How to Apply to Engineering at Texas Tech University: Whitacre College Admits Only First-Years Who Meet Assured Admission, Foundational Engineering First, an eXplore STEM Route, Admission Routes and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, teaches undergraduate engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering (WCOE). Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Texas Tech’s website, for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science is also in the college; it has its own guide on this site and is not covered in detail here.

1. Programs and accreditation

• Bachelor’s degrees (college degrees page): aerospace engineering, biological systems engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, construction engineering, construction engineering technology, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial, manufacturing and systems engineering, mechanical engineering (with an aerospace concentration), mechanical engineering technology and petroleum engineering.
• ABET: the degrees page marks the bachelor’s degrees in chemical, civil, computer, construction, construction engineering technology, electrical, industrial, manufacturing and systems, mechanical (including the aerospace concentration), mechanical engineering technology and petroleum engineering as accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and computer science by the Computing Accreditation Commission. The aerospace, biological systems and environmental engineering bachelor’s degrees carry no mark; ask the departments.
• Minors include artificial intelligence, robotics and project engineering.

2. Getting into the college

• Assured admission only: the first-year admission page says all Whitacre College of Engineering majors accept only students who meet assured admission requirements; test-optional applicants are reviewed holistically for these majors.
• Assured admission (class standing plus SAT/ACT, highest section scores used):
  • top 10%: no minimum;
  • first quarter (outside the top 10%): ACT 24 or SAT 1180;
  • second quarter: ACT 26 or SAT 1240;
  • third quarter: ACT 27 or SAT 1280;
  • fourth quarter: application review.
  Holders of competitive scholarships awarded by an official Texas Tech scholarship committee are also assured admission. Transcripts without a class standing are assigned one under Texas law (SB 1543).
• Foundational Engineering: new students start in the college’s Foundational curriculum and cannot take upper-level engineering courses until it is complete. The computer science FAQ says the college allows three long semesters (most students need two) and lists ENGL 1301 and 1302, MATH 1451 and 1452, CHEM 1307/1107, PHYS 1408, ENGR 1110, 1320, 1330 and 2392. This list comes from the computer science page; confirm with the college whether other majors use exactly the same courses.
• If not admitted directly: the degrees page says students can start in Texas Tech’s eXplore STEM program and apply to the Foundational curriculum after meeting the college’s internal transfer standards. The pages read do not give those standards.

3. High school preparation

• Recommended curriculum: Texas Tech recommends the Texas Foundation curriculum at the Distinguished level (required for top 10% automatic admission): English 4 credits; math 4 credits (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and an advanced course such as precalculus, AP Statistics or engineering mathematics); science 4 credits (biology, IPC or an advanced science, plus two advanced sciences such as chemistry or physics); social studies 3 credits; and 2 credits of one foreign language.
• Engineering: the college’s pages do not list separate high school prerequisites.

4. U.S. applicants

• Applying: Common App or ApplyTexas; the fee is $75. Texas residents can apply free through ApplyTexas from 12 to 18 October as part of a statewide initiative. General admission is test-optional, and SAT/ACT, essays, recommendations and a résumé are optional, but engineering admits by the assured standards, so SAT/ACT scores directly affect entry.
• Fall 2027 deadlines: freshman priority scholarship 1 December 2026; summer and fall priority application 1 May 2027; spring 2027 priority 1 November 2026.
• 2026-2027 tuition and fees: engineering residents $13,604 (about $31,535 in total) and engineering non-residents $26,204 (about $44,135); general Texas resident tuition and fees are $11,852, so engineering costs more. Students from certain bordering counties of New Mexico and Oklahoma who obtain the waiver pay resident rates.
• Tuition waiver: non-residents awarded a competitive scholarship of $1,000 or more for the year may qualify for in-state tuition.
• Scholarships: university scholarships are awarded from the admission application, with no separate form. The Presidential Merit Scholarship (2026-2027 terms) is set by SAT/ACT and unweighted GPA, up to $9,000 a year. The engineering dean’s office donor scholarships are considered for incoming first-year and transfer students through ApplyTexas or Common App; recipients must enroll full time, keep a 3.25 GPA and reapply each year. The page lists the 2026-2027 FAFSA/TASFA state priority deadline as 15 January 2026.

5. International applicants

• Applying: Common App, ApplyTexas or the Texas Tech international application; the fee is $75. The international first-year page also says engineering accepts only students who meet assured admission.
• Documents: high school transcripts (evaluated in-house) and English proficiency; non-English transcripts need a word-for-word translation by an American Translators Association member.
• Testing: the international first-year page says the test-optional policy runs through 2025 entry and has not been updated for 2027; since engineering admits by the assured standards, confirm the 2027 policy with admissions.
• English: TOEFL iBT 79 (4.5 new scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 100, PTE 60, SAT reading and writing 500 or ACT English 21; two years of high school in an exempt country also qualify.
• Costs (2026-2027): international non-resident tuition and fees $24,451, about $42,581 in total with health insurance; $12,191 with a competitive tuition waiver. The cost page does not say which rate applies to international engineering students.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: Texas Tech does not say how the Gaokao is used. Engineering admits by class standing plus SAT/ACT; ask International Admissions how Chinese grades and class standing are assessed.
• Transcripts: evaluated in-house; Chinese transcripts need a word-for-word translation by an American Translators Association member, and notarized translations do not count.
• Testing: because engineering takes only assured-admission students, SAT/ACT preparation directly affects entry.

7. Transfer students

• University assured admission: 12–23 transferable hours with a 2.50 cumulative GPA, or 24+ hours with 2.25. With fewer than 12 hours you also send high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores.
• Engineering: a 2.75 GPA and at least 24 hours; the college notes its requirements may change and the catalog governs.
• Deadlines: spring 2027 on 1 November 2026, summer and fall on 1 May 2027 (priority); transfer scholarship priority 1 January 2027.

Checklist

U.S. applicants

• Apply by 1 December 2026 for scholarships; plan SAT/ACT scores that meet assured admission for your class standing
• Take the Distinguished-level curriculum with 4 credits each of math and science
• Finish Foundational Engineering within the college’s time limit after enrolling

International applicants (including China)

• Apply by the 1 May 2027 priority date with word-for-word transcript translations and English scores
• Prepare SAT/ACT; ask International Admissions about the Gaokao and how class standing is assessed

Transfer students

• A 2.75 GPA with at least 24 hours for engineering; apply by 1 May 2027 for fall

Sources: Texas Tech University, Engineering degrees and accreditation; Engineering undergraduate scholarships; Computer Science FAQ (Foundational Engineering); First-year admission; Important dates; 2026-2027 cost to attend; International first-year applicants; English proficiency; International transfer; Incoming freshman scholarships. Check Texas Tech’s website for the latest.