How to Apply to Engineering at Arkansas State University: BS Degrees in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (128 Hours Each, ABET-Accredited) in the College of Engineering & Computer Science, University-Wide Admission Standards With No Separate Engineering Threshold Published, and Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Arkansas State University (A-State) has its main campus in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Its engineering undergraduate programs are offered by the College of Engineering & Computer Science. This guide summarizes the university’s published information for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. Computer Science has its own guide on this site and is not covered here.

1. Programs and accreditation

• Engineering programs (college engineering page): BS in Civil Engineering (BSCE), BS in Electrical Engineering (BSEE), BS in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), BS in Construction Management, BS in Engineering Management Systems, AS in Engineering Technology, and BS in Engineering Technology, which requires an emphasis (Computer Systems, Manufacturing and CAD, Technical Studies). There are also certificates in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing and in Controls and Automation, and a Minor in Electrical Engineering.
• Credit hours: the Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering program pages each list 128 credit hours; Construction Management, Engineering Management Systems and Engineering Technology list 120.
• ABET accreditation: the program pages say the BS in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the criteria for Civil and similarly named programs; the BS in Electrical Engineering by the same commission under the criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and similarly named programs; and the BS in Mechanical Engineering under the criteria for Mechanical and similarly named programs. The Engineering Technology page says the university’s engineering technology programs are accredited by ATMAE (the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering). The Construction Management and Engineering Management Systems pages we read show no accreditation statement, so ask the college.
• Course lists: the “Course Catalog” link on each program page leads to catalog.astate.edu, a third-party catalog site that we did not access. The full required courses, math/physics/chemistry sequences and prerequisites are therefore not in the pages we read; they are not published here, so check the catalog on the university’s website.
• The program pages show a class start date of August 19, 2026; for 2027 international terms see section 4.

2. Admission: direct to the major, or an undeclared-engineering year

• The pages we read do not describe a first-year or undeclared engineering year with later placement, a separate GPA threshold for engineering, limited places, or conditions for changing into the college; these are not published, so ask the college (870-972-3314) or Admissions. The three engineering program pages state “3.0 GPA (2.0 for transferring students)” as the admission requirement, the same as the university’s automatic admission standard.
• Automatic admission for US freshmen (the pages differ slightly): the undergraduate requirements page lists a 3.00 cumulative high school GPA (or GED equivalent), or an ACT superscore of 19 or combined SAT superscore of 990; the engineering program pages also list a class rank in the top 20% and a holistic review. Test scores are required in every case.
• Admitted students who need remediation or have less than a 3.00 GPA take part in the Transition Studies support program.
• Applicants who do not qualify automatically can appeal with two letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose (fit with A-State, strengths and growth plans, outside experiences affecting academics), submitted at least two weeks before the semester starts.
• International first-year: the international undergraduate page lists a 2.3 high school GPA (4.0 scale), with transcripts translated into English; its admission criteria do not list the SAT or ACT. The pages do not say whether international students entering engineering need a higher GPA.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school math, physics and chemistry: neither the admission pages nor the engineering program pages we read list required high school courses for engineering; this is not published, so ask the college.
• Math placement: the undergraduate admission page says remediation is based on entrance exam scores; how math placement works is not described. Transfer students must complete English Composition I and College Algebra, or submit entrance exam scores.
• AP / IB / A-Level credit: the pages we read do not list credit for engineering courses; this is not published, so check the catalog and the transfer course equivalency tool.
• An IB English HL score of 5–7 counts as English proof (see section 6); this is not the same as course credit.

