How to apply to San José State University for engineering: Davidson College of Engineering orders applicants by major, adds math GPA to the freshman index, and reviews change-of-major requests by space, with admission routes and prerequisites for domestic, international (including China) and transfer applicants

San José State University (SJSU) is part of the California State University (CSU) system. Undergraduate engineering is taught by the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering. This guide covers fall 2027 entry for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfers, based on SJSU’s website.

1. Undergraduate programs

• B.S. degrees: Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical, Materials, Civil, Computer, Software, Electrical, Interdisciplinary, Industrial and Systems, and Mechanical Engineering; the college also offers B.S. degrees in Aviation and Engineering Technology.
• Minors: aerospace, bioengineering, materials science and engineering, green engineering, engineering management, statistical quality engineering, robotics and others.
• Accreditation: the engineering pages we read do not list ABET status by program; this guide did not check it. See each department’s site or the catalog.
• Co-op: an engineering co-op is full-time paid work (35–40 hours a week) for one semester plus the adjacent summer, 5–6 months in total; students who want part-time work while studying are pointed to internships instead.

2. Admission: ordered by major

• Impaction: every SJSU major is impacted, so meeting CSU minimums does not guarantee admission. First-year applicants are ordered within the major they choose and admitted to fill its capacity.
• Index: SAT/ACT scores are not considered for fall 2027. The index is 800 × A-G GPA, plus 200 points for local applicants (Santa Clara County high schools) and 40 points each for a Cal State Apply fee waiver, military status or first-generation status. Engineering applicants also get 400 × math GPA.
• Past cut-offs (fall 2025 freshmen): Computer Engineering 4920; Electrical and Mechanical 4800; Software 4500; Aerospace 4320; Civil 4200; Aviation 3420; Biomedical 3360; Chemical, Materials, Industrial and Systems, Interdisciplinary and the two engineering technology options 3000; Undeclared 2000. Aerospace, Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical and Software had no room for alternate-major admits that year. Cut-offs change each year.
• Missing your first choice: if you meet the Undeclared threshold but not your first choice, you may be admitted Undeclared and then apply to change into your intended major.
• Alternate major: you must list one; it is used only if space remains after first-choice admits. You cannot change majors during the application process.

3. Changing into engineering after enrolling

• Who it covers: both students moving between engineering majors and students coming from other colleges (policy effective fall 2017).
• Under 60 units: an SJSU GPA of 2.0 or higher; a cumulative GPA that meets the major’s current impaction GPA; and minimum grades in that major’s foundational courses (listed in the college’s change-of-major guidelines). You apply separately to each department.
• Cycles: fall cycle December 1 – January 1; spring cycle May 1 – June 1. Departments notify in mid-January or mid-July, and admitted students must respond within 48 hours. Computer and Software Engineering run their own application pages and timelines.
• No guarantee: meeting minimums does not guarantee admission. Students with 90 or more units cannot change majors without special permission from the associate dean; students with 60+ units should contact the major advisor.

4. Prerequisites

• The engineering freshman page does not list separate high-school physics or chemistry requirements; the index does weight your math GPA. See SJSU’s freshman requirements for A-G subjects.
• Which AP/IB credits count toward engineering courses is not stated on the pages we read.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Applying: through Cal State Apply ($70 fee); submissions open October 1, 2026, and the deadline for U.S. first-year and transfer applicants is November 30, 2026.
• Local preference: graduates of Santa Clara County high schools, and transfers who earn most of their units at colleges in Santa Clara or Santa Cruz County, get a boost in the ordering.
• Fees (fall 2026, per semester): full-time undergraduate mandatory fees total $4,776.50, including $3,419 tuition. Non-California residents pay an extra $471 per unit. The fee page we read lists no engineering differential.
• Engineering scholarships: the college runs several undergraduate scholarships, such as the Ching Family Scholarship for engineering freshmen and the Dean’s Student Scholarship, through its undergraduate scholarship application; continuing students also use the Spartan Scholarship Application. Amounts are not shown on the pages we read.

6. International applicants

• Deadlines: international (F-1) first-year applicants apply on Cal State Apply by April 1, 2027, submit in-progress transcripts by March 23 and complete international documents by May 2.
• Grades: non-residents, including international students, need at least a 3.0 GPA to be considered.
• English: engineering majors require more than other majors: TOEFL iBT new scale 4 (80 on the old scale), IELTS 6.5 or PTE 53. Three years of full-time study where English is the main language of instruction can waive testing.
• Costs: SJSU estimates $51,978 for 2027-28 (tuition and fees $21,915, living $27,813, insurance $2,250) at non-resident rates; the I-20 requires proof of first-year costs. Whether international students can receive engineering scholarships is not stated.

7. Applicants from China

• First-year applicants who studied outside the U.S. for two or more years need a 3.0 GPA (or B average), three years of college-prep math and four years of college-prep English with grades of C or better, and official transcripts.
• Whether or how the Gaokao is used is not published; ask admissions@sjsu.edu.
• How Chinese high-school math grades are converted for the engineering math GPA is not published.

8. Transfer applicants

• Basics: domestic transfers are upper-division only, with 60 transferable semester units; oral communication, written communication, critical thinking and college math or quantitative reasoning, each at C- or better; and a 2.00 transferable GPA. Transfers are ordered by the GPA they self-report in the required SJSU supplemental application (due January 24 for fall 2027).
• Required before admission (finished by the end of spring, not summer):
  • Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical, Materials, Civil, Industrial and Systems, Interdisciplinary and Mechanical Engineering: Calculus I (Math 30), Calculus II (Math 31) and Physics 50;
  • Computer Engineering: CMPE/EE 30; Software Engineering: Calculus I and II.
• Supplemental courses add preference, e.g. Mechanical: Chem 1A, CE 95, Math 32, Phys 51; Electrical: Chem 1A, Math 32, Phys 51 and EE or CMPE 30 (C/C++ strongly recommended); Software: CS/SE 46A, 46B and Math 42, or an AS-T in Computer Science.
• Transfers who miss their first choice but meet the Undeclared threshold may be admitted Undeclared and then apply to change major.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Submit on Cal State Apply between October 1 and November 30, 2026, choosing a specific engineering major and an alternate
• Math grades feed directly into the engineering index; Santa Clara County graduates get a local boost

International applicants (including China):

• Apply by April 1, 2027 with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• For engineering, prepare TOEFL new 4, IELTS 6.5 or PTE 53
• Complete international documents and proof of funds by May 2

Transfers:

• Earn 60 units and finish your major’s required courses (usually Calculus I, II and physics) by the end of spring
• Submit the SJSU supplemental application by January 24

Sources: San José State University, Davidson College of Engineering; Undergraduate programs; Engineering freshman admission requirements; Engineering transfer admission requirements; Impaction; Fall 2025 freshman impaction results; Engineering change of major policy; Change of major below 60 units; Engineering scholarships; Co-operative education; Fall 2026 registration fees; Admission deadlines; Coursework outside the U.S.; English proficiency; International financial documents; Transfer CSU eligibility. Information is for fall 2027 entry (admission thresholds are from earlier cycles). Check SJSU’s website for the latest.