Prospective Student FAQs

Rutgers reviews each candidate holistically. Among the factors we consider include academic rigor, course grades, high school ranking, overall GPA, test scores, extra-curricular involvement, and overall fit.

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey maintains a test flexible policy through 2024. Read more here.

Yes. Rutgers University School of Engineering accepts both school-to-school transfers from within Rutgers and transfers from outside of Rutgers. 

Merit scholarships for incoming first-year or new transfer students are administered by Rutgers Admissions. Please visit the scholarship page at Rutgers Admissions for more information on eligibility and application timeline. Further inquiries please reach out to questions@admissions.rutgers.edu.

The Rutgers Engineering Honors Academy is a community for students to challenge, inspire, and collaborate with fellow engineering students. The Honors College is an interdisciplinary experience where students from all Rutgers schools live and work together. To learn more about the Honors Academy, visit this page, and to learn about the Honors College, visit this site. First-year applicants must submit their application on or before December 1 to be considered for admission into either program.

All first-year students take an Introduction to Engineering course during their first semester to learn about all of the engineering disciplines Rutgers offers. Students are able to explore different engineering paths, learn about career opportunities, and meet professors, deans, and students from each major.

All students are placed into the major of their choice. There are no GPA minimums or other requirements that must be met. SoE does not cap majors at a certain number of students. Everyone is encouraged to pursue their interest area.

This link lists the AP exams that are accepted by Rutgers Engineering. A score of 4 or 5 is required to receive credits. IB exams are also accepted for students who demonstrate strong performance (scores of 7, 6 and 5) on Higher Level exams. For specifics on course credit granted for IB credits, please visit Rutgers SAS information page on IB credits.

The process to change majors is relatively simple. Students fill out a Change of Majors form to declare their new major. It’s encouraged to look at the 4 year schedule of your intended major in order to determine your future course sequence prior to switching. Deans, undergraduate directors, and faculty advisors within the School of Engineering are available to meet with students to discuss a student’s interest in switching majors.

The engineering curriculum is structured so that students are able to complete the required number of credits to graduate within 4 years. However, many Rutgers students choose to pursue other majors or minors and may choose to complete study abroad and co-op programs which may delay their graduation date.

It is not common to complete two engineering degrees at Rutgers, since each program has distinct requirements with minimal overlap. However, many students do choose to double major or minor in other subjects (computer science, physics, etc.). Please be aware that students may not minor in engineering disciplines.

All first-year students in the School of Engineering take the same set of classes. You can find the curriculum here.

From this link, you can go to each department’s main website and find their individual curriculums.

Rutgers Engineering students are some of the most active students on campus. Our students get involved in a range of activities, from professional organizations, community service, Greek life, music, and even sports! More than 40 engineering based organizations can be found here. Rutgers also offers more than 400 organizations. There is something for everyone at Rutgers-New Brunswick!  

Class sizes are dependent on academic year and major. First-year classes such as Chemistry for Engineers or Physics range in size from approximately 100 to 400 students with smaller weekly recitation sessions (about 25-30 students).

Many students, even those just entering SoE, join faculty research teams. If you have a particular area of interest, get to know which faculty are working in the space and reach out to them by email. There are also research programs within Rutgers that can help students obtain research opportunities, such as Aresty, and Douglass Project SUPER.

Rutgers offers several summer programs for high school students to learn more about engineering in a more interactive or hands on setting. One program is The Academy at Rutgers for Girls in Engineering and Technology (TARGET), and the other is the Governor's School of New Jersey in Engineering & Technology (GSET) at Rutgers University.

First year engineering students are welcome to live on any of our five campuses. Students are able to opt into designated engineering residence halls located on Busch campus. There are also unique housing options for women in engineering and honors students. You can learn more about first year housing options here!