Welcome to the First-Year Engineering (FYE) program for Fall 2026! In preparation for the Fall semester, we have compiled detailed instructions for incoming UK engineering students that include information on FYE textbooks and electronic kits, software downloads, and other FYE-specific steps students can take in the weeks leading up to their arrival on the UK campus. We encourage you to review these instructions as you prepare to start your engineering career at the University of Kentucky.
Here is a concise checklist of important steps that you will need to complete in preparation for the Fall semester. Additional details are provided below.
As we approach the start of the Fall semester on August 24, we will provide any required updates both via direct e-mail, and on the FYE program website. We strongly encourage you to regularly monitor your University of Kentucky (@uky.edu) e-mail account as we near the start of classes.
If you have questions regarding any aspects of FYE preparations, please do not hesitate to contact Professor Douglass Kalika, Director of the First-Year Engineering Program (kalika@uky.edu).
Incoming students in the College of Engineering FYE program should complete the following prior to the first day of classes on August 24:
For MATLAB, students should download the most recent version (R2026a).
Permissions for these (no-cost) software downloads will be tied to each student’s LinkBlue ID. Permissions for downloads will not be active until early to mid-August, so please be patient. Students who encounter difficulty with download access should contact University of Kentucky Information Technology Support. Assistance with downloads will also be available at the start of the semester in EGR 102.
EGR 101 (Engineering Exploration I) does not require a textbook for Fall 2026.
The required electronic textbook for EGR 102 is Knoesen and Amirtharajah, “Introduction to MATLAB”, published by zyBooks. The zyBook textbook will be integrated directly into each student’s CANVAS page for EGR 102. Access to the zyBook is required for the submission of credit-bearing homework in EGR 102, and students will need to accept and activate the textbook in CANVAS at the start of the semester. The cost of the textbook will then be charged directly to each student’s UK tuition account.Important: Students enrolled in EGR 102 will be required to purchase a custom electronic kit from the UK Bookstore; please visit the UK Bookstore textbook site for current price information. Students are required to purchase the kit prior to the start of classes, and to bring the kit (along with their personal laptop) to the first class meeting for EGR 102. Please note that this kit is a customized Arduino kit specifically configured for EGR 102, and is only available through the UK Bookstore. Students are strongly encouraged to wait until their arrival on campus and to purchase the kit in-person at the UK Bookstore. Ample supplies for all EGR 102 students will be available.Note: The EGR 102 electronic kit for Fall 2026 includes an upgrade to the Arduino UNO-R4 WiFi board. EGR 102 kits sold for previous semesters contain the UNO Rev 3 board and are not compatible with the class assignments planned for Fall 2026.
There is no textbook requirement for EGR 103. Students enrolled in EGR 103 should consult with the instructor (Prof. Whitney or Klein) on the first day of class regarding any other requirements for the course.
Students enrolled in EGR 215 will be required to purchase a custom electronic kit from the UK Bookstore; this is the same electronic kit that is required for EGR 102. For students enrolled in both EGR 102 and EGR 215 for the Fall semester, only one kit per individual student is needed. There is no separate textbook requirement for EGR 215.
