Applying to a specific major is a big concern. What major gives me the best chance for admission? Can I change my major? How do I best determine which major is right for me?
What credit can I get via AP, IB, and A level exams?
What scholarships are available? Are there scholarships available for out-of-state students? How do I apply for these?
What is the Study-Abroad program?
How do co-ops and internships work?
What does it take to get in (criteria, who decides, how many apply, how many get in, etc.)?
How many women are enrolled in engineering?
What about minors and or/dual degrees?
If I don't get in, do I have a second chance?
What is the largest department? The smallest?
It is best to apply to the major that truly excites you and motivates you to perform. You will excel best when studying the curriculum that excites you the most. While we do ask that you apply to a specific major at point of application, we understand that this is a big decision. Therefore, we will make it easy for you to switch majors after admission, provided you maintain an appropriate GPA and there is space in the new major. In the first few semesters, students from all engineering curricula are typically enrolled in similar core courses (calculus sequence, chemistry, physics, composition and so forth). Therefore, if you elect to switch your major, you will remain on target for timely graduation. Additionally, Engineering Career Services will host a number of career fairs offering you abundant opportunities to explore different majors and discover career paths.
Bioengineering is our newest department and only a small freshman cohort is admitted each year. Therefore, admissions tend to be more competitive for Bioengineering than for other majors. If applying to Bioengineering, we ask students to indicate on the application a second choice of major which will be considered automatically if admission to Bioengineering cannot be granted.
If an application to any engineering major falls just short of admission to the College of Engineering as a whole, it will be referred automatically to the Division of General Studies for consideration.
The College of Engineering awards credit for AP, IB, and A level exams for a number of courses, providing the student earns an appropriate score. For all accepted exams and the required score for credit, please visit the Center for Teaching Excellence.
Your application to the university is also your application for all merit-based scholarships. The College of Engineering awards a certain number of scholarships to high achieving incoming freshmen and these may be complemented by departmental scholarships. Other scholarships opportunities are available at the campus level, both for Illinois residents and out-of-state students.
Merit scholarships for entering freshmen are competitive because of the large volume of highly qualified applicants. However, one should keep in mind that many scholarship opportunities arise within the student’s department as they progress through their career at the university and after successful completion of the first year.
To receive need-based financial aid, families need to complete FAFSA information.
The College of Engineering has its own study abroad program that is managed through International Programs in Engineering (IPENG). Students can study a summer, a semester, or an academic year abroad with one of our reciprocating universities. Study can be in English or in the native language of the selected country. Students often take general education courses but there are also many programs offering technical courses as well. Therefore, students can really tailor their study abroad experience in a manner most comfortable to their interests. By working early with our IPENG office, students will know what courses will transfer to the University of Illinois and still allow for timely graduation. Students participating in an official study abroad program are currently assessed tuition and fees at the Level IV range (lowest range of tuition), making this experience financially attractive. College funds may be available to assist with transportation costs. Incoming freshmen also have the opportunity to apply for the IPENG scholarship that provides an allowance at the time of travel for study abroad, thus helping with early planning of an international experience. An international experience is highly recommended for all students. It will help you gain an international perspective, which is critical in these times of globalization.
Co-ops and internships are work/study programs with industry and are managed by our Engineering Career Services (ECS) office. Internships are usually completed over the summer or during the semester break, while the typical rotation for a co-op experience alternates semesters at a company and back in school for two years, although other arrangements are possible. These opportunities are extremely valuable for a number of reasons. First, students experience real-world engineering situations, bringing a new element of discovery and purpose back to the classroom. Next, students have the opportunity to earn a respectable salary and at the same establish a strong connection for possible employment with industry after graduation.
Admission decisions are made by Admissions Officers on the Engineering Committee within the Office of Undergraduate Admissions after reviewing all aspects of the application. When an application is reviewed, a variety of elements are considered, including high school GPA, standardized test scores (ACT or SAT), high school percentile rank (HSPR) when available, and so on. There is no stated cut-off for standardized test scores. A good score is definitely important, but consistently good performance in high school is also a crucial factor. Great consideration is also given to the student’s essay answers, leadership abilities, special activities or experiences. We look for a genuine passion in pursuit of an engineering career.
New freshmen are admitted only in the fall semester and the yearly target for the whole College of Engineering is to enroll about 1,300 new students. Admission is competitive. We typically receive almost 5,000 applications each year, and the majority of these are from highly qualified candidates.
The College of Engineering has approximately 5,400 undergraduate students, making it the second largest college on this campus. With an engineering faculty of about 420 members, that represents a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 13:1 for engineering courses. This provides each of our students with exceptional opportunities for individual instruction. The Women in Engineering Office provides assistance to women seeking engineering degrees. The engineering undergraduate population consists of approximately 17-20% female students. Several curricula, including Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and General Engineering tend to have higher percentages of female students. The overall campus ratio is about 53/47 male to female enrollment. Note that the undergraduate body is composed of students from all 50 states as well as about 118 countries throughout the world.
Minors are very popular with engineering students at Illinois. Besides a range of engineering minors (including Bioengineering, Computer Science, Physics and so on) many students complete minors in Business, Chemistry, or Mathematics to name a few.
Students may declare a minor after obtaining at least 30 credit hours by simply filing a minor declaration form in 206 Engineering Hall after receiving approval from the department administering the program. However, certain minors in large demand or with limited space may require an application process, as is the case for the Business minor and the Technology & Management minor.
Students may also pursue a dual degree and available options should be explored with the Undergraduate Programs office. A minimum of 30 credit hours are required beyond the first degree, typically adding one additional year of study. Plans for a double degree must be approved by the engineering Undergraduate Programs office but for any LAS degree an application must also be filed with the LAS College and students must have a minimum 3.25 GPA at the time of application. Students should normally transfer for a minimum of two semesters in the college administering the second degree.
If a student is not admitted into their stated major, all applications will immediately be considered for an alternate offer. The alternate offer will most likely be into the Division of General Studies where students explore their academic interests and strengths for two years and then declare a specific major in a college at the end of their sophomore year.
Another path of admission to engineering is to transfer to the university from a community college or other four-year institution. If a student takes the appropriate math and science courses and earns a very solid GPA, admission to the University of Illinois is very possible. For more details, visit Transfer Admissions Requirements.
Students should also consider a new dual enrollment program with Parkland Community College. In this program, called the Parkland Pathway to Illinois, students take the core courses at Parkland and one course at Illinois for the first few semesters, with a guaranteed spot in the chosen engineering curriculum if a minimum GPA requirement is reached.
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is currently the largest department with just over 1,200 students. Of these 1,200 students, Computer Engineering enrolls 36% while Electrical Engineering enrolls 64%. Therefore, approximately 23% of our engineering undergraduates are ECE students. However, there are also small engineering curricula in the college. For instance, total enrollment in Agricultural and Biological Engineering or Engineering Mechanics is about 50 students, just about 1% of college enrollment each.
