How to Apply to Engineering at the University of New Mexico: Choose a Specific Engineering Major on the Application, Start as a Pre-Major and Enter the Department After First-Year Technical Courses and GPA Thresholds, with Admission and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

At the University of New Mexico (UNM), engineering undergraduate degrees are offered by the School of Engineering. Here is what you need to know, based on UNM’s website, for U.S. students, international students, students from China and transfer students. Computer Science (BS Computer Science) is also in the School of Engineering; this site has a separate guide for it, so it is not covered here.

Note: UNM’s catalog is hosted on a third-party platform and was not used here. Department admission follows each department’s undergraduate admission page; the Electrical and Computer Engineering page is marked “Revised February 2023,” and the Mechanical, Civil, Chemical and Nuclear pages show no revision date. The catalog for your year governs.

1. Engineering programs

• Six departments (First Year Engineering page): Chemical and Biological Engineering; Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Nuclear Engineering.
• Bachelor of Science degrees (School of Engineering undergraduate page): Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Construction Management, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering.
• ABET: the First Year Engineering page mentions ABET-accredited programs, and the ECE department states that its Electrical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Accreditation of the other programs was not checked one by one; see each department’s Program Accreditation page.
• Required first-year course: the School describes a new required course, ENG 195 Introduction to Engineering Pathways, taught by faculty from all six departments, to explore majors and career paths and build academic strategies.

2. How admission works: admitted to UNM first, then to the department

• Choose a specific major on the application: the department pages say to select the program on the UNM application. If you meet the university’s minimum admission requirements, you are admitted as a pre-major in that program, and move into the department’s degree program after completing the specified first-year technical courses with the required GPA.
• Standing while a pre-major (School of Engineering academic standing page): a cumulative UNM GPA of 2.3 or higher is good standing; below 2.5 with satisfactory progress is a warning; below 2.3 leads to probation; a cumulative GPA below 2.3 but above 2.0 can lead to dismissal from Engineering, after which a change to a major outside Engineering is required (otherwise the major becomes undecided). Admitted majors need 2.0 for good standing. Attempting a course three times without the required grade also leads to dismissal. Petition deadlines are in the notification email.
• Department admission requirements (each department’s undergraduate admission page):
  • Mechanical Engineering: apply after about one year of freshman subjects; at least 18 credit hours of first-year technical subjects, including 14 credit hours of MATH 1512 and 1522, ME 160L and PHYS 1310, plus four hours from General Chemistry I and lab, ENG 130L or PHYS 1310 lab. A minimum GPA of 2.75 in these technical credits, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.30, and ENGL 1110 or equivalent are required, with department approval. Courses in the BSME curriculum need a C or better and cannot be attempted more than three times (W, CR, NC, I and AUDIT count as attempts). The BSME is 121 credit hours.
  • Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering: pre-majors are automatically admitted after completing ENGL 1110 or higher and MATH 1512 and 1522 with a C or better; good standing with a 2.3 cumulative UNM GPA; and at least 18 credit hours of technical courses with a technical GPA of 2.5 or higher (technical courses are lower-division ECE courses, MATH 1512 and above, PHYS 1310 and above, and listed basic science courses).
  • Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Construction Management: at least 26 credit hours toward the degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.50; good standing (2.3 UNM GPA); all technical first-year courses with a 2.75 GPA and C- or better in each; and ENGL 1120 or equivalent with a C or better. A student close to 2.75 can ask the Director of Undergraduate Programs for review and, if approved, is admitted on probation. Required course lists for each degree are on that page.
  • Chemical Engineering: all 20 credit hours of first-year technical courses with a GPA of at least 2.5 and a C or better in each; ENGL 1110 or equivalent with a C or better; good standing with a 2.3 cumulative UNM GPA. The list includes CBE 101, General Chemistry I and II with labs, and Calculus I and II.
  • Nuclear Engineering: a 2.3 cumulative UNM GPA; at least 19 credit hours of first-year technical courses with a technical GPA of 2.5 and a C or better in each; ENGL 1110 or equivalent with a C or better. The list includes General Chemistry I and II with labs, Calculus I and II, ENG 130L, PHYS 1310 and NE 101.
• Capacity: the department pages describe meeting the requirements (ECE says “automatically”) and do not mention a cap; Mechanical Engineering also requires department approval.
• Changing majors within UNM: only the ECE page spells this out: a current UNM student in a non-ECE major meets an ECE advisor and confirms the switch, which takes effect immediately or the next semester, as pre-major or admitted major depending on the requirements completed. For other departments, contact the School’s advisors (engradvise@unm.edu).

