The Engineering Undeclared program at UIUC is a popular choice for students who are not yet sure which engineering major they want to pursue. With an overall admit rate of 43.7% and a first-choice admit rate of 34.7%, gaining acceptance into this selective program can be competitive. Students may be wondering what GPA they need to have in order to be considered for admission.

To be admitted into the Engineering Undeclared program at UIUC, students typically need to have a strong GPA. Students who earn at least a 3.0 UIUC GPA and a 3.0 specialized GPA while fulfilling other program requirements are pre-approved to enroll into one of their three majors of interest (target majors). This means that students must demonstrate academic excellence in order to be considered for admission into the Engineering Undeclared program.

If you are interested in applying to UIUC for the Engineering Undeclared program, it is important to accurately self-report your test scores. Your admission decision is contingent on the accurate self-reporting of your test scores. If you choose to enroll at UIUC, you will need to send the official scores you reported on the application. This is just one part of the admission process at UIUC, but it is an important one to keep in mind as you prepare your application.

UIUC Undeclared Engineering Acceptance Rate	Information
Overall Admit Rate	Total Admit Rate: 43.7% ; First-Choice Admit Rate: 34.7%
GPA Requirements	Students need to earn at least a 3.0 UIUC GPA and a 3.0 specialized GPA
Guaranteed Spot	Students meeting GPA requirements are pre-approved to enroll in one of three engineering majors
Self-Reporting SAT Scores	Admission decision is contingent on accurate self-reporting of test scores; official scores must be sent if enrolling at UIUC

UIUC Undeclared Engineering Acceptance Rate

On average we get 13,000 engineering applications and admit about 4700 into the engineering department = 37% acceptance rate.

Need more time to decide on your major? The Grainger College of Engineering’s First-Year Engineering Undeclared program provides a select group of students with the opportunity to explore major options during a part of their first-year of undergraduate study.

Students within this program are eligible to pick any of our top-ranked engineering majors, except Computer Science. Students pick a first and second choice major in February of the first year and by April have a selected major, ready to dive into that discipline.

How the Undeclared Engineering Program Works

The First-Year Undeclared program is selective and admits approximately 100 students each year. The students admitted to this program have considered all major options; they are often interested in an interdisciplinary field or need more time to explore which major best fits their interests.

If admitted to this program, you will take a class called Engineering 101, which introduces you to all the Grainger College of Engineering majors and what they have to offer, helping you to find an academic path that is best-fit for your interests and goals.

During this time, you also receive dedicated advising from Grainger College of Engineering advisors who have extensive experience in supporting engineering students in academic planning.

Undeclared

Ideally, after reviewing all the options for majors, minors and hybrid curricula that are available within the College of Engineering, you will have found an area that has your name written all over it. There are few professions that offer as many options for creative, impactful work as the field of engineering. If, however, you still aren’t sure which specific discipline is perfectly suited to your own set of skills and interests, there’s always the option of going undeclared.

But first, a caveat. Admission to the undeclared program can be more competitive than admission to other engineering majors. So, if you know which field of engineering you wish to study, you should apply to that major.

If you have been admitted to the Engineering Undeclared program, you should be aware of the following policies and procedures:

• You must complete one semester at UC Berkeley before you can officially declare a major.
• You must declare a major by the end of your fourth semester, and if you are in good academic standing you may choose from any of the College of Engineering majors, including the joint programs. Good academic standing is defined as having an overall and technical GPA of 2.0 or higher and not being on academic probation or subject to dismissal. Note: Double majors within the College of Engineering and joint programs offered by the College of Chemistry require an application.
• You should work closely with your ESS Adviser to explore major options.

Undeclared Major FAQs

The First-Year Engineering Undeclared program ensures engineering students are still able to pursue an elite University of Illinois degree while being supported by a tight-knit community as they select a major that best reflects their academic goals. Learn more about the Grainger College of Engineering admissions process and information related to the Engineering Undeclared option below.

I can’t decide between two engineering majors. Should I request the Undeclared option?

What’s a good second-choice major, if my first choice is Undeclared?

What classes would I take in my first year in the Undeclared Program?

If I’m in First Year Engineering: Undeclared, will the grades I earn my first year influence the choices I have for a major?

What’s the difference between being in Undeclared and just switching majors at the end of the first year?

How can I get from Undeclared to Computer Science?

What if I realize engineering is not for me?

Which major is right for you?

Take our majors quiz to discover which of our 15 top-ranked programs match best with your interests.

Explore Majors & Minors

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Contact the Grainger College of Engineering Team

If you have questions about the Engineering Undeclared option or would like to learn more about which major option you should select during the admissions process, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We are ready and excited to help you find the engineering program that aligns with your goals and interests.

