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Undergraduate Admission Requirements

The University of Tennessee System has decided that all campuses, including UT Knoxville, will now require standardized tests (ACT/SAT) for first-year applicants applying to attend UT in Fall 2023. The admissions website will continue to be updated to reflect the updated test policy.

TCE admissions criteria is based on several performance criteria, including completion of core academic subjects, GPA scores on these subjects, and standardized test (SAT or ACT) scores. Students who may not meet the test-score criteria will be holistically reviewed for admission into TCE.

For more information about applying to UT or to learn more about important application deadlines, visit the Undergraduate Admissions website.

Success Prediction Indicator

A Success Prediction Indicator (SPI) number of 60 and a math ACT of 25 or a math SAT of 590 if taken after March 2016 (math SAT of 570 if taken before March 2016) are minimum standards used for admission to the college. The SPI is calculated by adding an individual’s ACT mathematics score to 10 times their core high school GPA (based on a 4.0 scale). For information on what constitutes core high school courses, please consult the admission website.

SPI Example

A student with a high school core GPA of 3.5 and an ACT mathematics score of 28 would have a SPI of 63 using the formula (3.5 X 10) + 28 = 63. SAT scores are converted to an equivalent ACT score to perform this calculation.

Students who wish to pursue an engineering degree at UT but do not meet the college admission criterion may enroll as University Exploratory students and complete appropriate mathematics, science, and other courses before applying again for admission to the college.

Students denied entry under test-score criteria will be holistically reviewed for admission into TCE.

Holistic Review

Students who may not meet the SPI criteria will be holistically reviewed for admission into TCE.

Transfer Students

Transfer students, including internal University of Tennessee, Knoxville, transfers, must meet the minimum requirements stated below to be considered for admission to a major within the college. These minimum standards for consideration do not guarantee being admitted to the major. The final admission decision for the major resides with the department head or designee.

  • Must have earned a minimum 2.8 cumulative average and a C or better in each of these specific courses, or their equivalent: ENGL 101*, CHEM 120* (for Computer Science students: COSC 102 and COSC 130 or equivalents), and MATH 132* or MATH 141* (and subsequent courses in the three sequences, if taken).
  • If the student has completed any physics course, he/she must have earned a grade of C or better.
  • The overall record will be evaluated for quality and seriousness of purpose. An excessive number of withdrawals, incompletes, repeated courses, or failures may result in denial.

Any University of Tennessee, Knoxville, student desiring association with one of the departments in the Tickle College of Engineering should go to the Engineering Advising Office. An advising session is held with the major items of consideration being the same as for external transfer students.

High School Preparation

High school students interested in studying engineering at UT are encouraged to take courses in physics, mathematics, and chemistry to prepare for the engineering curriculum. Successful engineering students are not only proficient in mathematics, they also communicate well both orally and in writing, work effectively in groups, and have the discipline to stay organized and focused on challenging assignments.

To see a list of the courses you will need to complete in high school to be eligible for admission, please visit Undergraduate Admissions.

Note: The University of Tennessee does not offer non-credit courses for correction of math deficiencies. Since you may not take any engineering courses until these deficiencies are corrected, you should make every effort to fulfill these requirements before arriving at UT.