How to Apply to Engineering at Tennessee Tech: Six ABET-Accredited Engineering Degrees in the College of Engineering, a 2.85 GPA for Engineering Admission and the Student Success Program if You Fall Short, with Admission and Prerequisite Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Tennessee Tech University is in Cookeville, Tennessee. Its College of Engineering offers undergraduate majors in engineering, computer science and engineering technology. This guide summarizes the university’s published information for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. The BS in Computer Science is also in the college and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Majors and accreditation

• Undergraduate programs (college program list): BS Artificial Intelligence; Chemical Engineering (Bio-Molecular Engineering, Chemical Process Manufacturing, and Energy and the Environment concentrations); Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering and Management, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering); Computer Engineering (Hardware and System Security); Computer Science (High Performance Computing, Information Assurance and Cyber-Security); Electrical Engineering (Mechatronics, Vehicle Engineering); General Engineering; Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace, Mechatronics and Robotics, Vehicle Engineering); Nuclear Engineering; and Engineering Technology, which requires a declared concentration (Engineering Technology Management, Mechatronics Engineering Technology, Smart Manufacturing).
• ABET accreditation (college accreditation page): the college has “six accredited engineering degree programs, one accredited computer science program, and one accredited engineering technology program.” The Engineering Accreditation Commission accredits Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, plus the BS in Engineering offered jointly with East Tennessee State University; Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission and Engineering Technology by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission. The page does not mention Nuclear Engineering or the BS in Artificial Intelligence, so ask the college whether they are accredited.
• Degree maps: the university provides degree maps (suggested course paths) on each department’s website; we did not check every department. We did not access the course catalog site (undergrad.catalog.tntech.edu), so check the university’s website for required courses.
• BS/Fast Track: offered by Chemical, Civil and Environmental, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer, and Mechanical engineering departments; juniors and seniors can take up to six hours of graduate coursework that counts toward both degrees, and spring graduates are expected to finish the MS by the end of the following summer, completing both degrees in five years.

2. Admission: direct entry or the Student Success Program

• Domestic freshmen (under 21): the general requirement is a 3.0 high school GPA, or a 2.50 GPA with ACT composite 17 / SAT 920, ACT sub-scores of at least 15, and a college-preparatory program. Engineering (including computer science) has its own requirement: a 2.85 GPA, ACT composite 17 and ACT math 17. The university says that students who want such a program but do not meet its requirement are admitted to the Student Success Program if they meet general admission requirements, and take classes to prepare for entry into the program of their choice.
• International applicants: the general GPA requirement for all majors is 2.50 on a 4.00 scale; engineering (including computer science and engineering technology) requires 2.85. Students who meet the general requirements but not their program’s are admitted to interdisciplinary studies with an attribute showing their intended program; the university says this only affects which advisor you have, not which classes you take.
• Advising (college transfer page): students admitted into a Student Success Program career track (for example “Interest Civil Engineering”) work with advisors at the Launchpad Student Success Center; students admitted directly into the College of Engineering are advised by college-based advisors in their department.
• Moving from the Student Success Program or interdisciplinary studies into the college: the pages we read do not give the grade conditions, whether places are limited, or whether entry is guaranteed; this is not published, so ask the College of Engineering Student Success Center (engineeringssc@tntech.edu, 931-372-3553) or Admissions.
• Changing into engineering from another major on campus: the college transfer page says the transfer requirements also apply to current Tech students changing from a non-engineering program: a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (excluding remedial and developmental credit) and a C or higher in a pre-calculus or higher mathematics course that includes the trigonometric identities.
• Applicants below the minimums: a Holistic Review Committee evaluates applications individually, and you are notified if you qualify for review after all application items are in.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses: the domestic freshman 2.50-GPA route requires a college-preparatory high school program, but the pages do not list how many years of math, physics or chemistry the College of Engineering expects; this is not published, so ask Admissions. For ACT sub-scores below the requirement, an exception may be allowed for sufficient ACCUPLACER scores.
• Math foundation: transfers and on-campus changes into the college explicitly require a C or better in pre-calculus (or higher) that includes trigonometric identities. The pages we read do not describe how calculus placement works after enrollment.
• AP credit (credit-by-exam page, selected): AP Calculus BC with a 3 earns MATH 1910 and 1920 (8 hours); AP Chemistry (STEM major) 4 earns CHEM 1110 and 5 earns CHEM 1110 and 1120. The table for AP Calculus AB, Precalculus, physics and other subjects is on that page. The page says up to 60 hours may come from AP, military credit and similar sources combined. It does not say, program by program, whether these credits satisfy engineering requirements, so ask the department.
• Cambridge A-Level / AS (Cambridge credit page, selected): A-Level Mathematics with a C or better earns MATH 1730 plus a 1-hour math elective (6 hours); AS Mathematics earns MATH 1710; A-Level Chemistry earns CHEM 1110 and 1120 (8 hours); A-Level English Language earns ENGL 1010 and 1020. Physics does not appear on that table.
• IB: the credit-by-exam page lists IB diplomas and courses; we did not check each subject, so see that page.

