How to Apply to Engineering at the University of North Texas: University Admission Without a Guaranteed Place in Your Major, Math Starting at College Algebra, Pre-Calculus or Calculus, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate engineering at the University of North Texas (UNT) is offered by the College of Engineering, based at Discovery Park in north Denton. This guide follows UNT’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science is also in the college and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Programs in the college

• Majors (college programs page and the 2026–2027 guidebook): Biomedical Engineering (BS), Computer Engineering (BS), Electrical Engineering (BS), Materials Science and Engineering (BS), Mechanical and Energy Engineering (BS), Construction Engineering Technology (BSET), Mechanical Engineering Technology (BSET) and Construction Management (BS), plus Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Geographic Information Systems + Computer Science. The college says it has 12 undergraduate programs.
• ABET accreditation (college accreditation page): the Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical and Energy Engineering BS programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET; Computer Science and Information Technology by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC); Mechanical Engineering Technology and Construction Engineering Technology by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC); Construction Management by the American Council for Construction Education. Cybersecurity and GIS + Computer Science are not listed on that page.
• Other options: minors and certificates (for example artificial intelligence, additive and digital manufacturing, electromechanical systems and mechatronics, RF and circuit design). The UNT-TWU dual degree lets students earn a UNT engineering degree and a Texas Woman’s University math or science degree; the recommended course of study completes both in five years.
• Hands-on learning: every program ends with a Senior Design capstone for real industry problems. The guidebook says most internships are paid and the Career Center helps students find them; a required paid co-op program is not described on the college pages we read.

2. How admission works: admitted to UNT first, major requirements separate

• Who admits: the college admissions page says all undergraduates must apply and be admitted through the UNT Admissions Office.
• Major admission: the international steps page says acceptance to UNT does not guarantee acceptance into the major of your choice; check with the academic department, because departmental applications, test scores, references and auditions may have different deadlines. What these department-level requirements are for engineering majors is not published on the pages we read; contact college admissions (Engineering.Admissions@unt.edu).
• No separate first-year engineering program: the pages we read do not describe an “undeclared engineering” stage. The guidebook gives every major three sample schedules that start in Calculus I, Pre-Calculus or College Algebra, depending on math readiness.
• Changing into the college: the college advising page says students changing from another college need at least a 2.0 UNT GPA to be accepted to an engineering major (new students without a UNT GPA are excepted).
• Major grades: the guidebook requires grades of C or better in major required courses (including math, science and technical writing); the Biomedical Engineering checklist also states a minimum 2.0 GPA. A cumulative GPA below 2.0 leads to academic alert, probation or suspension, and a third suspension means permanent dismissal from the College of Engineering.
• Limits and guarantees: whether seats in each major are limited is not published on the pages we read.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses: the pages we read do not list a separate high school math, physics or chemistry requirement for engineering. The “core course GPA” route on the freshman page (four years of English, four of math, four of science and three of social science with a 3.0 unweighted GPA) is one of the guaranteed-admission criteria, not an engineering-specific requirement.
• Math starting point: in the guidebook, Calculus I (MATH 1710) requires Pre-Calculus (MATH 1650) or test placement; Pre-Calculus requires College Algebra (MATH 1100) or test placement; College Algebra requires TSI completion. A footnote on the sample schedules says the Math Department requires a minimum grade of B in the prerequisite to enter MATH 1650, 1710 and 1720, and a C for prerequisites of other major courses. Majors then take Calculus II and more (the Mechanical and Energy Engineering and Biomedical Engineering checklists both list MATH 1710, 1720, 2700, 2730 and 3410, plus physics and chemistry with labs). The guidebook states that prerequisites are never waived.
• TSI and placement: the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a state-law readiness requirement proven by testing or an exemption. Students who are TSI complete in math begin in an entry-level math course unless they have college math credit; to try for higher placement they take the free online ALEKS PPL, at most twice. Whether TSI applies to international students is not described on the pages we read.
• AP and IB credit: the college advising page only mentions that a prerequisite earned through AP, IB, CLEP or transfer may not be recognised automatically and can be fixed with a department override request, using an AP score or transcript as proof. Which scores satisfy which engineering courses is not listed on the pages we read; see UNT’s credit-by-exam policy.

