How to Apply to Engineering at Florida State University: Seven ABET-Accredited B.S. Degrees in the Joint FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Pre-Engineering First and Four Gateway Courses Before Your Major, Admission Routes and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Florida State University (FSU) teaches undergraduate engineering in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, which it runs jointly with Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee; students from both universities study engineering in the same college. The College says applicants can apply through either FAMU or FSU; this guide covers applying through FSU (FAMU’s admission requirements were not checked). Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on the official websites, for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Engineering majors

• Seven B.S. degrees: biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering. Some have options: biomedical has biomaterials and polymer, cells and bioprocess, and imaging and signal processing; chemical has chemical and chemical-materials; civil has civil and environmental engineering.
• ABET accreditation: the College’s accreditation page says all its undergraduate degree programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, including the seven B.S. degrees above, plus the civil, computer, electrical and mechanical B.S. degrees offered at the FSU Panama City campus.
• Areas of study: the majors page also lists areas such as aerospace, materials science and engineering, and systems engineering; these are not listed as separate B.S. degrees.
• Computer science: FSU’s computer science is in the College of Arts and Sciences, not engineering, and has its own guide on this site.

2. Admission: pre-engineering first, then your major

• No extra first-year requirements: the College says first-time-in-college students face no admission requirements beyond FAMU’s or FSU’s own. Admitted students are coded as pre-engineering.
• Moving into a major (2026-2027 Student Handbook):
  • an overall GPA of 2.0 or better;
  • a C- or better, from any institution, in the First-Year Engineering Laboratory (FYEL), Calculus I, Calculus II and General Physics I; intended chemical or biomedical engineering majors take General Chemistry I instead of Physics I;
  • complete FYEL by the end of the third semester (excluding summers);
  • meet the GPA and course conditions by the end of the spring semester of sophomore year.
• Repeats and dismissal: the Handbook says students who need more than two repeated attempts across the four courses, who do not complete FYEL (or get a waiver or extension) by the third semester, or who have not attempted all pre-engineering courses by the end of sophomore spring cannot continue in engineering, with “NO exceptions”. Students in conditional status can apply for an extension by completing the extra coursework in the Handbook’s Table III.
• Engineering course grades: once in a major, all engineering courses that count toward the degree need a C or better; a waiver of one D can be requested. The College does not give plus or minus grades in undergraduate engineering courses.
• Capacity: the pages and Handbook read do not mention enrollment limits for moving into a major.

3. Preparation

• High school: the College lists no separate high school math or science prerequisites; FSU’s general admission requirements apply.
• Prerequisites after enrolling: the four pre-engineering courses above. The Handbook strongly encourages pre-engineering students to see an academic advisor before enrolling in these courses.
• AP and IB credit: the College’s pages do not say which pre-engineering courses AP or IB credit can satisfy; this is not published. Ask the Office of Student Services (studentsupport@eng.famu.fsu.edu).

4. Applying and deadlines (FSU)

• Application: the Common App or FSU’s own application, either one; Early Decision applicants must use the Common App. The fee is $30 (plus a $5 Common App processing fee).
• Deadlines (the page does not state a year):
  • Early Decision (binding): domestic students only; apply by 15 October, materials by 22 October, decisions 17 December;
  • Early Action: Florida residents only; same dates;
  • Regular Decision: all students; apply by 1 December, materials by 8 December, decisions 18 February;
  • Rolling: all students; apply by 1 March, materials by 8 March, rolling decisions from April.
• Testing: first-year applicants must submit at least one SAT, ACT or CLT score, self-reported on the FSU Admissions Portal; self-reported scores in the Common App are not accepted, and February is the last test date used for admission.
• Engineering supplements: the pages read list no separate engineering essay or materials.

5. U.S. applicants

• Costs (2026-27, Tallahassee main campus undergraduates, 13 credits per term): tuition $5,604 in-state and $22,232 out-of-state, plus $50 in fees; total on-campus budgets $26,018 in-state and $43,916 out-of-state.
• Plans: domestic students can apply binding Early Decision; Early Action is for Florida residents only.
• Scholarships: with industry, donor and foundation matching funds, the College offers a limited number of scholarships and research awards to FAMU and FSU engineering students; see the College’s scholarship page and the FSU Foundation scholarships. Whether engineering carries extra fees is not stated on the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Plans: Early Decision is for domestic students and Early Action for Florida residents, so international applicants use Regular Decision or Rolling.
• Documents: after applying, fill in the International School Form, which tells FSU what else you need. Students outside the U.S. in a non-U.S.-style curriculum send official transcripts with certified English translations and a credential evaluation with a U.S. GPA equivalent, ideally from a NACES member; IB, A-Level and U.S.-style-graded schools can request a waiver.
• English (official scores within two years for non-native speakers): TOEFL 80 for tests before 21 January 2026, or 4.0 on the new scale after; IELTS 6.5; PTE 55; Duolingo 125; Cambridge C1/C2 180.
• Costs and aid: budget at the out-of-state rate above. Whether international students can receive need-based aid or College of Engineering scholarships is not stated; ask FSU’s financial aid office and the College.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: FSU has not published a Gaokao policy.
• Transcripts: follow the international process; after the International School Form, the system lists what you need, and non-U.S. curricula need a credential evaluation. FSU publishes nothing specific about Chinese high school transcripts or Huikao results; ask the admissions office.
• Testing: the SAT, ACT or CLT is required here too.

8. Transfer students

• Engineering criteria (since spring 2019): a C- or better on the first attempt of Calculus I, Calculus II, General Physics I (General Chemistry I for chemical and biomedical) and the Pre-Engineering Lab at any institution; a single repeat is allowed in only one of the four. Students with a repeat must finish all pre-engineering courses (except the lab) before transferring.
• Students with many credits: those who will have an AA or more than 60 transfer hours before enrolling must have completed at least Calculus I; the College prefers AA transfers to have most pre-engineering courses done.
• Two statements: the Handbook says students who need more than two repeated attempts across the four courses cannot continue in engineering, and that these requirements also apply to students transferring in; the transfer page allows a single repeat in only one of the four. Both are listed here; confirm with the College.
• FSU transfer: deadlines 1 June for fall and 1 October for spring; at least 12 transferable credits, with at least 3 credits each of English composition and math at C or better; FSU says few applicants below a 3.0 college GPA are admitted. Coursework from universities abroad needs a course-by-course evaluation.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Choose Early Decision (domestic), Early Action (Florida residents), Regular or Rolling
• Submit the SAT, ACT or CLT, self-reported on the FSU portal
• After enrolling, take Calculus I and II, Physics I (or Chemistry I) and the engineering lab early, each with a C- or better

International applicants (including China):

• Apply by 1 December (Regular) or 1 March (Rolling)
• Submit the SAT, ACT or CLT; TOEFL 4.0 (new scale), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 125 or higher
• Complete the International School Form and send translations and a credential evaluation as required

Transfer students:

• Fall deadline 1 June; C- or better on the first attempt of the four pre-engineering courses, with only one repeat allowed
• With more than 60 hours or an AA, complete at least Calculus I

Sources: Florida State University and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Undergraduate admissions requirements; Undergraduate majors; ABET accreditation; 2026-2027 Undergraduate Student Handbook; Engineering transfer students; Undergraduate funding; FSU first-year application and deadlines; International first-year applicants; English requirements; International FAQ; International transfer; Transfer application; 2026-27 cost estimates. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures); check the official websites for updates.