Applying to Purdue Engineering

Ready to take your next giant leap into Purdue Engineering? Here's a quick primer on how and when to apply! Be sure to also check out the Applying to Purdue page from the Office of Admissions for more details on admission factors and the review process. 

Apply to First-Year Engineering

All beginning Purdue West Lafayette undergraduate students complete a core first year curriculum through the First-Year Engineering Program before transitioning to their engineering major in their sophomore year. This allows students time to explore engineering careers, start to learn engineering design, and get strong foundations in math, science, English, and computer skills. 

For more details about First-Year Engineering, check out the "What is First-Year Engineering" topic on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Students applying to engineering at Purdue University in Indianapolis, an extension of Purdue University West Lafayette, are directly admitted to their major. Those students will follow a core first year curriculum similar to that of our First-Year Engineering students in West Lafayette. 

The Common App walks through the application process step-by-step with simple directions along the way.

Be sure to choose the College of Engineering when selecting "college, school, or program". You may notice there are available majors in engineering technology on the application. These majors are in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, not the College of Engineering. 

While choosing area of interst on the common app does not impact your application, this is where you can indicate what engineering major you are interested in, or you can simply select 'Undecided within Engr' if you're not sure. All students are considered equally for First-Year Engineering regardless of the specific engineering major they are considering, meaning a student who indicates an interest in Mechanical Engineering, for example, is not considered any differently than a student who indicates they are undecided. We simply use the Area of Interest field to gauge interest in majors for statistical and historical purposes, and not for admissions purposes.

It is possible to select an alternative major. We recommend only doing this if it is a major that you are genuinely interested in pursuing. Transferring to engineering after you have started at Purdue is not guaranteed as many programs have space constraints. If studying engineering at Purdue is your only area of interest, you do not need to apply to a second choice major.

Apply by November 1

November 1 is Purdue's Early Action deadline, and it is also the priority deadline for First-Year Engineering. Priority means that Admissions will continue accepting applications after this date only if space allows.

Students who apply by November 1 will have an admission decision on January 15, will automatically be considered for Purdue's full range of scholarships, and will be able to apply to the John Martinson Honors College if they wish to do so. Applying Early Action is non-binding, meaning a student who applies Early Action and is admitted does not have to accept their offer of admission.

To maximize your options and consideration, it is truly in your best interest to apply to Purdue Engineering by November 1.

Double-Check Other Deadlines and Requirements

Be sure to closely research all of the information on the Office of Admissions' Apply to Purdue page for important dates, deadlines, requirements, and information regarding the application process. The Office of Admissions is who reviews and makes decisions on all of the applications to Purdue's undergraduate programs, so they are your best resource for any questions you have about the application and admission process. You can reach them at admissions@purdue.edu and (765) 494-1776.