How to Apply to Mathematics at Notre Dame: A Department in the College of Science with a Math Major Also Listed in Arts and Letters, Honors, Career, Life Sciences and Math-Computing Tracks, with Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Notre Dame is in Indiana. Mathematics is taught by the Department of Mathematics, which sits in the College of Science; the admissions office’s list of majors shows Mathematics under both the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Science. The College of Science also has separate majors in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS) and in Statistics, which are not covered here. Computer science has its own article on this site, and economics, engineering and other majors are not covered. Below is what the website says, for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students.

1. The mathematics programs

• Concentrations the department lists: the Honors Program; the Honors Program in Arts & Letters (also a mathematics major, aimed at theory-minded students who may go on to graduate study); the Career Program (mathematics as a tool in science or industry, emphasizing problem solving with a grounding in theory); the Life Sciences Program (20 additional credit hours in biology and chemistry, which the department says meets the university’s recommended criteria for medical school); Mathematics and Computing (for graduate study or industrial careers in computing); the Mathematics Education Program (30 credit hours of education courses at St. Mary’s College); and Mathematics and Engineering Science (for applied or industrial mathematics).
• Second and supplementary degrees: mathematics can be a second major by completing all the mathematics courses of the Career Program plus all requirements of a major in another department. Students in Arts & Letters or the Mendoza College of Business can take a Supplementary Degree (MTH2), which requires all Career Program math courses on top of their primary major.
• Minors: the mathematics minor is for students outside the department and has no prerequisites other than those of individual courses; an actuarial minor is open to any major.
• Degree name: the department’s plan is titled “Mathematics Major in College of Science”; the pages read do not say whether the degree is a BA or BS (the College of Science page says “Bachelor of Science Degrees”), so ask the department or the college.
• Research: the department describes a longstanding, growing commitment to undergraduate research, with organized opportunities offered for more than 20 years alongside research for course credit; majors may write a thesis on a mathematical subject or a related interdisciplinary field.

2. How admission works: the university first; how the major is settled is only partly published

• You apply to the university, not to the department: first-year applicants use the Common Application, Apply Coalition on Scoir or the QuestBridge application, and add the Notre Dame Writing Supplement. The admissions office sets high school course requirements by intended major, and mathematics is among the majors in the College of Science and the College of Arts and Letters that are named.
• When you declare math, any seat limit or grade threshold: the pages read do not say; this is not published, so ask the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Andrei Jorza) or a College of Science advisor. The department lists Andrei Jorza as academic advisor, Liviu Nicolaescu as Honors in Science advisor and Eric Riedl as Honors Math in Arts & Letters advisor.
• Changing into math inside the university: the transfer pages say that once admitted to a major a student cannot change majors without the dean’s permission (see transfers below). The conditions for a first-year student to move into math are not on the pages read.
• Course skeleton: the College of Science four-year plan lists Calculus 1 and 2 (Math 10550, 10560) in the first year; Calculus 3 (20550), Linear Algebra (20610), Math Reasoning (20630) and ODE (20750) in the second; Algebra (30710) and Real Analysis (30750) in the third; and math electives, one of which must be at the 40000 level. It also lists introductory chemistry, mechanics and electricity-and-magnetism physics, and the university core.

3. Preparation

• High school courses (FAQ page): 16 units: English 4; mathematics 3 (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry; 4 preferred); foreign language 2 in the same language (3 to 4 preferred); science 2; history or social science 2. For intended majors in the College of Science, College of Engineering, School of Architecture and certain Arts & Letters majors, 4 units of math are required, including an advanced course (pre-calculus or calculus). College of Science and Engineering intended majors need a unit of chemistry, and the page names Mathematics (in the Colleges of Science and Arts & Letters), ACMS, Physics, Chemistry and others as also requiring a unit of physics.
• The “Application Considerations” page words it a little differently: the strongest applicants typically take 3 to 4 years of math, and STEM intents need 4 years that should include calculus; if calculus is not offered, IB Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL) or pre-calculus are good alternatives, and the university does not recommend substituting statistics for calculus.
• AP/IB: the FAQ says credit is awarded for AP scores of 4 and 5 and IB Higher Level scores of 6 and 7; for the specific exams, see the First Year Advising website (not read). The transfer page lists AP Calculus AB (5) for Calculus I, AP Calculus BC (5) for Calculus I and II, and IB Math HL (7) for Calculus I and II, and says exam credit is typically used only for placement.
• Entry to the Honors Math sequence: the Honors Math page says the program is “open to anyone” and encourages students who enjoyed high school math to try it. The core courses are Honmath 1, 2 in the first year; Honmath 3, 4 and Honors Algebra 1-2 in the second; Honors Analysis 1, 2 and Honors Algebra 3-4 in the third. In the summer after the first year there is a six-week on-campus research program with funding for up to eight positions, chosen on Honors Math I performance. In the junior year most honors students take a graduate course; by the end each honors student has taken 3 to 4 graduate courses. How math competitions such as AMC, USAMO or IMO are viewed in admissions is not on the pages read.
• Math placement test: not published on the pages read; ask the department.

