While MSU also utilizes the Common App and Coalition for College application, transfer applications are done only through the MSU application. Additionally, there is no early-action/regular admission windows for transfer applicants; applications are evaluated as they are received by the university (rolling admission).
Once an application is submitted and all application materials are received (transcripts and the application itself), transfer applicants can expect to wait eight to twelve weeks for their admission decision. Transfer students are encouraged to apply at least 6 months prior to their desired semester of enrollment.
For more information about the transfer application process, important dates and deadlines, and admission criteria, visit the MSU Office of Admissions transfer applicants. For engineering-specific information, please continue below.
Depending on the number of credits, Spartan Engineering prerequisites include successfully completing equivalents for the following courses:
The following table indicates which courses you will need to have completed when you are transferring less than 28 credits, less than 42 credits, and 42 credits or more. Also listed is the GPA (on a 4-point scale) that will be required for admission to the College of Engineering as well as when applying to MSU.
For an accessible version of the chart, please view the Transfer Guide PDF.
It is recommended for students majoring in Chemical Engineering to take Organic Chemistry.
It is recommended for students majoring in Biosystems Engineering to take B.S. 161 equivalent.
For more information, visit Undergraduate scholarships.
Your cumulative GPA is an average of the grades you have received for all courses you have taken for credit at MSU. Your cumulative GPA can be found on your grade report each semester.
Your technical GPA is an average of the grades you have received for all your technical courses. Technical courses teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) foundation topics and are often courses taken from the College of Engineering, College of Natural Science and from Lyman Briggs College. For example, STT 351 and ENT 205 are considered technical courses that are used in calculating your technical GPA.
Courses in the colleges of Engineering and Natural Science that are NOT INCLUDED in the technical GPA include:
Courses beginning with ISB, ISP, or NSC
EGR100, EGR 160, EGR 291
MTH 1825, MTH 101, MTH 102, MTH 103A
CSE 100, CSE 101
LB 300 or higher courses, LB 126, LB 133, LB 181
ME280, ME285, ME 300
CE274
Your combo GPA is the average of your cumulative GPA and your technical GPA. To calculate, add your cumulative GPA and your technical GPA, then divide by 2. Your combo GPA is used for admission to the College of Engineering.
An Example:
J. Spartan has taken the following courses with the following grades (t=technical GPA course):
Course Credits Grade Credits x Grade= Point total
t ENT 205 3cr 3.5 | 3 x 3.5= 10.5
t CEM 141 4cr 2.5 | 4 x 2.5= 10
t CEM 161 1cr 3.5 | 1 x 3.5= 3.5
ISS 215 4cr 3.5 | 4 x 3.5 = 14
t MTH 132 3cr 3.0 | 3 x 3.0= 9.0
Total 15 cr / 47. 0 pts
Cumulative GPA: Multiply credits by the grade for each course, add these together, and divide by the total number of credits:
(47 pts / 15 crs)=3.1333 GPA
Technical GPA: Multiply credits by the grade for each technical course, add these together, and divide by the number of technical credits:
(33 pts / 11 crs)=3.000 GPA
Combo GPA: Average the cumulative and technical GPAs:
(3.1333 + 3.000 = 6.1333 / 2)=3.0666 GPA
Note: Students should be aware that technical courses are counted twice, once in the cumulative GPA and then again in the technical GPA. Also, remember that numeric grades at MSU include 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.0, so to attain at least a 2.9000 Combined GPA, you need to earn mostly 3.0 or better grades in your courses.
Apply as a transfer student if you have attended a postsecondary institution after graduating from high school (except for attendance during the summer term immediately following graduation) OR if you have earned a bachelor’s degree at another college or university and are seeking to earn another bachelor’s degree or teaching certificate. Early College students with college credits will still need to apply as a first-years entering from a high school.
If you are…
As a transfer applicant, you may be considered as an engineering exploratory or a direct admit candidate (i.e. directly admitted to the College of Engineering’s specific major). If you are transferring with less than 42 credits, you will be an engineering major preference student; if you are bringing in 42 or more credits will be considered for direct admission to your College of Engineering’s desired major.
To apply, you will need to access the MSU Office of Admissions application portal first, then put your intended major as engineering. Starting Spring 2022, an applicant must list three intended majors, one of which must be a non-restricted major.
A student admitted as an engineering exploratory major must take at least 12 credits at MSU in order to apply to the College of Engineering and declare their major. Such a student must also complete MTH 132, 133, PHY 183, CEM 141&161 (not for CompSci/Data Science) and EGR 100/CSE 220/CSE221 (depends on intended major).
Transfer students are encouraged to apply at least six months prior to their desired semester of enrollment. Admissions decisions are typically made 8 to 12 weeks after all application materials are received, which includes the application for admission, official transcripts, and standardized test scores for those with less than 28 college credits.
MSU uses rolling admission—meaning applications are reviewed as they come in—but in recent years the number of qualified applicants has exceeded the available space in each class. Please submit your application early to ensure availability.
General admission to the university requires:
Engineering transfer students applying with 42 or more credits are required to select a major within the College of Engineering and are subject to the admission requirements of that desired major. Transfer students applying with 41 or fewer credits can apply as engineering exploratory and are subject to the general admission requirements for the University as stated above.
A GPA of 3.0 or higher with consistent grade performance is required for transfer admission to Michigan State University. However, all majors in the College of Engineering are restricted majors, meaning they have additional GPA requirements: Applied Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Environmental Engineering require a cumulative GPA of 3.2 and a technical GPA of 3.0; Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, and Materials Science & Engineering require a cumulative GPA of 3.4 and a technical GPA of 3.2; Mechanical Engineering requires a cumulative GPA of 3.6 and a technical GPA of 3.4. See the GPA calculator on this page.
The Engineering Program Fee is a fee paid on top of tuition by all undergraduate students who are admitted to the College of Engineering. The Engineering Program Fee is applied to a student account once each semester, regardless of how many majors or minors a student declares. The College of Engineering does not charge course fees on specific courses, but uses the Engineering Program Fee to maintain support for our labs, facilities, and shop intensive courses. The fee helps to cover the costs associated with:
The Engineering Program Fee differs depending on whether you are attending full or part-time, and whether you are enrolling for Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters. Visit the Office of the Controller’s Student Accounts website for tuition, fee, tax, and housing rates information for each semester.