How to Apply to Engineering at UMBC: Admission as a Pre-Major With Gateway Courses Required to Enter Chemical, Computer or Mechanical Engineering, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is offered by the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT). This guide follows the university’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer science is also in COEIT and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Engineering degrees

• Undergraduate degrees in the college: the COEIT programs page lists B.S. degrees in engineering, computer science and information systems, and a B.A. in business technology administration. The engineering bachelor’s degrees are chemical engineering (B.S.), computer engineering (B.S.) and mechanical engineering (B.S.). Mechanical engineering is also offered at UMBC at Shady Grove. The programs page lists no bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; electrical engineering appears only at master’s and doctoral level, and computer engineering undergraduates can use the combined B.S./M.S. route into a computer engineering or electrical engineering master’s.
• ABET: the accreditation page says the chemical engineering, computer engineering and mechanical engineering B.S. programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET; the computer science B.S. is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission.
• Chemical engineering (department page): a B.S. with three tracks — traditional, biotechnology and bioengineering, and environmental engineering and sustainability; the page says the core classes are the same and each track has its own electives. It says 80% of 2024 and 2025 graduates took part in applied learning (internships, co-ops, research and so on) while at UMBC.
• Computer engineering (Computer Science and Electrical Engineering department page): 125 credits; three tracks — electronic systems, communications and cybersecurity; a senior-year capstone project.
• Mechanical engineering (department page): foundations in mathematics, physics and design, then solid mechanics, thermo-fluids, and design and manufacturing systems, ending in a team capstone project. The department requires incoming first-year students to have their own laptop and lists recommended specifications.
• Combined B.S./M.S.: the programs page lists accelerated B.S./M.S. options including chemical engineering, computer engineering and mechanical engineering; requirements are on the department sites and are not covered here.
• Paid co-op: the pages read have no dedicated paid co-op program description, only the applied-learning percentage on the chemical engineering page. Anything more is not published on the pages read; ask the college.

2. How admission works: pre-major first, then Gateway courses

• You apply to the university, not to a major: the college advising and admissions pages say all students apply through the Undergraduate Admissions office and may name any major on the application.
• Pre-major: every freshman who names engineering or computer science is admitted as a pre-major — Pre-Chemical Engineering, Pre-Computer Engineering, Pre-Mechanical Engineering (or Pre-Computer Science) — or Pre-Engineering if undecided about the engineering discipline. The site says freshmen may pursue any pre-major without additional review.
• Entering the major: students are admitted to the major after they pass the Gateway requirements for their major and complete at least one semester at UMBC. The site says full acceptance generally occurs within the first two years of enrollment. Gateway courses are specific courses that need minimum grades.
• No conditional admission or probation: the transfer FAQ says the college has neither in any of its majors; a student who does not meet the Gateway or the repeat policy cannot pursue that major and can discuss alternative degree plans with an advisor.
• Gateway courses and grades (advising site, one page per major):
  • Chemical engineering: ENES 101 (Introduction to Engineering), MATH 152 (Calculus and Analytic Geometry II), CHEM 102 (Principles of Chemistry II) and ENCH 215 (Chemical Engineering Analysis), all passed with at least two Bs and two Cs; if AP credit is used for MATH 152, at least two Bs and one C.
  • Computer engineering: B or better in CMSC 201 (Computer Science I), MATH 151 (Calculus and Analytic Geometry I), PHYS 121 or PHYS 122 and CMPE 212 (Principles of Digital Design); C or better in ENES 101.
  • Mechanical engineering: B or better in ENES 101, MATH 152 and ENME 110 (Statics).
  • Gateway for Pre-Engineering (undecided): not published on the pages read; ask undergraduate advising (coeitadvising@umbc.edu).
• Repeat policy: a student gets two attempts at any course (a withdrawal W counts, as do attempts at other institutions). The Gateway pages say a current student who needs a third attempt must go through a Course Repeat Petition with department support, and a third attempt is not guaranteed; the transfer FAQ says computer engineering, computer science, chemical engineering and mechanical engineering “do not allow third attempts”. The two pages differ — confirm with an advisor.
• First-semester course: the first-year page says students in an engineering major (chemical, computer or mechanical) take ENES 101, Introduction to Engineering Science (3–4 credits), in their first semester, covering MATLAB programming and computer-aided design.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses (application-ready page): a strong college-preparatory program; the minimum listed is English 4 years, social science/history 3, a language other than English 2, science 3 and mathematics 4 (including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II, with a math course in the senior year). That is the university-level requirement; no separate high school physics or chemistry prerequisite for engineering is published on the pages read.
• Calculus and documenting math aptitude (college “document your aptitude in mathematics” page): most computer science and engineering courses require eligibility to register for Calculus I, and admitted COEIT students must document math aptitude before their advising and registration appointment or they cannot register for math, engineering, computer science or science courses. You can skip the math placement test with an AP Calculus AB or BC score of 3 or higher (original College Board report), IB or CLEP scores that qualify for credit for MATH 151, or a transferable college-credit course with a C or better in College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus I or higher. An AP Statistics score alone does not substitute. With College Algebra or lower you may take the placement exam to see if you place into Calculus I. Current-year AP scores reach UMBC electronically only in mid-to-late July, so the page recommends that students waiting on AP Calculus scores take the placement test. The test awards no credit.
• AP/IB credit against engineering required courses: the page says AP, CLEP and IB scores can earn credit, with the equivalency table in the undergraduate catalog. That catalog is third-party hosted (Acalog) and was not accessed, so which score covers which engineering course is not published on the pages read; check the catalog or ask an advisor.
• Language requirement (transfer FAQ): completion of a language through the 201 level or demonstrated proficiency; level 4 of a language in high school, matching AP/IB/CLEP credit or 201 at a regionally accredited college all qualify. International students proficient in a language other than English may get equivalency if they studied it at secondary level (sixth grade or above) for at least a year in a country other than the continental U.S.

