How to Apply to Economics at Saint Louis University: Two Degrees, a B.A. in the College of Arts and Sciences and a B.S.B.A. in the Chaifetz School of Business, Entered by Applying to the University, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

In Saint Louis University’s 2026–2027 catalog (SLU, Missouri), Economics has two undergraduate degrees: Economics, B.A. in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Economics, B.S.B.A. (a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an economics major) in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, taught by the Department of Economics. The admissions pages I read say you apply to SLU. They do not say you must choose between the B.A. and the B.S.B.A. at application, and they do not publish a separate cutoff for either college; ask admissions. This guide follows SLU’s own pages for fall 2027 entry and speaks to U.S. applicants, international applicants (including applicants from China) and transfer applicants.

1. What the programs are

• Economics, B.A. (Arts and Sciences): 33 credits for the major within 120 total, plus 32–35 credits of the University Undergraduate Core and 51–55 credits of electives. The catalog says students study microeconomic issues for individuals, businesses and public policy and macroeconomic data and frameworks, and can explore areas such as money and banking, health economics and sports economics.
• Economics, B.S.B.A. (Chaifetz School of Business): 120 credits, including 32–35 core credits, 78 credits of business major requirements (12 program requirements, 48 for the Business Common Body of Knowledge, and 18 economics-specific credits) and 21 credits of electives. The catalog calls the program one of a kind in the region and describes Co-op 3 (six months of full-time work for credit). The school is AACSB accredited.
• Accelerated program: the business page says economics students can enter an accelerated program to earn the B.S.B.A. and the Applied Economics M.S.; the catalog lists “Economics, B.S.B.A. to Applied Economics, M.S. Accelerated Program.”
• Minor: the catalog lists an Economics minor.
• Honors: SLU’s Honors, Scholars and special programs have separate applications. The department hosts a chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honor society (the B.A. page places it in the department; the B.S.B.A. page places it in the Chaifetz School).
• SLU-Madrid: both degree pages have a Madrid tab; see the catalog for details.
• STEM designation: the international page says SLU offers more than 50 STEM-qualifying degree programs, but the economics pages I read do not say whether economics is among them. Not published on the pages I read.
• The site has a separate business guide, so it is not repeated here.

2. How admission works: admitted to the university, major settled after enrolling

• What you apply to: SLU (through the SLU applicant portal, the Common App or the Coalition application). SLU says every application is reviewed carefully and that solid performance in college-preparatory coursework is the main concern.
• B.A.: the catalog page gives no GPA threshold or seat limit to enter the B.A. major. It gives only a continuation standard: a minimum 2.00 GPA in all economics courses used for the major.
• B.S.B.A.: business students typically select a business major before or during the first semester of the junior year, and the department sets the 18 major-specific credits. The continuation standard is also a 2.00 GPA in major courses; below that a student is on program probation and has one semester to recover, or cannot register for 3000- or 4000-level major courses.
• Seat limits and guarantee: neither is mentioned on the pages I read.
• Moving between programs (into economics or between the B.A. and B.S.B.A.): the catalog has a “Changing Major/Program” policy page, but I did not read its body text. Not published on the pages I read; ask an academic advisor.

3. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school math: SLU gives no separate minimum for economics and I found no math-placement procedure on the pages I read. The sample roadmap shows MATH 1200 College Algebra (marked critical) in the first fall, then MATH 1320 or MATH 1510 in the spring. A roadmap is only an example; each student’s plan is set with an advisor.
• B.A. major (33 credits): ECON 1900 Principles of Economics, ECON 3010 Introduction to Econometrics, ECON 3120 Intermediate Macroeconomics, ECON 3140 Intermediate Microeconomics, OPM 2070 Introduction to Business Statistics, MATH 1320 Survey of Calculus or MATH 1510 Calculus I (3–4 credits), plus five electives (15 credits) carrying the “Economics, BA Major Elective” attribute, such as Economies of Latin America, Industrial Organization, Law and Economics, Money and Banking, International Trade, Labor Economics, Sports Economics, Economic Development, Public Finance, Health Economics, Game Theory and Advanced Econometrics.
• B.S.B.A. economics requirements: ECON 1900, 3120 and 3140 sit in the business common body of knowledge; the major adds ECON 3010 and five economics electives (15 credits, a list similar to the B.A.). The roadmap lists MATH 1320 or MATH 1510 and notes that MATH 1510 Calculus I is highly recommended; statistics is OPM 2070; first-year courses include BIZ 1000, CMM 1200/1250 and CORE 1000.
• First two years (B.A. roadmap): first fall MATH 1200; first spring ECON 1900, MATH 1320/1510 and OPM 2070; second fall ECON 3120 and 3140; second spring ECON 3010 and an elective; the rest is core and electives. Courses marked “!” must be completed in the listed semester to graduate on time.

