How to Apply to Economics at Chapman University: The Economics BA Is in the Argyros College of Business and Economics and You Choose the Major When You Apply, with Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Economics at Chapman University is a Bachelor of Arts in Economics offered by the Argyros College of Business and Economics. The college’s undergraduate programs page lists four Business Administration concentrations (Accounting, Finance, General Business and Marketing, all BS) and Economics (BA); the pages I read do not describe a BS in economics or other economics variants. Business degrees have their own guide on this site and are not covered here. One limit to note: Chapman’s course catalog, where the economics degree sheet lives, sits under /catalog/, which robots.txt disallows and which is a third-party catalog, so I did not read it; this guide does not list the required course sequence, and you should check the catalog yourself. Below is what the official pages say for fall 2027 entry, for US domestic applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer applicants.

1. Degree, admission route and entering the major

• The program: the economics page says students learn economic theory and practice it with current technology and techniques. It mentions the on-campus Economic Science Institute (run by Nobel laureate Vernon Smith), the economic forecast, 12 on-campus Bloomberg terminals and Bloomberg certification, student business clubs, study abroad (including the Walk Down Wall Street travel course) and college career services.
• Integrated 4+1 master’s degrees: the page says economics undergraduates can earn a master’s with one additional year of coursework in the MS in Accounting, the MS in Behavioral and Computational Economics or the MBA.
• Minors: the college lists an Economics Minor and a Humanomics minor, among others; I did not read their requirements.
• How you are admitted: applications go through the university’s Common App process; the “Apply to Argyros” button on the economics page links to the undergraduate application page, and I found no separate business college application. The first-year page says Early Decision is binding if you are admitted to your first-choice major, and not binding if you are admitted to your second-choice major. Whether economics has its own GPA threshold or capacity limit is not published on the pages I read; ask Admission (admission@chapman.edu) or the Argyros College (argyroscollege@chapman.edu).
• Changing into economics on campus: the academics page says to meet with your undergraduate advisor first and that most requests are made in StudentCenter; major-specific requirements are in a “Change/Add Major Tool”, a dynamic page I did not use, which says its content is based on the 2023-24 catalog. Economics-specific conditions are not published on the pages I read; ask undergrad@chapman.edu.
• STEM designation: the pages I read do not say whether economics is a designated STEM program; this is not published there.
• Honors: the university has an Honors Program, but I did not read how it relates to economics; check the Honors Program pages.

2. Prerequisites and credit equivalencies

• Recommended high school coursework (the office says these are recommendations, not requirements, and that your curriculum should support the major you apply to): English 4 years, math 3–4, science 2–3 (at least two lab sciences), history/social science 2–3, foreign language 3–4, arts/electives 2–3. For business, science or engineering majors it suggests 4 years of math (through pre-calculus at minimum) and 3–4 years of science. The pages do not give a separate high school math requirement for economics.
• AP equivalencies (Registrar, new-student page; no year is printed, so check): AP Macroeconomics 4 or higher equals ECON-201 (3 units) and AP Microeconomics 4 or higher equals ECON-200 (3 units); AP Calculus AB 4 equals MATH-110, Calculus BC 3 equals MATH-110 and BC 4 equals MATH-110 and MATH-111; the AP Precalculus exam is not accepted for credit.
• IB equivalencies: IB Economics HL with a 5 equals ECON-200 and ECON-201 (3 units each).
• First- and second-year required courses: the degree sheet is in the catalog I did not read. The transfer prerequisites page shows that economics starts from ECON 200 Microeconomics, ECON 201 Macroeconomics and MATH 109 (Calculus with Applications in Business and Social Sciences) or MATH 110 (Single Variable Calculus I). The intermediate micro and macro and econometrics sequence is not published on the pages I read; see the catalog.
• Internships and research: the college page mentions research at the Economic Science Institute, a personal career advisor, internship support and Bloomberg certification; it does not give internship credit or research placement details.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 first-year)

