How to Apply to Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona: 11 Undergraduate Programs, with Aerospace, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Impacted, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona, CPP) is in Pomona, California, and its engineering undergraduate programs are offered by the College of Engineering. This guide follows CPP’s website, for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science sits in the College of Science (the impacted list shows it under “Science”) and is not covered here; Computer Engineering belongs to the College of Engineering and is covered.

1. Engineering degrees

The college’s undergraduate page says it has 11 undergraduate degree programs, all Bachelor of Science degrees:

• Aerospace Engineering (the page mentions aeronautics and astronautics emphases), Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Construction Engineering and Management, Electrical Engineering, Electromechanical Systems Engineering Technology (EMSET), Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET), Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
• ABET accreditation (program pages’ own wording): the Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, Civil (the page adds that the Geospatial Engineering option is accredited under surveying criteria), Computer and Industrial Engineering pages state accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET; the ESET page says “Accredited by ABET” and the EMSET page says it is accredited by ABET’s Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission. The accreditation sections on the Electrical Engineering, Construction Engineering and Management and Manufacturing Engineering pages describe Computer Engineering, the Civil Engineering geospatial option and Industrial Engineering respectively rather than those three programs, so check ABET’s website for the scope of each accreditation.
• The engineering advising page also refers to students in “Materials Engineering”, but that major is not among the 11 on the undergraduate programs page; whether it is offered is not published there, so ask engineering advising (egradvisors@cpp.edu).
• Hands-on and paid experience: CPP’s “PolyX” approach stresses learning by doing; the admissions pages say that from the first year students can use Bronco CareerWorks for paid internships and short-term roles, and take paid micro-internships of 20–40 hours. The pages we read describe no college-wide engineering co-op program, and work-authorization rules for international students in these roles are not published there; ask the International Students and Scholars Office.

2. Admission: apply directly to the major, and some engineering majors are impacted

• Application: through the CSU’s online application (Cal State Apply). The freshman checklist says freshman applicants must declare a major when applying, and the international checklist says the same for international applicants.
• Impaction: the freshman impaction page says CPP is not impacted at the campus level for first-time freshmen, and that applicants who finish the required college-preparatory courses and meet CSU minimums are admissible to non-impacted programs; but there are 19 impacted programs at the freshman level, whose applicants must meet additional criteria, and meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission. The impacted engineering majors are Aerospace, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Chemical Engineering, Construction Engineering and Management, EMSET, ESET, Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering are not on the list.
• Where the website disagrees: the freshman and international checklist pages also say CPP is “impacted at the campus level and for several majors/programs”, which differs from the impaction page’s statement above. Both are reported here; confirm the current position with the Office of Admissions.
• Alternate major: the checklist says CPP will consider an alternate major if space is available, with no guarantee, and prioritizes majors within the same college.
• Local-area preference: for impacted majors, graduates of high schools in CPP’s historical service area get “local preference” (an eligibility-index bump), as do all veterans; the area lists 17 school districts (including Azusa, Baldwin Park, Chino Valley, Pomona and Walnut Valley) and 9 private schools, including International Polytechnic High School on campus.
• Requirements after entering, and moving into engineering from another college: GPA thresholds or required course grades for engineering majors, and conditions for switching into the college, are not described on the pages we read; ask the engineering advising center (Building 17, Room 2257, egradvisors@cpp.edu).

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses (A–G) for first-time freshmen, each with a C- or better: history 2 years (1 world or European history; 1 U.S. history or half-year U.S. history plus half-year government/civics); English 4 years; mathematics 3 years (4 recommended; algebra, geometry and advanced algebra); laboratory science 2 years (3 recommended; 1 biological and 1 physical); language other than English 2 years (3 recommended); visual and performing arts 1 year; college-preparatory elective 1 year.
• Extra high school requirements for engineering: not stated on the pages we read. The admission evaluation separately looks at your grades in all completed math courses (including quantitative reasoning), see below.
• Math placement: the international admitted-student page says “students with specific majors” must take the Calculus Placement Assessment (ALEKS PPL) by June 15; which majors is not listed there.
• Testing: the CSU no longer uses SAT/ACT scores in admission; you may submit them, but they are not used for admission and may be used for first-year English and math placement if admitted.
• AP/IB credit: the website says AP exams with a score of 3 or higher and higher-level IB exams with 4 or higher can earn college credit; approved honors, AP and IB courses also earn extra GPA points in the admission GPA (A = 5, B = 4, C = 3 points, up to eight semesters, no more than 8 extra points in total). Which engineering required courses they replace is not stated on the pages we read. Official AP/CLEP/IB score reports are due July 15 (international admitted-student page).