4. Rounds and deadlines (fall 2027 entry)

• Restrictive Early Action (REA): November 1, supporting documents November 15, financial aid priority date November 15; decisions appear in the applicant portal in mid-December (admit, deny or defer to Regular Decision). REA applicants may apply to other Early Action programs but not to a binding Early Decision program. The site says the Admissions Committee is highly conservative in REA decisions and suggests it only for applicants in the very top range of the pool.
• Regular Decision (RD): January 4, supporting documents January 15, decisions in late March, confirmation by May 1.
• The international financial aid page prints “November 1, 2026” for REA and “January 15, 2027” as the RD aid priority date, and it also prints January 1, 2027 as the RD application deadline, which differs from the January 4 on the application pages; check the official application page and your platform. The application page itself prints no year, so confirm it is for fall 2027 entry.
• Application fee: USD 85; fee waivers can be self-selected in the Common Application and Coalition platforms.
• Essays: the Notre Dame Writing Supplement has one required short essay (up to 150 words) and two short answers (50 to 100 words each) chosen from the listed prompts, in addition to the main application essay.
• Recommendations: the application-considerations page asks for two letters, one from a teacher in a core academic subject (math, science, English, social science or world language) and a counselor letter that is highly recommended. The international page says a transcript and one teacher evaluation are required and the counselor evaluation is recommended, not required. The site does not say the teacher must teach math.
• Testing: SAT/ACT are optional for the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry) for first-years and transfers; scores can be self-reported, with official scores due if you are admitted and enroll. The requirement returns with the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry). The site encourages applicants with scores to submit them, and says those without get full consideration.
• Interviews: the site says there are no alumni or on-campus interviews; international applicants can record a 60 to 90 second InitialView video (a fee applies).

5. Domestic students

• Tuition: Notre Dame is private, and the cost page gives one average cost with no in-state or out-of-state split. The 2026-2027 average: tuition USD 69,280; mandatory fees 514; housing and food 18,992; books and supplies 1,250; personal expenses 1,200; transportation 750; total USD 91,986.
• Aid: the site says admission is need-blind, 100% of demonstrated need is met, and aid consists of grants and scholarships rather than loans. For most families with income up to USD 60,000 it covers tuition, fees, housing and food; up to USD 150,000 at least full tuition; up to USD 200,000 at least half tuition (families with unusually high assets may not qualify for these levels). More than 70% of undergraduates receive some aid. The domestic application steps for aid were not read; see the financial aid website.
• Resident preference or guarantee: the FAQ says there are no quotas by region, state or high school; preference or guarantees for residents are not mentioned (not published). It also says there is no minimum GPA, and the committee relies heavily on class rank.

