How to apply to Mississippi State University for engineering: the Bagley College admits first-years on the high school core plus ACT/SAT or core GPA, with undeclared status and math catch-up for others, plus admission routes and prerequisites for U.S., international (including Chinese) and transfer students

At Mississippi State University (MSU, main campus in Starkville), undergraduate engineering is offered by the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Here is what you need to know, based on official MSU information, for U.S. students, international students and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. We did not use the Bagley College’s own website, which was blocked to automated access when we checked, so the college’s own scholarship, accreditation and co-op details were not read.

1. Engineering majors

• Degrees: the 2026-27 catalog says the college awards BS degrees in aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial and systems, mechanical, petroleum and software engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, and “Artificial Intelligence Biosystems Engineering” (the catalog runs these words together and does not say whether this is one program or two). There is also a Bachelor of Applied Science in cybersecurity for working adults, which the catalog says is not a substitute for the BS. Computer science is covered in a separate guide.
• Departments: aerospace; agricultural and biological engineering (biosystems and biomedical); the Swalm School of Chemical Engineering; the Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering; computer science and engineering; electrical and computer engineering; industrial and systems engineering; and the Hall School of Mechanical Engineering. The catalog pages describe chemical engineering concentrations (practice, research/development, biomolecular), aerospace aeronautics and astronautics concentrations, an environmental concentration in civil engineering, a power and energy concentration in electrical engineering, and biomedical emphases such as biomaterials, sensors and instrumentation, and premedical.
• Curriculum: every engineering curriculum combines basic sciences and mathematics, general education, engineering sciences, and engineering analysis, design and systems. A dual degree lets industrial engineering students also earn a BBA in four and a half years.
• ABET: the catalog’s college page does not state accreditation program by program; it mentions only an “ABET accredited” engineering degree in the industrial engineering dual-degree description. Other programs’ status is on the Bagley College site, which we did not read.
• Laptop: the catalog says every engineering student must own a laptop; minimum specifications are posted by July each year on the college site.

2. Admission: direct to the college, or undeclared first

• Freshman criteria for the college: the catalog says that for regular admission to a degree-granting program, freshmen must be admitted to MSU, complete the high school academic core — 4 units of English, 4 of mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry), 3 of science (chemistry and either biology or physics), 3 of social studies and/or foreign languages, and 2 of electives — and meet any one of: an ACT composite of 23+ or SAT of 1130+; an ACT of 20–22 or SAT of 1030–1120 with a core GPA of 3.0+; or any ACT/SAT score with a core GPA of 3.5+. Applicants with justifiable circumstances may petition the Dean for special admission.
• Applicants who do not meet them: the catalog says such students who are otherwise admitted to MSU and want engineering should join the undeclared major, advised by the Center for Advising for the first 30 hours, and must enroll in a math course every semester. Students with course deficiencies must take preparatory courses in addition to the engineering curriculum, which will generally extend time to graduation.
• The sources differ: the university’s admissions page says SAT/ACT scores are optional for admission (applicants without them are reviewed on high school performance, placement testing, interests and other factors), while the catalog’s college standards are written in terms of ACT/SAT scores. How applicants without scores are handled for the Bagley College is not stated; ask admissions or the college.
• Internal transfer into engineering: undeclared and other MSU students may transfer in if they meet any one of: the new-freshman standards above; or 30 hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0+ and a C or better in Calculus I (MA 1713), English Composition I (EN 1103) and Chemistry I (CH 1213). Students should speak to the department head or program coordinator first; some departments have additional requirements. Students in one engineering or computer science program may move to another at any time if they meet the departmental requirements.
• Graduation: a 2.00 cumulative GPA, and some majors require a C or better in certain courses.