• Application: the Common App plus a short Panther Profile.
• Fall 2027 deadlines: November 1, 2026 for Early Action (non-binding) and Early Decision I (binding); January 15, 2027 for Early Decision II (binding) and Regular Decision (all programs). Notifications: ED I in mid-December; the site words EA and ED II two ways, with the application options section saying EA decisions go out in late December for most programs and then on a rolling basis through the beginning of February (the notification timeline says mid-December), and ED II in late January (the timeline says early to mid-February); RD in mid-March. Spring 2027 entry is due October 15, 2026.
• Replying: January 10 for ED I admits, ten days after the decision for ED II admits, and May 1 for EA and RD admits; the enrollment deposit is a $400 nonrefundable payment.
• Application fee: $70, non-refundable, with a fee waiver if you meet Common App guidelines.
• Testing: test optional for most applicants. If you submit scores you can self-report them in the Common App or send official scores (SAT code 4047, ACT code 0210); official scores are required only after admission and deposit. Chapman superscores the SAT and ACT. In the most recent cycle 76% of applicants and 75% of admitted students applied test optional. Admitted fall 2025 students who submitted scores: SAT top 25% 1440 or above, average 1350, bottom 25% 1290 or below; ACT composite top 25% 32 or above, average 30, bottom 25% 28 or below; average high school GPA 3.78.
• Recommendations and documents: at least one teacher recommendation (up to two are reviewed), an official high school transcript and the Common App School Report. The page does not detail the personal essay; follow the Common App.
• Need-based aid: FAFSA and CSS Profile, due November 15 for EA and ED I and February 1 for ED II and RD.
• Decisions: for fall first-years there are six: Admit, Admit Provisional, Admit to the Panther Spring Start Program, Defer to Regular Decision, Waitlist and Deny.

4. US domestic applicants

• Chapman is a private university; the pages I read do not distinguish in-state and out-of-state tuition and do not describe any in-state preference.
• 2026-27 estimated cost (Financial Aid, first-time freshman): tuition $69,990, fees $404, books and supplies $1,600; totals in four housing columns run from $83,938 to $97,176 (I did not verify the column headings; see the page). The 2025-26 table shows tuition of $67,490. Tuition is based on 12 to 18 units a semester. I found no college surcharge for economics.
• Aid: the financing page says the university invested over $215 million, 85% of undergraduates receive some aid, the average award for fall 2025 is around $34,600 and about 24% of students receive Pell Grants. First-year merit scholarships can be as high as $42,000 a year and applicants who apply by the deadline are automatically considered; the page also mentions institutional awards (including departmental ones), Tuition Exchange, work-study and loans.

5. International applicants (including those from China)

• Who counts as international: anyone who is not a US citizen or permanent resident, wherever they live, including those on F, J and other non-immigrant visas in the US. Those who finished secondary school and have not attended an accredited college apply as international first-year applicants; those who have attended college apply as international transfers. About 5% of students are international, from about 80 countries including China.
• Process: the same as domestic applicants: complete the first-year Common App steps, then submit English proficiency scores and additional academic documents.
• English proficiency (the website gives two versions; both are quoted): the first-year application page says TOEFL iBT 80 (balanced subscores), IELTS 6.5 (balanced) or Duolingo 115. The international first-year page and international FAQ say TOEFL 4.5 for exams taken on or after January 21, 2026 (80 with balanced subscores for exams on or before January 20, 2026), IELTS 6.5 (balanced), Duolingo 120, SAT English 600 or ACT English 24. The test-optional page says a score of at least 600 on SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, or at least 24 on both ACT English and Reading, automatically waives the requirement.
• Waivers: applicants from secondary schools where English is the language of instruction, or in an IB or Cambridge curriculum, may request a waiver in the application portal after submitting the Common App. Chapman does not offer English Conditional Admission.
• Other academic documents: besides transcripts you may need external examination results or predicted results (predicted IB, Indian board exams, GCSE/IGCSE, predicted A-levels, Australian ATAR and so on) and graduation certificates; official documents must come directly from a school counselor or official.
• Costs and funds: the international financing page gives an annual estimate of $94,233 (tuition and fees $67,874, on-campus room and board $18,438, mandatory health insurance $2,321, books, supplies and personal $5,600), the minimum financial verification for an I-20 or DS-2019. It refers to a 2025-2026 cost breakdown, and its tuition differs from the 2026-27 figure above, so check the site. Dependents: $5,000 for the first and $2,500 for each additional. Chapman describes itself as need-aware.
• Scholarships for international students: merit awards up to $42,000 a year for first-years, and up to $15,000 (financing page) or $16,000 (international FAQ) a year for transfers, a discrepancy between the two pages; there is no extra application and all admitted students are reviewed. Limited need-based aid of up to $15,000 a year requires the FAFSA (if eligible) and the CSS Profile. International applicants are also eligible for fee waivers.
• After admission: your I-20 is issued electronically on your Chapman Status Page after you accept and pay the deposit.

