How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison: Direct Admission to a Major or Engineering Undecided, First-Year Progression Requirements, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) offers engineering undergraduate programs through the College of Engineering. This guide follows UW–Madison’s official information and covers domestic students, international students, students from China and transfer students. The College of Engineering’s own site (engineering.wisc.edu) was not accessible, so it was not read; the college’s majors, admission and progression rules come from the College of Engineering page in the university’s own undergraduate Guide (guide.wisc.edu), and the rest from the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and the Office of Student Financial Aid. Computer Sciences is in the College of Letters & Science and has a separate article on this site, so it is not covered here; Computer Engineering belongs to the College of Engineering and is listed below.

1. What engineering programs are there

• 14 engineering BS programs (the Guide’s “Degree Programs” list): Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering. There is also a Bachelor of Naval Science (BNS) and a set of certificates (for example Engineering Data Analytics, International Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering for Energy Sustainability).
• ABET accreditation (the Guide’s “Accreditation” section): the BS programs in Biomedical, Civil, Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Engineering Mechanics, Environmental, Geological, Industrial, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering are listed as accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission. Aerospace Engineering is listed as “will seek accreditation”: application in 2028 with a decision in 2029, and if awarded it may apply retroactively to graduates beginning December 2027. Engineering Physics does not appear in the accreditation list. All engineering curricula are designed to meet ABET criteria.
• Degree requirements: the university requires 120 degree credits for every undergraduate degree, 30 credits in residence and a declared major. The Guide says the four-year schedules are “rarely followed without deviation” and many students take nine or more semesters. Engineering students take 15 or 16 credits of liberal studies electives in humanities, literature, social science and language, with breadth, depth, ethnic studies and upper-level requirements.
• Additional majors and second degrees: engineering students may add most Letters & Science majors and some others; concurrent engineering degrees are not allowed, and the college does not accept second undergraduate degree applications.
• Co-op: the Guide says Engineering Career Services helps students find co-ops and summer internships, and the regulations mention a College of Engineering cooperative education course (one credit during a co-op work period counts toward the full-time minimum). The specific programs and whether they are paid are not described on the pages read; ask the office.

2. How admission works: direct admission to a major

• How to apply: the admissions office says applicants who want the College of Engineering must list an engineering major as their first choice to be considered for direct admission, and must list a major outside Engineering as their second choice. If the first choice cannot be offered, the second choice is considered. Review is holistic, and for engineering applicants coursework in core academic subjects weighs heavily, with special attention to rigor and performance in math and science.
• Direct admission: the Guide says new students are admitted directly to the degree program (major) of their choice or to the College of Engineering as Engineering Undecided. Direct admission means starting in the engineering program with access to engineering-specific resources and facilities.
• First-year progression requirements: to guarantee progression in a major (or to switch between engineering majors) after direct admission, students must complete the following after their first two semesters of residency:
  • 24 graded credits at UW–Madison;
  • Engr Comm 1 at UW–Madison (if it is completed through placement, AP/IB or transfer credit, a graded liberal studies course of at least 3 credits in humanities, literature or social science must be taken instead);
  • the introduction to engineering course specified by the major (INTEREGR 170 is recommended for Engineering Undecided students);
  • the math sequence through MATH 222 Calculus and Analytic Geometry 2;
  • four foundational courses at UW–Madison: math (at least two courses numbered MATH 221 or higher, and so on) and engineering (at least two; for Chemical Engineering one must be CHEM 104 or higher and one PHYSICS 201 or E M A 201 or higher; for other majors one must be CHEM 104 or PHYSICS 201/E M A 201 or higher and the other can come from chemistry, statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, physics, calculus-based statistics, computer science and similar);
  • the core and overall GPA set by each department (the numbers are on the College of Engineering site, which was not read, so they are not given here; check the college’s progression page). A D or F in a core course not repeated for a C or higher, or any time on academic probation, removes the guarantee.
• If you do not meet it: students with at least a 2.500 core GPA who meet the other requirements can be considered (written statement, rigor and grade trends); a one-semester extension, up to the fourth semester, is possible, and students delayed by UW math or ESL placement can get a one-semester placement continuation. When applications to a major exceed its capacity, progression is limited to capacity based on written statements, rigor and grade trends, so progression is not guaranteed in every case.
• Switching engineering majors: students who have already progressed in a major can apply to move to a different engineering program by posted deadlines; this may be competitive and is not guaranteed, based on the academic record, written statements and program capacity.
• Cross-campus transfer into Engineering: students in other UW–Madison schools and colleges must meet minimum admission requirements; selection is competitive and considers the UW–Madison record, grade trends, rigor and a personal statement; students apply online by the spring or fall deadlines.
• If rigor or grades decline after admission, admission to the College of Engineering or the university can be revoked; students must meet the college’s progression requirements to keep direct admission.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• University minimum high school courses (17 units): English 4 years; math 3 years (at least one year each of algebra, geometry and advanced math with algebra or geometry prerequisites; statistics, business math and computer classes do not count); social science 3; natural science 3; electives 4. Two years of the same world language are recommended and can satisfy the language requirement later.
• Engineering applicants: Admissions says core academic subjects weigh most, with special attention to math and science rigor and performance; Project Lead the Way courses are a good way to explore engineering but should not replace core courses in math, science, English, social studies or world language. A recommendation from a math or science teacher is encouraged.
• Math placement: the university has math placement testing; first-year engineering students who place into precalculus can join the college’s BEST summer program, which ends with a retake of the placement test, and receive support through the first year.
• AP/IB credit: the College of Engineering Guide page says only that Engr Comm 1 can be completed through placement, AP/IB or transfer credit (with a graded liberal studies course required instead, as above). How AP/IB scores apply to required calculus, physics and chemistry courses is not described on the pages read; ask Admissions or the college.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

