How to Apply to Mathematics at Swarthmore College: Admission to the College Rather Than the Major, Declaring in the Second Semester of Sophomore Year, with Applied Mathematics and Statistics Emphases, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Swarthmore College is a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, and its undergraduate mathematics is taught by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Here is what you need to know to apply, based on the department, Admissions and Financial Aid pages of the college’s website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science is not covered here and is mentioned only where it meets mathematics.

1. Programs and emphases

• Course major: the department says all majors must earn at least 10 credits in mathematics and statistics courses, take Senior Conference (MATH 097) in both semesters of senior year, complete linear algebra and several-variable calculus by the end of the first semester of junior year, and have credit or placement out of Introduction to Real Analysis (MATH 063). There are three pathways:
• 　Without a special emphasis: Modern Algebra (MATH 067) and at least 5 credits in mathematics and statistics courses numbered above 038.
• 　Applied mathematics emphasis: Stochastic and Numerical Methods (MATH 066); Differential Equations (MATH 043 or 044); at least one of Partial Differential Equations (MATH 054) or Modeling (MATH 056); one more from PDEs, Modeling, Probability (STAT 051) or Complex Analysis; and credit or placement out of Introduction to Computer Science (CS 021).
• 　Statistics emphasis: Probability (STAT 051), Mathematical Statistics I and II (STAT 061, 111), Statistical Methods II (STAT 021), and credit or placement out of CS 021.
• Honors major: the department says admission to the honors major is more stringent than to the course major, with a GPA in mathematics and statistics courses of B+ or better. It consists of preparation for external examination in three fields of 2 credits each: one in algebra (MATH 067 and 107), one in analysis (MATH 063 and 101), and a third chosen from geometry, statistics and topology.
• Minors and the catalog: the department also lists a mathematics minor, a statistics minor and an honors minor. It notes that much of its information is also in the Swarthmore course catalog, which takes precedence when they conflict; the catalog is a third-party-hosted site and was not read for this guide, so check it yourself.

2. Admission: you apply to the College, then apply for the major

• When you apply: Admissions says “we admit students to Swarthmore College, not a specific major”, and that the most popular major tends to be “undecided”. The pages read do not say whether the application asks for an intended major.
• Declaring: the department says students typically apply for the major in the middle of the second semester of the sophomore year, after completing an appropriate amount of work in the department, through the major/minor portal.
• Conditions: by the end of sophomore year, an applicant should have credit or placement out of at least four of five course groups: single-variable calculus (MATH 015), further single-variable calculus (MATH 025), linear algebra (MATH 027 or 028), discrete mathematics (MATH 039) and several-variable calculus (MATH 033, 034 or 035). The applicant should also have a GPA in mathematics and statistics courses of at least C+, including at least one grade at the B level. In some cases applicants may be deferred pending successful work in courses designated by the department.
• Enrollment limits: the pages read do not mention a cap on the number of mathematics majors; this is not published there, so ask the department (msdpt@swarthmore.edu).
• Placement: the department says every student must have a math/stat placement result to take any mathematics or statistics course, and all incoming first-year students should take the Math/Stat Readiness Exams.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school mathematics: the pages read do not list required high school courses; this is not published there, so check with Admissions. The department says students who have taken some calculus but have no AP/IB credit should also take Part 1 of the Calculus Placement Exam (Part 2 to try to place out of MATH 025, and Part 3 for Linear Algebra with Theory, MATH 028); students who know statistics can take the Statistics Placement Exam for possible placement out of STAT 011.
• AP: AP Statistics 4 or 5 earns one credit for STAT 011 and placement into STAT 021; AP Calculus AB 4 or 5, one credit for MATH 015 and placement into MATH 025; AP Calculus BC 4 or 5, two credits for MATH 015 and 025 and placement into MATH 027; no credit is given for AP Precalculus. Where the AB subscore and the BC score differ, the better applies. Students who take a course they have exam credit for forfeit the credit.
• IB and A-Level: IB Mathematics HL 6 or 7 earns one credit for MATH 015 and placement into MATH 025, but the department urges these students to take the Readiness Exam and the Calculus Placement Exam; an A* or A in A-Level Mathematics earns two credits for MATH 015 and 025, and students should email the placement advisor. Admissions adds that AP/IB credit is decided by individual departments with the registrar.
• Math competitions: the Admissions pages read do not say how competitions are viewed. The department’s student resources page mentions the Swarthmore Puzzle Collective, which meets weekly to solve puzzles and prepare for the Putnam Mathematical Competition; that is a campus activity, not an application requirement.

4. Deadlines and materials

• Deadlines: Fall Early Decision 15 November, with decisions online in mid-December; Winter Early Decision 4 January, with decisions in mid-February; Regular Decision 4 January, with decisions online by 1 April. The page shows no entry year and mentions the 2026-2027 admissions cycle only for the short answer questions, so check that the dates apply to fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply: the Common App, the Coalition on Scoir application or QuestBridge, with no preference among them; submit only one. A student may apply at most three times, counting first-year and transfer applications.
• Materials: the school report, counselor recommendation, high school transcript, midyear grades (or a midyear progress report from teachers if the school has none), and two academic-subject teacher recommendations; the pages read do not require a mathematics teacher. The Swarthmore short answers for 2026-2027 are two questions of no more than 250 words each.
• Fee: $60, or a fee waiver.
• Testing: SAT/ACT scores are optional and applicants are not penalised for not submitting; you may also ask the College to suppress scores already sent. The SAT and ACT writing sections are not accepted or considered. AP/IB scores are optional (unless you graduate with the IB Diploma, in which case the official IB score is required), and they cannot be suppressed.
• Interview and extras: interviews are optional, with no disadvantage for not interviewing; a video response is optional; resumes, research abstracts, Schoolhouse.world portfolios and similar items can be uploaded in the portal.

