How to Apply to Engineering at UMass Dartmouth: Bioengineering, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical in the College of Engineering, Starting in Engineering Exploratory, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) offers undergraduate engineering through the College of Engineering, on its campus in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. This guide follows the university’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science is also in this college and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Engineering majors in the college

• Engineering majors (undergraduate programs page, all Bachelor of Science): Bioengineering (with a Biomedical Engineering concentration); Civil Engineering (with an Environmental Resources Engineering concentration); Computer Engineering (with a Cybersecurity concentration); Electrical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering (with Advanced Manufacturing and Sustainable Energy concentrations); and Engineering Exploratory. The same college also houses Computer Science (with AI, cybersecurity, game design and software engineering concentrations), Data Science and Physics (with astronomy/astrophysics and computational physics concentrations).
• ABET accreditation: the college’s accreditation page says the Bioengineering, Civil (listed under Civil and Environmental Engineering), Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs are accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission, and Computer Science by its Computing Accreditation Commission. Data Science and Physics are not on that list.
• Accelerated BS/MS: the college has accelerated programs that let qualified undergraduates finish a bachelor’s and a master’s in five years; the Engineering Exploratory page marks which majors offer them.
• Internships and co-op: the college encourages internships related to the major, and students can earn credit by registering for EGR 490 (Engineering Internship), with pre-approval required; credit is not awarded retroactively. The page does not describe a university-run co-op program.

2. Admission: direct to a major, Engineering Exploratory and the Pre-Engineering Track

• Admission to a specific major: the admissions requirements page says students are accepted into specific majors based on the general admission standards and the specific standards for the major, department or program requested. The specific standards for engineering are not stated in the pages we read; ask Admissions.
• Engineering Exploratory: for students who want to be engineers but have not chosen a discipline. UMass Dartmouth says the first-year curriculum for most engineering majors is very similar, so there is time before declaring, but to finish in four years you should declare as soon as possible and no later than the third semester.
• Pre-Engineering Track: the undergraduate engineering page says it is for qualified students who applied to the College of Engineering and were offered admission to the College of Arts & Sciences instead. The Pre-Engineering page says students begin in Arts & Sciences with math, science and introductory courses, work with STAR Center advisors, and are ready to declare an engineering major within their first three semesters by completing foundation courses, meeting GPA and program-specific benchmarks and submitting the major-change form. Math placement through the ALEKS assessment is a key factor: students placing directly into Calculus I also take EGR 111 (Introduction to Engineering and Computing) in the first year; students placing into Precalculus (MTH 150), College Algebra (MTH 148) or Basic Algebra (MTH 100) should plan summer courses, or the degree will likely extend to five years. The page also says the track does not oblige you to earn an engineering degree. A specific GPA threshold is not stated.
• Changing into the college (change-of-major standards page, updated October 2026): current students, including those in other UMass Dartmouth colleges, can change by meeting the standards below within three consecutive semesters of first attempting the required course; changes within the College of Engineering are evaluated case by case.
    Bioengineering: cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher and C or better in MTH 151, MTH 152, CHM 151 and PHY 113 (students with a 3.600 GPA and A- or better in CHM 151 and MTH 151 may declare before completing MTH 152 and PHY 113).
    Civil Engineering: GPA 2.500 or higher and either B or better in MTH 151 and CHM 151, or C- or better in MTH 151, CHM 151 and PHY 113.
    Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering: GPA 2.500 or higher and C or better in ECE 170 and MTH 151, both completed at UMass Dartmouth.
    Mechanical Engineering: GPA 2.500 or higher and C or better in MTH 151, MTH 152 and PHY 113.
    The page notes that CHM 153, MTH 153, MTH 154 and PHY 111 may substitute for CHM 151, MTH 151, MTH 152 and PHY 113. Whether places are limited is not stated.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• 17 college-preparatory courses (admissions requirements page): English 4 units; mathematics 4 units (algebra I and II and geometry or trigonometry, or comparable, including math during the final year of high school); foreign language 2 units of the same language; sciences 3 units, all laboratory sciences (natural science, physical science, technology/engineering); social sciences 2 units including 1 in U.S. history; electives 2 units in college-preparatory courses. UMass Dartmouth encourages first-quarter grades as soon as possible.
• Extra engineering prerequisites: the pages we read do not state math, physics or chemistry requirements for engineering beyond these 17 courses. Not stated by UMass Dartmouth; ask Admissions.
• Math placement: the Pre-Engineering page says ALEKS placement determines the starting course; we did not read other details.
• AP: advanced placement or college credit is awarded for AP scores of 3 or higher, with official scores sent to the Registrar. Which engineering courses the credit satisfies is not stated. CLEP credit is generally used for distribution requirements or electives, not normally for the major. IB credit rules were not in the pages we read.
• Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy: 12 credits, or 15 with distinction.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

