Information for First Year Engineering Students

Prospective Purdue Engineering students should visit the Office of Future Engineers website for information on admission to Purdue and Engineering specifically.

Transition to the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering (BME) from First Year Engineering (FYE)

For general information about the Transition to Major (T2M) process, please consult with your FYE academic advisor directly.

Eligibility for T2M: You must complete all FYE courses with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Our ranking system prioritizes Engineering Admissions Index (EAI) first and then cumulative GPA. The maximum capacity is determined by the number of available seats in our teaching labs. This number varies annually based on a variety of circumstances and is determined usually in February.

For May:

Maximum capacity for incoming FYE students is 160 seats.

For August*:

Maximum capacity for incoming FYE students is 10 seats.

*August capacity is depended on May admission numbers.

Suggested Classes while in FYE

For the science selective, CHM 11600 is recommended for T2M into BME. Please see our Curriculum and Program Requirements for the suggested Plan of Study if you are on schedule with classes. If you are ahead, we have some suggestions for classes to take during FYE. BME courses are only open to students admitted into the program; however, you may be able to take advanced courses in other departments. 

If you are ahead in courses during FYE, please consider the following suggestions:

  • MA 26100, MA 26200
  • PHYS 24100
  • CS 15900
  • ME 20000
  • University Core Curriculum courses
  • STAT 35000

Accepted Equivalents (in BME only):

Required Class

Accepted Equivalents

BME 202 (Thermo in Biol Sys)

ME 20000

CHM 11600

CHM 13600

CS 15900

CS 18000 or CS 17600

MA 16500 and MA 16600

MA 16100 and MA 16200

MA 26100

MA 27100

MA 26200

MA 26500 and MA 26600

PHYS 24100

PHYS 27200

STAT 35000

STAT 51100

Engineering Your Major Sessions & Building Tours

BME hosts several Engineering Your Major (EYM) Sessions throughout the fall and spring semesters. These are usually announced to students via ENGR 13100.

During the Fall and Spring semesters, BME offers daily tours on weekdays at 1:30 pm in MJIS 1021. No registration necessary. These tours are led by current BME students and are open to the public. During the summers, please call (765) 494-2995 in advance to schedule a tour.

Considering Medical School?

About 10% of graduating BME students go on to medical school. Please use the resources available through the Center for Pre-Professional Advising and the BME-specific course info page for pre-med students.

You might also consider enrolling in the 0-credit course, BIOL 39600 Premed Planning Seminar.

Co-Ops and Internships

For BME students, there are plenty of chances for both domestic and international students to gain industry experience. You can explore internship and co-op opportunities by visiting Purdue's Office of Professional Practice (OPP) website. These experiences will help enhance your learning and provide valuable practical skills for your future career.

Notably, our co-op-specific programs offer students an exceptional opportunity to gain valuable work experience while studying. These programs involve alternating semesters between on-campus academic study and working with esteemed industry partners. By participating in a co-op, students can accumulate 12-20 months of paid work experience by the time they graduate. Completing all the requirements of the Co-Op Program will earn students an academic certificate to complement their Biomedical Engineering degree. This program has grown exponentially since the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering was established in 2004. It's a great way to enhance learning, develop practical skills, and improve job prospects after graduation.

There are three types of co-op experiences we officially recognize: 3-session co-ops; 5-session co-ops; and flex co-ops. For information regarding any of these co-op types, or if you have questions about international student status and CPT, or Where to find these opportunities, please contact Austin Glidden, the BME Co-Op & Internship Coordinator.

Scholarships

The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering places great emphasis on identifying students who excel in three key areas: academic merit, service to BME, and demonstration of strong personal and professional character. While each scholarship or award may have its specific eligibility criteria, these three dimensions serve as the guiding principles for the selection committee. Please refer to the individual requirements outlined on our website (which will be updated by the Fall 2023 semester) for our annual primary scholarships and awards. You may also contact Austin Glidden, the BME Scholarship Coordinator, for more information.

Below you will find some links that will help you explore more areas Purdue offers scholarships to students beyond BME.

Contact Us

You are welcome to make an appointment with a staff member to discuss any questions you have.

Please call (765) 494-2995, or stop by MJIS 1021 to request a meeting with a staff member.