How to Apply to Engineering at UT San Antonio: Six Engineering Bachelor’s Degrees in the Klesse College, Direct Admission to the Major by Class Rank or SAT/ACT and the Engineering, Math, and Sciences Studies Path for Others, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

At The University of Texas at San Antonio (now UT San Antonio, formerly abbreviated UTSA), undergraduate engineering is offered by the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design. Based on the university catalog (the 2026-28 undergraduate catalog and the 2026-27 student policies), this guide is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer science sits in the College of AI, Cyber and Computing and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here. We did not use the admissions, college or One Stop websites, so please check them for dates, tuition and scholarships.

1. Degrees and accreditation

• Six engineering bachelor’s degrees (B.S.): biomedical engineering (BME) and chemical engineering (CME) from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering; electrical engineering (EE) from the Department of Electrical Engineering; mechanical engineering (ME) and industrial and systems engineering (ISE) from the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering; and civil engineering (CE) from the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management. The college also offers architecture, interior design and construction science and management, which are not covered here.
• ABET accreditation: the college page lists biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering as accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission; construction science and management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). Industrial and systems engineering is not on that list, although the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering department introduction says “the program is currently accredited by” ABET’s commission. The wording is inconsistent, so ask the department whether ISE is included.
• Certificates: the Department of Electrical Engineering offers certificates in artificial intelligence, computer programming for engineers and semiconductor engineering; the mechanical and industrial department offers aerospace engineering, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, industrial and manufacturing engineering, and oil/gas certificates.
• Signature experience: all Klesse undergraduates must complete an internship, research, study abroad or service-learning experience before graduating, either through an approved course or an approved co-curricular activity of at least 100 hours.
• Co-op: the Cooperative Education in Engineering Program alternates study with employment; during work periods students register for the 3-credit EGR 3303 Engineering Co-op course. To qualify a student must have declared an engineering major and have a cumulative GPA and a Klesse GPA of at least 2.50 (the catalog notes that many employers require higher, some 3.0); transfer students may join after one semester at UT San Antonio. The mechanical engineering page says an approved co-op can earn up to 3 credit hours.
• Laptop: students entering Klesse programs must have their own laptop that meets the program’s requirements.

2. Admission to the major: direct admission, or the studies major

• Direct Admission: the mechanical, electrical, civil, biomedical and chemical engineering pages use the same wording. Applicants entering as freshmen or freshman transfers (fewer than 12 transferable hours) are directly admitted to the program if they meet UT San Antonio undergraduate admission requirements, qualify to enroll in Calculus I (MAT 1213) or a higher math course, and either rank in the top 10 percent of the high school class (no SAT or ACT minimum) or rank below the top 10 percent with an SAT of at least 1200 or an ACT of at least 25.
• Below 1200/25: these applicants may be admitted by committee review (the mechanical and civil pages say they “may undergo” it; the biomedical, chemical and electrical pages say they “may be considered”). The biomedical and chemical engineering page gives bme@utsa.edu and cme@utsa.edu for questions about the committee process; the process for other programs is not published.
• Applicants who do not meet the program requirements are admitted to the Engineering, Math, and Sciences Studies major in the University College. They have three semesters to complete Calculus I with a C- or better and meet the program’s transfer requirements.
• Industrial and systems engineering: the pages we read give direct admission criteria for mechanical engineering but do not list separate ISE criteria; ask the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering.
• International applicants: the international undergraduate admission page says international applications are individually reviewed and that admission to the university does not guarantee admission to a specific academic program. Whether the direct admission criteria apply to international applicants is not stated on the pages we read.