4. AP and IB credit

• The catalog’s Credit By Exam tables (with department approval and minimum scores) show: AP Economics, score of 4 on both the Microeconomics and Macroeconomics tests, for ECON 1900 plus an ECON elective, 6 credits; AP Calculus AB score 4 for MATH 1510 (4 credits); IB Economics HL score 5 for ECON 1900 (3 credits); CLEP principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics (score 50) each give ECON elective credit. A-Level and other exams have their own tables.
• AP Statistics maps to STAT 1100, not to OPM 2070 used in the B.A. and B.S.B.A. roadmaps. Whether any exam replaces OPM 2070 is not published on the pages I read.
• The catalog says SLU will evaluate exams not listed.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

The deadlines page does not print a year for each item; the application instructions say to apply for spring, summer or fall 2027. Please confirm.

• Early Decision I (binding): November 2 deadline; notification begins December 1.
• Early Action (non-binding): December 1 deadline; notification by February 1.
• Early Decision II (binding): January 19 deadline; notification begins February 1.
• Regular Decision (non-binding): preferred by April 1, with applications accepted while space is available. Applicants with completed files by March 16 are notified by April 15; others within 30 days after all documents arrive.
• Scholarship priority: the catalog says to apply by December 1 and file the FAFSA by February 1 for priority merit-scholarship consideration.
• Honors, scholars and special programs: separate applications open September 1. On the same page the Scholars Programs deadline is December 1, while the Early Decision section says most special-program deadlines are January 5. The two differ; confirm with SLU.
• Application fee: none (SLU application, Common App and Coalition alike).
• Materials: the application plus a high school transcript sent electronically to admission@slu.edu. SAT/ACT scores, the Secondary School Report, a résumé, letters of recommendation and an interview are not required but encouraged. International first-year applicants are asked to write an essay in the application.
• Testing: test-optional. SLU does not accept superscores, so send full composite and subscores from each test. Everyone is automatically considered for merit scholarships without a score; the Presidential Scholarship requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.85 and the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship at least 3.25 (weighted or unweighted), and SLU says neither requires a test score.
• Programs with their own deadlines: nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy (December 1), flight science and aviation management (December 1). Economics is not among them.

6. By reader

U.S. applicants

• SLU is private. The catalog’s tuition table has one figure, $58,960 per year in tuition plus $1,000 in university fees, “additional charges may apply”; it does not separate in-state from out-of-state, and the pages I read mention no in-state preference.
• Testing is optional; only the application and transcript are required.
• The catalog says that in fiscal year 2025, 99.6% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received aid, with more than $517 million awarded university-wide. Priority dates are above.

International applicants

• Application: online, with no fee; first-year applicants write an essay. Records from all secondary and post-secondary schools must come with English translation, and an official course-by-course evaluation may be required. Unofficial copies may be accepted for initial review, but official copies must come directly from your school before enrollment.
• English requirement: proof may come from TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, SAT, ACT or Duolingo scores. Minimums in SLU’s table: IELTS 6.5; TOEFL iBT 80; TOEFL PBT 550; TOEFL Essentials 8.5; Duolingo 110; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 550; ACT English 21; PTE 54; AP Language or Literature 4; IB English A Language and Literature HL final score 6. Scores must be sent by the testing agency (self-reported scores are not accepted, and delivery generally takes about four weeks); TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. SLU’s ETS code is 6629 (TOEFL and SAT) and its ACT code is 2352.
• Waivers: SLU lists three: a college-level English course (not ESL) at an accredited U.S. college; an entire high school curriculum taught in English, documented by the school; or citizenship of a listed English-speaking country. SLU reserves the right to make individual exceptions and to require more testing. All incoming students take an English writing placement exam, and most international students also take the SLU Writing Exam (SLUWE); a 4 meets all English requirements, and those below follow ESL recommendations.
• Proof of funds: SLU says it requires proof of ability to support your attendance but that it does not affect the admission decision. Amounts and documents are not published on the pages I read.
• International scholarships: the international page I read lists no international-specific awards or amounts. Not published on the pages I read; all first-year applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships. INTO SLU offers English-language and pathway programs for students who do not meet direct-entry requirements.

