How to Apply to Engineering at Penn State: More Than 20 Engineering Degrees, University-Level Admission and Entrance to Major at the End of the Second Year, With a 3.20 GPA for Controlled Majors at University Park, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Penn State, undergraduate engineering is offered by the College of Engineering, with the main campus at University Park and some majors available at other campuses. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Penn State’s admissions website, Undergraduate Bulletin and engineering website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Undergraduate engineering degrees

• B.S. degrees: aerospace, artificial intelligence engineering, biological, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, engineering science, environmental, industrial, mechanical, nuclear and surveying engineering, plus electrical engineering technology and electro-mechanical engineering technology; there is also a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering (B.A.E.) and an Engineering B.S. Computer science and data sciences are also in the college; computer science has its own guide on this site.
• ABET: the Bulletin says all engineering baccalaureate programs in the College of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
• Mechanical engineering, for example: at least 131 credits.

2. Admission: university first, then Entrance to Major

• When you apply: list your entry semester, intended major and starting and finishing campuses.
• Entrance to Major (ETM): the Bulletin says students generally declare their major at the end of their second year.
• Controlled majors: mechanical and aerospace engineering at University Park currently have administrative enrollment controls. For first-year students entering Summer 2026, Fall 2026 or Spring 2027, you must be enrolled in the College of Engineering or the Division of Undergraduate Studies; have 29 to 55 graded Penn State credits (excluding transfer and AP credits); earn a C or better in CHEM 110, EDSGN 100, MATH 140, MATH 141 and PHYS 211; and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20.
• An uncontrolled example: civil engineering requires the same five courses with a C or better and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.6; the Bulletin notes that a higher GPA is likely if the major comes under enrollment control.
• Other campuses: mechanical engineering at Scranton, for example, needs a 2.60 cumulative GPA.
• Fall 2027 entrants: the Bulletin read for this guide covers entry up to Spring 2027; the rules for fall 2027 entrants are not yet published.

3. Prerequisites

• High school courses: the first-year requirements page puts the College of Engineering at University Park in Category 1, which requires additional math (statistics does not count), plus two units of one world language (you can be admitted short and make it up before graduating). The unit counts are in a chart on that page that could not be read for this guide.
• Gateway courses after entry: CHEM 110, EDSGN 100, MATH 140, MATH 141 and PHYS 211 (section 2).
• AP credit: the 29 to 55 graded credits exclude AP credit; whether AP can satisfy the gateway courses is not stated on the pages read, so ask the college.

4. Deadlines and materials

• Deadline: first-year applicants have one main deadline, Early Action on 1 November. After that, review is rolling and becomes more competitive, especially at University Park. Some programs, such as the Schreyer Honors College, have earlier deadlines. The page shows no year.
• How to apply: the Common App or Penn State’s MyPennState application.
• Testing: optional unless you use the SAT or ACT to prove English. Penn State uses the highest combined score from a single test date and does not superscore.

5. US domestic applicants

• In-state and out-of-state tuition: Penn State is state-related, and tuition varies by campus, program, level and residency, set each July by the Board of Trustees. Generally you must live in Pennsylvania for non-academic reasons for a year before enrolling to count as a resident. Amounts are on the tuition website and could not be read for this guide.
• Aid: Penn State recommends that all admitted students submit the FAFSA.
• Scholarships:
  • Provost Academic Award: for first-year non-residents of Pennsylvania starting a baccalaureate degree at University Park in the fall after high school.
  • Commonwealth Award: for Pennsylvania residents starting at campuses other than University Park and World Campus.
  • Discover Award: for domestic non-residents starting at other campuses.
  • The College of Engineering also administers endowed and corporate scholarships based on major, merit, engagement and other criteria.

6. International applicants

• Minimum English: Duolingo 120; TOEFL 4.5 for tests after 21 January 2026 or 80 before; IELTS 6.5. Scores must be under two years old, and TOEFL MyBest is not accepted. US citizens and permanent residents do not need to prove English.
• Academic record: international first-year applicants complete the STARS self-reported record of all courses and grades from the last three years (except the South Korean system). Documents not in English need a certified line-by-line translation.
• Deadlines: generally the same as for domestic students; because of visa processing there are final deadlines for international students, which could not be read for this guide, so check the international deadlines page.
• Proof of funds: after accepting an offer, you must show funds for the first year and how you will pay for later years.
• Scholarships: the Provost Academic Award refers to non-residents of Pennsylvania; whether international students qualify is not stated, so ask the Office of Student Aid.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the China credentials page does not say how Gaokao results are used; ask international admissions.
• After admission: submit the transcript book (cheng ji dan) for junior year 3 and senior years 1 to 3 (dual-language is accepted, but a Chinese-only copy is strongly recommended as well) and the graduation diploma with an English translation.
• A-Levels: if you took GCSE, AS or A-Level exams, submit final certificates from all attempts; the page asks for seven strong passes including math, language, science, social science and humanities.

8. Transfer students

• Who counts: students who have attempted 18 or more college credits after high school.
• General rules: University Park four-year programs need a 2.5 GPA (2.0 at other campuses), and prerequisites need a C or better. Transferring straight to University Park requires four full-time semesters; with fewer, start at another campus.
• Engineering: not every major takes transfer students; each major’s transfer requirements are in Penn State’s majors list and were not checked one by one. Note that the graded credits for Entrance to Major exclude transfer credits.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply by 1 November with your intended engineering major and campus
• Submit the FAFSA; non-residents starting at University Park are considered for the Provost Academic Award

International applicants (including China):

• Complete STARS; prepare IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 4.5 (new scale) or Duolingo 120
• Applicants from China submit the junior 3 to senior 3 transcript book and diploma after admission; ask international admissions how the Gaokao is used

After entry:

• Pass CHEM 110, EDSGN 100, MATH 140, MATH 141 and PHYS 211; controlled majors at University Park need a 3.20 cumulative GPA

Transfer students:

• University Park needs four full-time semesters and a 2.5 GPA; check your engineering major’s transfer requirements in the majors list

Sources: Penn State, Undergraduate Bulletin: College of Engineering; Mechanical Engineering, B.S.; Aerospace Engineering, B.S.; Civil Engineering, B.S.; Engineering undergraduate; First-year application; First-year requirements; International requirements; International deadlines; Credentials: China; Transfer eligibility; Tuition and costs. Information is for fall 2027 entry; check Penn State’s website for the latest.