How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Portland: Civil, Environmental, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering BS Degrees in the Shiley School, with No Application Fee and Optional Test Scores, and Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Portland (UP) is a university in Portland, Oregon, rooted in the Holy Cross tradition according to its website, on a semester calendar. Undergraduate engineering is taught in the Shiley School of Engineering, which also houses computer science; that is not covered here. Below is what the university’s website says, for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students.

1. The undergraduate engineering majors

• Majors: the degrees page lists BS degrees in civil, environmental, electrical and mechanical engineering, plus computer science. Aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, computer engineering, construction management and cybersecurity are listed as minors only.
• ABET: the accreditation page says the BS in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering are accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), computer science by the Computing Accreditation Commission, and that environmental engineering “will be reviewed by the EAC at the next review”; the page does not say it is already accredited.
• Total credits and electives: the pages read do not list these by major; see the university Bulletin and each program page.
• Core: the civil and mechanical pages say students complete the university’s 40-credit Core Curriculum.

2. How admission works: the university first, major requirements not published

• Major at application: the first-year page describes a university-level application. The pages read do not mention a separate engineering application or essay, or a “first-year engineering, then sort by GPA” rule. Whether admission to a chosen engineering major is guaranteed, and whether any major has limited places, is not published; ask Admissions (admissions@up.edu) or a Shiley academic advisor.
• Direct admission: UP describes the Moreau Pathway Program (launched 2024), which guarantees enrollment to high school seniors who meet specific criteria and gives “direct entry into their chosen academic field.” Criteria and participating schools are on the program page and are not covered here.
• Moving into engineering from another UP school: the Shiley transfer page says internal and external transfers meet the same criteria (see section 9).

3. Preparation

• High school courses: the first-year page does not list required numbers of high school math, physics or chemistry courses for engineering; this is not published. The scholarship page does say the Howard Vollum scholarship looks for a strong college-prep curriculum including higher-level STEAM classes. Confirm with Admissions.
• Math placement: not described on the pages read.
• AP/IB credit: credit for AP scores of 4 or 5, and for IB Higher Level scores of 5, 6 or 7, course by course. Depending on score and major, credit may waive a class, place you in the next level, or count as an elective. The Registrar has tables of equivalents, which were not checked course by course.
• Dual enrollment / Running Start: students taking college courses in high school apply as first years; courses must be at the 100 level or above with a C or higher.
• Equipment: the Shiley incoming-students page says upper-level math needs a graphing calculator (the math department prefers a TI-84 or TI-89); mechanical, electrical and civil majors need no specific laptop because software is provided through a virtual machine and only a browser is required.

4. Dates and materials (fall 2027)

• First years: the Common App and UP application open August 1 and are evaluated equally; neither has a fee. Early Action closes December 1 with a decision within four weeks; regular decision closes February 15 (non-nursing majors); a June 1 late decision is available if space remains; the international final deadline is June 1. The Honors Program deadline is February 15. May 1 is the enrollment deposit deadline (nonrefundable).
• Materials: a high school transcript (ninth grade to the latest term); the letter of recommendation and secondary school report are currently waived (you may still submit them); SAT/ACT are optional through fall 2027 and not submitting does not disadvantage you.
• Essay: the international first-year checklist lists an essay “(follow application prompts)”; an additional engineering essay is not mentioned.

5. Domestic students

• Tuition: the published 2026-2027 figures (summer 2026 through spring 2027) are USD 30,500 a semester for full-time (12 or more credits) fall and spring tuition, plus a USD 150 ASUP student activities fee, a USD 525 campus access fee, a one-time USD 275 new student fee and USD 1,485.50 a semester for health insurance; course and lab fees vary. The page also lists a “professional tuition” of USD 110 per credit hour for engineering, nursing public health and wellness, and business classes, without saying exactly which courses carry it (not published); ask Student Accounts. Costs for 2027-2028 were not on the pages read.
• Aid: UP says more than 99% of students receive some aid; the 2027-2028 FAFSA is open (school code 003224). Accepted first-year and transfer students are automatically considered for institutional merit awards with no separate application.
• Merit scholarships (first-year, per year): Archbishop Christie USD 40,000; President’s 32,000 to 34,000; Holy Cross and Arthur A. Schulte, Jr. 28,000 to 30,000 each; and the Howard Vollum scholarship for engineering and computer science majors, which asks for a strong college-prep curriculum (including higher-level STEAM classes) and a strong GPA, USD 28,000 to 30,000. There are also the Pilot Venture Award (students from outside Oregon) and the Pilots First Award (first-generation students). The named merit scholarships cannot be combined and last up to 8 semesters.
• Resident preference: the pages read do not mention an in-state preference or guarantee; not published.