Please note that all engineering applications are submitted through the University of Illinois Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

uIUC mechanical engineering acceptance rate

On average we get 13,000 engineering applications and admit about 4700 into the engineering department = 37% acceptance rate. Our high demand majors have a lower acceptance rate than this average. Our other majors have a higher acceptance rate than the average.

What Engineering majors do you offer?

• Aerospace Engineering
• Agricultural and Biological Engineering
• Bioengineering
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering

• Engineering Mechanics
• Engineering Physics
• First-Year Engineering Undeclared
• Industrial Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
• Systems Engineering and Design

Learn more about Engineering majors and minors.
Check out curriculum maps for each major and/or their websites.

What is required for admission to the Grainger College of Engineering at the U of I?
Submit an application via MyIllini, CommonApp, or Coalition application . There is a space to list any info about extenuating circumstances that impacted your academics or that should be considered in your application. We do not require teacher recommendations nor official transcript to apply. You will send your official transcript once you are admitted and accept your offer. For more information, see the University’s requirements for freshman applicants.

What are the admission deadlines?
See dates and deadlines for freshman applicants.

What are your high in demand majors?
Computer Science (including all CS + X majors), Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering. These cannot be selected as a 2^nd choice. Information Sciences & all Music majors except Music BA are also not available as a 2^nd choice. 

How do I make myself competitive to get into Grainger Engineering?
For the high in demand majors we recommend applying by the early action deadline to provide yourself with the best chances of admissions to our most selective programs and special attention for admission to honors programs and for merit awards.  Take your essay seriously and explain why you are interested in the major you selected.  We want to know if Illinois is the right fit for you.  Do not share the laundry list of the things you have accomplished for the extracurricular activities that you will list in another portion of the application.  Do explain how current activities/academics you have participated in high school that have contributed to your interest/preparedness for the major you selected.

Listing a second choice major allows us to consider you for all avenues of admission if you are not admitted to your first choice.  You can select another major within Grainger Engineering or a major in another academic unit. Either of these options allows us to consider if there is another major within Grainger, that you may not be familiar with, that will allow you to meet your goals. 

What classes should I take in high school to make myself competitive?

• Math, chemistry, and physics
• Advanced STEM classes, like honors or AP level calculus and physics
• PLTW (Project Lead the Way) courses are an excellent choice AFTER fulfilling advanced STEM courses

Do you offer credit for Project Lead The Way classes?
No. The PLTW courses are favorable information on your application to show your committed interested in Engineering but should not be taken over Math, Chemistry, or Physics courses.  If it is associated with a AP test then yes we will accept that credit if you receive a qualifying score (i.e. 4 or 5).

Do we look at the weighted or the unweighted GPA, 4.0 or 5.0?
Rather than simply looking at your GPA, we look at how you earned that GPA.  We consider your grades in the context of the specific courses you took, taking into consideration what was available to you at your high school.  We also consider trends in your course rigor and grades.  You should be taking the most challenging course work available to you provided you can be successful.  This will not only make you competitive for admission, but prepare you for the course work at Illinois. 

How many credit hours are required to graduate?  Graduation rate?
128 hours, minimum (16 credit hours/semester)

How do I setup a visit to campus?
Sign up for a campus visit via our admissions website OR visit our Grainger Engineering visit page.

How many students are admitted into each major?

• Each year it varies based on the department’s capacity for the upcoming year so unfortunately, we do not provide data on that information due to the fluidity of it changing from year to year.   
• The percentage admitted varies on the number of applicants each year.  
• On average we get 13,000 engineering applications and admit about 4700 into the engineering department = 37% acceptance rate.  
• Our high demand majors have a lower acceptance rate than this average. Our other majors have a higher acceptance rate than the average. 

Can I double major? Minor? 

• Yes, but you can only be admitted to one major as an incoming freshman.
• Typically, dual degrees and minors are declared in a student’s 2^nd year.
• Consult with an advisor about the feasibility and rationale of getting a dual degree – adds 30 hours (15 per semester) & typically takes 5 years to complete.
• Minors can be done in 4 years, AP classes in high school help with this.

Why are you better than other engineering schools? Why come to Illinois?
Just ask one of our students!  They will be eager to share Why they Choose Illinois.

Here are some of the Engineering specific resources we offer for our students CARE, ECS, GFX, IPENG, MEP, WIE that makes this place feel like home to many future Engineers.

