University Of Washington - Seattle

General Info

University of Washington has the Score Choice policy of "All Scores."

This means that University of Washington requires you to send all SAT scores you've ever taken to their office.

PROCESS

STEP1

University of Washington

• Check General Website // Time-line http://www.engr.washington.edu/current/admissions/preengr
• College of Engineering Departmental Application http://www.engr.washington.edu/uapp/

STEP2

• Complete Personal Statements.

##STEP3 SEND THEM OUT AND READ

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER

Additional requirements for international

freshman students

English proficiency

Academic transcripts

Academic performance

English proficiency

English Proficiency Requirement

International students are required to submit an exam score that meets the UW’s minimum English proficiency requirement. The most competitive applicants will demonstrate a higher level of English proficiency and will have attained the recommended score to be exempt from the UW’s Academic English Program (AEP). English proficiency will be considered in the holistic review process.

The SAT and ACT are not required for international students but we encourage you to submit scores as additional evidence of your academic performance if you have taken either exam.

Exception: International students whose primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada (English-speaking provinces), United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. are exempt from this requirement. Students born in one of these countries yet educated elsewhere are still required to satisfy the English proficiency requirement.

Test Score Requirement

TOEFL Internet-based International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Minimum Score Required 76 6.0

Recommended Score 92 or higher 7.0 or higher

Using SAT or ACT Scores as an English Proficiency Alternative

The UW will consider the English proficiency requirement satisfied for students who have both:

A minimum grade of B in all high school level English writing or literature courses where English is the primary language of instruction and

A minimum score of ACT English 22, SAT Critical Reading 550 (old), or SAT Reading score of 30 (new). Official scores must be sent to the UW directly from the College Board or ACT to satisfy this requirement.

How to Request Scores

The easiest way is to request that the UW receive scores at the time you register for the test. After you have taken the exam, you may still request official scores by contacting the test agency directly. Both TOEFL and IELTS should be sent electronically to the UW from the testing agency.

TOEFL The UW’s four-digit code is 4854

IELTS

School information for electronic IELTS submission:

University of Washington, All Campuses

Undergraduate & Graduate Admission

Box 355850

Seattle WA 98195

Deadline

Freshman applicants for 2017 must submit English proficiency test scores from any exam taken on or before December 31, 2016.

Additional Information

Previous ESL coursework or English composition courses, even when taken in the United States or an English speaking country, do not satisfy the English proficiency requirement.

Applicants who have not met the minimum English proficiency requirement by the application deadline or who have not taken one of the English proficiency exams by the deadline will not be considered for admission.

The University of Washington does not offer conditional admission to students who have not yet met the minimum English proficiency requirement.

Plan ahead to take the English proficiency exam since test dates and locations are limited and fill quickly.

Use your legal name. If there are any differences in the name on your exam report and your UW application, please notify the Office of Admissions by email and include a scanned copy of your exam report.

Official TOEFL and IELTS exam scores are valid for two years from the date of the original exam. If your scores are more than two years old, you will need to take a new exam for admission consideration.

Useful Links

Academic English Program

TOEFL

IELTS

Academic Transcripts

If you are applying online, you should attach an electronic copy of your high school transcript(s) to the online application. Do not mail high school transcripts or mid-year school reports to the Office of Admissions. If you complete a paper application, please mail all transcripts in the same envelope as your application.

How to submit transcripts

Request a paper copy of your transcript or academic record from each high school or secondary school attended for grades 9, 10, and 11 or the equivalent years in your country. Include grade 9 even if it was part of junior (middle) high school in your country. Please do not ask your school for an electronic version of your transcript as most schools cannot provide this. After receiving the transcript, you will need to make an electronic copy yourself using the paper copy provided by your school.

Does your school use Naviance or Parchment Exchange? If your high school sends transcripts electronically using Naviance or Parchment Exchange, indicate this on the application by checking “Yes, my high school sends transcripts electronically using Parchment Exchange.” All documents received electronically through Naviance or Parchment Exchange are considered official. If you select this option on the application, you will not be required to attach a copy of your transcript.

Already graduated high school? Request a paper copy of your final high school transcript that includes grades 10, 11, and 12 or the equivalent years in your country. You are not required to submit a transcript for grade 9 if you have already graduated high school.

Completed secondary school exams (GCSE, O-level, SPM, etc.)? Upload a scanned copy of your final exam certificate or diploma that shows all coursework completed and grades received. Students educated in the British system or other educational systems in which grades are based on comprehensive national exams — GCSE, O-Level, SPM, etc. — must submit a copy of the official exam certificate by the published application deadline.

