Transferring Into Purdue Engineering
There are two different processes for transferring into Purdue Engineering: current Purdue students on the West Lafayette campus go through the Change of Degree Objective (CODO) process, while students at other universities (including regional Purdue campuses) go through the transfer application process.
CODO Process for Current Purdue West Lafayette Students
It is possible, though not guaranteed, to switch into the College of Engineering from another major on campus through a process called a Change of Degree Objective (CODO).
Current or incoming freshmen must apply to CODO into the First-Year Engineering program, which can be submitted as soon as their first semester on campus (provided they meet the requirements). More details can be found on the First-Year Engineering (FYE) CODO Policy page.
It may also be possible to CODO directly into an engineering major for students that have been on campus for a minimum for 1-2 semesters. Please visit the College of Engineering CODO Requirements page for major-specific CODO requirements.
If you have any questions about the CODO process, please feel free to contact us for assistance.
Transferring from Another University Campus
Transfer students are defined as any student who has completed 12 or more credit hours of college-level coursework after graduating high school. If you have taken fewer than 12 credits after graduating high school, you can apply as a new-beginning student to our First-Year Engineering program.
The transfer process can be a bit confusing, and every student's situation is unique. The Office of Admissions has put together a fantastic, step-by-step guide to transferring to Purdue that you should definitely take the time to read through. Let's walk through each step of that guide from an engineering perspective:
Step 1: Choose an Engineering Major
Due to capacity limitations, our First-Year Engineering program is indefinitely closed to transfer applications. Instead, transfer students must apply directly to a specific engineering major.
For the full list of your options, go to Admissions' Majors at Purdue page and filter by the College of Engineering.
Some of our majors are indefinitely closed to transfer applications, while others only accept applications for certain semesters, so be sure to check the Closed Programs page to make sure your desired major isn't closed to transfer applications.
Step 2: Explore Transfer Pathways
Most students applying to transfer into Purdue Engineering are currently enrolled at another institution, but there are also pathways for students who are still in high school or who have been out of high school for 5 or more years.
Articulation Agreements and Transfer Single Articulation Programs (TSAP) are pre-planned pathways for a few of the programs here at Purdue, including some engineering majors, where students start at a different university for 2-3 years before finishing their final 2 years at Purdue.
For the College of Engineering, articulation agreements are only available at Morgan State University, Vincennes University, and Wabash College, and only for a few of our engineering majors. There are currently no TSAPs for any Purdue Engineering programs. Refer to the Articulation Agreements/Transfer Single Articulation Programs page to see available programs and their requirements.
For students who have been out of high school for 5+ years, refer to the Office of Admissions' Community College Roadmap.
Step 3: Transfer Eligibility & Requirements
All incoming students must meet Purdue's minimum high school course requirements to be eligible for admission. Students can make up for high school course deficiencies by taking college-level courses. 1 semester of college coursework equals 2 semesters of high school coursework.
Additionally, you must meet the minimum academic requirements for your desired engineering major in order for your transfer application to be evaluated. Criteria for all of our engineering majors is largely the same, as outlined on the Engineering Transfer Criteria page, with only a few differences between majors like minimum GPAs.
Step 4: How Will Your Credits Transfer?
This is an important question, because not all credits will transfer to Purdue and you must receive credit for the required coursework listed in the Engineering Transfer Criteria page linked in Step 3.
Admissions has a fantastic write-up on this topic in Step 4 of their Transfer Guide that is a must-read for prospective transfer students. Check it out now before moving on to the next step.
Step 5: Dates, Deadlines, & Closed Programs
Do you want to start in the summer, fall, or spring semester? This decision may be made for you based on deadlines and if your desired engineering major is full or not. Some engineering majors only accept transfer applications for certain semesters. Be sure to check Admissions' Deadlines and Dates page, as well as the Closed Programs page to see if your desired major is closed to transfers for upcoming semesters.
Step 6: Time to Apply!
Still with us? Great! Once you've gone through all the above steps (and thoroughly read Admissions' Transfer Student Checklist, too!), it's time to apply!
Visit the Office of Admissions application page and select the West Lafayette campus under the 'College Transfer or Purdue Regional Campus Transfer Students' section.
Have more questions about transferring into Purdue Engineering?
We can help! Please fill out our Engineering Transfer Student Inquiry form, and someone from the College of Engineering advising team will follow up with you to answer your questions! Note that this is an informational survey only and not an application.