How to Apply to Economics at Wellesley College: A Women’s Liberal Arts College With No Separate Schools, Declaring the Economics Major by the End of Sophomore Year, and Admission and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Wellesley College is a women’s liberal arts college near Boston with no separate schools: economics is taught by the Department of Economics, and you apply to the College, not to a school within it. The department’s page calls economics a certified STEM major and the largest major at Wellesley. The College does not admit by major; you declare after entry. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Wellesley’s official information, for U.S. students, international students (including students from China) and transfer students.

1. Degrees and how admission works

• Who is considered: the gender policy says Wellesley will consider any applicant who lives as a woman and consistently identifies as a woman.
• Degree: the degree requirements page refers only to the Bachelor of Arts, and no economics B.S. is listed. Related options: an economics minor (five units) and the interdepartmental International Relations-Economics major (14 courses: five core courses plus nine in a track, and advanced proficiency in a modern language; students who studied in a secondary system taught in a language other than English have met the language requirement).
• When to declare: the Registrar asks for a major declaration on file by the end of the second semester of sophomore year, or by the end of the first semester if you plan to study away in junior year. The major is confirmed in the fall of senior year. You may have one major, a major and a minor, or two majors.
• Conditions to enter: the department and catalog pages read do not state a GPA threshold, cap on places or approval step; this is not published in what we read, so ask the department (781-283-3225) or your advisor. Only the honors program has a grade requirement (below).
• Honors: two semesters of independent research (ECON 360 and 370) leading to an honors thesis; ordinarily after the core courses and one 300-level course; admission requires a GPA of 3.5 or higher in economics courses above the 100 level; candidates also join the Economics Research Seminar, ECON 380H (0.5 unit).
• Other opportunities (department page): the Case Summer Fellows Program (faculty-student research, full time for eight and a half weeks, with stipend and on-campus housing), the Goldman and Calderwood lectures, the Economic Student Association, the Peggy Howard ’66 Fellowship for postgraduate study, and a special track toward Brandeis International Business School’s two-year MA in International Economics and Finance beginning in senior year.
• Business and computer science have their own guides on this site; Wellesley’s pages we read do not cover them here.

2. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school: the pages read set no specific high school math requirement for economics. The FAQ says the most competitive applicants usually take the five core subjects (English, math, history/social science, science, language) each year. First-years must show quantitative reasoning (QR) proficiency by taking a QR course or passing an online QR exemption test in the summer before enrolling; at application you can show readiness through math-based test scores, achievement in pre-calculus, calculus or advanced statistics, or math competitions.
• The major is at least nine units, including:
  • microeconomics: ECON 101 (or 101P) and ECON 201 (intermediate micro);
  • macroeconomics: ECON 102 (or 102P) and ECON 202 (intermediate macro);
  • statistics/econometrics: ECON 103/SOC 190 (probability and statistical methods) and ECON 203 (econometrics);
  • at least two 300-level units taken at Wellesley (ordinarily not counting ECON 350, 360 or 370).
• Math prerequisite: ECON 201, 202 and 203 require one semester of mathematics at Wellesley at the level of MATH 115 or above (the ECON 201 listing states the math course must be taken at Wellesley).
• ECON 101 requires that you have fulfilled the QR requirement. ECON 101P is the alternative for students who have not, and for students who would benefit from extra support; it adds class meetings on mathematical tools, students are normally expected, but not required, to enroll in ECON 251H (WISE) with it, and enrollment is by instructor permission, with invitations to first-generation students and students with QR scores below 10.
• ECON 103 can be skipped if you have completed STAT 160, STAT 218, PSYC 105 or PSYC 205, but you must take another economics elective to reach nine units. QR 260/STAT 260 and QR 309/STAT 309 count as major electives.
• AP and IB: a 5 on AP Microeconomics places you out of ECON 101; a 5 on AP Macroeconomics places you out of ECON 102 (the department encourages taking ECON 102 anyway); AP Statistics cannot replace ECON 103. A 5, 6 or 7 on higher-level IB courses can place out of ECON 101 and 102, though the department recommends doing so only with a 7. AP and IB credit does not count toward the minimum units for the major or minor. Electing ECON 101 forfeits AP or IB credit.
• Electives: the catalog lists 51 ECON courses, including tax policy, development economics, games of strategy, public economics, behavioral economics, corporate finance, finance theory and investments, and advanced econometrics and data science.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• The first-year page gives the dates below (it states test-optional status for fall 2027 entry; the dates table itself prints no year, so confirm it applies to fall 2027 entry):
  • Early Decision I: 1 November; decisions mid-December; reply early January;
  • Early Decision II: 5 January; decisions mid-February; reply late February;
  • Regular Decision: 8 January; decisions late March; reply 1 May.
• One FAQ answer gives 1 January for ED II, which differs from the dates table (5 January); both are stated here, so confirm in your portal.
• Wellesley accepts the Common App, QuestBridge and Coalition applications, with no application fee. ED applicants submit an agreement signed by the applicant, a parent or guardian and the counselor.
• Two essays: a personal essay of 250 to 650 words and the Wellesley essay of 250 to 400 words; two teacher recommendations, transcript and School Report. ED applicants submit a progress report (first-quarter or trimester grades); the table says midyear grades are required only of enrolling students.
• No interviews (the FAQ says no on- or off-campus interviews).
• Test optional: fall 2027 entry remains test optional, and about 45% of enrolling first-years applied without testing; SAT or ACT are accepted, and the committee looks closely at writing and quantitative skills. If you submit scores you must provide official scores on enrollment.

