How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Washington (Seattle): Direct to College as Engineering Undeclared, Ranking Majors at the End of First Year, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate engineering at the University of Washington (UW) Seattle campus is offered by the College of Engineering. This guide follows UW’s websites and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer science and computer engineering are offered by the Allen School, which has a separate “Direct to Major” admission route and its own guide on this site, so they appear here only where needed.

1. Engineering degrees at UW

• Departments and degrees (departments page): the College has ten departments. Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees include Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (A&A), Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering (both in Civil & Environmental Engineering), Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE), Industrial Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The Allen School lists Computer Engineering and Computer Science (the page notes the BS in Computer Science is awarded through the College of Arts & Sciences). An affiliated program, Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering, sits in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (its page lists ABET accreditation for the BSE).
• ABET accreditation (College news, October 1, 2026): eleven bachelor’s programs were accredited or reaccredited: Aeronautical and Astronautical, Bioengineering, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical. The Electrical and Computer Engineering degree is new, with accreditation retroactive to October 1, 2023, and all eleven run through September 30, 2032. HCDE is not on this list and its department page does not state ABET status; this is not published on the pages we read, so check HCDE or ABET.
• Internships and co-op: the pages we read mention the Career Center @ Engineering, which helps students find internships, and industry-sponsored senior capstone projects. They do not describe a required co-op program.

2. Admission and choosing a major

• Direct to College (DTC): the College says first-year students are admitted Direct to College as Engineering Undeclared (ENGRUD), spend the first year exploring engineering disciplines and then request placement into a major. DTC is available only for autumn quarter, and most College students enter this way.
• How you are considered: select “Engineering Undeclared” or any engineering major (other than computer engineering or Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering) as your first-choice major on the UW application. The second-choice major has no effect on DTC. Applicants whose first choice is computer science or computer engineering are considered for the Allen School’s Direct to Major rather than DTC. DTC decisions are made by the Office of Admissions through holistic review and arrive with the UW decision: “March” on the College pages and March 1–15 on the admissions dates page.
• Entry requirements: the College says there are no specific prerequisites or special requirements to be considered for DTC, and recommends the most rigorous math and science courses available to you.
• First year: expect a math, a science and a general education or seminar course each quarter; join an Engineering First-year Interest Group (E-FIG); you get an engineering adviser and an Engineering Peer Educator, and may live in the engineering Living Learning Community at McCarty Hall.
• Placement into a major: you submit a Placement Request form in the summer after the first year. It opens after spring quarter and is due at 5 p.m. Pacific time on July 15. It asks for a ranked list of majors, a short answer (up to 350 words) and a one-page resume (the resume is not evaluated). The ten majors to rank are Aeronautical & Astronautical, Bioengineering, Chemical, Civil, ECE, Environmental, HCDE, Industrial, Materials Science & Engineering and Mechanical.
• Is placement guaranteed? The College says students in good ENGRUD standing who complete the placement requirements and rank all the majors they are eligible for are guaranteed placement in an engineering major, but not necessarily the first choice, because some majors get more requests than capacity. It says historically over 90% of ENGRUDs were placed in one of their top-choice majors, and it publishes placement data each summer (we did not read the data page). Review looks at UW grade trends, course rigor, the ENGRUD GPA and the short answer.
• Placement conditions: at least a 2.0 in each placement-requirement course, an ENGRUD GPA of at least 2.00, at least 24 credits as a matriculated UW student, and compliance with the ENGRUD continuation policy. Only courses completed by the end of spring quarter count; summer courses do not, but students may petition for conditional placement if they have completed ENGR 101, MATH 124 and three more placement requirements by then. Missing requirements must be finished by the end of winter quarter of the second year or the student leaves the College. Placement is final; a major you were not placed in can be tried through the capacity-constrained pathway the next year.
• Double majors: you cannot pursue two majors inside the College; after placement you may add a degree outside the College, which needs at least 45 credits beyond the 180 required for the first degree.
• After placement: each major has enrollment requirements to finish before core major courses. Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering start core courses in the spring quarter of the second year, other majors typically in the fall quarter of the third year, and ECE students can start as soon as prerequisites are done.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• UW’s high school course requirements (CADRs): English 4 credits (one credit is a year-long course), mathematics 3, social sciences 3, world languages 2, science 3 (including 2 of lab science), a math-based quantitative course in the senior year 1, fine/visual/performing arts 0.5 and an academic elective 0.5. Math must reach at least algebra, geometry and second-year algebra.
• Placement-requirement courses (taken at UW to enter a major): ENGR 101, English composition, MATH 124/125/126, CHEM 142 and PHYS 121, plus one course from a list (for example CSE 121/122/123, ENGR 115, CHEM 152, PHYS 122, AMATH 301); Chemical Engineering also requires CHEM 152. Honors options include MATH 134/135/136, CHEM 143 or 145 and PHYS 141.
• AP credit (UW table; scores of 3 or higher are considered): Calculus AB 3–5 earns MATH 124; Calculus BC 4–5 earns MATH 124 and 125 (3 earns 124); Chemistry 3 earns CHEM 142, 4 adds 152 and 5 adds 162; Physics C: Mechanics 4–5 earns PHYS 121 and Physics C: E&M 4–5 earns PHYS 122. UW says AP results cannot be used to waive admission requirements, and overlapping AP, IB or college courses earn credit only once.
• IB credit: Higher Level Mathematics: analysis and approaches 6–7 earns MATH 124 (4–5 earns MATH 120); HL Chemistry 7 earns CHEM 142, 152 and 162, 6 earns 142 and 152, and 4–5 earns 142; HL Physics 6–7 earns PHYS 114/117, 115/118 and 116/119, and 4–5 earns PHYS 101 and 102. Credit generally requires a 4 or higher, and an IB diploma adds 5 quarter credits.
• A-level: Chemistry maps to CHEM 142, 152 and 162; Mathematics maps to MATH 1XX (15 credits, no specific course); Physics maps to PHYS 114–119.
• Whether credit meets the placement requirements: the credit tables list UW course equivalents but do not say whether each one satisfies the College’s placement requirements; ask an engineering adviser. AP credits, and IB and A-level credits for students entering autumn 2025 or later, count toward the 90-credit limit on lower-division transfer credit.

4. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Timeline (admissions dates page, no year shown): the application opens August 15 and is due November 15 for summer and autumn quarters; decisions are released March 1–15; May 1 is the national decision date. UW has no early action or early decision. Apply through the Common App.
• Application fee: $85 for U.S. students (fee waivers available) and $95 for international students (no waivers).
• Materials: the Common App personal essay (650 words maximum, choose from seven prompts); a self-reported academic record in the STARS system (required for all first-year applicants including international students; no changes after submission). Do not send transcripts; a final official high school transcript is needed only after admission and enrollment. UW does not consider letters of recommendation, interviews or demonstrated interest, and asks applicants not to send letters or portfolios.
• Testing: UW no longer requires the SAT or ACT. The page says reviewers do not see submitted scores, and on the same page that very high scores (1400 SAT or 31 ACT and above) may be considered for a handful of students who might not otherwise be admitted; scores give no advantage in direct admission to engineering. Scores to be sent should arrive by December 31. Homeschooled applicants and those from schools without letter or numeric grades must still submit the SAT or ACT.
• No separate engineering essay: the DTC pages we read mention no College-specific essay or recommendation letter.
• Admissions data (first-year numbers page): the middle 50% high school GPA of students admitted for autumn 2025 was 3.75–3.98 (4.0 scale). Three-year average admit rates for Direct to College engineering were 43% for Washington residents and 37% for non-residents. The page does not give a separate rate for international applicants.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Cost: the 2026-27 Seattle undergraduate budget (nine months, October–June) lists resident tuition of $13,406 and a resident total of $36,746 for students living on or off campus; non-resident tuition is $44,460 and the non-resident total $67,800 (housing and food $18,858, books $900, personal $2,508, transportation $1,074).
• Engineering Program Enhancement Fee: from autumn 2026, undergraduates in the College pay a per-quarter fee (summer excluded): $250 per quarter in 2026-27 and $500 per quarter in 2027-28; Allen School programs are excluded and financial aid is available for students with unmet need. Course fees for labs are separate: about 55% of engineering lab courses have one, ranging from $5 to $250 per course.
• Aid and scholarships: financial aid is a separate application via the FAFSA (or WASFA for Washington residents who cannot file the FAFSA), with a February 1 priority date; over half of undergraduates receive aid. Washington residents have the Husky Promise (full tuition and standard fees covered by grants or scholarships for eligible students) and the Presidential Scholarship ($10,000, renewable for up to four years, considered automatically). Non-Washington U.S. students (citizens, permanent residents, refugees and undocumented residents) can receive the Purple & Gold Scholarship (amounts vary, four years, Seattle campus). The College’s Dean’s Office gives a small number of awards to incoming ENGRUDs with no extra application, with preference for Washington residents with financial need.
• Preference or guaranteed admission for in-state applicants: not described; the pages only list admit rates by residency.
• Testing and grades: see above; no SAT or ACT is required.

