How to Apply to Engineering at Sacramento State: Civil, Computer, Electrical and Electronic, Mechanical Engineering and Construction Management in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Not on the Impacted-Major List, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

California State University, Sacramento (Sac State) is part of the California State University (CSU) system and sits in California’s capital. Undergraduate engineering is offered by the College of Engineering and Computer Science. This guide follows Sac State’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science is in the same college and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Engineering degrees in the college

• Departments and programs listed by the college: Computer Engineering (listed as a program), Computer Science, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Construction Management.
• BS in Civil Engineering: the 2026-2027 catalog states 94 units for the major (including general education) and 124 units for the degree. The department page says the undergraduate program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.
• BS in Computer Engineering: 97 units for the major and 124 for the degree; the first semester of the four-year road map has CSC 15, MATH 30, ENVS 10, ENGR 1 and ENGL 5. The degree is offered jointly by the Computer Science department and the Electrical and Electronic Engineering department. The accreditation statements differ: the Computer Engineering page says the BS is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission, while the Electrical and Electronic Engineering page says both its BS and the Computer Engineering BS are accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission. Check ABET’s website.
• BS in Electrical and Electronic Engineering: 92 units for the major and 122 for the degree, with C- or better in every course applied to the major. Electives offer depth in analog/digital electronics, control systems, communication engineering and power engineering, and the senior project is in either power or electronics. The department page says the program is EAC-accredited.
• BS in Mechanical Engineering: the catalog states 42 pre-major units plus general education, 50 major units plus general education, and 122 units for the degree; the pre-major course list is labeled 62 units (including general education choices), so the figures differ. The department page says the program is EAC-accredited, and there is an accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s blended program.
• BS in Construction Management: 105 units for the major (including the units for a Minor in Business Administration) and 134 for the degree; the department page names the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) as the accreditor. The catalog describes the aim as preparing students for managerial positions in construction.
• Foreign language requirement: students in the civil, computer, electrical and electronic, mechanical and construction management degrees are exempt from the university’s foreign language graduation requirement; students who change majors may become subject to it.
• College support: the Student Success Center offers major and general education advising, career advising, the MESA program and free tutoring for all majors in the college; there are also optional 1-unit Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) courses.

2. Admission and entering the major

• Impaction: the impaction page lists business administration, graphic design, nursing and psychology; engineering majors are not on it. The page also says campus-wide impaction was lifted for the fall 2024 filing period and does not say what applies for 2027.
• Mechanical Engineering: the catalog calls the lower-division courses the “pre-major”; students move into the major by submitting a Change of Major form to the Mechanical Engineering department office during the application filing period, and pre-major students may take some upper-division courses with department approval. The GPA required for the change is not stated on the pages read.
• Civil Engineering: the catalog says students must normally complete all lower-division preparation before enrolling in upper-division engineering courses.
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering: the catalog says ENGL 5 is required for admission to the upper division and should be taken as early as possible. Whether there is a GPA threshold is not published on the pages read.
• Construction Management: upper-division courses are open only to students who have completed the lower-division preparation and have been admitted to the major, and students must pass computer-literacy examinations before 100-level construction management or business courses.
• Computer Engineering: the pages read do not describe a pre-major or conditions for entering the full major; ask the program office (cpe@csus.edu).
• Choosing a major when applying: the first-year application page read does not say how engineering majors are chosen or whether applicants are admitted directly to a specific major.
• Moving into engineering from another major: among the pages read, only Mechanical Engineering describes a change-of-major form. For the other departments the conditions are not published; ask the Student Success Center (ecs-ssc@csus.edu).
• Common lower division: the Mechanical Engineering catalog says the lower-division requirements are “essentially common” for Civil, Electrical and Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• CSU “A-G” high school courses: 15 courses in total, including 3 years of math (4 recommended, covering Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II or higher), 2 years of laboratory science (one biological and one physical), and 4 years of English, all with grades of C or better. The pages read do not make calculus a requirement, and extra high school course requirements for engineering are not published.
• Where the lower-division courses start: the civil, electrical and electronic and mechanical road maps all have General Chemistry for Engineering (CHEM 1E) and Calculus I (MATH 30) in the first semester and Calculus II (MATH 31) and PHYS 11A Mechanics in the second; the computer engineering road map starts with CSC 15, MATH 30 and others.
• Math placement: the CSU no longer uses SAT/ACT scores to decide admission eligibility, but after admission they can be used for placement in math and written communication courses. The details of math placement are not on the pages read.
• AP credit (2026-2027 catalog): Calculus AB 3 earns general education and elective credit with no course equivalent, and 4 or 5 counts as MATH 30; Calculus BC counts as MATH 30 and MATH 31; Physics C Mechanics 4 or 5 counts as PHYS 11A and Physics C Electricity/Magnetism 4 or 5 counts as PHYS 11C. AP Chemistry is listed for general education and elective credit, and the catalog does not say it replaces CHEM 1E. The catalog’s summary table says AP scores of 3, 4 or 5 earn up to 6 semester units per exam.
• IB credit: the catalog says Higher Level exams with scores of 4–7 earn credit, with units varying by subject and a minimum of 5 required on some Higher Level exams.

