How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Calgary: A Common First Year at the Schulich School of Engineering, a Guaranteed First-Choice Major After Ten Technical Core Courses, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

At the University of Calgary (UCalgary) in Calgary, Alberta, undergraduate engineering is offered by the Schulich School of Engineering and leads to the Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Based on UCalgary’s official information for Fall 2027 entry, this guide is organised for Canadian domestic applicants (by province), international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science sits in the Faculty of Science at UCalgary and has its own guide on this site; only Schulich’s Software Engineering major is mentioned here.

1. Majors and accreditation

• Majors: Schulich’s majors page lists biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, energy (a transfer program), engineering physics, geomatics, mechanical, oil and gas, software and sustainable systems engineering. The admissions page lists biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, energy, geomatics, mechanical, software and sustainable systems plus a BSc (Eng) + BComm combined degree, without engineering physics or oil and gas. The faculty’s home page also says to apply for “one of our seven majors”, so the pages do not agree on the count; confirm with the school.
• Accreditation: UCalgary states that all its undergraduate engineering programs are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) and provide the academic requirements for licensure as a professional engineer in Canada. P.Eng. also requires work experience and is granted by APEGA in Alberta.
• Energy Engineering: a transfer program combining an energy-related engineering technology diploma from an approved polytechnic (such as SAIT or NAIT) with a Schulich engineering degree.
• Minors: optional engineering minors are available, for example aerospace, mechatronics, manufacturing, biomedical, digital engineering, energy and environment, entrepreneurship, management and society, or petroleum engineering alongside mechanical engineering.

2. How admission works: common first year, then your major

• Everyone enters a common first year: Schulich says all freshmen are admitted to a common first year of 10 courses in design, mathematics, science and engineering principles. The school assigns you to a class block and enrols you; your major starts in second year.
• Guaranteed first choice: students who successfully complete all 10 technical common-core courses are guaranteed their first-choice program and do not need to apply for it. The pages do not define “successfully” with a grade threshold, so ask the Engineering Student Centre.
• Fall courses: Calculus for Engineers and Scientists (Math 275), Programming with Data (ENDG 233), Linear Methods I (Math 211), Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits and Machines (ENGG 225) and Fundamentals of Engineering Materials (ENGG 204). Winter courses: Multivariable Calculus (Math 277), Engineering Statics (ENGG 202), Electricity and Magnetism for Engineers (Phys 259), Fundamentals of Fluid Behaviour (ENGG 212) or Behaviour of Liquids, Gasses and Solids (ENGG 201), and Engineering Design and Innovation (ENGG 200). Chem 209 no longer counts for students admitted from Fall 2023.
• How applications are reviewed: high school applicants go through early admission (four Grade 11 or equivalent courses) and standard admission (five Grade 11 or 12 courses, at least one at Grade 12). Offers require completing all Grade 12 requirements, keeping the admission average and graduating.
• Without calculus: applicants without the calculus course may be considered at a higher average and then take an alternative calculus stream.

3. High school courses and deadlines

• Alberta: English Language Arts 30-1, Mathematics 31, Mathematics 30-1, Chemistry 30, and Physics 30 or Biology 30.
• British Columbia: English Studies 12 (or English 12 First Peoples), Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12, Chemistry 12, and Physics 12 or Anatomy and Physiology 12.
• Ontario: ENG4U, MHF4U, MCV4U, SCH4U, and SBI4U or SPH4U.
• Physics or biology: engineering can admit on either physics or biology final marks; if an offer cannot be made on physics, biology is used, and such an offer is finalised after passing the Bioengineering Institute summer course in August. Transfer applicants are not eligible for the biology route.
• Estimated competitive average: the low 90s for the Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario curricula.
• IB / AP / SAT2: equivalent IB and AP courses and previously completed SAT2 subject tests are accepted. IB needs English (A Literature, A Language and Literature, HL or SL, or English B HL), math (Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations, HL or SL), chemistry, and physics or biology, with an estimated competitive score of 31–32 (33 with Mathematical Studies SL). Full-diploma students are assessed on the overall score; others on the five required courses.
• Application window: for Fall 2027, domestic applications run 1 October 2026 to 1 March 2027 and international applications 15 August 2026 to 1 April 2027. the dates page gives 1 March as the deadline to apply and pay the fee without distinguishing international applicants, which conflicts with the program pages’ 1 April for international applicants (follow the program pages and confirm with Admissions); 15 March is the deadline for unofficial transcripts and supporting documents, 30 June for completing high school courses and 1 August for final transcripts. Offers dated 1 April or earlier must be accepted by 1 May.
• Application fee: CAD 125 for Canadian education only, CAD 145 for any international education.
• Route: students from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Yukon apply through ApplyAlberta (BC students include their Personal Education Number); other applicants apply directly with UCalgary. You choose first and second program choices.
• Testing and essays: the pages I read do not mention standardized testing or an engineering-specific essay, so ask Admissions.

4. Canadian domestic applicants (by province)

• Alberta, BC and Ontario: courses and averages are above. The pages do not describe an in-province versus out-of-province difference in admission, and tuition by province is not stated.
• Tuition: UCalgary offers only an interactive undergraduate student cost estimator (2026-2027 fees, estimates valid to April 2027) that needs your residency and faculty. The page does not list Schulich’s figures, so no amount is given here.
• Loans and awards: federal and provincial student loans are for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, protected persons and U.S. citizens. Schulich’s entrance awards include the Seymour Schulich Academic Excellence Scholarship and Community Service/Entrepreneurial Entrance Award (each with Calgary and non-Calgary versions), the Schulich Leader Scholarship (one incoming UCalgary engineering student a year) and the CAD 4,000 Diversity Champions in Engineering Award. Schulich says its students earn an average of CAD 4.5 million in awards and bursaries a year. Award amounts are not stated on these pages.
• Student Access Process: Canadian citizens and permanent residents who faced barriers can choose this route by 1 March and send a personal statement by 15 March; high school students need ELA 30-1 and two other approved 30-level courses and must meet the English requirement. Indigenous applicants have a Schulich Indigenous Pathway.
• Prestige Awards: for incoming high school students, with an application deadline of 1 December and documents due 15 December.