3. Prerequisites

• High school courses: besides the core above, the catalog encourages as many math, science, English, social studies and foreign language courses as possible, and recommends one unit of computer-aided graphics and half a unit each of keyboarding and computer programming.
• Math placement (MA 1713 Calculus I): the catalog says the first math course that applies to an engineering degree is calculus. Calculus I needs an ACT math sub-score of 26+, or a C or better in both MA 1313 College Algebra and MA 1323 Trigonometry, or a C or better in MA 1453 Precalculus. Precalculus needs an ACT math sub-score of 24+ or a C in MA 1313; College Algebra needs an ACT math sub-score of 19+. Students who do not meet these take precalculus or algebra plus precalculus first, which may delay some engineering courses.
• Summer catch-up: courses may be taken at MSU, a Mississippi community or junior college, or any accredited two- or four-year institution; only a C or better counts, and high school courses do not count unless taken through dual enrollment and shown on a separate college transcript.
• AP/IB credit: the admissions pages and catalog college page we read do not say; not published there (we did not find it). Check the Registrar or ask admissions.

4. How and when to apply (freshmen)

• Application: apply online at apply.msstate.edu; the fee is $50 ($60 for international students), with waivers available. You may submit the application first and send transcripts, the fee and test scores later.
• Testing: the admissions page says ACT/SAT scores are optional for admission but encouraged for scholarships and placement; MSU superscores (the ACT superscore excludes Science, and ACT and SAT scores cannot be combined). ACT code 2220, SAT code 1480.
• Transcript: an official high school transcript covering grades 9–11 with a senior schedule.
• Timeline: rolling admission. The application opens 1 August for summer/fall and 5 August for spring and stays open until the 10th day of classes; most applicants get a decision 2–3 weeks after materials are complete. The pages give no fixed 2027 fall deadline.
• Housing: the admissions page says first-time freshmen are generally required to live on campus.

5. U.S. students: costs and scholarships

• University-level admission (resident versus non-resident): the admissions page says Mississippi residents are admissible with the required College Preparatory Curriculum and an overall 3.20 GPA, or by other routes; elsewhere on the same page it says the curriculum with a 2.0 GPA is enough, so the page is inconsistent. Non-residents must meet the Mississippi criteria and are also evaluated on a minimum 2.50 GPA, or an ACT/SAT score of 20 or above if the GPA is not met.
• 2026-27 cost estimate (cost page): tuition $10,845 in-state and $29,836 out-of-state, with about $250 in fees; estimated total cost of attendance living on campus $34,431 in-state and $53,422 out-of-state. Tuition is charged per credit hour and the Controller’s page says other fees may depend on your major; the rate tables are dynamic and we could not read figures, so whether engineering carries an additional program fee is not published on the pages we read.
• Automatic scholarships: the admissions page says that for 2026-27, entering freshmen are awarded academic scholarships automatically with no separate application. Mississippi residents need a 9th–11th grade GPA of 3.0+ and an ACT of 21+ or equivalent SAT; non-residents need a 9th–11th grade GPA of 3.30+. They are renewable for up to four years (8 semesters) with an overall GPA and continuous full-time enrollment (12 hours). We could not read the amount tables. The university says 2027-28 criteria are coming soon and that from 2027 the ACT Science score will no longer count in scholarship superscores.
• Competitive and departmental awards: these need the General Scholarship Application (opens 1 October; freshman priority date 1 December). The page mentions private, departmental and leadership and service scholarships and the Maroon & White Scholarship; the Bagley College’s own scholarships are on its website, which we did not read.
• Co-op: the scholarship page says academic scholarships are deferred during the work phase for co-op students.