International freshmen who are offered admission will be instructed to send official high school transcripts to the Office of Admissions at a later time. Official transcripts will be carefully reviewed against previously submitted transcripts, and an offer of admission will be rescinded in the case of altered, modified, or falsified documents.

Academic performance

An applicant’s overall academic performance is a major factor in the admissions decision. We do not consider applicants with grades below a C average (2.0 on a 4.0 scale). Although a C average is the minimum requirement for admission consideration, a much stronger academic record is required to be competitive.

International freshmen who have taken the GCSE, O-Level, or SPM exams must have an official exam certificate by the December 1 application deadline. Students with preliminary results or predicted grades or those who will not receive the official exam certificate until after December 1 will not be eligible for admission consideration until the following year (2018).

Students who are completing advanced-level exams (A-levels, IB Diploma, etc.) may be given priority in admission over candidates who meet only minimum qualifications. Students submitting official advanced-level exam certificates may, upon enrolling at the UW, receive college-level credit for successfully completed exam subjects.

Send SAT/ACT scores

The information presented below is for U.S. freshman applicants only. International freshman applicants must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Scores from SAT or ACT are required for admission and must come directly from the testing agency.

The Seattle campus of the University of Washington does not recommend or require that applicants include the writing portion of either of these exams.

SAT

ACT

SAT or ACT?

The University of Washington accepts the SAT and ACT equally. There is absolutely no advantage in submitting one test over the other. If an applicant submits scores from both tests, national concordance tables determine which scores are relatively higher.

Superscoring

Superscoring refers to the practice of taking the student's best section scores across all exam sittings to combine for the best overall score. The UW will begin superscoring with applications for 2017. Superscoring does not include the Writing score, which is not considered in the admission decision.

Old and new SAT

We will superscore among a student’s old sittings (pre-March 2016) and — separately — among a student’s new SAT sittings (March 2016 and after). However, we will not superscore between new and old versions of the test because the exams are not constructed the same way.

How to Submit Scores

Test scores are valid and will be considered official only if they are sent directly from the testing agency to the UW. Scores coming from a source other than the testing agency, such as your high school, are not official.

Students unable to provide test scores may include, along with the rest of their application file, a petition to be considered for admission without scores.

How to Request Scores

The easiest way is to request that the UW receive scores at the time you register for the test. After you’ve taken the test, you may still request that scores be sent.

SAT

The UW’s four-digit code is 4854.

ACT

The UW's four-digit code is 4484.

When to Submit Scores

Applicants for Summer or Autumn 2017

You are required to have official test scores sent directly to the UW from the testing agency no later than December 31, 2016.

Putting Tests in Perspective

We in the Office of Admissions caution students and their families against placing too much emphasis on standardized tests. Taking either test more than twice is probably a waste of time and money— as well as a source of unnecessary stress.

For more information about the factors considered in freshman admission, consult Freshman Review.

• pre requisite courses - for upper division
• AMATH 301 Beginning Scientific Computing (4) NW
• Introduction to the use of computers to solve problems arising in the physical, biological, and engineering sciences. Application of mathematical judgment, programming architecture, and flow control in solving scientific problems. Introduction to MATLAB routines for numerical programming, computation, and visualization. Prerequisite: either MATH 125, Q SCI 292, or MATH 135. Offered: AWSpS.
• View course details in MyPlan: AMATH 301
• CSE 142 Computer Programming I (4) NW, QSR
• Basic programming-in-the-small abilities and concepts including procedural programming (methods, parameters, return, values), basic control structures (sequence, if/else, for loop, while loop), file processing, arrays, and an introduction to defining objects. Intended for students without prior programming experience. Offered: AWSpS.
• View course details in MyPlan: CSE 142

PERSONAL STATEMENTS

Writing Your Personal Statement

The personal statement that you submit as part of your application is your opportunity to present a richer characterization of yourself than what your transcripts can capture.

Department-specific Questions

Each department that you apply to has provided a prompt (on the application form) that you should respond to with your personal statement. Be sure to address the topics in the prompt but also consider ways in which you can set yourself apart from other candidates.

Writing a Well Crafted Statement

As you write your personal statement, Ask yourself this important question: “What evidence can I provide to the admissions committee that I will be successful as an engineering student in their department?” To answer that question, you must also answer the more basic question, “What do the faculty believe are the qualities of a successful engineering student?” There is certainly a long list of attributes that would answer this question. Your personal statement should highlight the characteristics on that list that you most closely identify with, and that your experience can support.