4. Timeline, materials and fees

• Terms: the international application page is currently open for fall 2026, spring 2027 and fall 2027. The pages we read give no application deadline for international students or domestic freshmen, so deadlines are not published; the international freshman page encourages applying as early as possible. Scholarships have their own December 15, 2026 date (see section 8).
• Application fee: the international transfer page gives USD 40; the international freshman page requires a non-refundable fee but gives no amount; the domestic transfer page gives USD 25, and the domestic freshman page gives no amount.
• Essays and recommendations: the freshman admission pages we read do not mention an engineering supplement or recommendation letters; these are not published.
• Testing: the domestic freshman page says some programs or scholarships may require test scores and that submitted ACT/SAT scores will be considered; the international requirements page lists SAT and ACT as optional, and if submitted, engineering and computer science need an ACT composite of 17 with ACT math 17, or an SAT total of 930 with SAT math 470.
• Transcripts: international applicants submit transcripts for all high school years and the diploma (originals or certified copies, with official translations if not in English); a scanned copy by email can be used for initial review. Emailed transcripts are official only if sent directly by a school counselor or school official. Submit any AP, IB or Cambridge O/A-Level results, which may earn credit.

5. Domestic students

• Admission: see section 2; a 3.0 GPA, or 2.50 with test scores, is the general standard, and engineering also needs 2.85 with ACT 17/17.
• Tuition: the 2026-2027 cost of attendance page lists undergraduate tuition and fees of USD 12,685 in-state and USD 17,551 out-of-state (see section 8). The scholarship table lists HOPE (USD 4,500 a year); see the university’s HOPE scholarship page for its eligibility, which we did not read.
• Scholarships: see section 8; the Presidential Scholars award and the Golden Opportunity Grant have different conditions.
• Any priority or guaranteed admission for Tennessee residents is not described on the pages we read.

6. International students

• English tests (international requirements page): TOEFL iBT 61 or paper-based 490; TOEIC 600 or IELTS 5.5; PTE, Duolingo, CET Band 6 and other tests or accredited ESL certificates are also accepted, with the full score table on the university’s test-score page.
• English waivers (international freshman page): SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 460 or higher; ACT English over 15; an English composition course equal to ENGL 1010 with a C or better from a US community college or university; Cambridge IGCSE, O-Level or A-Level English with a C or better; IB Language A (Language and Literature, SL or HL) 5 or higher; AP English Language and Composition 3 or higher; or 28 or higher on ACCUPLACER. The pages do not list exempt countries.
• Proof of funds: to get an I-20 or DS-2019 you must show enough for at least one year; the international freshman page gives about USD 43,448 (subject to change) and the international transfer page about USD 37,000, so the two differ. A USD 350 SEVIS fee and health forms are also required.
• International scholarships: the international requirements page says only admitted students can apply, and that the Office of International Programs has scholarships available exclusively for international undergraduates, which are limited. Amounts and conditions are not published, so contact that office (Intl_adm@tntech.edu, 931-372-3634). The scholarship page does not say whether international students can receive the Presidential Scholars award.
• Conditional admission: students at the university’s partner language school who need a conditional admission letter must have a high school GPA above 2.5.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international requirements page says the university accepts Chinese applicants using the Gaokao and states “Gaokao 110/150 or 90/120” without saying which subject this refers to; confirm with the Office of International Programs. Gaokao applicants submit the Gaokao transcript and high school graduation certificate, plus either an English test score or the ACCUPLACER exam on arrival (USD 20), which places them in the ESL center, the pathway program or college-level English composition.
• Chinese-language apply page (no date shown): a three-year high school GPA of 2.5/4 or a 70% average; Gaokao English scores can be used for admission, with an interview below 90 that a Duolingo score above 50 can replace; alternatively ACT English, math and reading 19 each or SAT reading/writing and math 460 each, with SAT 600 recommended for scholarships. English tests: TOEFL iBT 61, IELTS 5.0, PTE 52, TOEIC listed as both 650 and 580, or completing level 7 at the partner language school FLS. These differ from the English-language requirements page (for example IELTS 5.0 versus 5.5); rely on the English page and the International Programs office.
• GPA for engineering: the Chinese page states a general academic requirement of 2.5/4 and does not mention engineering; the English page states 2.85 for engineering. How the two apply to applicants from China is not published, so confirm with Admissions.
• Coursework taken abroad: the Chinese page says Chinese undergraduates who completed coursework abroad must have it evaluated by Education Perspectives, and course descriptions must be supplied in English.
• Chinese-language cost page (no date shown): international tuition of USD 661 per credit hour (USD 7,932 for 12 hours, on top of in-state costs) and USD 132 per hour above 12; a USD 100 international fee each semester; required medical insurance (USD 1,950 a year for a student); special course fees for engineering and some other courses. Check with the university whether these are the current figures.
• Any China-specific interview process or accreditation body beyond the above is not published.

8. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-2027 cost of attendance (financial aid office, living on campus; it does not list international students separately): tuition and fees USD 12,685 in-state and USD 17,551 out-of-state; housing USD 7,365, food 7,026, transportation 2,800, books and supplies 1,280, personal expenses 2,500; totals USD 33,656 in-state and USD 38,522 out-of-state. The pages do not list an engineering differential tuition; only the Chinese cost page mentions special course fees for engineering and some other courses.
• Presidential Scholars (fall 2027 freshmen): guaranteed for students who meet the criteria and apply for admission by December 15, 2026, with a 3.40+ high school GPA and ACT 23 (SAT 1130) or higher, received by January 15, 2027; USD 3,000 to 10,000 a year by GPA and ACT/SAT tier (plus HOPE amounts shown in the table), renewable for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Recipients must have graduated from high school in the fall or spring immediately before entry; for fall 2027 entry this means graduating after November 1, 2026.
• Other awards: apply in ScholarWeb by December 15, 2026, with letters, scores and transcripts by January 15, 2027; the Golden Opportunity Grant is USD 2,500 a year and requires US citizenship or permanent residency; the page also mentions over 700 departmental scholarships.
• College of Engineering scholarships and co-op: the college pages we read do not list a separate college scholarship or describe a co-op program; this is not published, so ask the College of Engineering Student Success Center.

9. Transfer students

• General: students with 24 transferable college hours are transfers. You need a 2.00 GPA in your last full-time semester and a 2.00 overall GPA, and applicants who do not meet them can go to holistic review. Those with fewer than 24 hours must submit ACT or SAT scores.
• Entering an engineering major: a 2.0 cumulative GPA (excluding remedial credit) and a C or higher in pre-calculus or higher mathematics that includes trigonometric identities; applicants who do not meet this but meet the general requirements are admitted to the Student Success Program.
• Credit: the college transfer page suggests taking courses that match the degree map for your intended major and checking the Transfer Equivalency Tables; students who complete the first two years of a Tennessee Transfer Pathway agreement can complete a bachelor’s degree in about two more years.
• Coursework abroad: if your institution is listed in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), submit course descriptions or syllabi for each class; if not, get an evaluation from WES, Educational Perspectives or Spantran, or another NACES-approved firm. Courses without English descriptions are posted as elective credit. Credit is decided by each discipline’s chair or transfer coordinator, not by the Office of International Programs.
• Fees: international transfer USD 40, domestic transfer USD 25.
• The page mentions a Transfer Pride scholarship but gives no amount; see the scholarship office.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Aim for a 2.85 GPA, ACT composite 17 and ACT math 17; otherwise expect the Student Success Program
• Apply by December 15, 2026 to be considered for the fall 2027 Presidential Scholars award

International students:

• Aim for a 2.85 high school GPA for engineering; TOEFL 61 or IELTS 5.5, or meet a waiver
• Prepare transcripts, diploma and proof of funds, and ask the Office of International Programs about deadlines and scholarships

Applicants from China:

• Ask which subject “Gaokao 110/150 or 90/120” refers to, and which English scores apply where the Chinese and English pages differ

Transfer students:

• A 2.0 cumulative GPA and a C or higher in pre-calculus with trigonometric identities; for coursework abroad, prepare English course descriptions or a credential evaluation

Sources: Tennessee Tech University, College of Engineering; Undergraduate programs; Accreditation; Engineering transfer students; BS/Fast Track; Freshman requirements; Transfer requirements; International requirements; International freshmen; International transfer students; International application; Chinese-language apply page; Chinese-language cost page; Cambridge International credit; Credit by exam; Cost of attendance; Freshman scholarships. Scholarships are for fall 2027 entry and costs for 2026-2027; the Chinese-language pages and some others show no date. Check Tennessee Tech’s website for the latest.