Undergraduate Admissions

Chicago is where skyscrapers were born. Chicago is where you will rise. Heading link

If you want to change the world, come to UIC Engineering and figure out how things work on the inside.

Engineering and computer science give you a way to shape the world for the better. You can apply the principles of science and the language of math to the inner workings of everything around us to create lasting, positive change.

We welcome your application to the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, and we look forward to seeing how you will have an impact with your engineering education.

Download our undergraduate viewbook

Information for Applicants Heading link

Academic performance and standardized testing

In past years, successful applicants to the College of Engineering ranked in the top 15 to 20 percent of their graduating classes. UIC has moved to a standardized-test-optional admissions model, but general information about past incoming classes’ scores, if helpful as a guide, is as follows: The middle 50 percent of admitted students had an ACT composite score between 25 and 29, with a math subscore of 26 to 31. This corresponds to an SAT score between 1200 and 1380, with a math score of 610 to 710.

High school preparation

In high school, applicants should have completed:

  • 4 years of math coursework
  • 3 years of laboratory science coursework

in addition to UIC requirements for coursework in English, social sciences, and electives as outlined at admissions.uic.edu. AP credit is available; visit the Academic Standing section of the course catalog (catalog.uic.edu/ucat) for more information.

Transfer preparation

Transfer students must have completed at least 24 credit hours of transferable coursework at the time of enrollment. Ideally, transfers will have completed as many of the following as possible: calculus I, II, and III; differential equations; English composition I and II; general physics I (mechanics) and II (electricity and magnetism); and general chemistry I. You can compare the classes you have taken to UIC courses at go.uic.edu/course, and you can visit transferology.com for more information.

Scholarships and financial aid

About three-quarters of UIC students receive some form of financial aid. This comes in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and employment. It helps to pay the costs of tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and other personal expenses.

Full details are available on the UIC Financial Aid website.

How to apply

Visit the UIC admissions website for everything you need to apply to the College of Engineering.

Special Programs Heading link

Beginning an engineering degree is rewarding, but it can have its challenges. To introduce first-year students to engineering and to set the stage for their success, UIC developed the Freshman Engineering Success Program.

This program provides an introduction to your chosen major, helps you see how to apply your existing math and science skills to solve engineering and computer science problems, and gives you a chance to work in small teams with other students.

During the fall semester, Freshman Engineering Success Program participants attend at least two general sessions and complete two team-based mini-projects. Throughout the year, they have access to teaching assistants who can help with math and science coursework throughout the year. The program also introduces participants to the many resources at UIC that can help them to succeed academically.

Participating in the Freshman Engineering Success program also fulfills one of the criteria for first-year students who want to take part in our Guaranteed Paid Internship Program.

Watch a video about the Freshman Engineering Success Program here.

A partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago offers guaranteed admission to the UIC College of Engineering for students who take City Colleges courses in consultation with administrators and faculty from both institutions and who maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better.

For more information, visit the Guaranteed Admissions Transfer website.

Having an excellent internship early in your college career—right after your first year—can make a significant difference in your success in securing internships with great companies as a sophomore and junior.

UIC Engineering’s unique Guaranteed Paid Internship Program ensures that qualified freshmen and transfer students have a paid position for the summer after their first year at UIC.

Learn more here.

Do you envision a graduate degree in your future?

UIC’s Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions initiative allows a limited number of highly-qualified first-year students to be admitted to UIC with guaranteed admission to a PhD program in engineering, providing they meet college coursework and performance criteria.

The Honors College is a home for students seeking an additional intellectual challenge along with a strong tie to the campus and community. Students may apply to the Honors College when you are submitting your application to UIC.

Features of the Honors College include:

  • Specialized topics-based courses, lectures, and seminars taught by sought-after UIC faculty members
  • Increased opportunities to participate in undergraduate research
  • An assigned a Faculty Fellow who provides deeper mentorship in your field of study
  • Honors College student organizations
  • Consideration for and the opportunity to apply to additional scholarships and grant funding
  • Dedicated academic advising
  • Use of Honors College facilities in Burnham Hall including the computer lab, quiet study room, and student lounge
  • “The Capstone”: A distinguishing two-semester research-based project on a topic of your choice, advised by a faculty member

Participating in Honors College programming does not typically add time to the length of your study at UIC, because all honors courses count toward your degree.

The Transfer Admission Guarantee program is a partnership between specific Illinois community colleges and the University of Illinois Chicago. It offers a guaranteed transfer pathway to the College of Engineering for students who meet the eligibility criteria. TAG offers a degree of certainty to students who eventually want to transfer to UIC rather than attend in their first year.

For more information, visit the Transfer Admission Guarantee website.

The Chicago Universities Guaranteed Engineering Roadmap Agreement, or CUGER, is a cooperative relationship between UIC and Chicago State University. It seeks to better serve students, facilitate student transfers from CSU to UIC, and build on college and university learning experiences within Chicago.

CUGER guarantees admission to UIC Engineering bachelor’s degree programs for CSU students who successfully transfer under the terms of this agreement. For more information, please contact Jim Muench, assistant dean for undergraduate affairs, at jmuench@uic.edu.

Visit us on campus Heading link

The best way to discover UIC Engineering is to come see for yourself. 

Contact the Office of Admissions and Records for a campus visit

Apply now