What is the difference between the CS and CS+X degrees?
CS degree will require more Chemistry and Physics so it is more science based. You will graduate with an ENG degree in CS. CS + X degree’s curriculum is split between the 2 colleges – X college and ENG. So, the college of LAS, ACES, FAA, or Media will provide half of the curriculum and CS will provide the other half. CS+X degrees are to give you a background in CS, but your degree will be from the X college (Media, ACES, LAS, or FAA).

What are all the CS + X degree programs? (13 total)

• Advertising – College of Media
• Animal Science – ACES
• Anthropology – LAS
• Astronomy – LAS
• Chemistry – LAS
• Crop Sciences – ACES
• Economics – LAS
• Geography, Geographics, & Information Science – LAS
• Linguistics – LAS
• Philosophy – LAS
• Music – FAA
• Mathematics & Computer Science – LAS
• Statistics & Computer Science – LAS

Is chemical and biomolecular engineering in the ENG or LAS college?
ChBe is housed within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. This is just internal structuring of the program and does not speak to the quality nor prominence of the major. You will receive an engineering degree even though the major is located in a different college. This degree requires completing level 4 of a foreign language (4yrs of the same language).

Is Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the ENG or ACES college?
ABE is in both the college of Agriculture Consumer & Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering. The first 60 credits is in ACES and the last 60 credits is in Grainger COE. You will graduate from the Grainger College of Engineering with an engineering degree.

As an engineering undeclared freshman, am I guaranteed a spot into one of our ENG majors during my second semester?
Yes, you’re guaranteed admissions into an ENG major but NOT guaranteed into your first choice – MechSE, CompE, & BioE are all highly sought after.

NOTE – you can NOT declare a CS major if you begin as an ENG undeclared student, starting with the 2021 admissions cycle.  You can take CS courses but you’ll have to apply to CS through our traditional inter-departmental transfer process.

Will I have to go longer than four years to make up for the first year of not having a declared major?
No. You will have the opportunity to take basic level engineering classes during your first year that will introduce you to engineering and help you decide on which major is best for you. These classes will go toward your engineering degree.

How many scholarships do you give out?  How do I apply for scholarships? 
When you apply to the U of I, you are automatically applying for scholarships as well.  Your application for admissions is what we use to determine what merit-based scholarships you are eligible for. Your application essay is very important. Visit our scholarship FAQ page.

Do we require a student portfolio when applying to the Grainger at the U of I?
No, and it will not be required at any other time. Also, we do not ask for letters of recommendation.

What is Pre-Engineering (PREP)?
The Pre-Engineering Program (PREP) is intended to provide an opportunity for highly qualified students who are not currently in the Grainger College of Engineering to prepare themselves for possible transfer into the Grainger College of Engineering. Students in PREP will reside in DGS while they complete the prescribed PREP curriculum and prepare for the Intercollegiate Transfer (ICT) process to the Grainger College of Engineering. Learn more about PREP.

Where can I go to get more information?

• grainger.illinois.edu for info on engineering majors, etc.
• admissions.illinois.edu for application info, etc.
• illinois.edu is the university home page

Can you test out of courses?
Yes, we have proficiency exams and they allow you to test out of classes. Learn more about proficiency exams.

Which residence halls do engineering students live in?
Engineering students live all across campus in the various residence halls. Illinois St residence hall is predominant (ISR) because it is the closest to the quads. Innovation and the Honors living learning communities (LLC) are popular amongst engineering majors as well. Visit www.housing.illinois.edu to find all the hall and LLC descriptions.

What kind of public transportation is there?

• Taxis, Uber, city bus service, Amtrak & Greyhound station
• Bus Service is MTD – free MTD pass included with tuition
• One or more buses loop campus during class times
• All other buses can take you anywhere in Champaign/Urbana

What kind of stores & shops are in Champaign Urbana? (Within a 7 mile radius)

• Meijer (2), Walmart (3), ALDI (3), Ruler Foods (2), Harvest Market
• Walgreens, CVS, GNC (2)
• Carle Clinic & Hospital, Christie Clinic & OSF Hospital
• Kohl’s, Gordmans, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, Aeropostale, JC Penny, American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Bed Bath & Beyond, Forever 21, Gap, Finish Line, Foot Locker, Tuscola Outlet Mall, etc.
• Texas Roadhouse, Red Lobster, Chilis, Denny’s, O’Charley’s, TGI Fridays, El Toro, Dos Reales, Blaze pizza, Portillo’s, Rosati’s, Thai, sushi, Japanese, steak houses, and many, many more!
• Day spas; manicure, pedicure, & hair salons; beauty supply stores; thrift stores
• AMC Theater, Savoy 16 IMAX, Virginia & Krannert theaters, bowling alleys, mini golf, roller blading with laser tag, apple and pumpkin orchard, escape room (CU adventures in time and space), etc.