Grainger Engineering Pathways

Program Information

Engineering Pathways offers students interested in beginning their college education at an Illinois community college a streamlined transfer experience and guaranteed admission to The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign upon successful completion of program requirements.

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Upcoming Information Sessions

 Join us via Zoom to learn more about the program (click on a date to register for a session):

The application filing period for the upcoming Fall semester will open January 5.

Program Requirements

• Follow the Engineering Pathways plans of study
• Maintain a 3.5 GPA overall and in technical coursework*
• Earn a B or better in each required course that averages to a 3.5 GPA or better 
• Participate in mandatory advising and programming
• 15 credit hours or more per semester

Note: students are expected to complete all courses in which they enroll; dropping/withdrawing or failing to earn a B or better in a required course will jeopardize program standing.

*Technical coursework includes chemistry, computer science, math, physics, and engineering.

• Aerospace Engineering
• Agricultural and Biological Engineering
• Bioengineering (requires 6 semesters after transfer to UIUC to complete major course sequencing)
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Computer Science + Bioengineering 
• Computer Science + Physics 
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering Mechanics
• Environmental Engineering (requires 5 semesters after transfer to UIUC to complete major course sequencing)

• Industrial Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering + Data Science (Information forthcoming)
• Mechanical Engineering
• Neural Engineering (requires 6 semesters after transfer to UIUC to complete major course sequencing)
• Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
• Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering + Data Science (Information forthcoming)
• Physics
• Systems Engineering and Design

How to Apply

The application information on this page is intended for students applying to enter Year 1 of the Engineering Pathways plan of study in Fall 2025. The 3-step application process for Engineering Pathways requires an application to both the partner Illinois community college and program. 

1. Apply to the Illinois community college you plan to attend.
2. Complete assessment testing through the partner college.
   • The ALEKS PPL math assessment is mandatory and may not be waived
   • Reading/writing (English) assessments may be completed according to individual school policy
     
     
   • ALEKS PPL placement: A proctored assessment score of 76 or higher is required to apply to the program for Fall 2025. If you score below 76 on the ALEKS PPL, it is strongly recommended that you take time to study and review the learning modules before retaking the assessment. ALEKS score must be dated within six months of application submission or it will need to be retaken.
     
     
   • If your selected community college does not offer the ALEKS PPL assessment or you have an ALEKS PPL score of 75 or below and have questions about how to move forward with additional assessment or the application, please contact engineeringpathways@illinois.edu.
3. Submit the Grainger Engineering Pathways application between January 5 – April 5, 2025.

   The Engineering Pathways application is the final step in the process. To complete this application you will need your student ID number assigned by the Engineering Pathways partner college you plan to attend and a score of 76 or higher for the proctored ALEKS math assessment. Please note that students applying through Parkland College must apply through the Parkland Pathway application, not the Grainger Engineering Pathways application. 

   Additional documentation required:

   • To complete the application, you will be required to upload a copy of your ALEKS assessment score. The document must include your full name, the assessment date, the partner college, show that your assessment attempt was proctored, and the overall ALEKS score. Find an example ALEKS assessment document.
   • Official copy of high school transcript(s) sent electronically to engineeringpathways@illinois.edu. High school transcript(s) must include all courses completed, grades received, and any courses which will be in progress for Spring 2025.
   • In the application, there will also be space for you to upload any dual-credit/college transcript(s) and/or a GED completion certificate, if applicable (see application for additional details).
   • Student records are reviewed competitively. Submission of ALEKS, high school records, and
     application does not guarantee admission.

   For more information about the Engineering Pathways application, check out our step-by-step guide.

Admission Dates and Deadlines

Complete your application for Fall 2025 here. 

If you are interested in Engineering Pathways but have a circumstance that doesn't allow you to apply for Fall 2025 admission, learn about the Intent to Pursue Pathways track or fill out the Intent to Pursue Pathways (IPP) form.

Fall 2025 applicants:

• Filing Period: January 5 – April 5*
  *Parkland Pathway filing period: March 5 – April 5
• Decisions: Admission notifications will be made on a rolling basis.