6. International students

• Materials: the online application with a non-refundable $60 fee; certified, translated copies of all transcripts, mark sheets and diplomas. MSU recommends a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES member agency with a GPA calculation, preferring TEC or MyIEE.
• Test scores: the international page asks for an official ACT of 20+ or SAT of 1030+ only if your evaluated GPA is below 3.0 or you are applying for scholarships.
• English: the university-level scores are TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0, ACT English 19, SAT EBRW 510 or Duolingo 105. The by-college PDF lists 79 / 6.5 (TOEFL / IELTS) for all engineering majors, and the catalog’s college page separately says international students need a paper-based TOEFL of at least 550 or computer-based 213. The sources differ; we give both and confirm with admissions.
• Exemptions: only citizens of the listed countries are automatically exempt (the list includes Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana); degree-seeking freshmen with at least two years at an accredited U.S. high school with a C or better in English also qualify but must meet domestic admission standards. Intensive English does not waive the requirement; applicants who fall short can enter the English Language Institute.
• Dates: the international page gives no specific deadlines; admission is rolling (see section 4).
• Proof of funds and I-20: the International Services Office page sends admitted students to I-20 instructions; the amount of funds is not on the pages we read.
• Scholarships: the scholarship page says international students may be eligible for academic scholarships; applicants with active agent contracts are ineligible.

7. Applicants from China

• Credentials: MSU’s requirements are the same for every country: certified, translated transcripts, mark sheets and diplomas, with a recommended NACES course-by-course evaluation. Specific requirements for the Chinese graduation certificate (会考) are not published.
• Gaokao: whether and how the overall Gaokao score is used is not published.
• Country page, interview: not published; the International Services Office page lists a contact for undergraduate international recruitment.
• Math and English: English follows section 6. Calculus placement uses ACT math sub-scores or course grades (section 3); how applicants without an ACT are placed is not stated.

8. Transfer students

• University criteria: transfer from a regionally accredited community, junior or senior college with a 2.0 GPA on all college work (recalculated by MSU) and good standing at the last school. Applicants with fewer than 15 transferable hours also send a high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores. The fee is $50 ($60 international); admission is rolling and applications open 1 August (summer/fall) and 5 August (spring).
• Entering the Bagley College: the catalog says external transfers who meet MSU’s transfer requirements must also meet the freshman standards above, or have 30 hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0+ and equivalents of Calculus I, English Composition I and Chemistry I with a C or better. Applicants with justifiable circumstances may petition the Dean. Outside coursework counts toward a degree only once it is found equivalent, and at most half of an engineering or computer science curriculum may come from two-year colleges. Transfer students need a laptop meeting the specifications in place when their cohort would have been freshmen.
• Transfer Admission Guarantee: admitted students who start at a community college can keep their admitted status for up to 3 years with a 2.0 GPA; MSU also has pathway programs with several Mississippi community colleges.
• International transfers: any one of: one year of successful study at a foreign university plus an English score; the freshman standards plus a 2.0 GPA on college courses; or 30 hours from a regionally accredited U.S. college with a 2.0 GPA. Non-U.S. records need a NACES course-by-course evaluation.
• Transfer scholarship: an overall transferable GPA of 3.25+ earns an automatic scholarship, renewable for up to 5 semesters; the transfer priority date for the General Scholarship Application is 1 March.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Apply online (opens 1 August, rolling); General Scholarship Application by 1 December for competitive awards
• High school core plus ACT 23 / SAT 1130, or ACT 20–22 with a 3.0 core GPA, or a 3.5 core GPA for the college; otherwise start undeclared; ACT math 26 for Calculus I

International students (including applicants from China):

• $60 fee; TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5 for engineering (the catalog also states paper TOEFL 550); NACES evaluation recommended
• Gaokao use is not published; no fixed deadline, rolling admission

Transfer students:

• 2.0 GPA or better; for engineering, 30 hours with C or better in Calculus I, English Composition I and Chemistry I

Sources: Mississippi State University, Catalog: Bagley College of Engineering (2026-27); Freshman admissions; International admissions; TOEFL/IELTS requirements by college (PDF); Transfer admissions; Scholarships; Scholarship details; Cost of attendance; Tuition and fees; International Services Office. The Bagley College’s own website was blocked to automated access when we checked and was not used. The catalog is for 2026-27 and costs are for 2026-2027; the university says 2027-28 scholarship criteria are coming soon. Check Mississippi State’s website for the latest.