3. Prerequisites and grade requirements in the major

• High school math: direct admission requires being able to enroll in Calculus I or a higher course. How that is determined and which high school courses are expected are not stated on the pages we read; ask Admissions or the department.
• Courses common to all engineering degrees (25 credit hours): General Chemistry I, Linear Algebra for Engineers, Multivariable Calculus and Series for Engineers, Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations for Engineers, Calculus I and II (or Calculus II for Engineers), and Physics for Scientists and Engineers I and II with labs. Calculus I and Physics I and II can also satisfy the core curriculum’s mathematics and life and physical sciences requirements.
• Gateway Courses: each program names gateway courses that must be passed with a C- or better in no more than two attempts; otherwise the student must change majors. A W or an equivalent course at another institution counts as an attempt. For mechanical engineering they are Statics, Dynamics, Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations for Engineers and Calculus I.
• Three-Attempt Limit: all science, engineering and math courses for the program need a C- or better within three attempts, or the student must change majors.
• AP/IB credit: the engineering pages we read do not say how AP or IB scores apply to engineering requirements; check the admissions website’s credit pages or ask an advisor.

4. Deadlines, documents and testing

• Application and fee: U.S. citizens and permanent residents use ApplyTexas or the Common App; international applicants may use the ApplyTexas international undergraduate application or the Common App. The application fee is $75, non-refundable; waivers may be available.
• Domestic deadlines (application dates page, no year stated): priority fall January 15, spring October 15, summer March 1. Final freshman deadlines are fall June 1, spring November 15 and summer May 1; final transfer deadlines are fall July 1, spring November 15 and summer May 1. Confirm fall 2027 dates on the admissions website.
• High school record and tests: a current official high school transcript is required. SAT or ACT scores are optional and are considered if submitted, with neither preferred. State law also requires all first-time students to meet one college readiness standard: complete the Texas high school program (or its equivalent), or reach SAT 480 in reading and writing and 530 in math, or ACT 18 English, 22 reading, 22 math and 23 science.
• Recommendations and essays: the pages we read do not list recommendation letters or an extra engineering essay; neither is published. Holistic review draws on what applicants complete in the application, and the university urges completing all required and optional portions.
• Other routes: the LEAD Student Success program (two summer courses, conditional admission), Alamo On-TRAC (start at an Alamo College, co-enroll in spring), Alamo Runners and the University of Texas at Austin Coordinated Admission Program (CAP).

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Guaranteed admission (first-time freshman page): applicants who meet the freshman curriculum requirement are admitted with no SAT/ACT minimum in the top 25% of their class, and with SAT 1170 or ACT 24 in the second 25%. Others go to holistic review, which considers academic and non-academic achievement, first-generation status, activities, leadership, community involvement, work experience, socioeconomic background and obstacles overcome. Rank is required from accredited high schools; if a transcript has no rank, admissions assigns one from courses and grades.
• If denied: the university encourages reapplying as a transfer student after at least 30 transferable hours with a GPA of at least 2.25.
• Texas residents: the pages we read give Texas residents no priority or engineering-specific guaranteed admission; the state college readiness standard is above.
• Honors: freshmen can be directly admitted to the Engineering Honors Program if they meet university and college requirements, rank in the top 25% and have SAT 1280 or ACT 27 or higher. Admission to the Honors College is by invitation.
• Tuition: UT San Antonio offers a Traditional Rate Plan and an optional Guaranteed Rate Plan. Klesse upper-division undergraduate courses carry an extra $55 per semester credit hour in differential tuition. In-state and out-of-state tuition figures are not given on the pages we read; see Fiscal Services and One Stop.
• Financial aid and scholarships: programs include Federal Pell Grants, SEOG, TEXAS Grants, university grants, work-study, loans and scholarships; eligibility requires admission as a degree-seeking student, the FAFSA, meeting deadlines and satisfactory academic progress (a 2.0 cumulative GPA for undergraduates). Freshman scholarship amounts and review are not described on the pages we read; check the university’s financial aid and scholarships website.