4. Deadlines, materials and fees

• First-time freshmen, fall: the page says “Fall 2027: August 1 – November 30 (priority application filing)” and the checklist gives August 1 to November 30, 2026. Spring is not open to freshmen. Decisions are made between February and April.
• Application fee: $70, non-refundable; a fee waiver is possible.
• Materials: an unofficial transcript (enter all completed, in-progress and planned courses). CPP makes decisions from the self-reported application information and requires official transcripts if you are admitted. The freshman pages we read mention no engineering supplemental essay, letters of recommendation or interview.
• Evaluation (multifactor admission model): CSU minimum eligibility first, then high school GPA and CPP’s other criteria: grades in all completed math courses, local-area priority, and experiences and special circumstances (military status, first-generation status, work experience, foster youth, activities, leadership, work related to the major, approved campus partnerships and high school programs).

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• GPA: 2.50 or higher in the 15 required A–G courses for California residents and 3.00 for non-residents, with no grade lower than C-; the international FAQ adds that applicants with a GPA of 2.00–2.49 (2.47–2.99 for non-residents) are evaluated in the multifactor model with other factors.
• Cost (2026–2027, official estimates): for California residents, the systemwide tuition fee is $6,838 and mandatory campus fees $1,728; the estimated total is $25,824 for commuters, $31,332 on campus and $37,002 off campus. Non-residents pay an extra $471 per unit, $14,130 for 30 units a year, for estimated totals of $39,954 / $45,462 / $51,132 (commuter / on campus / off campus). The page says actual costs depend on your major, residency and living arrangements; a differential tuition or surcharge for engineering is not stated on the pages we read.
• WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange): freshman and transfer applicants from WICHE states are automatically considered with no separate application; awards go to the top 15% of WUE admits, notified in April. The page says tuition is 150% of the California resident rate, $10,257 a year, with estimated totals of $29,243 / $34,751 / $40,421; the award lasts up to 4 years for freshmen and 2 for transfers, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment and non-California residency.
• Aid and scholarships: FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for aid; university scholarships are applied for through the Bronco Scholarship Portal after admission, in a season from October 1 to March 2, with students matched automatically to scholarships and colleges and departments offering their own. The page says awards are based on scholastic achievement, career objectives, financial need and service, among others. A list of engineering-specific scholarships was not read.
• In-state preference: California residents have a lower GPA threshold and local high schools get preference (above); no other guarantee is published.

6. International applicants

• Who: foreign non-resident students who need an F-1, J-1 or other non-immigrant visa. Requirements differ slightly for those at U.S. high schools and those at schools outside the U.S.
• Grades: the page says non-California residents need a 3.00 GPA or higher. For schools outside the U.S., grades are converted to the U.S. 4.0 scale; required courses at a U.S. C- equivalent are 2 years of history/social science (3 preferred), 3 years of mathematics (4 preferred) and 2 years of science (4 preferred). IGCSE/O Level students need at least five subjects at C or higher (including English, mathematics, a social science, a biology and a physical science); IB students need at least six subjects at 4 or higher (including math and laboratory sciences).
• English tests: TOEFL iBT 71 (old scale) or 4 (new scale; for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, while earlier tests may use the old minimum for up to two years); IELTS Academic 6.0; Duolingo 95. Waivers: three years of full-time study at a secondary school where English is the principal language of instruction, or completing level five at the Cal Poly English Language Institute (CPELI). The countries listed as having English as the national language are Antigua, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Canada (except Québec), Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, South Africa, Trinidad, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Virgin Islands and Wales. The TOEFL code is 4082.
• Application and materials: through Cal State Apply. Applicants from schools outside the U.S. do not enter their coursework on the application, but must provide all transcripts or marksheets since grade 9 (with English translations if needed); official transcripts with certified translations are required if admitted, and final high school transcripts are due July 15. Admitted students confirm with a $150 non-refundable enrollment deposit by May 1, applied to tuition.
• Deadlines: fall 2027, August 1 to November 30 (2026); international students applying to non-impacted majors have an extended deadline of March 1. Spring 2027 is for transfers only.
• Financial documents and I-20: the pages we read do not ask for financial proof at the application stage; after admission, the I-20 request asks for a bank statement, bank or sponsor letter or financial guarantee (not older than six months before the start date) and a passport copy. CPP’s SEVIS school code is LOS214F00334000.
• Aid: whether international students can receive CPP scholarships is not published on the pages we read (the scholarship page says need is determined by the FAFSA or CADAA); contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The cost page lists only California resident, non-resident and WUE estimates and has no separate international figure.
• Work authorization (CPT etc.): not described on the pages we read; check with the International Students and Scholars Office.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international, freshman and college pages we read do not mention the Gaokao and there is no China-specific page. Whether it is considered is not published; contact an International Admission Specialist (the international page says one can provide pre- and post-admission counseling).
• Transcripts and credentials: per the international freshman page, send all transcripts or marksheets since grade 9 with English translations; CPP converts grades to the U.S. 4.0 scale. Whether a third-party credential evaluation is required is not stated, and how Chinese high school graduation-exam (huikao) records are handled is not published.
• Testing and English: SAT/ACT is not used for admission; see the English minimums above; China is not on the page’s list of countries where English is the national language.
• Interviews: not published.