6. International students

• Materials: the Common Application or Coalition, the Writing Supplement, official secondary transcripts or records including any national exam results, one core-subject teacher evaluation, the USD 85 fee, and a CSS Profile if applying for need-based aid as a non-US citizen.
• School records: British-curriculum students send GCSE or IGCSE results and predicted A-Levels and should be enrolled in at least three A-Level subjects. Predicted scores for the IB Diploma, A-Levels (3 or more) or the French Baccalaureate can be used instead of SAT/ACT for students studying outside the US.
• English: required if the first language is not English or schooling was not primarily in English (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE Academic). Strongly recommended scores: TOEFL iBT under the pre-February 2026 scoring, 100 overall with 25 in speaking; under the updated scoring, a 5.5 average with no section below 5.0; IELTS 7.5; Duolingo 125. Waived with SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing of 650 or above, or ACT English or Reading of 26 or above. The TOEFL Special Home Edition is not accepted; scores must come from the testing agency (code 1841).
• Credential evaluation and proof of funds: no credential-evaluation agency requirement and no proof-of-funds amount are on the pages read; admitted students who enroll receive a Form I-20, and International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA) can advise.
• Aid for international students: admission is need-blind. To be considered for need-based aid, submit the 2027-28 CSS Profile (school code 1841, available October 1), then upload documents through IDOC. The aid page says each applicant is considered based on academic qualifications, financial need and the aid available.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the site does not separately explain how Gaokao results are used; it only asks that transcripts include national exam results. Nothing more is published; ask admissions (admissions@nd.edu).
• Transcripts: send an official high school transcript or record of academic achievement, which counselors submit through the application platform. The pages read list no China-specific credential evaluation or exam-certificate requirement.
• Testing and interviews: SAT/ACT are optional in the 2026-27 cycle. The site encourages students who want to further demonstrate English to do an interview with InitialView or Vericant, although it also says it offers no interviews; both statements appear.
• The FAQ says there are no quotas by region, state or high school and does not mention country; a China-specific note for applicants is not on the pages read.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5, USD 91,986 on average for 2026-2027; the aid site offers three estimating tools, including a net price calculator.
• Department scholarships and research: the Honors Math page encourages applying for national scholarships and links to pages on fellowships and scholarships, REUs and the senior thesis (not read here). The summer research program has funded positions (section 3). A scholarship specific to math undergraduates is not mentioned on the pages read.
• Outcomes: the Honors Math page says alumni work in consulting, data analytics, finance, actuarial work, IT, NASA, the military, academia, medicine and law, and some went on to graduate study in pure or applied math, statistics, physics, economics, computer science, medicine, law and psychology. It says 72 of 75 SUMR graduates from 1990 to 2011 pursued graduate degrees. The department’s “Why Major in Math” page carries older career statements that are dated and partly inconsistent with the rest of the site, so they are not quoted here.

9. Transfer students

• Eligibility: at least one full academic year in a degree-seeking program after high school (at least 24 transferable credits; dual enrollment does not count). All transfer applicants must apply to a specific college and major. The average GPA of admitted transfers in recent years is 3.75 or higher, and required courses for the college need a B or higher.
• College of Science: it admits transfer students only as sophomores. First-year coursework should include Calculus I and II, General Chemistry I with lab, General Chemistry II with lab or Organic Chemistry I with lab, and Writing and Rhetoric or Composition; for Mathematics, also Physics I and II with labs. The college does not favor substituting sophomore courses for first-year ones. After admission to a major, changes are not typically granted, and transfers must take the admitted major’s courses for at least one semester.
• Seats: the site says transfer decisions depend on space in the major; it names Neuroscience and Behavior, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Business Analytics and Finance as very limited. Mathematics seat availability is not published.
• Deadlines: fall 2027 entry, March 15, 2027, with notification May 20 to June 14; spring 2027 entry, October 1, 2026. SAT/ACT are optional in 2026-27.
• Aid: for fall 2027 transfers, the aid page prints a CSS Profile priority date of May 1, 2027.
• Credit transfer: the site offers a transfer credit search tool; check it for how your courses count.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Apply by November 1 (REA) or January 4 (RD) through the Common App or Coalition, with the Writing Supplement
• Take four years of high school math including pre-calculus or calculus, plus chemistry and physics; one core-subject teacher letter and a counselor evaluation
• SAT/ACT optional this cycle; learn about the Honmath sequence if you want Honors Math

International students (including those from China):

• Transcripts with national exam results; TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE if English is not your first language or the language of instruction
• Submit the 2027-28 CSS Profile (code 1841) if you need aid
• Ask admissions@nd.edu how Gaokao results are used

Transfer students:

• Apply to a specific college and major (Mathematics, College of Science); 24 transferable credits and one full year; Calculus I and II, chemistry and Physics I and II; fall 2027 deadline March 15, 2027

Sources: University of Notre Dame, Mathematics undergraduate; Mathematics degrees and concentrations; Honors Math; Student resources; College of Science four-year plan (PDF); Majors; College of Science undergraduate studies; How to apply and key dates; Application considerations; Admissions FAQs; International applicants; International application information; Transfer applicants; Transfer required courses; College of Science transfer requirements; 2026-2027 cost of attendance; Financial aid for international students. Information is for fall 2027 entry. Check Notre Dame for the latest details.