How to Apply to Engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering: Architectural, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical and Software Engineering with Lab-Based Teaching and Major Courses From Year One, and Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) is a private university in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which the website says is roughly 90 miles north of Chicago. The website says teaching is lab-based, with an average of 20 students per class and 11 per lab, and students take major courses from their first year. Computer science 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 programs

• Majors: the engineering page lists architectural, biomedical, chemical and biomolecular, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical and software engineering, and on the same page also computer science, construction management and cybersecurity systems, plus a transfer plan from an electrical engineering technology associate degree into the electrical engineering BS. Degrees are Bachelor of Science (BS). The page says “12 engineering disciplines across four departments” but lists five departments (Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management; Diercks School of Advanced Computing; Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Physics and Chemistry); rely on the individual program pages.
• ABET: the program pages for architectural, biomedical, chemical and biomolecular, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical and software engineering each state that the BS program is accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) under the relevant program criteria. The pages read for construction management and computer science carry no accreditation statement.
• STEM designation: the international undergraduate page lists these engineering programs among its STEM-designated programs.
• Teaching approach: the website says MSOE has more labs than classrooms and students start major-specific courses in the first year; an honors curriculum is offered.

2. How admission works

• Majors and the Explorers Pathway: the pages read do not say whether the application asks you to choose a specific major; the website says students begin major courses in the first year. The Engineering Explorers Pathway is for students still deciding; the website calls it a direct-admit, one-year program: the first semester gives a broad introduction to engineering, the second has authentic in-major courses in several majors of interest, and an advisor builds a four-year plan. It introduces all engineering programs plus user experience, computer science, construction management and business.
• Review: the website describes a holistic review done exclusively by admissions professionals.
• Moving between majors after enrolling: the pages read do not describe GPA thresholds, capacity limits or conditions for engineering majors; this is not published, so ask admissions (explore@msoe.edu, 800-332-6763).

3. Preparation

• High school courses: the website says first-year students do best with a strong foundation in precalculus or higher, physics and chemistry, and recommends a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2. It words these as recommendations and gives no course counts.
• Math placement: the international checklist mentions the ALEKS math assessment after admission; AP Calculus AB scores of 3 and AP Precalculus scores of 3 to 5 are considered in math placement.
• AP credit (a 4 or 5 unless stated): Calculus AB gives MTH 1110; Calculus BC gives MTH 1110 and MTH 1120; Physics C Mechanics gives PHY 1110 and Electricity & Magnetism PHY 1120; Chemistry gives CHM 1010 or 1050 (a 5 can also test out of CHM 1020); Statistics gives MTH 1410; Computer Science A gives CSC 1010; algebra-based AP Physics 1 and 2 give no credit.
• IB credit: Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL with 5, 6 or 7 gives MTH 1110 (4 credits); Chemistry HL with 5, 6 or 7 gives CHM 1010 or 1050 (4 credits); Physics HL and Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations show no credit.

4. Materials and testing

• Application: the website says the application is free, takes about 10 minutes and needs no essay; you can apply through MSOE’s site or the Common App.
• Materials: an official high school transcript (by mail, by email to explore@msoe.edu, or via a third party such as Parchment or the Common App). The pages read do not mention recommendation letters or an additional engineering essay; this is not published.
• Testing: MSOE is test-optional and does not require ACT or SAT as an initial admission document, though it may request scores as an additional indicator.
• Deadlines: the pages read do not give an application deadline for fall 2027; this is not published, so ask admissions. They do say the FAFSA opens October 1 and MSOE’s FAFSA priority filing date is February 1 of the year you enroll.

5. Domestic students

• Tuition: for 2027-28, full-time undergraduate tuition (12 to 19 credits) is USD 26,834 per semester (USD 25,901 in 2026-27), and each credit above 19 is USD 1,406 (USD 1,357). Mandatory fees per semester are a technology package of USD 925 (includes the laptop program) and a student support services fee of USD 322 (USD 881 and USD 311 in 2026-27). The page lists no separate engineering tuition; whether one exists is not published.
• Scholarships and aid: MSOE offers merit scholarships based on academic performance and/or co-curricular involvement (amounts vary by student) and need-based grants based on the FAFSA. The MSOE Academic Scholarship requires full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress. Others include the Visit Incentive Grant (one-time, for new students who attended an official visit or event, FAFSA required each year), the S-STEM scholarship, ROTC scholarships and Wisconsin grants. The pages read give no amounts or application steps; see the website.
• Wisconsin residents: the pages read mention no resident preference or guarantee; not published.