• How to apply: the Common App or UMass Dartmouth’s own application (described as best for transfer students or those applying only to UMass Dartmouth).
• Deadlines: the tables on the dates page are labeled Fall 2026: Early Action November 15; March 1 as the priority date, with rolling admissions continuing through the summer (early applicants get priority for programs, housing and aid); August 10 as the last day to apply for domestic students; April 1 as the FAFSA priority date. The spring table is labeled Spring 2026. None of these is fall 2027, so check UMass Dartmouth. The university also says nursing, biology and engineering are highly competitive and encourages early applications.
• Application fee: $60; fee waivers are available.
• Transcripts: a high school transcript is required; first-quarter grades are encouraged as soon as available.
• Testing: the SAT/ACT is optional (the university calls itself “100% test optional”) and the decision rests on a holistic review. The university “encourages” an SAT of 1080 or higher or an ACT of 22 or higher (1200 and 25 for nursing) because many programs are competitive. The pages do not say engineering has a separate testing requirement.
• Recommendation and essay: both optional. A teacher or counselor letter is “highly recommended” for the most competitive programs, such as nursing, biology, engineering and psychology; the personal essay can be up to 650 words and may be the Common App essay. There is no separate college essay.
• Interview: the pages we read do not say engineering requires an interview.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Tuition (2026–27, tuition plus mandatory fees): Massachusetts residents $16,773; Regional/Proximity $22,711; out-of-state and international $34,936. With housing and food (unlimited dining plan and a double room): $35,195, $41,133 and $53,358. The regional rate applies to residents of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Applicants from Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are charged the out-of-state rate but are eligible for a “UMassD Direct” rate adjustment; from fall 2027 UMassD Direct expands to residents of Virginia and Washington, D.C. The size of the adjustment is not stated on the page we read.
• College fee: engineering students pay an individual college fee based on the registered major: $1,350 a year in 2026–27.
• Massachusetts residents: the “UMass Dartmouth Deal”, starting fall 2025, supports tuition, mandatory fees and college fees for up to four years for Massachusetts undergraduates from families with annual income of $75,000 or less. Students file the FAFSA or MASFA by June 1 and need no separate application; they must be seeking a first bachelor’s degree, enrolled full time (12 or more credits) and start in fall. The pages do not describe priority or guaranteed admission for state residents.
• Admissions merit scholarships (eligibility listed for new first-year students): Admissions Award, with SAT (reading/writing plus math) 1000 or ACT 20, or GPA 2.7; Dean’s Scholarship, 1100/22 or GPA 3.4; Chancellor’s Scholarship, 1200/25 or GPA 3.8. Each runs four years (eight semesters) if the student stays full time (12 credits a semester), earns 24 credits a year and keeps a cumulative GPA of 3.0; dollar amounts are not given on the page. Massachusetts residents can also be considered for the University Commonwealth Scholarship, which covers tuition and mandatory fees and asks for a weighted GPA of 3.75 or higher (or top 5% of class), an SAT of 1450 or ACT of 32, and a GPA of 3.25 and 30 credits a year to renew.
• College of Engineering scholarships: the college page says it awards scholarships based on need and merit and invites engineering students to apply according to eligibility; its home page cites more than $4 million in endowed scholarships. Whether they are awarded automatically is not stated.

6. International applicants

• Application: Common App or the university’s own application, $60 fee. The international application page says admission is rolling: fall July 15, spring December 1 (no year printed). The dates page adds that for first-year international students and those transferring from an international school, the last day to apply for fall is July 15 and the last day to deposit is July 31; for spring, December 1 to apply and December 5 to deposit.
• Transcripts and grades: sealed official secondary (and post-secondary) transcripts translated into English by a certified professional, with at least three years of grades, uploaded by the school counselor through the Common App or emailed to international@admissions.umassd.edu. Minimum GPA: 2.5.
• English proficiency (all non-native speakers): TOEFL 79+ (or 4+ on the new scale); IELTS 6.0+; Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 176+; Duolingo 105+; TOEFL Essentials 9.0+; PTE 53+; ELS level 112. Scores must come directly from the testing agency. Exceptions: citizens of Australia, Canada (except Quebec), the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, and English-speaking countries of Africa and the West Indies. The requirement may also be waived if the secondary school gives written verification that English is the language of instruction, or the applicant is in an IB curriculum, attends an American school, or follows a Cambridge IGCSE/O-level and GCE/A-level curriculum. Students who do not meet the requirement may join the Gateway Program to build language skills before entering a degree program.
• Proof of funds: bank statements and similar documents valid within nine months of the first day of class with a minimum balance of $54,000 (a scholarship can be deducted), plus an affidavit of support and a declaration of finances. The international FAQ instead says applicants must have at least $51,253 per academic year available; the two figures differ, so rely on the materials that come with your I-20.
• Scholarships and aid: need-based aid and student loans are not available to international students. Merit scholarships are considered automatically: international freshmen with a high school GPA of 2.75 or above receive $10,000–15,500 per academic year; international transfers with a GPA of 3.0 or above receive $10,000 per academic year. Awards run four years (eight semesters) if the student stays full time (12 credits) and keeps a cumulative GPA of 3.0; dropping below either condition forfeits the scholarship permanently. On-campus work is allowed up to 20 hours a week during the semester.
• Other costs: health insurance is mandatory for international students ($2,338.20); international student fee $535 a year; international orientation $260 (one time).