4. U.S. students

• Admission and aid: Wellesley says its review is need-blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and that it meets 100% of calculated need; nearly 60% of students receive aid.
• Tuition: Wellesley is a private college and the cost page we read lists a single tuition figure with no in-state or out-of-state difference. See section 7.
• Tuition-free threshold: the pages differ. The FAQ says families earning under $150,000 with typical assets attend tuition-free; the cost page says that beginning in fall 2027 the threshold is total family income under $200,000 with typical assets. Confirm with Student Financial Services.
• In-state preference: not published in the pages we read.

5. International students

• Materials: apply with the Common App or Coalition App; no extra forms. Official transcripts cover the previous four years at all schools attended, with the original plus a translation if not in English; certified copies of all diplomas and government examination certificates (with official seal or certification); two academic recommendations, at least one assessing your English reading, writing and speaking.
• English tests are not required. If English is not your native language and you have studied in an English-based curriculum for fewer than four years, Wellesley strongly recommends TOEFL (iBT or Essentials), Duolingo, IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or C1 Business Higher, InitialView, Vericant (Standard Interview with writing sample) or GTEC CBT. No minimum scores are published. If the committee decides a test would help and you have not taken one, admission will provide a waiver code (its use is not explained). There are no intensive English or ESL courses.
• Aid: Wellesley is not need-blind for students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and can fund a limited number, so admission is highly competitive for those applying for aid; admitted students have their calculated need met in full. You receive a Financial Aid Intent Form after applying. International students must apply for aid with their admission application: aid applications are not accepted after decisions, and students not aided at admission cannot apply later. Travel is not included in international students’ cost of attendance.
• Visas: the Slater International Center helps enrolled students with visa and immigration compliance. The pages we read do not list proof-of-funds documents; ask admission or Student Financial Services.

6. Applicants from China

• The pages we read have no China-specific section and do not say whether the Gaokao is considered; this is not published, so ask the Office of Admission (admission@wellesley.edu, 781-283-2270).
• The international page requires certified copies of diplomas and government examination certificates, transcripts with translations, an English-assessing recommendation, and the Financial Aid Intent Form where aid is needed.
• For IB, the department says a 5, 6 or 7 on higher-level courses can place out of ECON 101 and 102 (7 recommended); for AP see section 2. Credit for Chinese national curriculum or other exams is not published.

7. Costs

• 2026-27 resident costs (US$): tuition 72,570, housing 12,020, meals 11,186, student activity fee 360; the page lists these items separately and prints no total. Indirect: books 800, personal 1,250, travel varies.
• Massachusetts requires health insurance; students without qualifying coverage are billed for the College plan and others can waive it. About 50% of students waive the fee.
• The cost page states an average financial aid award of about $70,519, which need not be repaid.

8. Transfer students

• Fall entry only: apply by 1 March; self-reported midterm grades by 24 March; aid materials by 1 April; decisions in early May; reply by 1 June. Common App for Transfer, no fee, test optional.
• Eligibility: at least two full semesters at another accredited college; transfers must complete at least two years (16 units) at Wellesley, so only incoming sophomores and juniors can apply. All courses are in person and full-time. Bachelor’s degree holders and online college students are not eligible.
• Materials: final high school transcript, official college transcripts, college report, course descriptions, two recent college instructor evaluations, and the transfer statement plus the Wellesley essay.
• Math preparation: the FAQ says competitive transfer applicants show solid mathematics, ideally through pre-calculus or college-level statistics. The pages read set no separate threshold for transferring into the economics major.
• Credit: credit is not automatic and goes only to courses comparable to Wellesley’s liberal arts curriculum, with an estimate in the offer. The economics department says to contact its transfer credit advisor, that ECON 201, 202 and 203 should ordinarily be taken at Wellesley, that 300-level courses normally do not transfer, and that two-year college courses will generally not be accepted. The admission transfer page, however, lists “economics from a community college” among courses that generally transfer; the two are not fully consistent, so rely on your credit evaluation and the department.
• Students from international institutions request evaluation after arrival and must complete one year at Wellesley first. At most 16 units may transfer, only four from summer sessions.
• International transfer students: admission is need-sensitive and aid must be requested with the application.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Apply by 1 November (ED I), 5 January (ED II) or 8 January (RD); free; decide on SAT/ACT
• Show quantitative reasoning proficiency (a QR course or the online exemption test the summer before enrolling); declare your major by the end of sophomore spring
• Take a semester of MATH 115 or higher before ECON 201/202/203

International students (including China):

• Same deadlines; certified diplomas and examination certificates, transcripts with translations, a recommendation assessing English
• English test recommended (no minimum); apply for aid with your application; ask admission whether the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• Apply by 1 March; sophomore or junior entry for fall only
• ECON 201/202/203 should ordinarily be taken at Wellesley; overseas credit is evaluated after one year

Sources: Wellesley College, Department of Economics; Catalog: Economics major; Catalog: Economics minor; Catalog: International Relations-Economics major; Catalog: ECON course listing; ECON 101; ECON 101P; ECON 103; ECON 201; Registrar: degree requirements; First-year applicants; International applicants; Admission FAQs; Gender policy; Transfer and Davis Degree Program applicants; 2026-27 tuition and cost. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Wellesley for the latest details.