How to apply to the University of Nevada, Reno for engineering: admission to the university first, entry as an undeclared engineering student, then a specific major once you qualify for Calculus 1, with routes and prerequisites for U.S., international (including Chinese) and transfer students

At the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), undergraduate engineering is offered by the College of Engineering. Below is what the university’s website says, for U.S. students, international students and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. It is based on pages read in October 2026; admission dates are for fall 2027 entry.

1. Engineering majors

• B.S. majors: the college’s degree list includes aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer science and engineering, electrical, environmental, industrial, materials science and mechanical engineering, plus engineering physics (B.S.). The college home page says “nine engineering disciplines”, while the list shows a few more, so check the website. Computer science and engineering has its own guide on this site and is not covered in detail here.
• Also listed: computational linguistics (B.S.), minors, accelerated B.S./M.S. programs and an accelerated B.S./MBA.
• ABET: the only accreditation page we read is the computer science and engineering department’s, which says the B.S. is accredited by ABET’s Engineering and Computing Accreditation Commissions. We did not read accreditation pages for the other majors; the information is not published in the pages we read, so check each department.
• No general engineering degree: the college says it does not offer a general engineering degree, and students need to choose a specific major to make progress toward graduation.

2. Admission route: university first, then declare a major

• At application: students are admitted under the university’s general first-year standards (section 3); the pages do not describe separate review by major. The new-student page says all incoming engineering students enter as undeclared engineering with a sub-plan in the major they want.
• Declaring a specific major: every engineering degree starts with MATH 181 (Calculus 1), and students must be enrolled in Calculus 1 before they can declare a specific engineering major. To graduate in four years, plan to take MATH 181 in the fall of the first year.
• Who can take Calculus 1 (any one): ACT 28 or higher; SAT Math 650 or higher; ALEKS score of 76 or higher; AP Calculus AB or BC with 3, 4 or 5; IB HL Math 5 or higher.
• If not eligible: the academic policies page says only students eligible for MATH 181 (shown through placement tests) may enter specific majors; others enter pre-engineering and must be admissible to a major within four regular semesters (fall and spring). Preparatory courses such as MATH 126E, 126 and 127 should be taken in the summer before the first year. The college suggests contacting an engineering advisor (coenadvising@unr.edu) and either studying for ALEKS to reach 76 or taking prerequisites over the summer.
• Inconsistent terms: the new-student page calls students not yet in calculus “undeclared engineering”, while the policies page calls them “pre-engineering”. We give both; ask an advisor how you would be classified.
• Staying in the college: keep an engineering GPA of at least 2.0. Students below 2.0 are put on program probation at the end of a fall or spring semester; those still below 2.0 after the second probation semester are dismissed from the college. Students who cannot progress from pre-engineering within four semesters are also removed, and may appeal for reinstatement after one year.
• Repeats: non-repeatable courses can be taken twice; a third time needs an advisor’s permission. For required courses counted in the engineering GPA, failing a third attempt means appealing to the chair for a fourth; if denied, the student cannot continue in that major.
• Capacity limits: the pages we read do not mention enrollment caps or guaranteed entry for any engineering major; ask the advising office at (775) 682-7721.
• Changing into engineering from another college: not described in the pages we read; ask an engineering advisor.

3. Prerequisites and first-year application

• University high school requirements (first-year): 4 units of English, 3 of math (Algebra I or higher), 3 of natural science and 3 of social science, with a weighted core-course GPA of at least 3.0. The page adds that most admitted students take more math and science than the minimum.
• College of Engineering recommendations: four units of math (including trigonometry and precalculus), three units of science including physics and chemistry, and half a year of computer programming; AP classes in calculus and science are particularly valuable. The prospective-student page recommends math throughout high school and, ideally, AP or dual-credit calculus in the senior year; students without calculus can submit ACT or SAT math scores for placement or take the university’s ALEKS PPL assessment.
• AP/IB credit toward engineering courses: the pages we read only say AP Calculus 3+ and IB HL Math 5+ qualify you for Calculus 1; which engineering requirements the credit replaces is not published in these pages, so check the catalog and the registrar.
• Materials: online application, an official high school transcript (with eighth-semester grades and graduation date), immunization records. SAT/ACT are optional for admission but are required for most first-year scholarships and can help with placement (codes: SAT 4844, ACT 2494). No essay or interview is required; recommendation letters are not mentioned.
• Application fee: none for domestic applicants; $95 for international applicants.
• Dates (fall 2027): application opens 1 August 2026; Early Action deadline 15 November 2026, which does not require a commitment; housing application opens 15 November; submit everything by 15 February 2027 for the most aid and scholarships and for first-choice housing; final application deadline 7 April 2027; pay the deposit and complete the questionnaire by 15 June 2027 to keep scholarship offers. For spring 2027 the final deadline is 15 December 2026.
• If your GPA is short: the website says you may be offered admission to a Nevada System of Higher Education community college and apply to UNR after 24 transferable semester credits with a 2.5 GPA.

