How to Apply to Engineering at NDSU: Admission by High School GPA and Core Courses With No Test Scores, a College of Engineering With a Dozen Engineering Majors, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate engineering at North Dakota State University (NDSU) is offered by the College of Engineering. This guide follows NDSU’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer science, cybersecurity, data science and similar programs are also in the college; computer science has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Engineering degrees in the college

• Engineering majors (programs page): Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Construction Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics and Automation, and Software Engineering; dual majors in Electrical Engineering and Physics and in Mechanical Engineering and Physics; and minors such as Aerospace, Biomedical and Energy Engineering. Other undergraduate majors in the college include Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Technology and Construction Management.
• Degrees and credits (2026–2027 catalog, minimum credits): Mechanical Engineering B.S.M.E. 130; Civil Engineering B.S.C.E. 130; Industrial Engineering and Management 130; Environmental Engineering 131; Construction Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering 129 each; Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering 126 each; Software Engineering and Robotics and Automation 120 each. Minimum credits for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering are not stated directly on the pages we read. An “A” in the catalog list marks an accelerated option (bachelor’s plus master’s); the mechanical engineering page says high-achieving undergraduates can complete a B.S. and an M.S. in about five years.
• ABET accreditation: the college’s pages say it offers “accredited programs” and name civil, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering, computer science, construction management and industrial engineering. The pages we read do not state ABET accreditation program by program; check department pages or ABET’s website.
• Co-ops and internships: the mechanical engineering page describes a Cooperative Education Program of one or more four-month work sessions after the sophomore year, and the college’s student page lists an internship program. Co-op arrangements for other majors are not described in detail on the pages we read.

2. Admission and entering a major

• Admission to the university: the first-year page says applicants coming from high school are evaluated on a variety of criteria including core high school classes and cumulative GPA. The pages we read do not set separate admission criteria for engineering.
• Majors and advisors after admission: the college advising page says admitted students are assigned an advisor from the college or department of their major, and it lists a lead advisor for “Engineering Undecided and Transfer Students”; the website does not separately explain rules for undecided students. The change-of-major page is on the Career and Advising Center site, which we did not read.
• Conditions for entering a major (catalog): the mechanical engineering curriculum says admission to the Mechanical Engineering major program (junior and senior years) requires a minimum 2.70 engineering GPA and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA; graduation requires a 2.50 cumulative GPA; and no grade below C counts toward a degree requirement. The construction engineering curriculum says transfer students need a 2.50 cumulative GPA to be admitted to the program. The electrical engineering curriculum requires a 2.00 GPA in its core courses. The other majors’ catalog pages we read state no similar threshold; ask the college advisors. Whether places are limited or entry to a chosen major is guaranteed is not stated on the pages we read.
• Differential tuition: the cost page says professional program differential tuition is assessed when a student is admitted into the professional phase of a program, and lists it for all College of Engineering programs (see Section 5).
• Other routes: applicants who do not meet the guidelines may still be considered if their record shows a high probability of success; those not offered direct admission may be eligible for the NDSU–NDSCS Pathway Program, with details in the decision letter.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• 14 high school core classes (first-year page): 4 years of English; 3 years of math (algebra 1 or above); 3 years of laboratory science; 3 years of social science; and 1 year from an existing core subject or a world language (including foreign languages, Native American languages or American Sign Language). The site says grades in these classes receive strong consideration.
• Engineering-specific high school prerequisites: the pages we read do not state high school calculus, physics or chemistry requirements. The mechanical engineering curriculum includes MATH 165 and 166 (Calculus I and II), MATH 259, MATH 266, MATH 129, CHEM 121/122 and PHYS 252; these are college courses, not entry requirements stated by the website.
• Placement (2026–2027 catalog): all incoming first-year students complete a Math Placement Survey and may challenge the result with the NDSU Pearson Placement Exam; transfer students must take the Pearson exam. Survey scores of 50–54 place into MATH 165, 60–64 into MATH 166 and 70–74 into MATH 259 or 265; students who do not reach the minimum place into MATH 98. All students must earn credit for ENGL 110 and 120 or equivalents. New international students take the math proficiency assessment on Blackboard (2026–2027 version).
• AP/IB credit (catalog): North Dakota University System policy requires at least a 3 on AP exams for credit; NDSU’s code is 6474. Calculus AB with a 3 earns MATH 165 (4 credits); Calculus BC with a 3 earns MATH 165 and 166 (8 credits); Chemistry with a 4 earns CHEM 121, 121L, 122 and 122L (8 credits); Physics C: Mechanics with a 4 earns PHYS 251/251L (5 credits) and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism with a 4 earns PHYS 252/252L (5 credits). IB HL Mathematics with a 4 earns MATH 103 and 105 (6 credits); IB HL Physics with a 5 earns free-elective PHYS 1XX credit (4 credits). AP credit is not residence credit.