• Fall Early Action (non-binding): application 1 November, materials 9 November, decisions by 31 January. Fall Regular Decision: 15 January, materials 22 January, decisions by 31 March. Spring: 1 October. Deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time; applications open 1 August and processing starts 1 September. The pages show no year, so confirm these are the dates for fall 2027 entry.
• Application: the Common Application or the Universities of Wisconsin Application (choose one). The fee is $80, nonrefundable, with fee waivers available.
• Two essays: one is a Common Application essay (or the Universities of Wisconsin Application prompt about life experiences, talents, commitments and interests); the other asks why you want to attend UW–Madison and why you are interested in your selected major(s). The pages read describe no separate engineering essay.
• Recommendation: one letter is required, from a teacher, counselor or faculty member; engineering-interested applicants are encouraged to choose a math or science teacher.
• Transcripts: course and grade information for grades 9–12 from all schools, self-reported or official. Admissions says it typically sees unweighted academic GPAs between 3.8 and 4.0 and class rank in the 85–97 percentile (university-wide).
• Testing: ACT/SAT is optional through the spring 2028 term (application deadline 1 October 2027); you are not disadvantaged by not submitting, and the choice made on the application is final. If submitted, only the top composite score is considered; there is no superscoring. The pages do not describe any extra testing requirement for Engineering.
• Interview: not described.

5. Domestic students

• Costs (2026-27 estimates, Office of Student Financial Aid): tuition and fees are $12,532 for Wisconsin residents, $45,518 for non-residents and $18,328 for Minnesota residents; estimated totals are $31,524, $65,120 and $37,574 respectively (including $700 course materials, $14,994 housing and meals, $2,618 personal expenses, transportation and $68 loan fees). The page’s notes give an estimated College of Engineering tuition differential of $3,200 (“Estimates of tuition differentials. College of Engineering ($3,200)”) without saying whether it is already in the tuition figure or whether it is per year or per term; check the Bursar’s Office tuition rates page. A New Student Fee of $330 is estimated for first-years, and incoming undergraduates have $1,100 added to the supplies budget for a computer.
• Aid: U.S. citizens, permanent residents and other eligible non-citizens apply through the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
• College of Engineering scholarships (Guide): the college awards over $4 million a year; the Engineering Freshman Award is based on the UW–Madison admission application, with no extra application; the FAFSA is strongly encouraged but not required, and the CSS Profile is not required for these scholarships. Continuing students apply each spring (usually mid-February to mid-April) through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH), and typically must have progressed in their major.
• Wisconsin Guarantee: beginning fall 2025, Wisconsin high school students in the top 5% of their class at the end of 11th grade, homeschooled Wisconsin residents with an ACT in the top 98th percentile, and National Merit Scholarship finalists are guaranteed admission to UW–Madison. The page does not say whether this also guarantees direct admission to an engineering major; ask Admissions.