4. U.S. students: costs and scholarships

• 2026-2027 tuition and fees (30 credits, before aid, excluding housing and meals): Nevada resident freshman $11,079 ($9,383 base tuition plus $1,696 mandatory fees); out-of-state freshman $31,268 (including $20,189 non-resident tuition); Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE, WICHE-state residents) $15,770; Pack Exchange Program (PEP) $20,462. The university does not publish an engineering tuition surcharge on these pages; they only say other fees may include special course or differential fees. Check the tuition and fees rate table or the estimator.
• Nevada resident freshman scholarships (up to four years, for fall 2027 full-time first-time bachelor’s students, per year): Presidential $10,000, Provost $5,000, Nevada Scholars $3,000, Pack Pride $2,000, Alphie $1,500, Luna $750, set by a matrix of unweighted GPA and ACT/SAT scores (the page says ACT or SAT is required). Transfer students are not eligible for these renewable awards.
• Out-of-state WICHE residents: WUE saves about $16,000 or more a year, with up to $10,000 a year more in four-year merit scholarships.
• Other out-of-state (non-WICHE) residents: residents of the 34 states the page lists may receive stackable awards: the Tahoe Award, $10,000 a year (unweighted GPA 3.0+, ACT/SAT or placement scores on file, considered automatically), plus a $2,000 Honors Award for Honors College students, up to $12,000 a year for up to four years for freshmen.
• College of Engineering scholarships: $250 to $4,500; most are for juniors, seniors and graduate students, and freshmen are advised to contact the financial aid office. The committee reviews applications from May. Students complete the scholarship application in MyNEVADA and, for need-based awards, the FAFSA (school code 002568) by 1 February.
• Co-op: the engineering pages we read do not describe a co-op program; this is not published in those pages, though the college has a careers and internships page.

5. International students

• Grades and courses: a 3.0 academic GPA on a 4.0 scale; 4 units of native language, 3 of math (Algebra 1 or higher), 3 of natural science and 3 of social science. The page notes that exceptions or special admission may be available for other academic paths.
• Testing: the international page says SAT or ACT scores are not required for admission or scholarship consideration; this differs from the U.S. first-year page (section 3), and international students should follow this page.
• English (any one): TOEFL 61+, academic IELTS 6.0+, Duolingo 95, Cambridge 169+, PTE Academic 46+; graduation from (or study in) a U.S. high school; SAT/ACT scores may also be used. Citizens of the listed English-speaking countries, including Canada (except Quebec), the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, are exempt.
• Steps: the international application with a $95 non-refundable fee; a copy of the passport photo page; official high school transcripts (sealed mail, or from a school official by password-protected email to OISS@unr.edu, or faxed from the school with a letterhead cover); English proficiency proof.
• Costs: 2026-2027 international undergraduate tuition and fees are $31,413 ($9,383 base tuition, $20,189 non-resident tuition, $1,841 mandatory fees). The budget table on the international cost page (housing $7,000–$11,000, meals $5,928–$7,488, books $1,200) totals $45,541 to $51,101; housing and meals are starting-point estimates, and the table is based on 30 credits.
• Scholarships and aid: the website says UNR offers scholarships for international students. OISS scholarships are $300 to $5,000 a year for new and continuing undergraduates; eligibility includes F-1 or J-1 status, a 2.75 cumulative University GPA for continuing students and 15 credits per semester, and students must first complete the GUS application in MyNEVADA (open 1 October, preferred by 1 February, available until 31 May). International students cannot file the FAFSA; after one year of study they can use the institutional methodology form for need-based aid (priority 1 February; the engineering page says 1 March). The out-of-state stackable awards (Tahoe, Honors) exclude international students.
• Pack Exchange Program: eligible international students pay only 200% of Nevada-resident base tuition (the site says savings of up to $11,000 a year). Freshmen need a 3.0 weighted GPA, ACT 22 or SAT 1100 and must have graduated from a U.S. high school in one of the listed states or regions, such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah or Washington. It does not apply to students from Chinese high schools.
• Inconsistent dates: the college and department scholarship application (MyNEVADA) is due 15 February on the international scholarships page but 1 February on the engineering scholarships page; follow the MyNEVADA prompt.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international undergraduate page asks for secondary school transcripts, English proof and a passport. It does not say whether the Gaokao score is considered; this is not published, so ask the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS@unr.edu).
• Transcripts: official transcripts must come directly from the school or a school official. The pages do not describe credential evaluation or exam-certificate requirements for Chinese schools; not published.
• English: China is not on the list of English-speaking countries exempt from testing, so use TOEFL 61, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 95 or another accepted option.
• Country page and interview: the pages we read have no China-specific guidance or interview requirement; not published.
• Math for engineering: after admission, ALEKS 76, AP Calculus 3+ or IB HL Math 5+ lets you enroll in Calculus 1 and declare an engineering major; see section 2.