6. International applicants

• Status: the cost page says international students pay non-resident tuition. Winter and spring are not open to international first-year applicants.
• English tests: an official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test (DET) score is required, taken on or before December 31 of the application year and sent directly by the testing agency. Minimums: TOEFL iBT 76 (4.0 on the 1–6 scale effective January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.0, DET 110. UW does not use the TOEFL MyBest score, does not superscore, offers no conditional admission, and will not consider applicants below the minimum by the deadline. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. Average scores of admitted international students: TOEFL 107, IELTS 7.6, DET 139.
• Exemption: applicants whose primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada (English-speaking provinces), the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand or the U.S. are exempt; being born in one of these countries but educated elsewhere is not enough. Alternative: an average grade of B in high school English writing or literature, with English as the language of instruction for all of grades 10–12, plus an SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 580 or an ACT English score of 22; these scores only prove English and are not part of holistic review.
• Grades and credentials: applicants from schools outside the U.S. that follow a national compulsory curriculum upload a scanned unofficial transcript for grades 9 and above, with official English translations if not in English. Grade conversion and country quotas are not published.
• Funding: the admissions pages on cost, aid and scholarships say UW does not provide financial aid or scholarships to undergraduate international students, who should be prepared to cover all expenses. The College’s tuition and scholarships page says admitted international students are welcome to apply for scholarships but may not be eligible for some, because many require FAFSA-determined need and most departments award only students placed or admitted into the department. The two statements are not fully consistent; check the latest guidance.
• Proof of funds and visa documents: not described on the pages we read; ask the Office of Admissions or UW’s international student services.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admissions and College pages we read do not mention the Gaokao and have no China-specific page, so this is not published. Ask the Office of Admissions whether and how Gaokao results should be sent (askuwadm@uw.edu is the contact listed on the DTC FAQ).
• Transcripts: UW asks applicants from schools outside the U.S. that follow a national compulsory curriculum to upload a scanned unofficial transcript for grades 9 and above, with official English translations. The pages do not say whether Chinese high schools fall into that category, so ask Admissions. All first-year applicants, including international students, also self-report courses and grades in STARS. Whether huikao (academic proficiency exam) materials are required is not published.
• International curricula: for AP, IB and A-level students, results map to the UW credits listed above and cannot waive admission requirements.
• Testing and English: no SAT or ACT is required; English needs a TOEFL, IELTS or DET score or the alternative route, as above.
• Interviews and credential evaluators: UW holds no interviews and does not consider recommendation letters; the pages do not name any credential evaluation requirement.