We encourage you to take the time to write a well crafted personal statement. Such a statement demonstrates proper grammar, a logical organization, college-level language and vocabulary, and even a touch of creativity.

Start early.

Write an outline, then write your first draft.

Read your drafts out loud to yourself. Or ask your friends to read them.

Visit a writing center on campus.

All of these activities take time, which is a scarce resource in the middle of the quarter when you are busy with your courses. But the effort you invest could make a crucial difference in the impact of your application.

Avoid “Cute” or “Cliché” Descriptions of Your Motivation and Interests

Every year the faculty on the admissions committee read about Legos in the personal statements of several applicants. Many students who pursue engineering enjoyed playing with Lego bricks as children (and maybe even still do). Perhaps you look back at your enjoyment of Legos as an early indicator that you were “meant to be an engineer” but the faculty likely do not believe that a student's attraction to playing with plastic blocks has any correlation with their potential success as engineers.

Engineering Admission Requirements

Engineering Department Admission Statistics

Please keep in mind that GPAs are not the only criteria for admission and statistics can vary significantly from year to year. Experience, recommendations, your personal statement, the breadth and depth of your studies, and involvement in extracurricular studies are also very important.

See Mission, Stats and Facts for more student and faculty information.

Department Statements on Competitiveness

William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics

Students can apply to the Aeronautics & Astronautics undergraduate program via Direct Admission, Early Admission or Upper Admission. Most students enter the UW as pre-engineering students and apply to A&A via early or upper admission.

Direct Admission

High school seniors are able to indicate Aeronautics & Astronautics as their first choice major on their UW freshman application and be automatically considered for Direct Admission into the A&A undergraduate program. Competitive applicants typically have completed or plan to complete 4 years of mathematics (including calculus) and 3 years of science (including physics and chemistry). Students who have shown interested in Aeronautics & Astronautics (or engineering in general) via extracurricular activities is desired. Direct Admission is available for Autumn Quarter only.

Early Admission Current UW students can apply for Early Admission at their end of their first year. The department reviews applications based on prerequisite grades, rigor of courses, and participation in experiential learning activities (including research, internships, and student organizations). The average GPA of admitted students for Early Admission is around 3.7. The deadline for Early Admission is July 1 for Autumn Quarter.

Upper Admission Current UW students and transfer students apply for Upper Admission typically at the end of their second year. The department reviews applications based on prerequisite grades, rigor of courses, and participation in experiential learning activities (including research, internships, and student organizations). Students who enter the program via Upper Admission are prepared to start the A&A curriculum in Autumn Quarter. The average GPA of admitted students for Upper Admission is around 3.4. The deadline for Upper Admission is July 1 for Autumn Quarter.

Students are encouraged to meet with an academic counselor prior to applying to the department. To make an appointment, e-mail ugadvising@aa.washington.edu or call (206) 616-1115. For more information, see A&A's For Prospective Undergraduates page.

Bioengineering

The Department of Bioengineering looks at prerequisite GPA, cumulative GPA, quality of the overall academic record, quality and content of the personal statement, and research experience (research is optional). Each piece of the application is carefully reviewed. While we do not select based on grades alone, most competitive applicants will have a strong GPA in the prerequisite courses. The GPA range for prerequisites is typically about 3.4 - 3.9 with an average of about 3.7. The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is a 2.5 cumulative average.

Students who begin their college studies at UW may apply for Early Admission at the end of the freshman year or for Upper Admission during the sophomore year. Transfer students will apply for Upper Admission during winter quarter and should note that the program core begins Spring quarter. Most transfer students choose to complete two years at a community college, transfer to UW for Autumn Quarter, apply to Bioengineering in the Winter, and enter the department in Spring. They then have two additional years in the program, for a total of five years to degree. Please see Transfer Admission on the Bioengineering website for information about how to transfer and complete a degree within four years.

All prospective students should note that because we are a small department, we offer our courses only one a year. The Junior core courses begin Spring quarter. BIOEN 215 is expected to be taken during the freshman or sophomore year, though some transfers may take it in the junior year.

Please see the Bioengineering website for course requirements and other admissions information. Further questions about the Bioengineering program may be directed to bioeng@u.washington.edu.

Chemical Engineering

The Department of Chemical Engineering at the UW has three admission groups: direct freshman, early admission, and upper division admission.