4. Deadlines, materials and fees (fall 2027 entry)

• How to apply: through the Common App, plus the “Required Application Questions” in your myUMBC account, the application fee and an essay. The first-year page says you can apply for spring 2027 and fall 2027; the international first-year page says “Apply for Fall 2027”.
• Deadlines (dates-and-deadlines and first-year pages, month and day only, no year printed — confirm they apply to fall 2027): fall first-year Early Action November 1 and Regular Decision February 1; Early Action decisions begin in December, regular decisions in February, and complete applications after February get decisions within two weeks. Honors College priority November 1, regular February 1, with decisions released separately. Spring first-year: priority October 15, regular December 1.
• Application fee: $75, non-refundable.
• Transcripts: an official high school transcript is required, sent directly from your school; counselors can send it through the Common App School Report or a digital service, or email admissions@umbc.edu or mail it. Send college transcripts too if you earned college credit.
• Testing: SAT/ACT is optional. The application-ready page says applicants who graduated from a U.S. high school in the past three years may send scores and gives a 25th–75th percentile range of 1240–1420 so you can decide. College Board code 5835; the ACT code is 1751 on the first-year page but 175 on the international and transfer pages — check with ACT. The site does not say engineering has a separate test requirement.
• Recommendations: optional, up to two through the Common App. No separate engineering essay is described; Scholars Programs and visual and performing arts majors have extra requirements.
• What is reviewed: grade point average, optional test scores, strength of curriculum, class rank, other achievements and the essay. The site’s first-year class profile (no year printed) shows 2,271 first-time students, an average high school GPA of 4.06, an average SAT of 1320 and an average ACT composite of 27.75.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• How admission works: as above — apply to the university, enter as a pre-major, pass the Gateway to enter the major. Tests are optional. To seek in-state residency, complete the residency questions in the Common App member questions; the in-state residency page was not read here, so its standards are not covered — check it on the university site.
• Tuition, in-state and out-of-state: 2026–2027 estimates (the page says these are proposed amounts at the time of publication and the university may change them). For a student living on campus: tuition and fees $14,086 in-state and $34,183 out-of-state; housing $9,248 and $9,428; food $6,490; books $1,600; transportation $1,900; other personal $7,546; loan fees ($142 Direct Loan, $1,264 PLUS) — totals of $42,456 in-state and $62,553 out-of-state. The cost page read lists no program-specific tuition or engineering fee; whether a differential applies is not published there, so confirm with the university’s student business office.
• Scholarships: admitted first-year students are automatically reviewed for general merit scholarships with no separate application; eligibility depends on cumulative averages, SAT/ACT if provided, individual grades and grade 9–11 programs, and test-optional students are reviewed too. Applying by the November 1 Early Action date guarantees scholarship consideration; reviews continue afterward while funds last. The stated amounts differ: the scholarships page says four-year awards of $1,000 to $15,000 a year, the funding page says $1,000 to $12,000. Renewal requires a 3.25 cumulative GPA and at least 12 credits a semester. A student can accept only one UMBC academic or merit scholarship.
• Scholars Programs: seven competitive programs, $5,000 to $22,000 a year, with a separate application and a January 15 deadline for most; programs with technology in the name include the Center for Women in Technology Scholars (January 15) and Cyber Scholars (January 15). Meyerhoff Scholars has a December 1 priority and January 15 final deadline; check each program page for its field.
• Federal and state aid: file the FAFSA; the listed FAFSA deadlines are March 1 for fall and December 13 for spring (no year printed). Federal Work-Study is $2,000 to $3,200 a year. Priority or guaranteed admission to engineering for in-state residents: not published.