8. Transfer students

• Engineering route for transfers: transfer students, current UW students outside engineering and applicants with significant college credit use the “capacity-constrained” application: apply to UW first, then apply to each engineering major. As a general guideline you need at least 45 credits that meet the major’s application and enrollment requirements; admission is not guaranteed and capacity varies by major and year.
• Course thresholds: a minimum of 2.0 in each required course and a 2.50 GPA in the prerequisites. Application requirements must be completed by the major’s deadline; enrollment requirements by the start of the first quarter in the major. Application requirements include English composition and MATH 124/125/126, and for most majors CHEM 142 and more; check the College’s table by major.
• Deadlines (College page): for autumn entry to a major, apply to UW by February 15 and to the major before April 5; major decisions arrive in early May and UW decisions by late June (A&A, Civil, Computer Engineering, ECE, Environmental, HCDE, Industrial, Materials and Mechanical). For spring entry, UW by December 15 and the major (Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering) by January 15, with results in late February. The admissions dates page gives a transfer autumn deadline of February 28 while the transfer overview gives February 15; the two disagree, so check the latest.
• International transfers: winter is open to U.S. transfer applicants only; for spring, international applicants already in the U.S. may apply only together with direct entry to Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering. The application fee is $95 (international) or $85 (U.S.). The SAT and ACT are not required for transfers, but international transfers still submit English proficiency scores. Required: a high school transcript if you have fewer than 40 transferable quarter credits, official college transcripts and a major-specific personal statement.
• Credit: UW evaluates credit course by course, with a 90-credit cap on lower-division transfer credit; credit from outside the U.S. is generally limited to 45 quarter credits per full year. The transfer GPA is used only for UW admissibility; selective programs such as engineering may calculate GPA differently (for example from major courses only or the last 45 credits).
• Current UW students: first-year students not admitted DTC can still apply to a major through the capacity-constrained pathway after enrolling, but the College stresses that admission rates fluctuate widely and nothing is guaranteed.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through the Common App by November 15 with “Engineering Undeclared” or a non-computing engineering major as first choice; self-report courses in STARS; no recommendation letters; SAT/ACT optional
• Take the hardest math and science available and meet UW’s CADRs; file the FAFSA or WASFA by February 1
• Finish ENGR 101, the three calculus courses, chemistry and physics in the first year and submit the placement request by July 15

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline; the fee is $95; take the TOEFL (76 / 4.0), IELTS (6.0) or DET (110) by December 31, or qualify for the exemption or alternative
• Upload a scanned transcript for grades 9 and above as UW asks (with translation if needed) and self-report courses; ask Admissions whether a Chinese high school counts as a national-curriculum school and how the Gaokao should be handled
• Clarify funding early: the admissions pages say UW does not provide aid or scholarships to undergraduate international students

Transfer students:

• Finish the calculus, chemistry, physics and composition requirements (2.0 in each course, 2.50 prerequisite GPA), then apply to UW and to the major separately; the major deadline for autumn entry is April 5

Sources: University of Washington, College of Engineering undergraduate admissions; Engineering first-year admissions; Direct to College FAQs; Capacity-constrained admissions; Application type; Application and enrollment requirements; Engineering Undeclared students; Placement requirements; Placement FAQs; Enrollment requirements; Departments and degrees; ABET accreditation news; Engineering tuition and scholarships; Engineering Program Enhancement Fee; Dates and deadlines; How to apply (first-year); English proficiency; Test scores; First-year overview; High school course requirements (CADR); First-year numbers; Admission to majors; 2026-27 cost of attendance; Scholarships; Financial aid; Husky Promise; AP credit; IB credit; A/AS-level credit; Transfer overview; Transfer: how to apply; Transfer GPA; Transfer credit policies; Transfer: spring quarter. The date pages show no year; costs are for 2026-27, and the enhancement-fee page also lists 2027-28 amounts. Check UW for the latest rules for fall 2027 entry.