UW Engineering prepares students to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges.
Your first year as an engineering student
Your DTC experience will help you explore different engineering disciplines, build connections with fellow students, and provide you with holistic support to ensure your success inside and outside the classroom.
How to apply to UW Engineering
To be considered for Direct to College (DTC) admission, select engineering undeclared or an engineering major (other than the Allen School’s computer engineering) as your first-choice major to be considered for Direct to College admission. If admitted DTC, you will enter the UW as an Engineering Undeclared (ENGRUD) student and will have the opportunity to explore many engineering disciplines before requesting placement in an engineering major after your freshman year. Admission to DTC is only available in autumn quarter.
Start your UW application as soon as September 1
See UW Admissions’ how to apply page for step-by-step instructions, including fees, how to submit test scores, and required documentation.
On your application, select engineering undeclared or an engineering major (other than the Allen School’s computer engineering) as your first-choice major to be considered for Direct to College admission. You will not be required to pursue the major you selected on your freshman UW application if admitted DTC.
If you choose not to apply to DTC and are admitted to the UW, you can still choose to pursue engineering, but you will have to apply through the capacity-constrained pathway. This pathway has more robust eligibility requirements, a different application process and timeline.
Submit your UW application by November 15.
Admissions decisions are sent in March
Watch your e-mail and mailbox for your UW admission decision letter, which will include whether you have been admitted Direct to College.
Working toward placement into a major
As an Engineering Undeclared student, your first year will include engineering foundational coursework such as math and science, as well as UW general education courses. At the end of your freshman year, you will reques placement into an engineering major.
- You will not be required to pursue the major you selected on your freshman UW application. Your first-year curriculum offers courses that will help you explore engineering disciplines and help you better understand which majors best suit your educational and professional goals.
- If you are admitted as an Engineering Undeclared student and you meet placement requirements, you are guaranteed to be placed into one of the engineering majors. You may or may not be placed in your first choice major. Some majors in the College of Engineering receive more placement requests than they can accommodate. Learn more about the placement process.
Not admitted Direct to College?
If you are admitted to the UW but not admitted DTC, you still have the option to apply through the capacity-constrained pathway. Space is anticipated to be limited in many of the engineering majors, as demand for engineering degrees exceeds available space.
However, there are certain engineering majors that have most recently been able to accommodate more non-DTC students who apply through the capacity-constrained pathway than others. These majors include: chemical engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering and materials science & engineering.
If you are determined to major in a specific field of engineering and have not been admitted to DTC, we encourage you to consider other engineering schools where you have been directly admitted to the major or college of your choice.
If you decide to attend UW without direct admission to the College of Engineering, please keep in mind that you may need to pursue a major other than engineering. The UW offers more than 180 majors in 68 different departments to consider.