Applicants from China

• SLU’s English-proficiency table has a gaokao line: “overall score middle of Tier 2 or better and 125/150 English (100/120 Jiangsu); interview required by SLU faculty.” That is SLU’s own statement for applicants from China. Beyond it, the pages I read do not say whether the gaokao is used elsewhere in admission review and say nothing about school-exam records. This is not published on the pages I read.
• The same table also lists a TOEFL ITP Plus for China minimum of 627.
• Transcripts need English translation and may need a course-by-course evaluation. If you plan to use the gaokao as your English proof, ask international admissions about the faculty interview and required documents.

7. Costs and scholarships

• Catalog (the same on both degree pages): tuition $58,960 per year and university fees $1,000; other charges may apply. The pages link to a net price calculator, cost of attendance, fee and summer-tuition pages, whose figures I did not read.
• Neither degree page lists a college surcharge; whether the business school adds one is not published on the pages I read.
• Scholarships are awarded on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need; priority dates are above.

8. Internships and research

• B.A. page: most economics internships are paid and can be taken for academic credit; recent employers include consulting firms, financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. The department sponsors an Economics Club.
• B.S.B.A. page: the Chaifetz School’s Co-op 3 lets students work full time for six months for credit, and the school encourages every student to do at least one co-op or internship. In a survey of the Class of 2025’s economics graduates, 91% were employed or in graduate school within six months; recent students have interned or worked at Anheuser Busch, Ernst & Young, Kennedy Capital Management, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, U.S. Bank and Visa. These are statistics from the page, not guarantees.
• Undergraduate research: no dedicated program appears on the pages I read.

9. Transfer

• Applying: no application fee and rolling review; most programs have no deadline (the transfer majors with deadlines are accelerated B.S.N., occupational therapy, physical therapy and aeronautics). You can apply with the SLU application, the Transfer Common App or the Coalition application. Economics is not on the list with deadlines.
• Requirements: a graduate of an accredited high school or equivalent. Applicants with fewer than 24 attempted semester credits (30 quarter credits) follow the freshman requirements and send a high school transcript; those with 24 or more send transcripts from all colleges.
• GPA: the B.S.B.A. catalog page says transfer students need at least a cumulative 2.50 GPA (2.70 for accounting). The B.A. page gives no number; it says the Office of Admission looks at college coursework holistically and, where applicable, evaluates courses named in the preferred major’s continuation standards.
• Credit transfer: SLU says there is no limit on the number of credits you may transfer, and a course needs a grade of C or better to be eligible. Use a free Transferology account to see equivalencies; the official evaluation happens after admission and receipt of official transcripts. Roadmaps can generally be adjusted for transfer credit.
• International transfers: must show English proficiency and provide a course-by-course evaluation from WES, a NACES member or an AICE member.
• Transfer scholarships and aid: the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship deadline is February 1 and the John Paul Fechter Service Scholarship deadline is June 1 (summer and fall applicants only); the FAFSA priority date is February 1.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• SLU application, Common App or Coalition; no fee; transcript to admission@slu.edu; SAT/ACT optional
• Early Decision I November 2, Early Action December 1, Early Decision II January 19, Regular Decision preferably by April 1 (confirm fall 2027 entry)
• For priority scholarships: apply by December 1 and file the FAFSA by February 1
• Ask admissions how to choose between the Arts and Sciences B.A. and the Chaifetz B.S.B.A.

International applicants (including China):

• No fee; essay for first-year applicants; transcripts with English translation; English scores sent by the testing agency (ETS code 6629)
• IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80, Duolingo 110 and others; three waiver routes
• China: gaokao in the middle of Tier 2 or better with English 125/150 (100/120 Jiangsu), plus a faculty interview

Transfer applicants:

• No fee, rolling review; the B.S.B.A. catalog page cites a 2.50 GPA; C-or-better courses transfer with no credit cap
• Check equivalencies in Transferology first

Sources: Saint Louis University, Catalog: Economics, B.A.; Catalog: Economics, B.S.B.A.; Catalog: Department of Economics; Catalog: Credit by exam; Freshman application instructions; Freshman deadlines; International admission; English proficiency requirements; Transfer admission; Transfer requirements and deadlines; Transfer credit. Most pages do not print a year for each date (the application instructions say to apply for spring, summer or fall 2027). Check SLU for the latest details and confirm the entry year is fall 2027.