4. Timeline, materials and fees

• International deadlines (international undergraduate page; application, fee and all documents are due by the deadline):
  • Spring 2027: November 1, 2026 deadline, orientation January 4, 2027, classes January 11;
  • Summer 2027: March 2, 2027 deadline;
  • Fall 2027: June 4, 2027 deadline, orientation August 9, classes August 18.
• Domestic deadlines: the undergraduate requirements page we read gives no application deadline for first-year students, so it is not published; transfer students should apply the semester before enrolling.
• Process: international students create an account, choose “International Undergraduate” on the application, and upload documents through the myDen portal using the university’s international admissions tool; a decision comes within 24–48 business hours after all documents are in.
• The application fee differs by page: the undergraduate requirements and program pages say USD 30 (non-refundable); the “other fees” table on the international tuition page says USD 50. Use the amount your application shows.
• Essays and recommendations: the first-year application checklist (application, fee, transcript, test scores, immunization record) lists neither; two recommendations and a statement are required only for an admission appeal. No College of Engineering supplement is described.
• Testing: the US freshman automatic admission routes require ACT or SAT scores; the international undergraduate page lists none. The pages do not say whether engineering has a separate test requirement.
• Transcripts: high school transcripts and ACT/SAT scores must come directly from the school or testing agency (or through platforms such as Parchment and Scoir), and hand-delivered documents need a sealed envelope. For international students, official documents are not required for the admission decision, but must be submitted on arrival before registering for classes, sent in a sealed envelope or through an approved electronic service; emails from you or your school are not accepted. MMR records (two doses) are not an admission condition but are required before on-campus courses.
• Proof of funds: the international page only says to submit documents through the international admissions tool, which we did not read, so the funds amount is not published; ask International Admissions (international@astate.edu, 870-972-2782).

5. Domestic students

• Admission: see section 2; the university-wide standard applies and no separate engineering threshold is described.
• In-state and out-of-state tuition (2026-2027 undergraduate tuition page): USD 337 per credit hour in-state and USD 626 out-of-state; the overview page gives USD 5,425 (in-state) and USD 9,760 (out-of-state) for a 15-hour semester; the cost estimate (15 hours, living in a residence hall) is about USD 30,544 in-state, and non-residents add USD 8,670. College of Engineering & Computer Science non-general-education courses carry an extra USD 50 per credit hour.
• Scholarships (2027-28 packages, on-campus students only; most are awarded automatically from admission materials with no separate application; the deadline is July 1, 2027 for all except A-State Scholar and A-State Trailblazer):
  • A-State Scholar: USD 18,000 a year, 2027 high school graduate, ACT superscore 31 or SAT 1400, 3.50 GPA; admitted with materials by February 1, 2027 and offer accepted by March 1, 2027; renewal requires 15 hours a semester (including one Honors course) and a 3.5 cumulative GPA;
  • A-State Trailblazer: USD 10,000 a year, ACT 28 or SAT 1300, 3.50 GPA; same dates;
  • A-State Inspire: USD 6,000 a year, ACT 25 or SAT 1210, 3.50 GPA;
  • A-State Enrichment: USD 4,000 a year, ACT 21–24 or SAT 1060–1209, 3.00 GPA;
  • A-State Endeavor: USD 2,000 a year, ACT 19 or 20 (SAT 990–1050), 3.00 GPA;
  • Out-of-State Scholarship: first-time students with ACT 24 or SAT 1160 and a 3.00 GPA pay in-state tuition and fees; it can be combined with academic scholarships.
• Arkansas residents: Arkansas Promise Plus is for Arkansas residents with family income under USD 70,000, a 3.0 high school GPA and ACT 19 (or SAT 990–1010). The pages do not describe priority or guaranteed admission for Arkansas residents.
• Private scholarships accept applications from October 1 to February 1 each school year, each with its own form.

6. International students

• Grade requirements: a 2.3 high school GPA for first-year applicants; a 2.0 GPA from previous college work for transfer or transient students.
• English tests (international admissions home page and international undergraduate page; undergraduate minimums; scores must be under two years old; institutional code 6011): TOEFL iBT 61; IELTS 5.5; Duolingo 110; PTE Academic 43; iTEP Academic Plus 3.5; EIKEN Grade Pre-1; SAT Evidence-Based Reading/Writing 550; ACT 21 (the home page says the total and both the English and Reading sections; the undergraduate page says English + Reading 21); IB English (Literature or Language & Literature) HL 5, 6 or 7; A-State ESL completion at 80% or above; or a completion certificate from a CEA-accredited or HOFT ESL program. The home page says the at-home TOEFL iBT is currently accepted.
• Countries exempt from English proficiency testing: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Helena, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The home page says “citizens of these countries” are exempt, while the undergraduate page says “applicants from these countries”; China is not on the list.
• Credential evaluation: the international undergraduate page only asks for transcripts translated into English; any requirement for an evaluation agency is not published.
• International scholarships (international financial aid page; only fully admitted students are considered; cannot be combined with other scholarships): international freshmen USD 3,000 a year with a 3.25 GPA and meeting the English requirement; international transfer students USD 3,000 a year with a 3.25 GPA, at least 24 transferable hours and meeting the English requirement. The 2027-28 academic scholarship page does not say whether international students qualify; ask International Admissions.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: none of the international admissions pages we read mentions the Gaokao, and we found no China-specific page; how it is used is not published, so ask International Admissions (international@astate.edu).
• Transcripts and exam records: the website only says transcripts and academic records must be translated into English; whether graduation or school-leaving exam records are needed, or must be authenticated, is not published.
• English: China is not on the exempt list, so submit one of the English proofs above or complete the university ESL program; estimated ESL costs are on the international tuition page.
• Interviews and evaluation agencies: the international undergraduate page mentions neither; they are not published.
• The international admissions home page says more than 1,200 students from 70+ countries study at A-State; an “International School Transfer Partnerships” link exists, but we did not read its content.