8. Transfer students

• Minimums: the transfer requirements page says to be in good academic standing at your last institution; a 2.00 GPA in transferable coursework; at least 60 transferable semester (90 quarter) units, 30 semester units of them in general education; the “Golden Four” (written communication, mathematics/quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, oral communication) at C- or higher, with all Engineering majors exempt from critical thinking; second bachelor’s degree applicants are not accepted.
• Impacted majors: there are also 19 impacted programs for transfers, with these engineering majors listed: Aerospace, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Supplemental courses (C or higher): Calculus I (MAT 1140), Calculus II (MAT 1150) and Introduction to Newtonian Mechanics (PHY 1510/L), plus chemistry (Aerospace and Mechanical: CHM 1210/L or CHM 1150; Civil: CHM 1210/L) or Electromagnetism & Circuits (Computer and Electrical: PHY 1520/L). Completing an Associate Degree for Transfer (AD-T) in a similar major waives the supplemental coursework.
• Fall 2027: the transfer page says applications run August 1 to November 30 and, in the same section, that the application is “open to all non-impacted programs and the following impacted majors: Sociology, Accounting, Physics, Kinesiology-General”. The impacted engineering majors are not in that sentence, and we cannot tell whether it applies only to one entry term; whether they are open to transfers is not published there, so ask the Office of Admissions.
• International transfer: applicants from U.S. institutions follow the transfer requirements above, with TOEFL 71/4, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 95 (the English score is waived if all transfer criteria were completed at a U.S. institution). Applicants from outside the U.S. need 60 semester credits, at least one college-level mathematics course and good academic standing; grades are converted by CPP and transcripts need English translations.
• Local community colleges: applicants from the local-area colleges (Mt. Sac and Citrus) who apply to non-impacted majors and meet the CSU minimums are admitted; the multifactor model also counts a Civil Engineering Transfer Pathway (Mt. Sac, Citrus and Victor Valley Colleges) as a campus partnership.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through Cal State Apply from August 1 to November 30, 2026 with the $70 fee, naming your engineering major
• A–G courses at C- or better; GPA 2.50 (California) or 3.00 (out of state); Aerospace, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering are impacted
• File the FAFSA or CADAA; university scholarships run October 1 to March 2

International applicants (including China):

• GPA of at least 3.00 for non-residents; English score or waiver; all transcripts since grade 9 with English translations
• Fall 2027: August 1 to November 30, 2026 (March 1 for non-impacted majors); ask an International Admission Specialist how the Gaokao is handled
• After admission: $150 deposit by May 1, I-20 request with bank documents and passport, final transcripts by July 15

Transfer students:

• 60 semester units, a 2.00 GPA and the Golden Four (engineering exempt from critical thinking); impacted engineering majors also need Calculus I/II and Newtonian Mechanics, among others

Sources: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, College of Engineering; Undergraduate programs; Engineering advising; Mechanical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Electronic Systems Engineering Technology; Freshman applicants; Freshman requirements; Freshman impacted majors; Freshman checklist; Local area preference; International freshmen; International checklist; International admitted students; International transfer; Transfer applicants; Transfer requirements; Transfer impacted majors; Costs; Scholarships. The timeline is for fall 2027 entry and costs are for 2026-2027; check CPP for the latest. The course catalog site (catalog.cpp.edu) was not used.