4. Deadlines, materials and fees (fall 2027 entry)

• Deadlines (first-year page): spring 2027 December 1; summer 2027 July 1; fall 2027 August 1. Decisions are typically mailed 2–3 weeks after all materials are received.
• Application and materials: the online application, in which you report high school information, coursework and GPA; the university will tell you if transcripts or other documents are needed. GED completers who tested in 2014 or later need at least 165 in every subject. The application fee for U.S. applicants is not stated on the pages we read; check the application system.
• Testing: NDSU does not require the SAT or ACT; admission relies on high school GPA and core coursework. Scores may be submitted and are still used for math and English placement. The pages do not mention a separate engineering testing requirement, and the first-year page does not ask for essays or recommendation letters.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Admission: the site recommends a cumulative high school GPA of 2.75 or higher (4.0 scale) and completion of the 14 core classes above. This is a recommendation rather than a hard cutoff, and applicants below it are still considered.
• Tuition (cost page, 2026–2027 estimates for the academic year, flat rate at 13+ credits per semester): base tuition is $10,460 for North Dakota residents, $11,715 for Minnesota residents (who must also file the Minnesota reciprocity application), $12,553 for Montana, South Dakota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Manitoba and Saskatchewan residents, and $15,690 for other U.S. residents (including MSEP and WUE states); student fees are $1,721, plus a one-time $350 new student fee. Engineering differential tuition replaces base tuition for all College of Engineering programs (including Artificial Intelligence, Construction Management, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Technology, Materials Science and Engineering, and Robotics and Automation): $11,509 for North Dakota residents, $12,891 for Minnesota residents, $13,812 for the Montana/South Dakota group, $17,264 for other U.S. residents and $20,142 for international students. Housing ($5,164) and meals ($5,762) are separate. Under “Alumni Dependents”, the cost page says new undergraduates who are not North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana or South Dakota residents are eligible for a tuition rate equal to the Montana/South Dakota resident rate, and that children and spouses of North Dakota University System graduates may be eligible for reduced tuition; the page does not say more about how the two sentences apply, so confirm with Admission.
• Guaranteed first-year scholarships (2027–28 scholarships page): admitted students who meet the academic criteria and send transcripts on time are guaranteed: $3,000 a year for a 3.98–4.00 GPA, or a 3.0+ GPA with a 30+ ACT (1370+ SAT); $2,000 for 3.80–3.97; $1,500 for 3.65–3.79; $1,000 for 3.0–3.64; for up to four years. The scholarship application opens October 1; the first round closes December 1 and the second February 1, then funds permitting; final transcripts are due July 1. Examples: National Merit Finalist $5,000 a year for four years; the Harry D. McGovern Scholarship (STEM-related majors, up to base tuition); the Honors College Scholarship (up to $25,000 over four years with a 3.0+ GPA and 30+ ACT).
• College scholarships: the college’s student page says it awarded more than $3,000,000 in 2025 from over 130 donors, with an online application for incoming students.
• In-state preference or guarantee: not described on the pages we read.