8. Costs and co-op

• 2026-2027 international undergraduate tuition: USD 626 per credit hour; athletic fee USD 23 per hour; College of Engineering & Computer Science non-general-education courses carry an extra USD 50 per credit hour; each term an international tuition fee of USD 350, and a USD 25 student activity fee in fall and spring.
• Annual estimate (international undergraduates, 12 hours in fall and spring, before the college fee): tuition USD 15,024, mandatory fees USD 1,302, dormitory room and board USD 12,220, health insurance USD 1,100, total USD 29,646; the college fee estimate for engineering and computer science is USD 600 a semester (USD 1,200 a year). The same page opens with “estimated cost of attendance for one academic year: USD 26,000”, which differs from the table total; use the university’s latest figures.
• Other international costs: health screening USD 280 (the same page also mentions a USD 90 administration fee and about USD 250 for vaccines and labs, so the figures differ); health insurance about USD 570–650 a semester; a USD 350 international tuition deposit in the first semester (refundable on graduation); some students must pay a USD 3,000 deposit stated in the admission letter, applied to tuition in the third semester.
• Co-op: the pages we read do not describe a co-op program. The electrical engineering page only mentions engineering internships and research partnerships; specific programs are not published, so ask the college.
• College scholarships: the pages we read do not list a separate College of Engineering & Computer Science scholarship.

9. Transfer students

• Requirements: a cumulative 2.0 GPA on all transfer work; apply the semester before enrolling; students still in high school with college credit apply as freshmen. Submit official college transcripts (emailed attachments and faxes are not accepted), plus completion of English Composition I and College Algebra or entrance exam scores, and MMR records.
• International transfer students: official transcripts must reach the university before an admission decision is issued, sent in the same ways as for first-year students; deadlines follow section 4.
• Entering an engineering major: the pages we read do not state calculus, physics or chemistry sequence requirements for engineering transfers, and the program pages give only the 2.0 GPA; this is not published. The university offers a transfer course equivalency tool and articulation agreements with other institutions; compare them with your engineering program.
• Transfer scholarships: the A-Transfer Scholarship is USD 5,000 a year, renewable, with an extra USD 1,000 a year for transfers from ASU System institutions, requiring at least 24 transferable hours and a 3.25 GPA; the international transfer scholarship (section 6) is USD 3,000 a year. The pages do not say whether international students can receive A-Transfer, so ask Admissions.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• A 3.0 high school GPA or ACT 19 / SAT 990, with test scores submitted; to be considered for A-State Scholar or Trailblazer, complete admission by February 1, 2027
• Ask the college about high school math and physics expectations and math placement

International students:

• A 2.3 or higher high school GPA with transcripts translated into English; TOEFL 61, IELTS 5.5 or Duolingo 110
• For fall 2027, submit the application, fee and all documents by June 4, 2027; prepare sealed official documents for arrival

Applicants from China:

• Ask International Admissions how the Gaokao is used and whether a credential evaluation is needed

Transfer students:

• A 2.0 GPA on all transfer work, English Composition I and College Algebra; a 3.25 GPA with 24 hours can qualify for a transfer scholarship

Sources: Arkansas State University, College of Engineering & Computer Science; College engineering programs; Civil Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Construction Management; Engineering Management Systems; Engineering Technology; Undergraduate admission requirements; Transferring; International undergraduate admission; International admissions and English requirements; International scholarships; International tuition; Undergraduate tuition; 2027-28 academic scholarships; Scholarships. Tuition is for 2026-2027 and scholarships are the 2027-28 packages. Check Arkansas State’s website for the latest.