3. Prerequisites and math placement

• High school curriculum (freshman requirements page): the standard New Mexico high school curriculum or the equivalent in another state, and two sequential units of a language other than English (or proficiency to the second level) preferred; applicants without a standard curriculum are reviewed individually. The pages read do not list engineering-specific high school math, physics or chemistry requirements; this is not published there, so ask the School of Engineering.
• Math placement: UNM uses ALEKS PPL, an adaptive test taking 60–90 minutes, ideally before New Student Orientation; request the link from testctr@unm.edu with your UNM email; you may retake it up to 2 more times after the practice modules, and the highest score counts. The ECE page lists the sequence to Calculus I from the first level as FYEX 1010 Foundational Math, MATH 1215, 1220, 1230 and 1240 (or combined 1250), and says that without placement information students start at Foundational Math.
• AP credit (UNM table; minimum scores): Calculus BC 4 earns MATH 1240, 1512 and 1522 (11 credits) and 3 earns MATH 1240 and 1512 (7 credits); Calculus AB 4 earns MATH 1240 and 1512 (7 credits) and 3 earns MATH 1250 (3 credits); Chemistry 5 earns CHEM 1215, 1215L, 1225 and 1225L (8 credits) and 4 earns CHEM 1215 and 1215L (4 credits); Physics C: Mechanics 3 earns PHYS 1310 and 1310L, and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism 3 earns PHYS 1320 and 1320L. The table also covers Physics 1 and 2 and other exams.
• IB credit (UNM table, “subject to change”): Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL 6–7 earns MATH 1240 and 1512 (7 credits); HL 4 earns the same 7 credits and HL 5–7 earns MATH 1240, 1512 and 1522 (11 credits). Physics SL 4–7 earns PHYS 1230 and 1230L; HL 4–7 adds PHYS 1240 and 1240L. Chemistry HL 4 earns CHEM 1215 and 1215L, and HL 5–7 earns CHEM 1215, 1215L and 1225. Which engineering required courses these satisfy is not published; ask an engineering advisor.

4. U.S. students

• Admission (UNM freshman pages): a complete application is the application, official high school transcripts and the USD 25 fee (or an approved waiver); essays, portfolios and recommendations are not necessary. Cumulative GPA is a component of the decision; ACT, SAT or CLT scores are not required but may help (ACT code 2650, SAT code 4845). The pages read show no extra essay or test requirement for engineering.
• Freshman priority dates: fall June 1, spring December 13, summer May 10 (the page shows no year; please verify).
• New Mexico residents: UNM’s admissions home page advertises free tuition for New Mexico residents and points to the Opportunity Scholarship; its conditions are on a page not read here, so check there.
• Costs (2026-27 estimates, UNM cost page): resident tuition and fees USD 11,585, plus food and housing USD 10,648, books USD 1,869, transportation USD 2,498 and miscellaneous USD 2,800, total USD 29,400; non-resident tuition and fees USD 34,734, total USD 52,549. The page says non-resident freshmen and transfers with a 3.0 GPA or 20 ACT / 1030 SAT may pay the resident rate if awarded a scholarship. Whether engineering carries extra differential tuition is not stated on the cost page; check the Bursar’s tuition tables.
• School of Engineering scholarships: one scholarship application is submitted along with the UNM application; the priority postmark deadline is February 1 (current high school seniors only) and the general deadline June 1 (students admitted to the School by June). Current students apply for School of Engineering undergraduate scholarships by June 1 each year. The School strongly encourages filing the FAFSA by March 1 (school code 002663). It says these awards usually supplement university scholarships such as Lottery, Regents, Presidential and Amigo, and that many are need-based.