4. Deadlines, materials and testing

• Domestic first-year (fall 2027): apply August 1 to December 15, 2026; for spring 2027 the period is July 1 to November 1, 2026. Applications go through Cal State Apply.
• Materials: applicants enter completed, in-progress and planned courses and grades (have an unofficial transcript ready), test scores, weekly hours of work and activities, and a payment method. The pages read do not mention an additional engineering essay; letters of recommendation are mentioned only for applicants to the EOP program, and are otherwise not published.
• Testing: the CSU no longer uses ACT or SAT scores to determine admission eligibility; scores can be used for placement after admission. The pages read do not mention a different rule for the college.
• Application fee: the domestic fee is not stated on the pages read (there is a fee-waiver process); the international fee is US$70.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Admission index: the index is the A-G GPA × 1,000. The page lists Category 1 (California applicants) at 2,500 and Category 2 (out-of-state applicants) at 3,000. Applicants below the index may be considered on multiple factors (A-G courses beyond the minimum, low-income background, first-generation status, work experience, college advocacy programs, extracurricular leadership) with a minimum index of 2,000 for Category 1 and 2 students; the page then says “2,500 for Category 3 students” but never lists a Category 3, so the page contradicts itself. Check the website.
• Local admission area: graduates of high schools in Sacramento, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, San Joaquin, Sierra, Solano or Yolo County are local applicants, and the university says it gives priority to local applicants.
• In-state and out-of-state tuition: undergraduates taking 6.1 or more units pay US$3,419 tuition plus US$1,409 in mandatory campus fees, US$4,828 per semester in total; non-residents pay an extra US$471 per unit. The cost page does not list a separate engineering differential.
• 2026-2027 living-expense estimates: US$11,430 living with parents, US$20,212 on campus and US$23,504 off campus; books, course materials and supplies are US$1,240 in all three cases.
• Aid and scholarships: the college scholarship page says engineering scholarships are found through the university’s online scholarship application (AcademicWorks), where one form covers all relevant scholarships; the college also lists department scholarships and scholarships offered directly by companies and organizations. Whether awards are automatic, and their amounts, are not published on that page. Federal and state aid rules are not on the pages read; see the financial aid office.
• Paid work experience (co-op): the catalog says the college endorses cooperative education, with paid work experience in the student’s major field; students are encouraged to complete at least one four- to six-month work period before graduating, with credit for successful completion. Apply in Tschannen Engineering Building room 1204 or email ecs-coop@csus.edu.

6. International applicants

• Filing period (fall 2027): October 1 to May 15, 2027, with documents due May 30, 2027. The spring intake filing period is July 1 to October 4, with documents due October 18, 2026. Apply through Cal State Apply (international); the application fee is US$70, non-refundable, payable by credit/debit card or PayPal. Late-application appeals are accepted through June 15 for fall and November 1 for spring.
• Grades: first-year applicants need a high school GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or an average of 80%, with the diploma.
• Credential evaluation: the university does its own evaluations and neither requires nor recommends an agency evaluation; if one is submitted, only WES, ACEI and ECE are accepted.
• English: one of TOEFL iBT 3.5 (tests taken after January 21, 2026, new scale) or 64 (tests before that date; MyBest scores not accepted), IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 95, PTE Academic 50, GTEC 1125, or specified levels at the Sacramento State ELI, ELS, FLS, TLC or UCLA Extension. The waiver list (2021 update) includes Canada (except Quebec), Australia, Singapore and other countries; China is not on the list.
• Other documents: a copy of the passport biographical page; unofficial transcripts and test scores may be uploaded first for faster review, with official documents requested at enrollment.
• Proof of funds: not required for the admission review, but you are encouraged to submit the affidavit with your documents to avoid delays in the I-20. The posted affidavit (spring 2027 version) lists undergraduate tuition and fees of US$20,960, living expenses of US$25,548 and health insurance and books of US$3,206, a total of US$49,714 for two semesters; sponsors’ combined funds must meet or exceed the minimum, and bank verification must not be older than 6 months. A fall 2027 version was not found on the pages read.
• Timing: undergraduate decisions are sent 5–8 weeks after the documents needed for review are received; an I-20 can take up to six weeks.
• Open majors: the website says the only program currently closed to undergraduate international applicants is Nursing; no extra restriction on engineering is stated.
• Scholarships: the pages read do not say which scholarships international students can receive (the affidavit mentions “CSUS Scholarships” as a funding source without naming programs); not published.
• Co-op for international students: the catalog does not describe any rule for F-1 students; not published, so ask International Admissions (intlinfo@csus.edu).

