Admissions

Ohio State’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions is the primary resource for the application process and handles direct enrollment for undergraduate students into the College of Engineering. Learn more about applying to Ohio State >
High school seniors applying to the Columbus campus are encouraged to submit their complete admission application by the November 1st early action deadline as capacity within Engineering fills quickly.
Process for Admission to Engineering Majors
Prospective students interested in pursuing engineering at Ohio State must indicate their engineering major of interest on their Common Application. Applicants are reviewed holistically by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. All new students will complete foundational coursework in engineering, math, and science coursework, and engage with faculty, advisors, and peers to explore the interdisciplinary nature of engineering.
Freshmen
Some engineering majors have available capacity and can direct enroll freshmen into the major without an additional application process. Other engineering majors have a pre-major component and require an additional application process.
Direct-Enrolled Majors
Freshmen admitted to the Ohio State Columbus campus interested in the below programs will be directly enrolled in their major.
- Aviation*
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental Engineering
- Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Industrial & Systems Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Welding Engineering
*Direct enrollment into the Aviation Engineering major is available. However, the Professional Pilot Certification (PPC) continues to have limited space and students will need to request joining the specialization separately from enrolling in the Aviation Engineering Major. Please see Professional Pilot Specialization for additional information.
Enrolled as Pre-Majors
In order to implement a transparent and equitable admission process to meet the demands and space availability in popular majors, students entering Ohio State in the following programs will enter as a pre-major. Students interested in these programs must indicate one of these majors on the Common Application as these majors quickly reach capacity. Effective Autumn 2023, the college is unable to accommodate students changing into these programs after starting at Ohio State.
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computer Science and Engineering (ENG) / Computer and Information Science (ASC)
- Mechanical Engineering
New Transfer Students
Transfer students admitted to Ohio State in engineering are enrolled in the Pre-Major Program. Students interested in the following programs must indicate one of these majors on their undergraduate admission application to the Ohio State University as these majors quickly reach capacity. Effective Autumn 2023, the college is unable to accommodate students changing into these programs after starting at Ohio State.
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computer Science and Engineering (ENG) / Computer and Information Science (ASC)
- Mechanical Engineering
Students should remain at their previous institution to complete these admission requirements to be admitted into one of these pre-majors as a transfer student. Students that transfer to Ohio State into a different academic program will not have the opportunity to change into one of these programs after starting at Ohio State.
Transfer Student Admission Criteria
Prospective transfer students will need to have completed 30 semester credit hours, earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher at their previous institution, and have completed college level calculus (Math 1151) in order to be admitted as a transfer student into one of these programs.
College of Engineering Pre-Major Program
Students entering Ohio State in a pre-major are enrolled in the Pre-Major Program, enables students to explore multiple majors and learn how different engineering majors can lead to similar career outcomes.
- complete foundational coursework that includes the Fundamental of Engineering course sequence, calculus and, for most majors, physics and/or chemistry.
- engage with faculty, academic advisors and peers to explore options, and learn how several engineering majors can lead to similar career outcomes.
- select and apply to three majors of interest during the semester that eligibility courses are completed, which can occur during the second semester of enrollment or during the second year.
Applicants to the major program are evaluated on academic performance as demonstrated by their cumulative GPA, along with their response to three essay questions.
Admission Criteria
High school seniors applying to the Columbus campus are encouraged to submit their complete admission application by the November 1st priority deadline. Capacity within Engineering fills quickly. Students who do not indicate their interest in an engineering pre-major on their Ohio State application may not be able to switch into the College of Engineering for their first term, regardless of their academic profile.
Admitted international first-year students must meet the direct enrollment criteria.
How to apply >
General admissions information >
First-year international students admissions information >
Enrollment for transfer students in the College of Engineering is competitive. For students transferring from another institution of higher education:
- If you have fewer than 30 semester credit hours, you will be considered under the criteria for new students in Engineering as described in the previous sections.
- If you have more than 30 semester credit hours and a GPA at your previous institution of 3.0 or higher, and have completed college-level calculus, you will be directly enrolled as a pre-major in the program of your choice. You may not enter as an undeclared pre-major.
- If you have more than 30 semester credit hours, but do not meet the 3.0 GPA, you will be enrolled in Science, Technology and the Environment Exploration.
International transfer students will be reviewed for direct enrollment in the College of Engineering as a pre-major of the student’s choice based on the criteria listed below. International students may not enter as an engineering undeclared pre-major.
- If you have fewer than 30 semester credit hours, you will be considered under the criteria for new students in Engineering as described above for new first-year students.
- If you have more than 30 semester credit hours (or the equivalent), then you must have:
- A minimum GPA of a 3.0 or higher from previous institutions, and
- Earned a score of L (Calculus level) on the Math Placement Exam or have completed college-level theoretical calculus (business calculus coursework does not qualify).
Current Ohio State students on the Columbus campus must meet these requirements for admission into the College of Engineering pre-major program:
- 2.5 Ohio State GPA
- 12 hours of graded Ohio State credit (excluding terms of enrollment through post-secondary enrollment programs, such as Academy)
- Math 1172 or Math 1152; or direct equivalent transfer or EM credit for Math 1152 or higher, and
- Credit for one of the following courses: Chemistry 1210 or Chemistry 1250 or Physics 1250
Students enrolled in the College of Engineering who start on the regional campus must meet the campus change requirement before starting on the Columbus campus.
Students who meet the admission criteria and wish to enroll in the College of Engineering should contact an academic advisor in their program of interest.
Questions/Comments? Contact:
Find answers to many frequently asked questions. If you need further assistance, please contact the Undergraduate Recruitment Team at:
eng-recruitment@osu.edu (preferred) or (614) 247-7697.
*Note: the Office of Undergraduate Admissions reviews all applications for admissions to the College of Engineering. For questions about your admissions application, please email askabuckeye@osu.edu or call (614) 292-3980.