Direct Freshman Admission

The department enrolls up to 20 percent of its incoming class directly from high school, prior to completion of University-level prerequisites. Students accepted to the UW who indicate chemical engineering as their preferred major on the freshman application are automatically considered. Competitive applicants have taken or are taking calculus and at least two years of laboratory science (physics, chemistry preferred) in high school. Admission is for autumn quarter only.

Early Admission Early Admission is available to current UW students who entered the UW based on the freshman application and are completing their first year of study. Admission is for autumn quarter only and the application deadline is July 1. Admission is competitive; those earning individual prerequisite grades of 3.5 and above are most competitive for admission.

Upper-division Admission (*) Upper-division applicants have completed at least four quarters of equivalent college-level coursework and are on track to begin the department curriculum in the spring quarter of their sophomore year. The application deadline is February 1. Admission is competitive; for the most recent admission cycle the average GPA was 3.7 with most applicants admitted in a GPA range of 3.3 – 4.0.

To learn more about each admission cycle and the factors taken into consideration in making admission decisions, consult the department’s prospective student webpages at https://www.cheme.washington.edu/undergraduatestudents/prospug/about.html

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Undergraduates enter the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) through Direct Admission, Early Admission, or Upper-Division Admission. In each case, admission is competitive and for autumn quarter only. Most students enter the UW as pre-engineering students and apply for the CEE Department through early and/or upper-division admission.

Direct Admission (DA)

The department enrolls up to 20 percent of its incoming class directly from high school, prior to completion of University-level prerequisites. Direct Admission follows the University’s rigorous admission review process, but also includes guidelines provided by the department such as calculus and at least two years of laboratory science (physics, chemistry preferred) taken in high school. Students accepted to the UW who indicate civil and/or environmental engineering as their preferred major on the freshman application are automatically considered for CEE direct admission.

Early Admission (EA)

Current UW students may apply for early admission upon completion of EA prerequisites, typically at the end of the freshman year. The average GPA of admitted students is around 3.5.

Upper-Division Admission (UD)

Most students apply for upper-division admission at the end of their sophomore year upon completion of the UD prerequisites when they are ready to begin the junior year curriculum in the department. The average GPA for upper division admission is around 3.3.

For early and upper division admissions, the application deadline is July 1. The department considers a variety of factors, such as overall academic performance (prerequisite and cumulative GPA), individual grades for prerequisite courses, grade trends as well as number of repeated courses, and personal circumstances and motivational factors as evidenced by the personal statement. For more information, see Prospective Undergraduates and CEE Admissions and Enrollment Statistics.

Computer Science & Engineering

Our evaluation of applications involves many factors. Here are some of the things we consider in our admission process:

We consider an applicant's GPA, both overall and in the prerequisite courses.

In evaluating transcripts, we look not only at applicants’ grades, but at how many courses they take at one time, whether they are involved in work or other activities that impact how many courses they can take per term, and the level of difficulty of each quarter as a whole. For example, did the applicant take honors level courses or courses with heavy workloads? Or did they repeat courses, take courses with overlapping content, or take light workloads?

We look for a range of courses -- not only prerequisite courses, but general education courses too. For instance, English and Speech Communications courses are also important to our majors. Many of our upper-division courses require students to give presentations, and students must communicate effectively among team members. Applicants’ choices of courses also let us know something about their interests.

The personal statement allows us to get to know more about what is important to applicants and why computer science/engineering are fields that interest them. We look for well-written essays and for applicants who express themselves creatively and effectively. We also look for breadth or depth in terms of an applicant's interests and activities.

The Department of Computer Science & Engineering admits approximately 200 students per year. We typically have space for approximately 40% of students who apply. Cumulative GPAs of admitted students generally range from 3.4-4.0. The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is a 2.5 average in prerequisite courses.

For further information, please refer to the prospective student pages of our departmental Web site.

Electrical Engineering

The Department of Electrical Engineering has two admissions cycles each year:

Fall Admissions - Deadline for application is July 1

We admit approximately 130 to 180 students during this admission cycle. Students must have completed all prerequisite coursework PRIOR to the application deadline. Please see Upper Division admission processes, prerequisites, etc..

Spring Admissions - Deadline for application is February 1

We admit approximately 55 to 70 students during this admission cycle. We also get fewer applicants for this cycle in comparison to Fall. Students must have completed all prerequisite coursework PRIOR to the application deadline.

The average admission prerequisite GPA usually varies between 3.4 and 3.6. This is an average that we’ve historically seen based on our applicant pools; this is not any kind of cut-off GPA. The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is a 2.5 average in prerequisite courses and a 2.5 cumulative average. Both prerequisite and cumulative GPA are considered during our admissions process, and as such, it is important to demonstrate academic success in both arenas.