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international undergraduate page, the application page and the FAQ do not mention the gaokao, and there is no China-specific country page. Whether and how gaokao results are used is not stated by UMass Dartmouth; ask the international undergraduate admissions office (international@admissions.umassd.edu, 508-999-8605).
• Transcripts: the requirements are in the international section above: sealed official transcripts, certified English translation, at least three years of grades. The pages do not say whether Chinese high school exit exams are needed.
• English: see above; China is not on the list of exempt countries.
• Other pathways: the international FAQ says applicants who do not qualify for direct entry may be admitted through Navitas’s alternative pathway.

8. Costs at a glance

• 2026–27: non-resident and international tuition plus mandatory fees $34,936, plus the $1,350 engineering college fee and the $535 international student fee; the university’s figure including housing and food is $53,358. Budget $1,000–2,300 for books and supplies; some majors have lab fees.
• 2027–28 prices are not in the pages we read; check the Bursar.

9. Transfer students

• General process (transfer application process page): rolling admissions with recommended deadlines of December 1 for spring and March 1 for fall; $60 fee, official transcripts from every college, and an official high school transcript if you have fewer than 24 transferable credits. The engineering and transfer pages also list MassTransfer, Joint Admissions and degree-specific agreements with some community colleges.
• Engineering transfer requirements: the engineering page only points to transfer admissions, MassTransfer, joint admissions and articulation agreements. The GPA and calculus, physics and chemistry courses required for engineering transfers are not stated in the pages we read; ask transfer admissions (transfer@admissions.umassd.edu).
• International transfers: courses from a foreign institution must be evaluated by CED, TEC or WES; without the Foreign Credit Evaluation report the application will not be reviewed, and course descriptions are requested. The dates page lists July 15 to apply and July 31 to deposit for students transferring from an international school, and August 12 and August 17 for international students transferring from a U.S. school (these are from the Fall 2026 table).
• Transfer scholarships: domestic transfers are considered automatically by cumulative GPA at application: Chancellor’s Transfer (3.5), Dean’s Transfer (3.25), Transfer Admissions Award (3.0), each valid three years (six semesters); Phi Theta Kappa members with a 3.0 or higher have a separate award. International transfers with a GPA of 3.0 or above receive $10,000 a year.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply by the November 15 Early Action date or the March 1 priority date; $60 fee; SAT/ACT optional, and a teacher or counselor letter is recommended for engineering
• Take four years of math (including senior year) and three years of lab science; if undecided, start in Engineering Exploratory and declare by the third semester
• File the FAFSA by April 1 for aid; Massachusetts residents hoping for the Deal file the FAFSA or MASFA by June 1

International applicants (including China):

• Fall July 15, spring December 1 (check the 2027 dates), and apply early; sealed official transcripts with English translation, GPA of 2.5 or higher
• English: TOEFL 79+ or IELTS 6.0, among others; ask the international office how to submit the gaokao
• Prepare $54,000 in proof of funds (and note the $51,253 on the FAQ page)

Transfer students:

• Apply by December 1 (spring) or March 1 (fall); official college transcripts; ask transfer admissions about engineering course requirements

Sources: UMass Dartmouth, College of Engineering; Undergraduate engineering programs; Engineering Exploratory; Pre-Engineering Track; Change of major standards; ABET accreditation; Internships; College scholarships; Admissions requirements; Dates and deadlines; International undergraduate; International application; International financial information; International FAQ; Tuition and fees; Admissions merit scholarships; UMass Dartmouth Deal; Transfer; Transfer application process. The tables on the dates-and-deadlines page are labeled Fall 2026 and Spring 2026, not fall 2027; the international application page gives “fall July 15, spring December 1” with no year. Check UMass Dartmouth for fall 2027 dates.