6. International students

• Application: Common App or UP application, official secondary school records sent directly by the school, an essay, and English proficiency; after admission, the immigration form, the Declaration of Finances worksheet and a passport page. The international page lists September 1 as the start of acceptance, January 15 as the recommended deadline to guarantee space in the fall class, and June 1 as the final fall deadline if space is available. The first-year page separately gives a February 15 regular deadline; the two pages differ, so check the latest.
• English (undergraduate): TOEFL iBT 71 with at least 16 in reading and writing (code 4847); IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in reading and writing; Duolingo 105; Academic PTE 58; SAT evidence-based reading and writing 550; ACT English 21; GTEC 1181; IB English A or B at 7 to 4; GCE/IGCSE English as a second language at A to C; and others on the page.
• Exemptions: three years of US high school, or one year of US university coursework including one semester of writing with a C or better. Students needing more English preparation can apply for conditional admission.
• Test scores conflict: the international page says SAT/ACT are optional “through Fall 2024”, while the first-year page says test-optional through fall 2027; the latter is more recent, but confirm with International Admissions. The international page also says those with three or more years of US high school must submit SAT or ACT scores.
• Scholarships: the website says undergraduate international students receive the same merit awards as domestic students; they are considered automatically at admission and announced with the acceptance letter. Grades are converted by staff or a credential evaluator. The award cannot be combined with other UP merit scholarships (the larger applies), and recipients keep it with a 2.0 GPA and a full course load. Students fully sponsored by the university or a third party are ineligible.
• Proof of funds: the page says an international declaration of finances worksheet is required after admission; the amount is not stated on the pages read. Ask International Student Services (intl-adm@up.edu).

7. Applicants from China

• Records: the country page says to submit official academic transcripts and the General Education Examination (Huikao / Xueye Shuiping Ceshi, complete or incomplete), verified and sent to UP by the China Academic Degree and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC).
• Gaokao: the pages read do not say whether or how Gaokao results are used; not published. Ask International Student Services (intl-adm@up.edu).
• Interview and other agencies: no China-specific interview requirement is mentioned. English requirements are in the previous section.
• IB students: send transcripts for years 9, 10 and 11 with predicted IB grades (or years 9 to 12 and the IB diploma if finished).

8. Engineering experience

• MECOP and CECOP: the civil and mechanical pages say the Multiple Engineering Co-op Program and the Civil Engineering Co-op Program offer two six-month paid internships so that you can graduate with a year of industry experience, with 150-plus partners such as Boeing. Eligibility and application details are not on the pages read; see the program page.
• Research and clubs: the school lists paid or for-credit undergraduate research, engineering clubs and societies, and study abroad with engineering coursework through the Global E3 Program.

9. Transfer students

• General: no application fee. Applicants with 30 or more semester hours (45 quarter hours) in good standing are reviewed on college work; others also send a high school transcript. For 2027 you can apply for spring, summer and fall; the fall preferred deadline is June 1 and the final deadline August 1 (non-nursing), and the spring deadline is December 1.
• Extra Shiley criteria: students seeking engineering and computer science programs are expected to be in good academic standing at the school or UP college most recently attended and to have completed one semester (or two quarters) of calculus. The school says meeting the criteria does not guarantee admission, and strong applicants who fall short should speak to the Associate Dean. No GPA minimum and no physics or chemistry requirement is listed; not published, so ask an advisor.
• Credit: courses at the 100 level or above with a C (2.00) or higher; class standing is sophomore at 30 semester hours, junior at 60 and senior at 90. International coursework is assessed case by case. The Transfer Equivalency System (TES) shows how courses transfer.
• International transfers: fall deadline June 1, summer April 15, spring December 1; those with fewer than 26 semester (39 quarter) credits also send secondary school records.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Apply by December 1 (Early Action) or February 15; no fee, test scores optional, recommendation currently waived
• File the FAFSA (school code 003224); engineering and computer science applicants should note the Howard Vollum scholarship, and ask how admission to a specific major works

International students (including those from China):

• TOEFL 71 (16 in reading and writing) or IELTS 6.5 (6.0 each), or an exemption
• Chinese applicants send transcripts and Huikao results through CDGDC; ask whether the Gaokao is considered
• June 1 is the final international deadline and January 15 the recommended one

Transfer students:

• At least one semester of calculus and good standing; review begins on college work from 30 semester hours; fall August 1 final (June 1 preferred)

Sources: University of Portland, Shiley School of Engineering; Degrees and programs; ABET accreditation; Civil Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Incoming students; Engineering transfer students; First-year admission; AP, IB and transfer credit; Transfer admission; International first-year; English proficiency; International academic records; International transfer; International scholarships; Institutional scholarships; Undergraduate cost of attendance. Dates are for fall 2027 entry (some pages print no year, so please verify); costs are the 2026-2027 figures currently published. Check the University of Portland website for the latest.