6. International applicants

• Academic requirements: international first-year applicants need qualifications equivalent to those of accredited U.S. secondary schools, as determined by International Undergraduate Admissions, and must submit the application, the non-refundable fee, official secondary transcripts, marksheets and certificates, official English test scores and other supporting documents, each showing the full name and date of birth as on the application. The detailed international freshman admission criteria are deferred to the International Undergraduate Admissions website and are not published on the pages we read.
• English (all international students, including transfers): TOEFL iBT 79 or higher for tests taken before January 21, 2026 and 4.0 or higher on or after that date; IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 95; PTE Academic 58; iTEP Academic 3.8; Cambridge C1 Advanced scale 180 or grade C or higher. SAT reading/writing 500 or ACT English 21 are also listed, and the paper-based TOEFL ITP 550 is accepted only for the Academic English or International Pathway programs. Passing a test does not guarantee admission.
• Waivers: graduating from a high school in the U.S. or the listed English-speaking countries with at least two years of standard English courses; college English Composition I with a B- or better; SAT reading/writing 500 or ACT English 21; or a bachelor’s degree or higher from the U.S. or the listed countries. The list includes Canada (except Quebec), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and Nigeria; China is not listed.
• Deadlines (international application deadlines, no year stated): fall June 1, spring November 1, summer April 1.
• International transfer: students with 30 or more transferable hours from a non-U.S. institution need a 2.25 GPA, and every non-U.S. transcript needs a foreign credential evaluation from FCSA or a NACES-approved agency. Students with fewer than 30 hours must meet both freshman and transfer requirements.
• Shorelight: qualified students may apply directly or through Shorelight Education, and UT San Antonio accepts the degree equivalencies and course evaluations Shorelight provides.
• Financial documents, international costs and scholarships: not stated on the pages we read; check the International Undergraduate Admissions and One Stop websites.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say whether or how Gaokao scores are used; ask International Undergraduate Admissions.
• Documents: official secondary transcripts, marksheets and certificates plus official English test scores. China is not on the English waiver list; whether IB, A-level or other English-medium study qualifies is not stated, so ask International Undergraduate Admissions.
• Country page, interview, accrediting bodies: none appears on the pages we read. Non-U.S. college transcripts need an FCSA or NACES evaluation; for everything else, consult the International Undergraduate Admissions website.

8. Transfer students

• University requirements: a cumulative GPA of at least 2.25 using all transferable college courses attempted (grades are not replaced when courses are repeated). With fewer than 12 hours, applicants must meet the freshman guaranteed-admission rank and SAT/ACT criteria plus a 2.25; with 12–29 hours, a 2.75 GPA, or a 2.25 plus the freshman criteria; with 30 or more hours, a 2.25, and those below 2.25 may be admitted conditionally. Applicants must also be eligible to return to the last institution attended.
• Direct admission to an engineering program (12 or more transferable hours): meet university transfer requirements, complete Calculus I and Freshman Composition I (or equivalents) with grades of C- or better, and have a transfer GPA of 3.00 or higher for possible direct admission to the major; below 3.00 goes to committee review. Applicants who do not qualify enter Engineering, Math, and Sciences Studies and have three semesters to complete Calculus I.
• Credit: credit is awarded for courses with a D or higher from accredited institutions, and departments decide how it applies to the degree plan. Up to 66 hours may transfer from a community college. The university has articulation agreements with more than a dozen two-year institutions (including Alamo Colleges, Austin Community College and Houston Community College) and a Transfer Credit Calculator.
• Deadlines: domestic final transfer deadlines are fall July 1, spring November 15 and summer May 1; see section 6 for international transfer.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Prepare for Calculus I; compare your rank and test scores with the top-10% or SAT 1200/ACT 25 direct admission standard; apply by the January 15 priority date
• If you enter the studies major, complete Calculus I with a C- or better within three semesters

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL 79 (4.0 on the new scale from January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 95; complete your file by June 1 for fall
• Ask International Undergraduate Admissions about direct admission criteria, Gaokao use, costs, financial documents and scholarships

Transfer students:

• With 12+ hours, complete Calculus I and Freshman Composition I with C- or better and reach a 3.00 transfer GPA; have non-U.S. transcripts evaluated

Sources: UT San Antonio catalog, Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (2026-28 undergraduate catalog); Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering; Biomedical and Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Electrical Engineering; First-time freshman admission; International undergraduate admission; Application dates; Application, fee and documents; Transfer admission; Additional college and program admission; Tuition and differential tuition; Financial aid. Admission policies follow the 2026-27 student policies; the application dates page does not state a year. Check the UT San Antonio admissions website for the latest.