 60 credits of prior learning can count, of which no more than 32 may come from credit by exam (AP and others); check Iowa State’s credit-by-exam site for scores. The college suggests focusing college-level courses in high school on Basic Program math, science and English.

4. U.S. domestic students

• RAI: U.S. first-year applicants are admitted on the Regent Admission Index: ACT composite (or converted SAT or CLT) × 3 + cumulative GPA × 30 + years of high school core courses × 5. An RAI of at least 245 with the minimum course requirements brings an automatic offer; applicants below 245 who meet the course requirements may be reviewed individually.
• Test-optional: without ACT/SAT/CLT, admission is based on GPA and core courses. Fall 2026 to summer 2027 applicants may submit CLT scores, but they are not used in the RAI.
• Applying: use Iowa State’s application or the Common App. The first-year pages we read do not state the fee; check the application system.
• 2026-2027 tuition (full time, fall and spring): $9,816 for Iowa residents and $29,864 for non-residents, plus $1,586 in fees; on-campus housing and food is $11,162.
• Higher engineering tuition: the tuition overview says all College of Engineering majors are charged a higher, cost-of-instruction rate from sophomore year; use the university’s tuition rate tool for the amount. New students who earned college credit in high school are not charged the higher rate until they meet their program’s minimum semester requirement.
• Engineering first-year scholarships (fall 2027): a high school GPA of 3.6 or higher is required to apply in OneApp, which opens 15 September 2026; the deadline is 5 January 2027 (11:59 pm Central). Awards are based on essays (600 words maximum each), not on test scores or financial need; around 50–60% of applicants receive an offer. Amounts: $2,500 a year for Iowa residents and $5,500 a year for domestic non-Iowa residents. Renewal for year two requires staying in engineering, a fall 2027 cumulative GPA of 2.7 and reapplying. You must accept your admission offer by 1 May 2027.

5. International students

• Grades: a high school GPA equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, with 4 years of English (or native language), 3 years of science (at least two years of lab science in biology, chemistry or physics), 3 years of math including algebra and geometry, and 2 years of social studies. The engineering world-language requirement also applies (section 3).
• SAT/ACT: not required, but an SAT of 1200+ or ACT of 25+ automatically meets the 3.0 GPA requirement.
• Documents: English test results, transcripts from all high schools or universities attended, a passport copy and proof of funds of $52,000 for the first year (most majors). Scans are fine for review; official documents are needed after admission.
• Applying: rolling admission through Iowa State’s application or the Common App; the fee is $65.
• English: TOEFL 71 (17 in speaking and writing) or, from 21 January 2026, the new TOEFL 4.0 (no section below 3.5); IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each band); Duolingo 105; PTE 48. SAT Reading and Writing 460 or ACT English 19 also qualify.
• 2026-2027 costs: international tuition $31,962, fees $1,586, on-campus housing and food $11,162; the required university medical insurance is extra. The higher engineering rate from sophomore year also applies.
• Scholarships: Iowa State’s international first-year scholarships are limited and based on SAT/ACT and high school results: a higher tier of $5,000–10,000 a year (up to $40,000 in total) and a lower tier of $2,000–4,000 a year (up to $16,000 in total), applied for separately in OneApp, with a priority deadline of 15 February and a final deadline of 1 May for fall entry. The engineering scholarship page lists amounts only for U.S. students; Iowa State does not say whether international students are eligible, so ask the college (engineering@iastate.edu).

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and Chinese grades: country-specific requirements are hosted on a third-party file service that we did not open, so whether the Gaokao is used and how Chinese grades convert to a GPA are not published on the pages we could check; ask admissions@iastate.edu.
• SAT/ACT as a backup: an SAT of 1200 or ACT of 25 automatically meets the GPA requirement, which Iowa State says helps students whose school-leaving results arrive late.
• Transcripts: send transcripts from every high school attended, with certified English translations if they are not in English.
• Exam credit: Iowa State publishes AP, IB and A-Level (including GAC) credit guides; we did not check which engineering Basic Program courses they cover.

7. Transfer students

• No separate engineering admission: transfer students who meet Iowa State’s standards can start engineering straight away. Generally that means a transfer GPA of 2.25 and at least 24 academic credits; SAT/ACT are not required. With fewer than 24 credits, a high school transcript may be needed to confirm the world-language requirement.
• Credit: up to 65 credits from two-year schools and unlimited credits from four-year schools; courses used in an engineering degree need a C or better, and P/NP or S/U courses are not applied. If a transferred physics or chemistry course had no lab, you can take just the lab at Iowa State. The last 32 credits must be taken at Iowa State.
• Timing: rolling admission for fall or spring, with most students entering in fall; scholarship and housing deadlines make applying 6–12 months ahead advisable, according to the college. Community college transfer plans are available from the transfer coordinator.
• International transfer: a cumulative transferable GPA of at least 2.25, or 2.0 with a U.S. associate degree. Iowa State says most Chinese institutions’ credits are multiplied by 0.70 and rounded up.

8. Checklist

• Complete two years of one world language; take math to pre-calculus or calculus and both chemistry and physics
• U.S. students: estimate your RAI; for engineering scholarships, have a 3.6 GPA and submit OneApp essays by 5 January 2027
• International students: show a 3.0 GPA (or SAT 1200 / ACT 25), English scores and $52,000 in funds
• Applicants from China: ask admissions how the Gaokao and Chinese grades are used
• Finish the Basic Program in year one with both GPAs at 2.00 or above

Sources: Iowa State University, Undergraduate engineering majors; Undeclared engineering; High school course requirements; 2026-2027 Catalog: College of Engineering; Transfer students; Transfer student FAQs; Engineering first-year scholarships; Apply; First-year requirements; International first-year requirements; English proficiency; International merit scholarships; International transfer requirements; 2026-2027 undergraduate cost of attendance; Tuition overview. Application pages do not state an entry year; engineering scholarships are for fall 2027 entry and costs are 2026-2027 estimates. Check Iowa State for the latest details.