Overview
We strongly recommend visits when classes are in session if at all possible in order to see the campus alive with students. The best time to visit is during the junior year of high school or the fall of senior year prior to application.
Although applicants apply to Princeton University rather than to the engineering school, and all admission decisions are made by the Undergraduate Admission Office, we normally provide tours for prospective students and their immediate families and happily answer questions. A proper full-day visit to Princeton would include an engineering tour, Admission Office information session, and a campus walking tour.
Engineering Tours
Join us for an in-person student-led tours of the engineering school. Sign up to hear directly from a current engineering student and to ask questions. Please explore online, follow us on social media, or email questions.
Please note that our engineering tours are intended for prospective undergraduate students visiting campus individually, along with their families. Due to the large number of prospective students and family members taking our tours, as well as the narrow hallways in the Engineering Quadrangle (E-Quad), we are unfortunately not able to accommodate large organized tour groups or groups arriving by bus.
Regardless of the situation, large groups of visitors will be turned away at the door. No exceptions.
In-person Guided Engineering Tours
Guided engineering tours during the academic year are offered by members of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, who are juniors and seniors who are able to describe their experiences as engineering students at Princeton while providing an overview of the academic programs and facilities. Guides will begin the tour promptly at 11:30 a.m. from the SEAS Undergraduate Affairs Office, room C209 in the Engineering Quadrangle (E-Quad), which is in the PROSPECT AVENUE neighborhood on the campus map. Tours last 45 minutes to an hour and are offered Monday through Friday, when classes are in session. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer guided tours on weekends, during Reading Period (just before exams) and exams, or during breaks. Here are our available tour dates. Please check back in January 2025 for our spring engineering tour schedule.
During the summer, guided engineering tours are offered after the July 4th holiday through the end of July, given by students who are spending their summers at Princeton doing research. Guides will begin the tour promptly at 11:30 a.m. from the SEAS Undergraduate Affairs Office, room C209 in the Engineering Quadrangle (E-Quad), which is in the PROSPECT AVENUE neighborhood on the campus map. Tours last 45 minutes to an hour and are offered weekdays only, Monday through Friday. Here are our available tour dates. Please check back in May 2025 for our summer engineering tour schedule.
We ask that you please RSVP and follow the instructions. Helpful information, like parking on campus, is available using the tabs in the upper right. An email confirmation will be sent. Please be aware that during high school vacation weeks in February and April, as well as on holidays such as Veterans’ Day, there is a very heavy demand for guided tours. Since Princeton students have to meet academic obligations, we do not have large numbers of guides available, so the tours during peak periods can get very large. If possible, please plan to visit outside these periods.
Please note that we are unable to store personal items such as luggage, backpacks, coats or umbrellas in the E-Quad.
Self-led Engineering Tours
If you are unable to visit when a guided tour is offered, a self-led tour is available. No pre-registration is required. The leaflet describing the self-directed tour and its route can be picked up just outside the SEAS Dean’s Office suite on the main corridor of the C-wing, just next to the E-Quad Café. The self-led tour can be done at any time that the building is open, Monday through Friday, but we ask that you do not enter labs or offices unless invited by a member of the faculty or staff. Please note we are unable to store personal items such as luggage, backpacks, coats or umbrellas in the E-Quad.
Further information
Please see the list of Frequently Asked Questions by prospective and admitted students. Each engineering department has a website with information on its undergraduate program. Please visit this link, click on the departments that interest you, and follow links to the undergraduate program. Each department has an undergraduate handbook or similar advising document which will provide detailed information on its program of study and independent work, as well as video clips from current majors.
Please Note: In the event of inclement weather, should Princeton University officials announce that campus is closed to non-essential personnel, SEAS will not be offering guided engineering tours and our office will be closed for business. Please check the Princeton homepage for updates about University operations. Your safety is very important to us and we strongly encourage you to use good judgment when making your travel decision. It is better to be safe and postpone your campus visit until you can see Princeton under much more auspicious conditions.
If you continue to have questions about the engineering program at Princeton, please email bseprogram@princeton.edu. All questions about the application process, including standardized tests, and admission matters should be directed to the Undergraduate Admission Office, uaoffice@princeton.edu. See this link for complete contact information.