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Admissions

Applying to A&A

We welcome your application! Before you apply, make sure you meet the department's minimum requirements and understand that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer of admission.

How you enter the Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (BSAAE) degree depends on how and when you were admitted to the UW, as outlined below. If you have questions about admission, please contact A&A Undergraduate Advising at aeroadvising@uw.edu or (206) 616-1115.

If you were admitted to the UW as a freshman and selected engineering-undeclared or an engineering major (other than computer engineering) as your first-choice major on your application, you will automatically be considered for Direct to College (DTC) 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.

For more information on the application process and deadlines, visit the College of Engineering’s Freshman admission website.

Welcome to the University of Washington College of Engineering! 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 request placement into an engineering major. The requirements to request placement are as follows:

  • Maintain a minimum 2.00 ENGRUD GPA.
  • Complete placement requirements with grades of 2.0 or above in each course.

If you meet placement requirements, and list six majors in your placement request, you are guaranteed to be placed into one of the engineering majors. However, you may or may not be placed in your first choice major. Some majors may receive more placement requests than they can accommodate. Learn more about the placement process.

This is the only admission point to A&A for current UW students admitted to a major other than through the Direct to College pathway. Applicants have completed at least five quarters of equivalent college-level coursework and are on track to begin the department curriculum in the Autumn quarter of their Junior year. The application deadline is April 5.

Department admissions decisions are made about 3–4 weeks after the application deadline. You will be notified of the decision via the email address on your department application.

Ensure you are on track to apply

Find information about the application requirements and the additional lower-division coursework, referred to as enrollment requirements, required for the engineering programs you are considering. While the application requirements are your priority courses to take, it is important to ensure you have a plan to complete the enrollment requirements prior to starting in the major.

Compare majors: Required courses by department »
Comparison of the application and enrollment requirements for the different engineering majors.

Department application requirements

Department enrollment requirements

Students must have completed at least 60 academic credits at the time of application including the required courses or equivalents listed in the table below. Students must also have a minimum grade of 2.0 in each prerequisite course and a cumulative UW GPA of 2.50 or higher.

Completed application requirements and enrollment requirements information will typically auto-populate into the application unless you have missing grades or have an unusual circumstance.

+ Indicates an enrollment requirement that must be completed before Autumn Quarter.

+& Indicates an enrollment requirement (one of these courses may be taken during Autumn Quarter)

Application tips

Prepare your personal statement ahead of time. The personal statement (approximately one page, single-spaced) should describe your interest in Aeronautics & Astronautics. Explain why you would like to study in the department, your goals while in the undergraduate program, and some ideas of what you would like to do after graduation.

Our department strives to understand prospective students in a holistic manner. Please include any experiences (e.g., work, internship, research, leadership, or extracurricular activities) that will give us a better understanding of your academic interests, professional goals, and personal experiences. If your experiences have given you a unique perspective that you believe will add to our student body you may choose to include that in your statement. Similarly, if you have encountered any unusual or extenuating circumstances that have affected your education, you may wish to include that information as well.

Make sure you have PDF copies of your unofficial transcripts from ALL colleges and universities you have attended (except UW). These unofficial transcripts should show grades in the most recent quarter you have attended the school. You will upload your unofficial transcripts to the online application.

Official paper transcripts are no longer accepted as part of the online application process.

Connect with your current assigned adviser:

COVID-19 UPDATE: The admissions committee will take into account the significant challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic when reviewing transcripts. In particular, any Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, Pass/Fail, Credit/No Credit and similar grading options during the pandemic will be reviewed in context and will not negatively affect applicants.

FAQs

What can I do to better prepare myself for Aeronautics & Astronautics?

Students should make an academic plan that includes application requirements taken before the department application deadline. The remaining enrollment requirements can be taken in spring and/or summer quarters. Although not required, it can also be helpful to participate in an A&A student organization or A&A research. Participating in these hands-on activities can help a student explore as well as solidify whether or not Aeronautics & Astronautics is the right program for them.

I haven’t completed all the required courses before the April 5 deadline. Can I still apply?

Yes, if you have completed a minimum of eight (8) application requirements before the department application deadline, you are eligible to apply if the remaining enrollment requirements are in-progress in spring and/or summer quarters before enrollment into the major. We typically recommend that students complete as many enrollment requirements before the department application deadline to be a more competitive applicant.

Do I need to take A&A major courses once accepted into the program?

Typically, yes. The set of required A&A major courses are sequenced and must be taken in a particular order. The first quarter set of sequenced courses only begin in autumn quarter. If you would like to delay the start of your A&A major courses, you must receive written permission from the department before the quarter begins.