6. International applicants

• First-year requirements: the online application and a $35 application fee (due each term you apply; no waivers; no decision is made until it is paid); a U.S.-equivalent GPA of 2.75 or higher, with secondary transcripts evaluated in-house; and English proficiency.
• Transcripts: the international apply page says first-year applicants upload unofficial documents and mail official ones after acceptance; the international FAQ says first-year applicants must have official secondary transcripts mailed in a sealed envelope from the school (a stamped copy is accepted if the school cannot send the original). The two differ slightly, so follow the instructions from International Admissions.
• English tests (valid for two years, sent directly to NDSU): TOEFL 4.0 (71 on the iBT if taken before January 21, 2026); IELTS 6.0 overall; Duolingo 105; PTE Academic 50; ACT English 18; SAT evidence-based reading and writing 480. Exemptions: applicants from the countries on NDSU’s list (including Australia, Canada excluding Quebec, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Ghana; the website’s list governs); two years of study in good standing at an institution in one of those countries; two years at a U.S. high school or regionally accredited U.S. college; English Composition 1 and 2 with grades of B or higher; or a U.S. GED taken in English.
• Deadlines (rolling admission): the two pages differ. The apply page gives a recommended fall deadline of May 15 (labeled fall 2026) and November 1 for spring 2027 (January start); the FAQ says fall applications are due June 1 and spring November 1, with no summer admission. Scholarship eligibility requires admission by July 1 (August start) or January 1 (January start). Confirm the fall 2027 date with International Admissions.
• Costs and proof of funds: the international cost page (no academic year shown) estimates tuition and fees at $20,025 at the base rate and $21,862 for engineering; housing $4,885, meals $5,762, books $1,175, ISS support fee $250 and health insurance $2,190, for totals of $34,287 (base) and $36,124 (engineering). The scholarships page says that to receive an I-20 you must still show financial documents for the full amount needed, excluding any scholarships.
• International scholarships: new first-year and transfer applicants are automatically considered, with no separate application. By U.S.-equivalent cumulative GPA: 3.5–4.0 earns $12,000 ($1,500 a semester); 3.0–3.49 earns $8,000 ($1,000 a semester); for up to eight semesters. NDSU says it does not offer full scholarships.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the NDSU pages we read do not mention the Gaokao and have no China page. How Gaokao results are used is not published; contact International Admissions (ndsu.intl.admissions@ndsu.edu).
• High school transcripts: see the previous section; first-year international secondary transcripts are evaluated in-house. Whether Chinese-language transcripts need translation or notarisation is not stated on the pages we read.
• Testing and English: the SAT/ACT is not required; English requirements are above.
• College-level coursework: coursework from universities outside the U.S. needs a course-by-course evaluation from WES, ECE or SpanTran.

8. Transfer students

• Admission standards (transfer page): with 24 or more completed transferable credits, NDSU looks at college coursework attempted and completed and a 2.0 cumulative GPA from all post-secondary institutions; with fewer than 24, it also considers high school coursework, grades and GPA, and requires an official high school transcript. Official transcripts are required from all colleges attended, even if credits were not completed.
• Deadlines: spring 2027 December 1; summer July 1; fall August 1.
• International transfers: $35 fee; U.S.-equivalent GPA of 2.00 or higher; coursework from outside the U.S. needs a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES member (WES, ECE or SpanTran); English requirements as above.
• In the college: the advising page lists one lead advisor for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Engineering Undecided and transfer students. Construction engineering requires a 2.50 cumulative GPA for transfer admission, and mechanical engineering uses a 2.70 engineering GPA and a 2.50 cumulative GPA for junior/senior entry (Section 2). The pages we read do not state the college’s calculus, physics and chemistry sequence requirements for transfers; the college has a transfer pathways page that we did not read.
• Transfer scholarships: students with at least 12 transferable credits admitted by August 1 (fall) or January 1 (spring) are guaranteed $2,000 (3.5–4.0 GPA, renewable for one additional year) or $1,000 (3.0–3.49).

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply by August 1; a high school GPA of 2.75+ and the 14 core classes are recommended; the SAT/ACT is not required
• The scholarship application opens October 1, with a first-round deadline of December 1
• After admission, meet an engineering advisor; mechanical engineering uses a 2.70 engineering GPA for junior-year entry

International applicants (including China):

• Submit the application, $35 fee, transcripts and English scores; the two pages show different fall deadlines, so check with International Admissions
• A GPA of 3.0 or higher is automatically considered for $8,000–$12,000; the I-20 still requires proof of full funds
• Ask International Admissions how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• 2.0 cumulative GPA; apply by December 1 (spring), July 1 (summer) or August 1 (fall)

Sources: North Dakota State University, College of Engineering; COE programs; COE advising; COE for students; Mechanical engineering; Admission; First-year; Transfer; Cost; Scholarships; International applications; International cost; International scholarships; International FAQ; Math proficiency assessment; Catalog: undergraduate curricula; Catalog: English and math placement; Catalog: credit for prior learning; Catalog: mechanical engineering; Catalog: civil engineering; Catalog: electrical engineering. The international pages show no year for some dates and costs; confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.