4. Rounds, materials and fees

• Deadlines (freshman; no year is shown, so confirm fall 2027): fall July 31, summer three-week session May 1, spring on a rolling basis. Late applicants can contact undergrad@unt.edu. To be considered automatically for the UNT Excellence Scholarship you must be admitted by March 1.
• Platform and fee: ApplyTexas or the Common Application. The fee is $75 for U.S. citizens and residents and $85 for international applicants, non-refundable; waivers exist for some applicants, but international applicants who do not qualify for Texas residency cannot get one.
• Guaranteed-admission criteria (freshman; meet one and complete the application): top 30% of the class; cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.25 or higher; 3.0 or higher unweighted GPA in at least 12 semester credit hours of dual credit; 3.0 or higher in the core courses; or ACT 22 / SAT 1100. Others go to automatic individual review. UNT is test-score optional, but scores can help with admission decisions, testing exemptions and scholarships.
• State rule: applicants to Texas public four-year universities must meet the Uniform Admissions Policy, through the high school program or SAT/ACT benchmarks (SAT 1090; ACT 18 English, 22 reading, 22 math, 23 science); UNT says out-of-state high school graduates are exempt.
• Essays and recommendations: the freshman requirements page and the college pages we read do not list essays, recommendations or a supplemental engineering essay; check UNT’s steps-to-apply page or contact Admissions.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Tuition (rate table for fall 2026 to summer 2027, charged per credit hour): statutory tuition is $50 for Texas residents, $80 for Oklahoma residents (undergraduates only) and $478 for non-residents; board-designated tuition is $230.11 per credit hour on the traditional plan and $234.71 on the Save and Soar plan (open to Texas residents, locking the rate and any differential tuition for four years). The College of Engineering adds $16.25 per credit hour; mandatory fees and course fees are extra. UNT estimates the average annual cost of attendance for a Texas resident living on campus and taking 15 hours a semester at $29,698 (2026–2027).
• UNT Excellence Scholarship: automatic for first-year students with no separate application, based on class rank and unweighted GPA, from $2,000 to $12,000 a year and renewable for up to four years (the page describes fall 2026 entry: amounts are guaranteed for students admitted with a transcript by January 15, and admission between January 16 and March 1 is reviewed holistically and may be lower). An SAT of 1350 or ACT of 30 adds $1,000 a year; others are evaluated for the $1,000-a-year Achievement Scholarship. The page’s acceptance deadline is May 1 (2026).
• College scholarships: the Dean’s Scholarship and the UNT Foundation Endowed Engineering Scholarship go to the highest-performing students in the college (all enrolled students eligible; March 1; via the Engineering Scholarship Application Form). UNT-TWU dual-degree students can apply for a $5,000 Siemens PLM Software scholarship (freshmen need ACT/SAT of 27/1200, math SAT 600 or ACT 26, a 3.2 high school GPA, a recommendation and an essay of 500 words or fewer).
• Federal and state aid: file the FAFSA; UNT’s priority date is February 1 and the scholarship application deadline is March 1.