6. International students

• Application materials: the online undergraduate application; official transcripts of every secondary or post-secondary school attended with complete results for every year; official TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE results; an original MSOE financial certification or an original bank document on bank letterhead showing enough money for one year, with an affidavit of support from the account owner; and a copy of your passport.
• English scores (minimums for full admission): TOEFL iBT 82 with a 19 band minimum for tests taken before 2026, or 4.5 with a band minimum of 4 for tests from 2026; IELTS 6.5 with a 6.0 band minimum; Duolingo 115 with a 100 band minimum; PTE 56. MSOE’s TOEFL code is 1476. The website also mentions conditional and dual admission, but the pages read do not describe the conditions; not published.
• Proof of funds: F-1 rules require showing one year of tuition and fees, living expenses and health insurance; the amount of your MSOE merit scholarship determines how much the guarantee must show. The pages read give no dollar figure. An enrollment deposit must be paid before the I-20 is released; its amount is not on the pages read.
• After admission: international students must live on campus for the first two years (transfer and graduate students, and those with a relative within 30 miles, are exceptions), buy MSOE health insurance or show equivalent coverage, take the ALEKS math assessment, and submit original transcripts, test scores and financial documents, plus final transcripts including AP/IB work for credit evaluation.
• Scholarships: international undergraduates can receive scholarships based on academic merit and high school GPA or leaving-exam scores, up to approximately half of tuition for the highest performers. The pages read do not say whether they are automatic or give an application route, and mention no engineering-specific award.
• Work: international students may work on campus, though jobs are not guaranteed.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not say whether Gaokao results are used; the scholarship text mentions only “high school GPA/leaving exam scores” and does not say whether the Gaokao counts. This is not published; ask the international office (international@msoe.edu, +1 414-277-7200).
• Transcripts and verification: follow the international rules above: official transcripts from every school with complete results for each year, plus a passport copy. The pages read describe no China-specific exam-certificate, interview or credential-evaluation requirement.
• Contact: the international pages list a WeChat account, but the pages disagree (one gives MSOE-Admissions-Team, another MSOEKayla); use whichever the current page shows.
• English: no exemption for Chinese applicants is described; prepare TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE as above.

8. Careers and internships

• The website says MSOE works with Wisconsin companies such as Harley-Davidson, Kohler and Snap-on and that more than 300 companies recruit at its career fairs for internships and jobs; the mechanical engineering page says 94% of 2024-25 graduates were employed, in graduate school or in the military. The pages read describe no school-wide paid co-op program; this is not published, so ask the program or the career center.

9. Transfer students

• Definition: the transfer page defines a transfer student as someone who has attended another college and completed more than 24 college credits; the international undergraduate page says someone who has been out of high school more than two years or has attended another college. The two differ, so ask the transfer office which applies to you. Those with 24 or more college credits do not need high school transcripts or ACT/SAT scores.
• GPA: engineering majors need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 from the last institutionally accredited school attended, with at least 12 semester credits completed.
• Credit transfer: MSOE accepts credits from colleges nationwide and has articulation agreements (Illinois community colleges and Wisconsin technical colleges) and transfer guides. The pages read do not list a calculus, physics and chemistry sequence for engineering; this is not published, so ask transfer admissions (transfer@msoe.edu, 414-277-7200).
• Deadlines: the transfer pages read give none; not published.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Precalculus or higher, physics and chemistry in high school; MSOE recommends a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2
• Apply online or through the Common App with an official transcript; SAT/ACT optional
• FAFSA opens October 1 with a February 1 priority filing date; ask admissions for the application deadline

International students (including those from China):

• Official transcripts, TOEFL 4.5 (82 before 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115 or PTE 56, and a passport copy
• Original financial certification and affidavit of support; the deposit comes before the I-20
• Ask the international office how Gaokao results are used and about deadlines

Transfer students:

• More than 24 college credits and a 3.0 GPA for engineering; ask the transfer office about course equivalencies and deadlines

Sources: Milwaukee School of Engineering, Engineering degrees; Engineering Explorers Pathway; Architectural Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Industrial Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Software Engineering; How we teach; Undergraduate admission requirements; Undergraduate checklist; AP credit; IB credit; International undergraduates; International requirements; International checklist; Transfer admissions; Transfer requirements; Undergraduate tuition; Scholarships and grants; MSOE scholarships and grants. Tuition is for 2027-28 (2026-27 is listed alongside). Check MSOE’s website for the latest.