I’m international students who is admitted as a undeclared student. I really want to transfer to ME major in UIUC. Is this possible? How hard is it. Please give me some advice. Thanks
Likely not easy or every one who wants UIUC Engineering would just start in another major.
But I would ask an advisor. And frankly I’d find an alternate university that is direct admission into the major. There are hundreds of great ME schools out there.
2 Likes
So It’s still possible as a DGS students, isn’t it？
Yes, it’s possible.
UIUC does reserve spots in all majors for students coming out of DGS (will be called DES starting this Fall.) Some majors are more competitive than others. If you choose UIUC, you have to work closely with your DGS/DES advisor to plan your courses so that you can maximize your chance to successfully transfer to ME (if you don’t get a good advisor, ask for a new one.) What you will be doing is an ICT from DGS/DES to Grainger ME (all DGS/DES students have to ICT when declaring a major.) You do NOT have to go to engineering undeclared first if you are coming from DGS/DES to Grainger.
DGS/DES info:
ICT process:
You may have to be flexible in this process and the timing of the transfer. Are you set on ME? If so, you might consider taking a direct admit elsewhere to remove any uncertainty. But, at UIUC if you meet the ICT requirements your chances are pretty good you will be admitted to the major of your choice coming from DGS/DES provided you have competitive grades. (there’s relatively less holistic shenanigans at UIUC than at some other schools that have secondary admit processes)
2 Likes
Are you just undeclared or undeclared in engineering?
OP is in DGS (Division of General Studies.) DGS students take gen eds and other courses to help them decide what major they will move in to. DGS students typically stay in DGS for 1-2 years. DGS students move into all UIUC schools/majors (except CS.) About 15% of each incoming class (of 8K-9K) starts in DGS (will be called DES, Div of Exploratory Studies, in the Fall.)
Here’s where 2023-24 DGS students transferring to a major went, along with average GPAs:
1 Like
Thanks. I get that but maybe I miss read it since I do believe there is an undeclared engineering “major”. Which of course would put him within engineering already and make the move that much smoother.
Engineering Undeclared | The Grainger College of Engineering | Illinois’%20degree%20at%20UIUC.
There is an undeclared engineering major…I was going by what OP put in the title and one of their posts 
1 Like
Im just an undeclared student.
1 Like
I found that there only 50 students can get into Engineering College. I really want to learn Engineering in UIUC even though I had other schools’ offer in engineering.
There will always be uncertainty about the major you can transfer into from DGS, but if it were overly restrictive no one would do DGS. Plenty of students do start in DGS, around 15% as I posted above. You will have to have high grades in engineering pre-reqs in order to transfer to a engineering major. Are you open to other engineering majors? Have you talked with someone from the school to help you better understand the pathways and requirements to move into Grainger? If not, I would do that.
Why ? I mean, I get why but you can learn to be an engineer from any school that allows it. UIUC gives you zero assurance. Are you willing to take the chance that you will end up majoring in something else when you don’t need to ? There’s many fine places to study engineering. UIUC is simply one of them, assuming they allow you to do so - which is a big if.
I’d hate my life trajectory to change because I couldn’t study what I wanted - when I had chances to do so elsewhere.
1 Like
The reality is NOT everyone from dgs that applies to transfer into engineering gets in. There are posts from year’s past about this. No guarantees. If you want that then which other program’s in engineering with direct admit would you be happy with and are affordable.
1 Like