7. Transfer students

• Requirements: the College of Engineering transfer FAQ says transfer applicants need a 2.5 cumulative GPA in all transferable coursework and at least 24 transferable semester credits. SAT/ACT are optional for everyone and no interview is required; depending on credits you may need the English directed self-placement survey or ALEKS PPL. High school transcripts are not required.
• Deadlines: fall 2027 opens 1 August 2026, application deadline 15 July 2027, accept admission by 1 August 2027. Spring: deadline 15 December 2026, accept by 7 January 2027 (the page labels this column “Spring 2026”, so please verify).
• Credits: there is no limit on transferable credits, but 30 upper-division credits must be earned in residence, plus 15 units of major requirements and 61 to 64.5 “half program” units. Only credits from regionally accredited institutions are accepted; courses without an equivalent come in as electives, and engineering, science and math courses are reviewed by the department, with syllabi required. Community college students at TMCC, WNC and GBC can use the EPACT RED pathway, and transfer agreements exist with Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
• GPA: prior grades count toward the cumulative GPA but not the University or engineering GPA.
• International transfers: 2.5 cumulative GPA and 24 transferable semester credits; English TOEFL 61, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 95 (waived after ENG 101 at a U.S. institution); $95 application fee.
• The transfer pages we read do not list the specific calculus, physics and chemistry courses required before entering an engineering major; this is not published there, so book a 60-minute transfer appointment with an engineering advisor at (775) 682-7721.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Early Action 15 November 2026; submit materials by 15 February 2027; final deadline 7 April 2027; 3.0 weighted core GPA; SAT/ACT optional but needed for most scholarships
• Qualify for Calculus 1 with ACT 28 / SAT Math 650 / ALEKS 76 / AP Calculus 3 / IB HL 5 to declare a specific engineering major

International students (including applicants from China):

• 3.0 academic GPA, $95 fee, passport, official transcripts, TOEFL 61 / IELTS 6.0 / Duolingo 95; SAT/ACT not required
• Gaokao use is not published; ask OISS; check the GUS application dates for aid

Transfer students:

• 2.5 GPA and 24 transferable credits; fall 2027 deadline 15 July 2027; send syllabi and book an engineering advising appointment

Sources: University of Nevada, Reno, College of Engineering; Engineering degrees and programs; New students; Academic policies; Prospective students; Transfer FAQs; Engineering scholarships; CSE ABET accreditation; Freshman admissions and deadlines; International undergraduate admissions; International transfer admissions; Transfer deadlines; Tuition and fees (2026-2027); International tuition and fees; Nevada resident scholarships; Non-resident scholarships; Stackable awards; International scholarships. First-year dates are for spring and fall 2027 entry. The transfer deadlines page labels its spring column “Spring 2026” although the application opens 1 August 2026, so please verify. Check the university’s website for the latest.