If you started your engineering studies at another college or university and are looking to transfer to UW engineering, you must have completed at least 60 academic credits at the time of application.

You must complete the application requirements by April 5, and the enrollment requirements by no later than the beginning of autumn quarter.

Department admissions decisions are made about 3–4 weeks after the application deadline. You will be notified of the decision via the e-mail address on your department application.

Department application requirements

Department enrollment requirements

Students must have completed at least 60 academic credits at the time of application including the required courses or equivalents listed in the table below. Students must also have a minimum grade of 2.0 in each prerequisite course and a prerequisite GPA of 2.50 or higher.

If you are a transfer student with WA state community college transfer courses, you will be required to enter this information in MyPlan. If you are a transfer student with non-WA community college transfer courses, you will be required to enter this information manually in the application.

+ Indicates an enrollment requirement that must be completed before Autumn Quarter.

+& Indicates an enrollment requirement (one of these courses may be taken during Autumn Quarter)

How to apply

To apply as a transfer student, you will need to apply to the UW by the application deadline listed for your intended start quarter. If you miss the UW application deadline, you will not be able to apply to an engineering major.

You will need to set up your UW NetID as soon as you receive your UW application acknowledgement letter from the UW Office of Admissions. Please remember that the UW application is due significantly sooner than for the department.

You will then apply to the majors of your choice using the Engineering Application.

Application tips

Prepare your personal statement ahead of time. The personal statement (approximately one page, single-spaced) should describe your interest in Aeronautics & Astronautics. Explain why you would like to study in the department, your goals while in the undergraduate program, and some ideas of what you would like to do after graduation.

Our department strives to understand prospective students in a holistic manner. Please include any experiences (e.g., work, internship, research, leadership, or extracurricular activities) that will give us a better understanding of your academic interests, professional goals, and personal experiences. If your experiences have given you a unique perspective that you believe will add to our student body you may choose to include that in your statement. Similarly, if you have encountered any unusual or extenuating circumstances that have affected your education, you may wish to include that information as well.

Make sure you have PDF copies of your unofficial transcripts from ALL colleges and universities you have attended (except UW). These unofficial transcripts should show grades in the most recent quarter you have attended the school. You will upload your unofficial transcripts to the online application.

Official paper transcripts are no longer accepted as part of the online application process.

Connect with UW and Engineering advisers

COVID-19 UPDATE: The admissions committee will take into account the significant challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic when reviewing transcripts. In particular, any Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, Pass/Fail, Credit/No Credit and similar grading options during the pandemic will be reviewed in context and will not negatively affect applicants.

FAQs

What can I do to better prepare myself for Aeronautics & Astronautics?

Students should make an academic plan that includes application requirements taken before the department application deadline. The remaining enrollment requirements can be taken in spring and/or summer quarters. Although not required, it can also be helpful to participate in an A&A student organization or A&A research. Participating in these hands-on activities can help a student explore as well as solidify whether or not Aeronautics & Astronautics is the right program for them.

I haven’t completed all the required courses before the April 5 deadline. Can I still apply?

Yes, if you have completed a minimum of eight (8) application requirements before the department application deadline, you are eligible to apply if the remaining enrollment requirements are in-progress in spring and/or summer quarters before enrollment into the major. We typically recommend that students complete as many enrollment requirements before the department application deadline to be a more competitive applicant.

The school I currently attend does not offer one or more of the application and/or enrollment requirements. What do I do?

We understand that not all schools offer the application and/or enrollment requirements in order to apply to the A&A program. If possible, check to see if another school close by offers the course. Another option is to take these courses at the UW during the summer quarter. Please consult with the UW A&A undergraduate adviser if you are in this situation to figure out a way for you to complete prerequisite coursework.

Do I need to complete an associate’s degree in order to apply?

No, not necessarily. Aeronautics & Astronautics is looking for the completion of the application and enrollment requirements for the major and not competition of an associate’s degree. However, many schools offer associate’s degree programs that fulfill requirements in order to apply.

Once I’m admitted to the UW and the department, how long will it take to complete the program?

It will take six (6) quarters or about two years to complete a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (BSAAE).

Do I need to take A&A major courses once accepted into the program?

Typically, yes. The set of required A&A major courses are sequenced and must be taken in a particular order. The first quarter set of sequenced courses only begin in autumn quarter. Any student who would like to delay the start of their A&A major courses must receive written permission from the department before the quarter begins.