How to Apply to Engineering at Western Michigan University: Pre-Engineering Courses First, Then an Application to the Professional Program, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate engineering at Western Michigan University (WMU) is offered by the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This guide follows WMU’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science is also in CEAS and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Programs in the college

• 14 undergraduate programs (CEAS academics page): aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, construction engineering, cybersecurity, electrical engineering, engineering design technology, engineering management technology, industrial and entrepreneurial engineering, manufacturing engineering technology, mechanical engineering and paper engineering. Three of these are engineering technology programs.
• Degree titles: the mechanical engineering page says “B.S. in Engineering”. The pages we read do not list the degree title for every program; see each department page.
• ABET: the CEAS accreditation page lists the 14 programs under “how we accredit our programs through continuous improvement”. The page text does not contain the word ABET and does not give status for each program, so this is not published there; check the page or ABET.
• Minors, certificates and accelerated master’s: the college lists minors (for example mechanical, chemical, paper, plastics processing), certificates (artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, semiconductors, integrated design and manufacturing and others) and accelerated bachelor’s-plus-master’s options in many programs.
• Hands-on learning: the college reports that 98% of undergraduates took part in Experience-Driven Learning (2024–25 Career Outcomes Report) and every program ends with the Senior Engineering Design capstone for outside partners. The mechanical engineering page describes internships as paid and co-ops as paid and creditable; a required co-op program is not described.

2. How admission works: pre-engineering first

• The application: the CEAS scholarship page says students who list a CEAS program as their major interest may be considered for the CEAS Excellence Award.
• Pre-engineering stage: the mechanical engineering page says that once you complete pre-engineering requirements you apply to the upper-level professional program. The CEAS advising page also lists a “College of Engineering and Applied Sciences—Preparatory” advisor and an “Undecided” advisor.
• Applying to the professional program: students in the pre-engineering or pre-engineering technology program apply in the semester they take their last pre-program requirement, preferably during an advising appointment or online. Grades are checked at the end of the semester and students who succeed are notified by email. A “Request to Enroll in 3000–4000 Level Engineering Courses” form may also be needed.
• The bar: the application form asks for grades in listed courses, for example MATH 1220 or 1700, CHEM 1100 and 1110, IEE 1020 and PHYS 2050 and 2060; the form has several course groups and the page text does not say which major each group belongs to. The minimum grade or GPA for entering a program, whether seats are limited and whether entry is guaranteed are not published on the pages we read; ask CEAS advising (ceas-advising@wmich.edu).
• Moving into CEAS from another WMU college: not described on the pages we read.
• Academic standing: the advising page says students can be dismissed from WMU or CEAS for failing to keep a 2.0 GPA or for unsatisfactory marks in required courses, and describes readmission policies.
• Competitive programs: WMU’s competitive-admission majors are only Aviation Flight Science and direct admission to nursing; engineering is not one of them.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses (recommended, not required): 4 years of English, 3–4 years of math (through second-year algebra or pre-calculus), 3 years of natural science (two or more with labs) and 2 years of the same foreign language. WMU says these are highly recommended but not requirements and that applications below them are still reviewed; Michigan high school graduates are expected to meet the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Any separate high school math, physics or chemistry requirement for engineering is not published on the pages we read.
• Math placement: not described on the pages we read; ask CEAS advising.
• AP and IB credit: send AP scores to WMU (code 1902) and an official IB transcript. Which scores satisfy engineering courses is not listed on the pages we read; see the Registrar’s AP/IB policy. CEAS advising asks new students to give unofficial AP/IB scores to their advisor for registration. Transferable college credit earned in high school is accepted.