6. International applicants

• Application and deadlines: ApplyTexas or the Common Application; the fee is $85. International freshman deadlines: fall July 15, summer three-week session April 15, spring November 15 (no year shown). The college says to submit everything 4–6 months before the term. I-20 requests are made through iNorthTX only after full admission.
• Credentials: international high school graduates need official transcripts and diplomas in the native language and English showing all courses and marks of the final three years; translations must come from the school or a certified translator, and notarized or copied transcripts are not accepted. Students with GCSE, WASC or similar school-leaving exams need five passes at grade C or higher. One page says UNT accepts credential evaluation reports from NACES members, while the same page also says UNT does not use evaluation reports prepared by third-party services; ask International Admissions (UnderGrad.Admissions@unt.edu).
• English (any one; tests within two years and from a single sitting, with no combined scores, MyBest or one-skill retakes): TOEFL iBT 79 (before January 21, 2026) or 4 (1–6 scale, from January 21, 2026); IELTS Academic 6.0; PTE 53; Duolingo 100; Michigan English Test 54 per section; Cambridge C1. Other routes: citizenship of a listed English-speaking country, completing high school (three years of attendance and graduation) or university study in a listed country, SAT reading and writing of 560 on both, ACT English 21, IB Higher Level English A1 grade 5, AP English Language grade 5, or completing Level 6 of UNT’s Intensive English Language Institute. Medium-of-instruction letters are not accepted. Applicants who fall short may receive conditional admission and start in the English institute.
• Proof of funds: F-1 and J-1 students submit the International Student Sponsor Statement and Bank Certification through iNorthTX before an I-20 is issued; documents must be dated within 12 months before the first semester, in English or with a certified translation, and show holder, account type, balance and currency. Credit cards, life insurance, crypto-currencies and retirement funds are not accepted. The 2026–27 dollar amounts are not in the page text we read; see the page or ask International Affairs.
• Scholarships: international students can receive the UNT Excellence and Transfer Excellence Scholarships (federal and state aid is not available). International Affairs says non-Texas residents, including international students, who receive a UNT competitive scholarship of at least $1,000 for the year can pay in-state tuition; the Eagle Scholarship Portal is generally open from October through March. Whether college scholarships are open to international students is not stated on the college scholarship page.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admissions and international pages we read do not mention China or the Gaokao. UNT says its list of country equivalencies is not complete and shows only the most common credentials; we did not find a China entry. How Gaokao results are handled is not published; contact International Admissions.
• Transcripts and evaluation: official transcripts of all subjects and marks for the last three years, with the diploma, in Chinese and English; see the two statements about third-party evaluation reports in the previous section.
• Testing and English: standardized tests are optional; English requirements are above and China is not among the listed countries.
• Interview: the pages we read do not mention one.

8. Transfer students

• Guaranteed admission (transfer requirements page): 45 or more transferable hours with a 2.0 college GPA; 31–44 hours with 2.25; 16–30 hours with 2.5; 15 hours or fewer with 2.5 and a 3.25 unweighted high school GPA (test scores recommended). The international credentials page words it a little differently: under 30 hours 2.5; 30–44 hours 2.25; 45 or more 2.0, and the applicant must be eligible to return to the last school. Others may use individual review.
• Deadlines: the transfer page lists fall July 31 and international July 15, while the international page lists international transfer deadlines of August 1 (fall), May 1 (summer) and December 1 (spring) and the transfer page lists November 15 (spring) and April 15 (summer); ask Admissions which applies. Spring and summer have no deadline for U.S. applicants. The fee is $75 ($85 international).
• Engineering transfer requirements: the pages we read do not give additional GPA or course requirements for engineering. The college offers guided pathways: sample schedules for Texas community college transfers are in UNT Transfer Guides, and UNT-TWU has its own plans.
• Credit: the guidebook says transfer credit may apply to degree, major or minor requirements but not to certificates; the UNT GPA counts only UNT courses, and a separate overall GPA combines UNT and transfer work. See the transfer resources page for equivalencies.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through ApplyTexas or Common App; be admitted by March 1 for the automatic Excellence Scholarship; July 31 is the fall deadline (confirm the year)
• Take math through pre-calculus or calculus; use ALEKS PPL for placement after admission; ask the department about requirements for your major
• FAFSA by February 1 for priority; college scholarships by March 1

International applicants (including China):

• $85 fee, fall deadline July 15; official transcripts for the last three years and the diploma in the native language and English; notarized copies are not accepted
• Meet an English minimum or an approved exemption (no MOI letters); ask how the Gaokao should be submitted
• After admission, submit proof of funds in iNorthTX to get the I-20

Transfer students:

• Reach the GPA that matches your transferable hours (2.0 at 45 or more hours); use the Transfer Guides to choose courses; ask the department about extra engineering requirements

Sources: University of North Texas website, College of Engineering: undergraduate programs; Accreditation; Undergraduate advising; Guided pathways; UNT-TWU dual degree; 2026–2027 undergraduate guidebook; College scholarships; Mechanical and energy engineering page; Freshman requirements; Freshman deadlines and fees; Transfer requirements; Transfer deadlines and fees; International steps to apply; International credentials; English requirements; International deadlines and fees; Tuition and aid overview; Tuition rates; Excellence Scholarship; International scholarships; International financial requirements; International Affairs: scholarships. The freshman, transfer and international deadline pages show no year; the Excellence Scholarship page describes fall 2026 entry, and the tuition table covers fall 2026 to summer 2027, so confirm the versions that apply to fall 2027 entry.