5. International students

• Fall 2027 (international timeline page): priority application March 1, 2027; final application May 1, 2027; required documents June 1, 2027. The spring 2027 dates (May 1, August 15 and October 1, 2026) have passed. First-year students cannot start in summer.
• Steps: apply online with the USD 50 fee (the FAQ says it cannot be waived); UNM then lists the documents needed, usually official transcripts, graduation certificates (with translations if needed) and English scores; after review you receive the admission decision and any scholarship nomination; after accepting and submitting financial documents, you get the I-20.
• Timing: admission is rolling, and UNM suggests starting 10–12 months before the term.
• Tests: SAT or ACT are not required but encouraged; for GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5 they can help with scholarships and can also exempt students from an English course and help with placement.
• English (undergraduate): Duolingo 95; IELTS 6.0; TOEFL 68 (4.0); TOEFL Essentials B2; SAT Reading/Writing 500; PTE 47; Cambridge CAE/CPE C1; LanguageCert 68 with no skill below 60; Oxford Test of English 125; PTE Express 76. Other exceptions include ACT English 19, four years of U.S. high school with a 2.5 GPA, two semesters of freshman English composition with C or higher at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or citizenship of a country on the exempt list (November 2018 version). Engineering-specific: the English page says all Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering applicants must provide an English score from an approved testing service; freshman English composition grades cannot be submitted instead.
• Scholarships (considered automatically, no separate application; the highest award you qualify for, not stackable): the International Amigo Scholarship reduces tuition to the New Mexico resident rate (fees not included), valued at about USD 27,000 a year, with one of: a 3.5 high school GPA; a 3.0 GPA with ACT 26 or SAT 1240; or a 3.25 GPA with at least 30 transferable university credits. The Leadership Scholarship (undergraduate only), valued at about USD 17,000 a year, requires a 3.0 high school GPA. Priority deadlines: March 15 for fall and May 1 for spring, with later applicants considered as funds allow. Renewal: 15 main-campus credits and a 2.5 GPA each semester, up to four years for freshmen and two for transfers. The School of Engineering’s own scholarship pages do not say whether international students may apply; this is not published there, so ask scholarships@unm.edu.
• Costs (2027-28 estimate, 15 credits): tuition and fees without scholarship USD 38,850, room and board USD 12,471, books USD 1,869, transportation USD 2,498, miscellaneous and health insurance USD 4,000, total USD 59,688; with the Amigo Scholarship USD 29,142; with the Leadership Scholarship USD 41,731. A visa requires showing one full year of funds. Any engineering surcharge for international students is not published on these pages.

6. Applicants from China

• Documents: the requirements-by-country page lists official transcripts, the Upper Middle School Graduation Certificate and an English proficiency exam for China.
• Gaokao: the website does not say how Gaokao results are used; check with International Admissions at goglobal@unm.edu.
• English: China is not on the English-exempt list, so submit one of the tests above; it is mandatory for Electrical or Computer Engineering applicants.
• GPA conversion: scholarships use a U.S. 4.0-scale GPA; how Chinese high school grades are converted is not published. Interview or credential-evaluator requirements for Chinese applicants are also not published.
• Preparation: how Chinese high school courses map to UNM’s math, physics and chemistry courses is not published; math courses are placed with ALEKS PPL, and AP/IB credit is in section 3.

7. Transfer students

• Applicants with at least 24 semester credit hours after high school apply as transfers. Meeting either condition guarantees transfer admission to UNM: 24 transferable credits with a C (2.0) average in all transferable work, or an associate degree (AA or AS) from a regionally accredited community college. Those with fewer than 24 credits must also meet freshman requirements. The page adds that individual colleges or programs may have additional requirements.
• Apply online with the USD 25 fee and an official transcript from each institution; priority dates for U.S. students are August 1 for fall, December 1 for spring and May 10 for summer.
• Entering an engineering program: the Registrar and academic departments evaluate transfer courses. The ECE page says UNM GPA counts only UNM courses, but the technical GPA includes applicable transfer grades; the Civil and Nuclear pages say the department assesses transcripts for its own courses and may require approval of equivalencies from other departments; the Mechanical page says students transferring in from any institution, including UNM, must meet the same GPA and course requirements. Use UNM’s Transfer Equivalency System for calculus, physics and chemistry equivalents.
• International transfers already in the U.S.: fall 2027 applications by May 1, 2027 and documents by July 1; spring applications by October 1, 2026 and documents by November 15, 2026.

8. Internships

• The School of Engineering and department admission pages read do not describe a required paid co-op program; this is not published there. The Engineering Student Success Center (ess.unm.edu) has an internship section that was not read here.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Select a specific engineering major on the UNM application; send transcripts and the USD 25 fee; tests are optional
• File the FAFSA by March 1 and the School of Engineering scholarship application by February 1
• After enrolling, finish the first-year technical courses and check your department’s GPA threshold

International students (including those from China):

• For fall 2027, apply by the March 1, 2027 priority deadline and complete materials by March 15 for scholarships
• Prepare English scores such as IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 68 (required for Electrical and Computer Engineering)
• Take ALEKS PPL before orientation and meet your advisor

Transfer students:

• 24 transferable credits with a 2.0 GPA guarantees UNM admission; entering the department also depends on grades and GPA in the required courses

Sources: The University of New Mexico, School of Engineering undergraduate programs; First Year Engineering; ALEKS PPL math placement; Academic standing; Incoming first-year scholarships; Undergraduate scholarships; Mechanical Engineering admission; ECE admission; EE ABET accreditation; Civil and Construction admission; Chemical Engineering admission; Nuclear Engineering admission; Freshman admissions; Freshman requirements; Transfer; Undergraduate costs; AP credit; IB credit; International timeline; Requirements by home country; English proficiency; English-exempt countries; International costs and scholarships; International FAQ. International dates and costs are for fall 2027 and 2027-28; domestic costs are for 2026-27; the domestic freshman priority dates show no year; some department admission pages carry older revision dates. Check UNM’s website and catalog for the latest.