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international undergraduate page does not say how gaokao results are used and there is no China-specific page. Not published; ask International Admissions (intlinfo@csus.edu).
• Transcript and diploma: submit the high school transcript (3.0/4.0 or an 80% average) and the high school diploma as for any international first-year applicant. Official documents are requested at enrollment and are not returned.
• English: China is not on the waiver list, so a test score from the list above is needed.
• Interview, country page, credential evaluator: no interview and no China page are described; an agency evaluation is not required, and if you choose to submit one it must come from WES, ACEI or ECE.
• International curricula: see section 3 for AP and IB credit.

8. Transfer students

• Domestic transfer (fall 2027): apply August 1 to December 15, 2026. Upper-division transfer requires at least 60 transferable semester units (90 quarter units), good standing at the last college, the “Golden Four” general education courses (English composition, critical thinking, oral communication, mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning) each with C- or better, and at least 30 units of CSU General Education Breadth or IGETC. The minimum GPA is 2.0 in the local admission area; outside it the academic characteristics of the transfer pool determine the minimum. The pages read do not give an additional GPA for engineering transfers.
• Local community colleges: American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake, Lake Tahoe, Sacramento City, Sierra, San Joaquin Delta, Solano, Woodland and Yuba. California community college Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) map to corresponding majors, and the website describes a guaranteed place for students who meet the program’s conditions.
• Courses to finish for engineering: the catalog says students must normally complete all lower-division preparation before entering upper-division courses, and the Mechanical Engineering catalog says the lower-division requirements for Civil, Electrical and Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering are essentially common. The course lists include Calculus I and II (MATH 30, 31), Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism (PHYS 11A, 11C), General Chemistry for Engineering (CHEM 1E), Statics (ENGR 30) and Differential Equations (MATH 45). Check assist.org and the department road maps for equivalent courses.
• International transfer: a post-secondary GPA of at least 2.4 (the website says impacted majors may require more; engineering is not among those named). Applicants with fewer than 60 semester units also submit a high school transcript (3.0 or an 80% average). Upper-division applicants with more than 90 semester units generally cannot apply and may write for a pre-evaluation (this does not apply to those who completed 70 units at a California community college). English: a B or better in a CSU 1A English course, or TOEFL 64, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 95 and similar. The filing periods match international first-year.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through Cal State Apply between August 1 and December 15, 2026, with transcripts and test scores at hand
• Complete the 15 A-G courses, taking math through the fourth year if possible; SAT/ACT are not used to determine admission eligibility
• Ask your department about the conditions for entering the major (Mechanical Engineering requires a change-of-major form)

International applicants (including China):

• 3.0/4.0 or an 80% average; TOEFL 3.5 (new scale), IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 95; apply by May 15, 2027 and submit documents by May 30, 2027
• Submit the financial affidavit (US$49,714 total) with your documents; ask International Admissions how the gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• Domestic: 60 semester units and the Golden Four with C- or better; international: a 2.4 college GPA; finish the lower-division calculus, physics and chemistry preparation

Sources: Sacramento State, College of Engineering and Computer Science; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Construction Management; College scholarships; Catalog: the College; Catalog: BS in Civil Engineering; Catalog: BS in Computer Engineering; Catalog: BS in Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Catalog: BS in Mechanical Engineering; Catalog: BS in Construction Management; Catalog: academic policies (credit by examination); International undergraduate applicants; International applicant FAQs; Countries where the TOEFL is waived; Affidavit of financial support; Impaction; First-year admission process; Transfer admission process; Tuition, fees and living costs. The timeline is for fall 2027 entry and costs are for 2026-2027. Check Sacramento State’s website for the latest; the affidavit posted is the spring 2027 version.