6. International applicants

• Who is international: someone who will need a non-immigrant visa to study and live in the United States.
• Materials (international first-year page): the Common App and an essay; the $75 fee; an official secondary school transcript and leaving exam results; proof of English proficiency; optional test scores; optional recommendations, up to two. Admissions weighs GPA, test results, curriculum, class rank, achievements and the essay. A minimum GPA for international applicants is not published.
• English (listed as “recommended score/grade levels”, unless you meet a qualified exception): TOEFL 4.5 on the new scale (80 before January 21, 2026); IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 115; PTE 53; SAT evidence-based reading and writing 500; ACT English 21; Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 176; or a grade of C or better in English composition at a U.S. college. The page says exceptions exist but the exception rules are not on the pages read; ask admissions@umbc.edu.
• Credentials: secondary transcripts go from your school or through the Common App School Report; for postsecondary study outside the U.S., submit a course-by-course evaluation (the first-year page lists Education Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, Foreign Credentials Service of America and World Education Services); documents not in English need a certified English translation.
• Funds and visa: the admissions pages read do not state a proof-of-funds requirement. The scholarships page says that if you need financial documentation of a merit scholarship for your I-20, your offer letter is sufficient; other I-20 questions go to International Student and Scholar Services. For F-1 applicants outside the U.S. the site says it will try to send decisions earlier to those who complete their applications earlier.
• Scholarships and aid: international students are ineligible for federal student aid and institutional need-based aid but can be considered for scholarships. First-year applicants are automatically considered for general merit scholarships and can apply to Scholars Programs; UMBC also takes part in the #YouAreWelcomeHere program, with two annual renewable scholarships (up to four years) covering 50% of tuition at initial matriculation for admitted first-year international degree students, requiring a 500–1,000-word essay or a 2–5 minute video. The amount cap and deadline are not published on the pages read.
• Cost: the cost page lists only in-state and out-of-state columns; it does not say which applies to international students or list international-specific fees. Not published; confirm with the student business office.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read have no China page and do not say how Gaokao results are used. Not published; ask admissions@umbc.edu.
• Transcripts and exam records: the international first-year page asks for an official school transcript and leaving exam results (if applicable), sent by your school. It does not say how the Chinese high school graduation (academic proficiency) exams are submitted or whether an evaluation service is needed — not published. Documents not in English need a certified English translation.
• Testing and English: SAT/ACT optional; English requirements above.
• Interview: not published on the pages read.