4. Rounds, materials and fees

• First-year, fall 2027 entry: Early Action (non-binding) December 1, which covers admission to all programs, admissions merit scholarships, Medallion consideration and a priority invitation to the Lee Honors College, with decisions usually after winter break; rolling admission June 1, with review from October and decisions usually 6–8 weeks after the file is complete.
• Application and fee: first-year applicants use Common App only. In a scholarship footnote WMU lists the Common App with WMU supplement, official high school transcripts and a $40 application fee or waiver.
• Essay and recommendations: the transcript is the most important item, along with grade trend and optional ACT/SAT. Recommendations and essays are described as optional for the competitive programs; the pages we read do not say whether engineering applicants need them, so follow the WMU requirements shown in Common App.
• Testing: WMU has been test-optional since 2020; the pages we read do not describe a separate CEAS testing requirement. Report scores on the application if you want them used; report all test dates, because WMU superscores. Students whose score was used must send official scores before orientation for course placement. AP, IB and SAT subject scores are optional.
• Assured Admission Program: WMU also has an Assured Admission Program based mainly on academic performance (including a minimum 3.00 GPA) and conduct; details are on the program page.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Tuition (fall 2026 and spring 2027, 12–15 credits a semester): with 55 or fewer earned WMU credits, Michigan residents pay a flat $8,226 and non-residents $10,477 (plus per-credit charges above 15); with 56 or more credits, $9,024.50 and $11,494. CEAS adds differential tuition: $804.85 a semester for 12–15 credits or $62.10 per credit for 1–11 credits, plus standard fees of $70 a semester. A separate affordability page says non-resident undergraduate tuition never exceeds 25% above in-state tuition; check the current billing page when comparing it with the table. 2027–28 rates are published after July 2027.
• 2026–27 estimated budgets (used for aid, not bills): for fall and spring, residents $37,270 and non-residents $41,346, including tuition, fees, housing and food, books and transportation; the page says the flat-rate tuition it uses does not apply to colleges with differential tuition such as CEAS.
• Admissions scholarships (first-year fall): based on GPA at admission with no separate application. Bronco Excellence (GPA 3.60 and above) is $14,000–20,000 over four years; Bronco Achievement (3.00–3.59) is $12,000–14,000. December 1 is the Early Action date for consideration, and later applicants are considered while funds last. The Medallion Scholarship is valued at about $94,036 over four years, chosen by holistic review, up to 20 scholars. The page shows no year.
• CEAS scholarships: the Excellence Award is a four-year award, typically $1,000–4,000 a year, requiring all admission materials by March 1 of senior year, no extra application, announced in early spring, with a 3.25 GPA, full-time and CEAS enrollment to keep it. The Multicultural Scholarship pays $2,000 a year for up to four years to first-time domestic freshmen (3.0 GPA, FAFSA, essay by February 15). The Leadership Scholarship is $1,000–4,000 a year (essay and up to two recommendations by February 15). The FIRST Robotics Scholarship is $4,000 a year for up to four years (April 1). Current students have further awards.
• Michigan resident programs: Bronco Promise (Michigan residents with household income of $50,000 or less and net assets under $75,000, last-dollar tuition; admission file by June 1 and FAFSA by July 1) and Bronco Connect (up to $6,000, needs Scholarship Universe and FAFSA by April 28).
• Federal and state aid: U.S. citizens and permanent residents file the FAFSA.

6. International applicants

• Deadlines and fee: the international page lists undergraduate fall June 1, spring September 1 and summer one February 1 (no year shown; confirm it is for fall 2027). The application fee is $100, non-refundable. The pages we read do not say which application platform international first-years use (they say “Apply for Undergraduate Studies”), while the domestic first-year page says Common App only.
• Documents: transcripts or mark-sheets from all secondary and post-secondary schools (unofficial copies can be used for the decision; official ones are due before the end of the first semester), diplomas, exam results and certificates, official grading scales, official English translations, and a passport identification page. Credential evaluation reports from certain services are also accepted for admission, and must include the original transcripts.
• English (undergraduate, most programs; test taken within two years): TOEFL iBT (2026 and later, 1–6 scale) 4, TOEFL Essentials 7, IELTS Academic 6.0, PTE 48, Duolingo 100, Michigan English Test 48, SAT EBRW 500, IB Higher Level English grade 5, IGCSE English A/B/C. Aviation Flight Science has higher minimums; engineering does not. Applicants who completed four years of upper secondary or one year of university study in listed countries (including the U.K., U.S., Canada and Singapore; starred countries such as Canada and Singapore count only if the education was in English) are exempt; China is not on the list. Students who fall short can begin at WMU’s Center for English Language and Culture.
• Cost for international students (2026–27 estimate, 24–30 credits a year): the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences row totals $38,860 (lower level) or $40,900 (upper level) a year (the table’s base items are tuition and fees of $22,590 lower or $24,630 upper, housing and meals of $12,570 and health insurance of $2,090; the upper-level rate applies after 55 credits). About $3,600 a year for personal expenses and books is not included. These are estimates and may change.
• Proof of funds: an I-20 or DS-2019 requires evidence of ability to pay all tuition and living costs. The amount and document rules are not on the pages we read; ask International Student and Scholar Services at (269) 387-5890.
• Scholarships: the Global Education Merit Scholarship is for initial F-1 or J-1 undergraduates, up to $10,000 a year applied to tuition, up to eight semesters, with a 3.0 GPA (converted to a 4.0 scale). No extra application is needed; it is awarded on a rolling basis, eligibility does not guarantee an award, and it cannot be combined with government or NGO scholarships or full WMU assistantships; fully online students are excluded. The CEAS scholarship page does not say whether international students can receive the Excellence Award.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international, transcript and English pages we read do not mention China or the Gaokao and have no country page. The transcript section says some education systems provide exam results rather than traditional transcripts, in which case upload them with the official grading scales; the Gaokao is not named. How Gaokao results should be handled is not published; contact international admissions (Kim Cho covers undergraduates from countries not otherwise listed: kim.cho@wmich.edu).
• Transcripts: upload Chinese school records, diplomas and grading scales with English translations. Notarisation or certification requirements are not described.
• Testing and English: standardized tests are optional; English requirements are in the previous section and China is not an exemption country.
• Interview and accrediting agencies: the pages we read do not mention an interview or any China-specific instruction.