The Admissions committee considers GPA, trends in educational history, and the statement of purpose when considering an applicant. The statement of purpose is important to our process in that it gives our admissions committee information to consider beyond just GPA or trends in academic achievement. Our admissions process is competitive. The overall competitiveness of admission depends on the total number of applications we receive, as well as the general strength of the applicant pool, and it can vary widely from year to year. We strongly encourage everyone who meets our minimum admission requirements to apply, but we also urge all applicants to have backup plans as well since we can't predict the future competitiveness of any admission cycle. Students wishing to discuss admission in more detail may contact us at undergrad@ee.washington.edu or 543-2142.

Please see our undergraduate admissions guide.

For admission statistics please see our department page at: https://www.ee.washington.edu/operations/advising/UGAdmissionsStatistics.html.

Human Centered Design & Engineering

Students interested in Human Centered Design & Engineering typically apply to the department at the end of their sophomore year, after completing department prerequisites and general university requirements.

HCDE accepts applications for spring quarter (due February 1) and autumn quarter (due July 1).

Admission is competitive with approximately 90 students admitted per academic year. The average cumulative GPA for admitted students for the last two admissions cycles (AUT14 and SPR15) was about 3.5. The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is a 2.5 average in prerequisite courses. The admissions committee reviews each application holistically, taking the following into account: cumulative GPA, completion of prerequisites, prerequisite GPA, grade trends quarter to quarter, coursework, and articulation and breadth of personal statement in response to the prompt.

Once admitted, students spend their junior and senior year completing a set of core courses and courses within their area of interest. In addition, students participate in HCDE faculty directed research and a relevant internship experience.

For the academic year 2014-2015, HCDE offered admission to approximately 27% of applicants.

Learn more on our Admission Requirements page.

Industrial & Systems Engineering

Industrial & Systems Engineering provides a challenging and rewarding program for undergraduates at the University of Washington. The average GPA of entering students has been around a 3.3 over the last couple of years. The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is a 2.5 average in prerequisite courses. GPA is but one factor considered for admission into Industrial & Systems Engineering. The admissions committee also considers an applicant's personal statement, prior work experience, and any extenuating circumstances that might have affected the student's academic performance. Students who have completed most of their pre-engineering coursework (or are on track to complete it by the end of sophomore year) will be given additional consideration. Industrial & Systems Engineering provides a limited number of scholarships based on academic performance and/or financial need.

Materials Science & Engineering

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering reviews applications for the undergraduate program based on the following criteria:

Prerequisite GPA

Cumulative UW GPA

Individual grades for prerequisite courses

Grade trends and number of repeated courses

Motivational factors as evidenced by the personal statement

The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is 2.0 in each prerequisite course and a 2.5 average in prerequisite courses. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admittance into the program. In the last few years, the average prerequisite GPA has been about a 3.3 for Upper Admission students and about a 3.5 for Early Admission students. Please keep in mind that we admit students with GPAs above and below these averages.

More information about the undergraduate program and the application process is available at:

http://depts.washington.edu/mse/prosp_students/prospundergrads.shtml.

If you have any questions, please e-mail askmse@uw.edu or call (206) 616-6581. We look forward to receiving your application.

Mechanical Engineering

The admissions process is competitive for the ME program (BSME) and we welcome an application from any student with a GPA greater than 2.5. The average GPA for students accepted to the program has been approximately 3.6. Although students with greater GPAs generally have a greater probability of being accepted, the admissions committee considers performance in specific key courses and the applicant's statement of purpose as other strong indicators of a students probable success in the program. Students with GPAs less than about 3.0 are generally not accepted.

The Department provides scholarships to many students on the basis of academic performance and/or financial need. Students qualifying for scholarships based on academic performance generally have GPAs greater than 3.5.

We encourage potential students to meet with the counselors in the ME Student Services office before applying to the program. To schedule an advising appointment, call (206) 543-5090, email: merecept@u.washington.edu, or contact the ME receptionist in Mechanical Engineering Building room MEB 143.

Bioresource Science & Engineering

Bioresource Science and Engineering is a well-funded engineering program studying conversion of biomass into chemicals and fiber products. Autumn admission is preferred but additional space may be available at other times during the year. Numerous scholarships and support are available through the Washington Pulp and Paper Foundation on a competitive basis. Students must have the majority of prerequisites met with generally a 3.0 GPA overall. The minimum GPA to be considered for admission is a 2.5 average in prerequisite courses. See Program information on the BSE website.