Internal Transfer

Internal transfer describes the process of a currently enrolled undergraduate student at UT Austin moving from one college to another or moving within the Cockrell School of Engineering from one major to another. Students must apply for an internal transfer into Cockrell School majors through an online application.

Admission is competitive and based on space availability. Students must meet all of the requirements to be considered for transfer into a major in the Cockrell School. Coursework and GPA for the semester in which a student applies for a change of major will be included in the transfer application. UT Austin degree holders seeking a second degree in engineering should contact Engineering Student Services for information on a separate application process.

COVID-19 Adjustments to Internal Transfer Applications

UPDATE: Current engineering students applying for internal transfer in November/December (for a potential Spring 2021 start in your new major) – the evaluation and notification process will be completed before the new pass/fail policy begins on January 6th. As a result of the compressed timeline required to evaluate applications and accept students to a new major, we cannot make accommodations to include the new pass/fail policy, and will be using all final grades that are posted to your academic record on December 18 for your application evaluation.  If you wish to take advantage of the new pass/fail policy, you can apply for internal transfer in April/May during the next evaluation cycle. 

All students applying for internal transfer in April/May (for a potential Fall 2021 start in your new major) – the new pass/fail policy will be eligible to be used for your application. Should you choose to use a COVID-19 pass/fail for any of the internal transfer application requirements, those courses will still be counted and fulfill requirements. The evaluation and notification process for this application cycle will be completed in early to mid-July 2021.

Pass/Fail courses taken prior to the Spring 2020 semester will not be counted toward meeting the requirements

Minimum requirements remain the same

  • Students must have credit or a passing grade for M 408C, M 408D (or the equivalent through M 408M), and PHY 303K/103M
  • Students must have credit or a passing grade for four technical courses in-residence towards their proposed major
  • Students must have a minimum cumulative and technical GPA of a 3.0

Technical GPA will still be used to evaluate applications

  • If students take a course pass/fail and receive a passing grade (CR = D- or higher) in the Spring 2020 semester, the course will be counted toward meeting the requirements, but will not be included in the technical GPA because pass/fail courses are not included in GPAs

A short (500 word limit) essay will also be required of all applications

  • The essay question reads: What are your career aspirations, and how will an engineering degree help you realize those goals? What experiences have informed your belief that engineering is the best path for you?
  • We encourage students to reflect on personal experiences that have informed their decision to pursue engineering
  • The essay score will be used in conjunction with the technical GPA to evaluate each application

Requirements and Application Deadlines

First-Semester Applicants

  • Proposed semester for transfer: Spring
  • Current college of enrollment: Cockrell School of Engineering
  • Required in-residence credit hours completed: 12 hours minimum (credit by exam, UT Correspondence, UT Extension and transfer hours from another university are not counted)
  • Minimum cumulative in-residence GPA: 3.0
  • Minimum GPA in all required technical courses for proposed major: 3.0
    • Technical courses include math, science and departmental courses for your proposed major. Use the Engineering Technical GPA Calculator to determine if you meet the minimum GPA to be considered for a change of major.
  • Required courses completed before transfer: M 408C (or math course beyond M 408C) in residence; a minimum of one other in-residence technical course toward your proposed major
    • These courses will vary by engineering major. View engineering degree plans to determine the applicable technical courses.
  • Application deadline: December 15 (application opens November 15)

Continuing Engineering Students

  • Proposed semester for transfer: Summer, Fall or Spring
  • Current college of enrollment: Cockrell School of Engineering
  • Required in-residence credit hours completed: 24 hours minimum (credit by exam, UT Correspondence, UT Extension and transfer hours from another university are not counted)
  • Minimum cumulative in-residence GPA: 3.0
  • Minimum GPA in all required technical courses for proposed major: 3.0
    • Technical courses include math, science and departmental courses for your proposed major. Use the Engineering Technical GPA Calculator to determine if you meet the minimum GPA to be considered for a change of major.
  • Required courses completed before transfer: M 408D or M 408M; PHY 303K and PHY 103M; a minimum of four in-residence technical courses toward your proposed major (may include math and physics courses listed here)
    • These courses will vary by engineering major. View engineering degree plans to determine the applicable technical courses.
  • Application deadline: December 15 for spring transfer (application opens November 15) or May 15 for summer/fall transfer (application opens April 15)

All Other UT Austin Students

  • Proposed semester for transfer: Fall
  • Current college of enrollment: Any UT college except the Cockrell School of Engineering
  • Semesters completed at UT Austin before transfer: Four long semesters (fall/spring) or less
  • Required in-residence credit hours completed: 24 hours minimum and 60 hours maximum (credit by exam, UT Correspondence, UT Extension and transfer hours from another university are not counted)
  • Minimum cumulative in-residence GPA: 3.0
  • Minimum GPA in all required technical courses for proposed major: 3.0
    • Technical courses include math, science and departmental courses for your proposed major. Use the Engineering Technical GPA Calculator to determine if you meet the minimum GPA to be considered for a change of major.
  • Required courses completed before transfer: M 408D or M 408M; PHY 303K and PHY 103M; a minimum of four in-residence technical courses toward your proposed major (may include math and physics courses listed here)
    • These courses will vary by engineering major. View engineering degree plans to determine the applicable technical courses.
  • No more than one previous attempt to transfer to the Cockrell School is permitted. Third applications are not allowed. Applications for two different engineering majors in the same semester count as one single attempt.
  • Application deadline: May 15 (application opens April 15)

Appealing to Apply

Students may submit an appeal (by the deadline) to apply for internal transfer for the following reasons only: 

  • Completion of more than four long semesters at UT Austin
  • Completion of more than 60 in-residence credit hours
  • Lacking four technical, in-residence courses

Students must schedule an appointment with an Enginering Student Serivces advisor to complete an appeal form during the semester in which they wish to apply. Appeals will be evaluated on a space-available basis. If applicants are unable to apply for internal transfer due to additional unmet requirements (e.g. have not taken M 408D/M 408M or calculus-based physics, have already attempted internal transfer into engineering twice), they may not appeal.

An appeal is not necessary if a student's in-residence or technical GPA is below a 3.0 at the time an internal transfer application is submitted. However, to be considered for internal transfer, students must have a minimum of 3.0 in-residence and technical GPA once grades are posted at the end of the semester in which they are submitting the application.

Admission Decision Criteria

Internal transfer admission to all majors in the Cockrell School is offered on a space-available basis to those students who are best academically qualified. Academic qualification is objective and based on the in-residence cumulative GPA and the in-residence required technical GPA. For equally qualified applicants, preference will be given to the student who has completed more of the courses required for the requested major.

The Cockrell School does not have a standard GPA requirement for internal transfer admission. The cumulative and required technical GPAs of admitted students vary by semester and requested major, as does the number of seats offered. During the 2017-18 academic year, 67.3 percent of qualified applicants were given an internal transfer offer.

Internal Transfer Info Sessions

Current students interested in learning more about internal transfers can attend an information session. Login to ENGR Direct Students to view the list of upcoming info sessions.