8. Transfer students

• Criteria: students who completed college coursework in a fall or spring term after high school are transfer applicants; a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (4.00 scale) is needed for consideration, looking at cumulative college GPA, recent grade trend and the number of college-level courses. A separate CEAS transfer GPA is not published on the pages we read.
• Deadlines: fall August 15, spring January 1, summer I May 1 and summer II June 15; WMU recommends applying 6–8 months ahead and decisions come about two weeks after the file is complete. The 2027 deadlines page lists August 15 for transfer students. The international page lists an undergraduate fall deadline of June 1 (no year shown, and it does not separate transfer students).
• Materials: with 24 or more credits, official transcripts from every college; with 23 or fewer, also the high school transcript or GED scores. Applicants who graduated less than two years ago can self-report ACT/SAT scores.
• Credit transfer: CEAS advising asks transfer students to check Transferology and, once admitted, meet an advisor for an official evaluation. Credit is granted as a WMU equivalent, departmental credit, CBDRO (needs department review) or no credit. CEAS says that because of the specificity and accreditation of its programs, students must complete steps to transfer credits. Transfer guides exist for Michigan and some Illinois community colleges. Foreign courses need a C or better, the institution must be recognised by its country’s education ministry, and only credit (not grades) transfers.
• Entering an engineering program: the pages we read do not say explicitly whether transfer students follow the same pre-engineering to professional program path; ask CEAS advising. Whether your calculus, physics and chemistry transfer is decided in the credit evaluation.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through Common App; complete the file by December 1 for admissions scholarships and Medallion consideration; the transcript is required and ACT/SAT optional
• Take as much math (through pre-calculus or calculus) and lab science as you can; after admission, plan courses with CEAS advising and apply to the professional program when the pre-engineering courses are done
• CEAS Excellence Award needs all admission materials by March 1; file the FAFSA if you need aid

International applicants (including China):

• Fall undergraduate deadline June 1 (confirm the year); $100 fee; upload transcripts, grading scales, English translations and the passport page
• Meet the English minimum or qualify for an exemption; ask international admissions how the Gaokao should be submitted
• Prepare proof of funds for the I-20 and confirm the amount with the international office; the Global Education Merit Scholarship needs no separate application

Transfer students:

• At least a 2.00 cumulative GPA and official transcripts by August 15 for fall; check Transferology, and after admission ask an advisor whether you also need the professional program application

Sources: Western Michigan University website, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences; CEAS academics; CEAS accreditation; CEAS advising; Professional program application; Mechanical engineering page; CEAS scholarships; Dates and deadlines; Competitive programs; First-year criteria; Testing policy; Early credit; First-year scholarships; Cost of attendance; Affordability; International application; English proficiency; International funding; Transfer criteria. The deadlines page is labeled for fall 2027 entry; the international deadlines and first-year scholarship pages show no year, and the cost page covers 2026–27, so confirm the versions that apply to fall 2027 entry.