5. US domestic applicants

• Tuition: Swarthmore is private, and its fee page lists one rate with no in-state/out-of-state split. For 2026-2027, billed charges are tuition and books (including an $800 textbook credit) $72,722, housing $11,676, food $10,890 and student activities fee $482, a total of $95,770; with non-billed items (course materials $825, personal expenses $1,775, transportation and health insurance varying), the page gives a total cost of attendance of $98,370. As required by Pennsylvania law, the page also estimates 2027-28 at $75,994 tuition and $99,961 in billed costs; these are estimates only.
• Aid: in 2025-26 the College awarded more than $65 million in need-based aid to 56% of students, with an average decision of $75,268. Under the Swarthmore Tuition Guarantee, starting in fall 2027 the College says it will cover at least the cost of tuition for students whose families have a total household income of $200,000 or less and typical assets; it is for domestic students only and is assessed each year. Domestic applicants submit the FAFSA, the CSS Profile and tax documents.
• Aid deadlines: QuestBridge 1 November; Fall Early Decision 15 November; Winter Early Decision and Regular Decision 4 January; transfer 1 April. Those who apply by the deadline receive the aid decision with the admission decision.
• Residency preference or guaranteed admission: not stated on the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Requirements: Admissions says first-year requirements are the same regardless of citizenship; applicants attending school outside the US, regardless of citizenship, must submit one of the Swarthmore Video Response, an English proficiency result (TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo) or an InitialView/Vericant video. The pages read give no minimum English score. Duolingo results must be sent officially, and only the highest score from a single sitting is considered.
• Transcripts: students who have already graduated must submit leaving exam scores if available (the page lists IB, A-levels, Gaokao and others), and official score reports for national exams taken during high school. Transcripts must be original or a high-quality copy, certified and signed by the head of school or counselor, with official translations attached for non-English documents.
• Admission and aid: admission is need-aware for international citizens. But once admitted, the College says it meets 100% of the determined need of students who applied for aid, regardless of citizenship, and international aid includes no loans. You must indicate on the application that you intend to apply for aid; after admission you must complete the aid documents within seven days of the decision, and admitted international students receive a CSS Profile fee waiver. The page asks you not to submit the Certificate of Finances and bank statements unless you are admitted and plan to enroll. The average aid decision for international students admitted to the Class of 2030 was more than $93,000.
• Share of students: the page says international students make up about 13 percent of the student body.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international students page lists the Gaokao among the leaving exam scores that graduated applicants must submit if available. How the Gaokao is weighed in the decision is not published on the pages read; contact admissions@swarthmore.edu.
• Transcripts and other records: no China-specific guidance is published on the pages read; the general rules in section 6 apply: certified and signed transcripts, national exam reports from high school, and official translations.
• English scores: see section 6; no minimum is stated.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Department resources: the department’s student resources page lists summer research information and how to apply for funding for conference travel, registration and food; amounts and conditions were not read. Department-specific scholarships are not published on the pages read; ask the department.
• Outcomes: the department says its curriculum prepares students for graduate study and careers in mathematics and statistics, and gives a good intellectual background for professions such as law, medicine and business. It publishes a table of honors and course majors and minors by graduating class; the pages read print no employment data.

9. Transfer students

• Eligibility: fall enrollment only; the equivalent of two or more semesters of college coursework by the end of the current academic year; those with a bachelor’s degree are not eligible, applications from students with six or more semesters are discouraged, and international students who need financial aid cannot transfer.
• Grades: no minimum GPA is stated; competitive candidates typically have earned mostly A’s and B’s in a liberal arts curriculum.
• Deadline and materials: 1 April, with decisions in mid-May; Common App or Coalition application, a $60 fee (none for students currently at a community or junior college), the high school transcript, the Transfer College Report, official transcripts from all colleges, two academic evaluations (at least one from a recent college instructor) and a mid-term report for those currently enrolled.
• Credit: the Registrar reviews credit and gives the evaluation with the admission decision; there are no articulation agreements; Swarthmore will not transfer more than four semesters (about 16 Swarthmore courses), and most pre-professional courses such as Nursing or Accounting do not transfer.
• For the mathematics major: the department says that normally at least 3 of the 5 upper-level courses used for the major must be taken at Swarthmore, including at least one of the core courses MATH 063 and 067, and students are responsible for the department’s syllabi for those two courses.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply by 15 November (Early Decision) or 4 January (Winter Early Decision and Regular Decision); Swarthmore says it admits to the College, not to a major
• For aid, submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile and tax documents by the deadline

International applicants (including China):

• Choose one of the video response, an English proficiency result or an InitialView/Vericant video; send leaving exam scores (including the Gaokao) if you have them
• Indicate on the application that you will apply for aid; complete aid documents within seven days of a decision

After entry:

• Take the Readiness Exam and the Calculus Placement Exam; apply for the major in the middle of the second semester of sophomore year

Transfer students:

• Deadline 1 April; at least two semesters of college work; the Registrar evaluates credit

Sources: Swarthmore College, Department of Mathematics & Statistics; Department: academic program; Department: major and minor; Department: course major requirements; Department: honors major requirements; Department: placement and AP/IB credit; Department: transfer credit; Department: student resources; Apply to Swarthmore; Application materials and deadlines; Standardized testing policy; International students; Transfer applicants; Tuition and fees; Tuition Guarantee; Financial aid deadlines. The deadline page of the Admissions Office shows no year, so check that the dates apply to fall 2027 entry and see Swarthmore’s website for the latest.