8. Transfer students

• Who is a transfer student: someone who completed college-level coursework after a high school diploma or GED.
• Standard (plan-your-transfer page): UMBC reviews your academic record — cumulative GPA as calculated by UMBC, academic trends, strength of coursework and grades in courses related to your intended major; competitive applicants typically have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. With fewer than 30 college credits you must also submit your final high school transcript. The site’s transfer profile (no year printed): 874 new transfers and an average new-transfer GPA of 3.102.
• Engineering review: transfer applicants who choose mechanical, chemical or computer engineering, undecided engineering or computer science have their transcripts evaluated by COEIT for program eligibility; those not eligible are told in their admission letter and by email. All transfer students enter as pre-majors, normally until the first semester at UMBC is complete and the transcript is processed; being a pre-major does not stop you from taking the next major courses if prerequisites are met.
• Calculus, physics and chemistry sequence: the transfer FAQ says all computing and engineering programs require calculus-based math and science sequences and recommends becoming “Calculus-Ready” before transfer; students cannot take major courses until they can enroll in Calculus I or higher. Finish a sequence (for example Chemistry I and II) at the same institution if you can. The program Gateway grades above apply, and attempts at other institutions, including withdrawals, count toward the two-attempt limit.
• Credit transfer: each course is evaluated and comes in as elective credit (toward the 120 credits needed to graduate) or a direct equivalent. Maryland community college students can use ARTSYS; others use UMBC’s course articulation database and, after admission, can submit syllabi. Many AAS courses transfer only as electives. The site says UMBC does not require specific courses to transfer but recommends the first two years of the program; pre-transfer advising is available.
• Transfer Student Alliance: for students completing an associate degree at a Maryland community college, benefits include a tuition discount for UMBC courses before transferring, an application fee waiver and a UMBC scholarship, if eligible.
• Deadlines (no year printed): fall priority March 1 and regular June 1, with regular decisions typically 2–4 weeks after the application is complete; spring priority October 15 and regular December 1. The transfer FAQ notes the college does not regularly offer online or evening classes for many required courses, so working students should plan credit loads accordingly.
• International transfers: $75 fee; transcripts from every college; secondary transcripts if under 30 college credits; transcripts from outside the U.S. need a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-certified service (the page recommends ECE, IEE, WES and The Evaluation Company) with the original transcript; English requirements as above.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through the Common App by the fall Early Action date of November 1 (guarantees scholarship review) or Regular Decision on February 1 (confirm the year); $75 fee; official high school transcript
• Choose chemical, computer or mechanical engineering and expect to enter as a pre-major; plan for ENES 101, calculus and your major’s Gateway grades
• Document math aptitude with AP Calculus 3 or higher or the placement test

International applicants (including China):

• Common App, $75 fee, official secondary transcript and leaving exam results, English proof (TOEFL 4.5 on the new scale, IELTS 6.5 and so on); certified translations for non-English documents
• Ask admissions about Gaokao use, English exceptions and proof of funds; you are automatically reviewed for general merit scholarships and can apply for the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship

Transfer students:

• Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher is typically competitive; COEIT reviews your transcript for program eligibility; finish the calculus, physics and chemistry courses and meet the Gateway grades; fall priority March 1 (confirm the year)

Sources: UMBC, COEIT programs and degrees; Accreditation; Undergraduate advising; First-year experiences; Engineering and computing admissions; Prospective freshmen; Transfer FAQ; Documenting math aptitude; Chemical engineering gateway; Computer engineering gateway; Mechanical engineering gateway; Chemical engineering undergraduate; Mechanical engineering undergraduate; Computer engineering undergraduate; First-year application; Application ready; International first-year; International transfer; After you apply (international); Transfer application; Plan your transfer; Dates and deadlines; Funding your education; 2026-2027 cost of attendance; Freshman scholarships; International scholarships. Where the site shows no year (deadlines, admitted-class data), confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.