5. International applicants

• Courses and grades: look up your curriculum (IB, A-Level and so on) in the sections here; engineering generally needs English, math, calculus (or higher math), chemistry, and physics or biology.
• A-Level / GCSE: five academic courses are used, either two A-Level plus three GCSE/O-Level, or four AS plus one GCSE; GCSE grades D or E (or 1, 2, 3) are not accepted; current students submit predicted grades; A-Level courses at grade A, B or C earn advanced credit. GCSE Mathematics can satisfy “Mathematics”, GCSE Additional Mathematics “Calculus”, and GCE Advanced or AS Mathematics both.
• English: any one of: three years of high school in an English-exempt country or at an accredited English-medium school, or two years of post-secondary study in an exempt country or a recognised institution in Canada; a test (Duolingo 120, IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 86 for tests before 21 January 2026 or 4.5 after); or a high school English grade (for example ELA 30-1 at 80%, IB English A at 5, A-Level B). The Academic Communication Certificate pathway may give conditional admission. UCalgary’s exempt list includes Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore and India, and does not include China.
• Tuition: not stated; use the cost estimator and choose “International”.
• International Entrance Scholarship: two awards a year worth CAD 20,000, renewable for second to fourth year with a GPA of at least 2.60 over at least 24 units and continued payment of international tuition; awarded on academic merit through the High School Prestige Awards application.
• Support: International Student Services offers study permit and immigration advice.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: UCalgary’s China page states that the National College Entrance Exam (Gaokao) is not required; submit a Senior Middle School transcript.
• Required subjects: English, mathematics, calculus, chemistry, and physics or biology. Twelfth-year math can count as two distinct subjects (mathematics and calculus); without calculus you may need a higher average and an alternative calculus stream.
• Competitive average: the page says only that averages are competitive and meeting requirements does not guarantee admission; no estimate is published.
• Timing and fee: 15 August 2026 to 1 April 2027; CAD 145 for applicants with international education.
• International curricula: IB and A-Level applicants follow the sections above.
• Credential evaluators, interviews and verification: not stated on these pages; ask Admissions.

7. Paid work experience

• Practical Experience Requirement (PER): every undergraduate engineering student must complete it through the internship program and other approved work experiences.
• Internship program: 12–16 months of paid work for upper-year students, locally or internationally, with one employer or consecutive shorter placements.
• Eligibility: GPA of 2.0 or higher in good academic standing; all Year 1 and 2 courses complete and third year finished before starting; return to Schulich full-time for at least one academic year afterwards; at least 18 engineering degree units left after the internship (the capstone is normally completed after it); resume meeting Schulich standards.
• International students: must show proof of a work permit.

8. Transfer students

• Who counts: applicants with 12 or more units of post-secondary coursework. The competitive GPA uses the most recent coursework up to 30 units; high school grades are not used.
• Prerequisites: Alberta-curriculum transfer applicants need ELA 30-1, Math 31, Math 30-1, Physics 30 and Chemistry 30; BC-curriculum applicants need English Studies 12, Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12, Chemistry 12 and Physics 12. The biology route is not available.
• Estimated competitive GPA: 3.5–3.8 for both curricula. Post-secondary engineering courses used for admission and within the program need C- or higher.
• Entry year: transfer students entering first year take the common first year; those admitted to second year apply for a specific major. Another page says transfer applicants without the required courses are considered for the common first year.
• Credit: credit follows UCalgary’s transfer credit search tool; accredited Canadian or U.S. university courses not in the tool automatically receive generic credit.
• Dates: apply 1 October 2026 to 1 March 2027, documents by 15 March, required courses completed by 30 April, final transcripts by 1 June.

Checklist

Canadian domestic applicants:

• Alberta: ELA 30-1, Math 31, Math 30-1, Chemistry 30, Physics 30 or Biology 30; BC: English Studies 12, Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12; Ontario: ENG4U, MHF4U, MCV4U, SCH4U, SPH4U
• Apply by 1 March 2027 (CAD 125) with an average in the low 90s
• Complete all 10 technical core courses in first year to be guaranteed your first-choice major

International applicants (including China):

• Apply by 1 April 2027 (CAD 145); applicants in China send a senior middle school transcript and no Gaokao is needed
• English, math, calculus, chemistry, and physics or biology; IELTS 6.5, new TOEFL 4.5 or Duolingo 120, or meet the years-of-study route

Transfer students:

• Complete 12 units with engineering courses at C- or higher, aiming for a GPA of 3.5–3.8
• Apply by 1 March 2027 and send documents by 15 March

Sources: University of Calgary, Schulich admissions; Majors; Common first year; Accreditation; Engineering (common first year) admission requirements; Alberta; British Columbia; Ontario; China; IB; GCE; Transfer students; Transfer requirements; Paid work experience; Financial support; How to apply; Dates and deadlines; English language requirements; International Entrance Scholarship; Undergraduate student cost estimator. Information is for Fall 2027 entry. Check the University of Calgary for the latest details.