Transfer Admission

Admission to engineering or computer science major requires the following:

1. Submission of the UB Application. Students are strongly encouraged to submit an application by the end of March for fall admission and by early October for spring admission. Submission of an application by these suggested dates will allow ample time for processing and provide time for advisement before the start of the semester.
2. Admission to the University at Buffalo.
3. Submission of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Supplemental Application. 
   Note: Incoming international students do not need to submit this application.
4. Satisfactory performance in a series of core courses (see below). There are two paths to meet this requirement.
   • Standard: Completion of four core courses with a combined core course grade point average of at least 2.5.
   • Fast-Track: Completion of at least two of the four core courses (graded on an A-F basis) with a combined core course grade point average of at least 3.0.
5. The minimum cumulative GPA required for the major. Students can meet the GPA standard by attaining an overall cumulative GPA or UB cumulative GPA (with minimum of 12 earned UB credits) that meets or exceeds the minimum value. The GPAs required for admission vary by academic year and requested major. The table below provides the GPA requirement for the 2022-23 academic year. Learn more about cumulative GPA requirements for previous academic years.

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will consider a student's entire academic record in reaching an admission decision. Factors such as a history of repeating, resigning, or failing classes, or low grades in classes relevant to the student's desired discipline may result in conditional admission or denial of admission.

Students are encouraged to convey legitimate extenuating circumstances that negatively impacted their academic performance via the Supplemental Application. Specific examples include documented medical issues of the student or an immediate family member, the death of an immediate family member, a disability, military orders, or other significant personal hardships.

After a careful review of an applicant's academic record, one of the following decisions is processed:

1. Admission to the Major: The applicant meets all requirements to join the major. This decision represents the final step in the SEAS admission process. Students are eligible to participate in all courses required for the major.
   
2. Conditional Admission to the Major: If the applicant meets the cumulative GPA requirement for the major but does not meet the core course requirement, they may be offered conditional admission to the major. Examples include:
   • The applicant has not completed the core courses but has initiated or is ready to enroll in one or more of the core courses. The applicant is expected to be calculus ready, i.e., meet the criteria to enroll in Calculus 1 during their first semester at UB.
   • The applicant has ungraded transfer credit for multiple core courses.
   • The applicant presents legitimate extenuating circumstances that have negatively impacted their ability to meet standard admission requirements. Specific examples include documented medical issues of the student or an immediate family member, the death of an immediate family member, a disability, military orders, or other significant personal hardships.
     
     The conditional admission process is described below. 
3. Declined Admission: The applicant is not currently admissible and is placed into the UB Exploratory Transitions Major. For example, this case applies to an applicant who does not meet the cumulative GPA requirement for the major or has attempted multiple core courses and has not performed at a level that meets SEAS standards. We recommend that students planning on pursuing an engineering or computer science program explore engineering/technology or computer science programs at other institutions. Students are welcome to attend UB but will not be able to pursue an engineering or computer science degree. UB Exploratory Transitions Majors are not permitted to enroll in engineering courses and 200-level and above computer science courses. Following a decline decision, students may apply for admission to SEAS in a future semester. The applicant must then present a convincing case that circumstances have changed and that there is now a reasonable likelihood of success within the major of interest.

Conditional Admission Process

The conditional admission process proceeds as follows.

• Specific admission criteria are conveyed to the student. The student is typically required to either (1) complete the core courses with a core course GPA of at least 2.5 or (2) complete 10 or more credits of technical coursework relevant to the major with a GPA of at least 2.5.
• The student may be required to develop a semester course plan in consultation with an academic advisor. In such cases, plans are generally expected to contain 15 or fewer total semester credit hours and 12 or fewer technical semester credit hours. A realistic plan is required to enter SEAS.
  
• The student is reviewed at the end of the first semester. The review results in one of the following actions.
  • If the student has met the specified admission requirements, then they are fully admitted to the major.
  • If the student has made satisfactory progress towards completion of admission requirements, then they will continue in conditional admission status for the next semester.
  • If the student is unable to make satisfactory progress towards completion of admission requirements, they will be declined admission and placed in the UB Exploratory Transitions major.
• If relevant, the student is again reviewed at the end of the second semester. The review results in one of the following actions.
  • If the student has met the specified admission requirements, then they are fully admitted to the major.
  • If the student has not met the specified admission requirements, then the student’s academic record is holistically reviewed. Students are generally not permitted to remain in conditional admission status for more than two semesters. Therefore, a decision to accept or decline admission is expected at this point.

Once you have been admitted to UB and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, please submit your final official transcripts from your current (or previous) institution showing all completed coursework. This is necessary for financial aid as well as courses posting to your UB account. More information about how to forward your final transcripts to UB can be found on the UB Admission Website.

Be sure to pay your tuition deposit and confirm your intent to enroll at UB!

Please ensure your financial aid paperwork is submitted in a timely manner. This is especially important for transfer students who are currently receiving TAP and/or Excelsior aid from New York State. Work with the Office of Financial Aid to ensure all deadlines are met.