6. Applicants from China

• The international FAQ says applicants from Chinese institutions should request official transcripts through the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC), which sends them electronically to Chapman’s admission office, so no paper copy is needed. Transcripts not in English must be translated word for word by a certified translator.
• Whether the Gaokao is considered: the admission pages I read do not mention it; this is not published there, so ask Admission (admission@chapman.edu, 714-997-6711).
• The pages do not list separate requirements for graduation certificates or exams specific to China; the general requirements for external examination results and graduation certificates appear above. English, funds and scholarships are as in section 5.
• The university states that it does not contract with or have non-Chapman entities represent it in recruitment and admission, and that applicants must submit their own, truthful work.

7. Transfer applicants

• Entry terms: fall and spring for most majors. Spring 2027 applications are due October 15, 2026. For fall 2027 the application opens November 15 and is due February 15, 2027; later applications are considered on a space-available basis.
• Materials: the Common App transfer application and the Panther Profile, one recommendation (academic, personal or professional), the $70 fee (or a fee waiver) and official transcripts from every two- and four-year college attended (fall applicants wait for fall grades after winter break).
• Economics transfer prerequisites (transfer prerequisites page): ECON 200 Microeconomics, ECON 201 Macroeconomics, and MATH 109 (Calculus with Applications in Business and Social Sciences) or MATH 110 (Single Variable Calculus I). The average GPA of the required core courses must be at least 2.7, each must be taken for a letter grade with a C or higher, and P/NP is not accepted; prerequisites may be in progress when you apply.
• Overall admission bar: the transfer page says Chapman has no single set of requirements that guarantees admission to all majors. It gives no minimum overall transfer GPA; this is not published on the pages I read.
• Credit transfer: use the free Transferology tool or book a transfer advising appointment (transfers@chapman.edu, 714-997-6711). California community college students who complete Cal-GETC, CSU full certification, IGETC or an ADT can waive most of the general education curriculum, but this is not an admission requirement. Guaranteed-transfer pathways exist from select community colleges; I did not read the details.
• International transfers: English scores are TOEFL 4.5 (exams on or after January 21, 2026; 80 with balanced subscores before), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 120; applicants with at least 24 transferable semester hours from a US community college or university may waive English proficiency. The international FAQ adds that transfer students taking US university coursework must have completed a transferable English course in a traditional classroom, and online English courses do not count.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply by November 1, 2026 for EA or ED I; ED II and RD are due January 15, 2027; $70 fee; test optional
• At least one teacher recommendation and transcripts; math through pre-calculus is suggested for business-related majors; check the catalog for the economics degree sheet

International applicants (including those from China):

• The same Common App; English scores (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo and so on; the two pages differ, so check) or a waiver; send Chinese transcripts through CHESICC
• Ask admission whether the Gaokao is considered; merit scholarships are automatic

Transfer applicants:

• Fall 2027: opens November 15, due February 15; ECON 200, ECON 201 and MATH 109 or 110 with a 2.7 average
• Check course transferability with Transferology

Sources: Chapman University, Argyros College: Economics (BA); Argyros College: undergraduate programs; Argyros College: minors; Admission: first-year; Admission: test optional; Admission: decisions explained; Admission: transfer; Admission: transfer how to apply; Admission: transfer prerequisites; Admission: international; Admission: international first-year; Admission: international transfer; Admission: international FAQ; Admission: international financing; Admission: financing; Financial Aid: cost of attendance; Registrar: AP equivalencies; Registrar: IB equivalencies; Changing/adding a major. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27). Check Chapman for the latest details.