6. International students

• How to apply: international students apply as first-year or transfer students; there is no separate international process, and the deadlines are the same.
• English proficiency: applicants educated in non-English-speaking countries submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school. Minimums: TOEFL iBT 80 for tests on or before 20 January 2026 and 4.5 for tests on or after 21 January 2026; IELTS Academic 6.5; Duolingo 115 (with sub-scores). Scores must be no more than two years old, are not superscored, and TOEFL MyBest is not accepted. A waiver can be requested through the “ELP Waiver Request” in the Student Center (about 14 business days). The pages do not list exempt countries.
• Records and credentials: official transcripts must be sent by the required methods; non-English transcripts need an official translation of the entire document from the school or an EducationUSA official, and both the original and the translation are required. Each curriculum and country has its own document list on the international applicants page.
• Proof of funds: students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa submit proof of funding for one full year after admission, not with the application; I-20 requests go through the Terra Dotta portal in the Student Center.
• Fees: the cost page says international students have additional expenses including International Student Fees; the amount was not read.
• Scholarships and aid: international students on a visa are not eligible for any financial aid through the Office of Student Financial Aid. WiSH lists academic and merit opportunities from schools and colleges, International Student Services has a Funding & Scholarships page, and students from particular countries may qualify for international scholarships such as King-Morgridge. The Guide does not say whether the Engineering Freshman Award is open to international students.

7. Students from China

• Gaokao: the China entry on the international applicants page does not mention the Gaokao; whether and how it is used is not published there, so ask Admissions (onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu).
• Transcripts: for the Chinese national curriculum, students still in upper secondary school submit transcripts from lower middle school (grade 9) and upper middle school (grades 10–11) in both Chinese and English, then the final grade 12 transcript to finalize admission; if the transcript does not show a graduation date, an official Chinese Graduation Certificate with English translation is required. Students who have already completed upper secondary school submit grade 9–12 transcripts in both languages, plus the graduation certificate if the transcript does not confirm graduation. The pages do not say whether academic proficiency test (huikao) results are needed.
• International curricula: A-Level, IB and dual-diploma students follow the separate document lists for those curricula.
• English tests: TOEFL ITP Plus for China is not accepted, but the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is.
• Interviews and agencies: no interview is described and no China-specific credential agency is named; not published there.

8. Transfer students

• University eligibility: at least 24 transferable semester hours completed or in progress after high school (AP, A-Level, IB and CLEP do not count); freshman-level transfers are not admitted. Applicants must also have one year each of high school algebra, plane geometry and college-preparatory math, and two high school years (or two college semesters) of a single world language.
• Deadlines: fall priority 1 February (materials 16 February) and regular 1 March (materials 15 March), with the fall application opening 1 December; spring 1 October (materials 15 October). The fee is $80; two essays, one recommendation (engineering-interested applicants are encouraged to use a math or science teacher) and official transcripts from every institution attended.
• Applying to Engineering: off-campus transfer applicants list an engineering major as their first choice (with a second choice outside Engineering); the Guide says transfer admission to the college is selective, and admitted students must meet progression requirements at the point of transfer or within their first two semesters to guarantee advancement in the major. A minimum of 30 credits in residence in the College of Engineering is required. The college has dual degree programs with select four-year UW System campuses and a transfer agreement with Madison College, and eligible students in those agreements automatically meet progression at transfer. Contact: ugtransfer@engr.wisc.edu.
• Credit: courses are not pre-evaluated; a detailed transfer credit evaluation comes with admission. In the College of Engineering, credits transfer only if they transfer to UW–Madison and count toward degree requirements only with a C or better; grades from other institutions do not transfer. Engineering transfer scholarships are based on the admission application with no extra application.
• International transfer credit: the international admissions counselors evaluate it after admission, using course descriptions in the original language and English.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Apply by 1 November (Early Action) or 15 January (Regular Decision), listing an engineering major first and a non-engineering major second
• Take as much math (algebra, geometry, advanced math) and science as you can and ask a math or science teacher for your recommendation; testing is optional
• In your first year, follow the progression plan: 24 credits, Engr Comm 1, the intro course, calculus through MATH 222 and the four foundational courses

International students (including students from China):

• Same timeline as domestic applicants; if educated in a non-English-speaking country, TOEFL 4.5 (80 on the old scale), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115
• Chinese national-curriculum students submit grade 9 and 10–11 transcripts in Chinese and English; ask Admissions how the Gaokao is handled; do not send the TOEFL ITP Plus for China
• After admission, show proof of funding for one full year to get the I-20

Transfer students:

• At least 24 transferable semester hours; fall priority deadline 1 February
• List an engineering major first and meet progression at transfer or within two semesters; contact ugtransfer@engr.wisc.edu

Sources: University of Wisconsin–Madison, The Guide: College of Engineering (2026-2027); Direct entry programs; First-year application; Deadlines; International applicants; Transfer application; Cost of attendance; Financial aid eligibility. The admissions pages show no year, so the dates are as the current pages state them (the page says testing is optional through the spring 2028 term); costs are 2026-27 figures. The College of Engineering’s own website could not be accessed and was not read; check UW–Madison for the latest details.