How to Apply to Mathematics at Villanova University: apply directly to the Mathematics major (BS) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ sciences group, shared with the Statistics major, with a combined bachelor’s/master’s option; how local, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants are admitted, and what to study first

Villanova University’s mathematics degree is offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This article follows the University’s website and covers US local applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students. Computer science is not covered here, and this site has a separate article on it; the Statistics major, which shares the department, gets only a mention.

1. Degrees and tracks in mathematics

• Degree: the department says the Mathematics major leads to a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. The same department offers a Statistics major (Bachelor of Science in Statistics) and minors in Mathematics and Statistics. The pages read for this article do not list a BA or named tracks such as pure or applied mathematics; students shape the program through electives.
• Aim: the department says the major introduces the main aspects of contemporary mathematics. With suitable electives, students can prepare for positions in industry or for graduate study in mathematics and related fields, with paths such as actuarial science, operations research, computer science, statistics, biostatistics, mathematical physics, business and finance.
• Capstone: the major includes a capstone seminar that builds skills in researching, organizing and presenting mathematics in writing and orally; the topic varies each year.
• Course list: the required and elective courses are in a course catalog hosted by a third party, which this article did not visit. The course numbers and credit requirements are therefore not given here; check the catalog linked from the Major in Mathematics page.
• Combined bachelor’s/master’s: the department says a BS in Mathematics or Statistics can be combined with the MA in Mathematics or the MS in Applied Statistics and Data Science, double-counting up to four courses (three for the MA in Mathematics), for both degrees in about five years. Conditions are in section 6.

2. How admission works: choose a college or major when you apply

• You choose at application: the admission FAQ says applicants must apply to one of the undergraduate colleges or to a specific major. Mathematics is in the sciences group of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, whose majors include Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Comprehensive Science, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics.
• Second choice and undeclared: sciences applicants can choose Exploratory Science (undeclared science) or list other science majors as a second choice. The website says that if you are admitted to Exploratory Science there is no guarantee you can enroll in your first-choice major; placement into science majors is based on space in each program at the end of the first year. Whether applying directly to Mathematics carries a grade threshold or a seat limit is not stated on the pages read.
• No “undecided” option: the site says there is no undecided choice at application. Liberal arts applicants choose Exploratory Arts and declare a major by the end of the second year, but mathematics is not in that group.
• Internal transfer: the website describes space-based rules only for engineering and for Exploratory Science. The conditions for moving into Mathematics after enrolling are not stated on the pages read; ask the Department of Mathematics and Statistics or the college.
• Honors: all first-year applicants are considered for the Honors Program, with selected students notified by the end of March; not submitting test scores does not rule you out. The department’s own honors course sequence is not described on the pages read.

3. What to study first, and credit

• High school math: the website says the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences values the strength of your curriculum and wants to see that you challenged yourself; for students interested in the sciences, the most rigorous math and science courses best prepare you for your chosen program. It does not name calculus or any specific course as required. (Four years of math for the business school and pre-calculus for engineering are other colleges’ requirements and do not apply to mathematics.)
• Math placement exam: not stated on the pages read; ask the department.
• AP/IB credit: the FAQ says qualifying scores on AP or IB Higher Level exams may earn course credit, under each college’s own policy. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences tables are on a third-party catalog that this article did not visit, so how much mathematics credit you can get is not given here; check the linked pages.
• Math competitions: the pages read do not say how competitions are viewed in admission.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

These dates come from the dates-and-deadlines page and the FAQ. The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.

• Four plans: Early Action (EA, non-binding) is due 1 November, with a decision by 20 January. Early Decision I (ED I, binding) is due 1 November, with a decision by 1 December and the deposit within two weeks of admission. Early Decision II (ED II, binding) is due 15 January, with a decision by 15 February. Regular Decision (RD) is due 15 January, with a decision by 1 April; the EA and RD deposit deadline is 1 May. The FAQ says the application opens 1 August.
• Platform: the Common Application or the Coalition Application (one of the two), each with an essay and the Villanova writing supplements.
• Fee: $80, non-refundable; students with financial need can request a waiver through the Common App, Coalition, College Board, ACT, NACAC or the University’s own form.
• Transcript and school report: an official transcript from grade nine to the latest completed term, plus the Secondary School Report from your counselor (a teacher or school administrator can submit it if there is no counselor). ED II, RD and deferred applicants also send senior-year grades.
• Recommendation: one letter from a high school teacher who has taught you; the website does not say it must be a math teacher. A counselor or college-access advisor letter is optional, and further letters are not considered.
• Testing: the website says Villanova remains test-optional through the 2026-27 admission campaign (labelled Class of 2031 on the page). You may send SAT or ACT scores or not; self-reported scores are accepted until enrollment, scores are superscored, and not sending them does not affect scholarship (including the Presidential Scholarship) or Honors consideration. Scores received by 10 November are considered for ED I and EA, and by 31 January for ED II and RD. For homeschooled applicants the site gives two wordings: the first-year page says more than one full academic year of homeschooling requires scores, while the FAQ says two or more full academic years; confirm with admission.
• Interviews and interest: no interviews, and demonstrated interest is not tracked.
• Admit rates: the website does not give an admission threshold or rate for mathematics or the College, and this article does not infer one.

5. What each type of applicant should note

US local applicants

• Tuition: Villanova is private, and the tuition page lists a single figure: 2026-27 undergraduate tuition of $72,990 for all colleges ($36,495 a semester), plus a Student Services Fee of $1,024 a year. The website does not give separate in-state and out-of-state prices, and does not describe a preference or guarantee for Pennsylvania residents.
• Aid: admission is need-blind for US citizens and permanent residents. For need-based aid, submit the FAFSA and the CSS Profile (code 2959), ideally at the same time as the application.
• Scholarships: the merit scholarships page lists the Presidential Scholarship (25 a year, renewable, covering tuition, housing, meals and more), the St. Martin de Porres Scholarship (full tuition and general fees), the Goizueta Foundation Scholars Fund (two a year), National Merit awards ($500 to $2,000) and the Maguire Foundation Scholarship, among others. No scholarship specifically for mathematics majors is listed on the pages read.

International applicants

• English: all international students must show English proficiency with official results from Cambridge English, the Duolingo English Test, IELTS, Pearson PTE or TOEFL iBT. It can be waived if English is your native language and spoken at home, or you spent more than three consecutive years in secondary school where English is the language of instruction. The minimum scores are not on the pages read; ask admission.
• Records: school records must be official, submitted by the school in the original language, with an official translation if not in English and a grading key. If your country has a national secondary leaving exam, official results (or predicted marks if not yet taken) are required.
• Finances: the Certification of Finances form and a bank statement or letter from the last three months; the I-20 is issued to enrolling students in the spring before fall enrollment.
• Review: for non-US citizens and permanent residents, review is need-aware, so a family’s ability to pay is considered at the end of the holistic review. International applicants may apply test-optional.
• Aid: international applicants can apply for merit scholarships and limited need-based aid, and can be nominated for the Presidential Scholarship; funding is limited, so not everyone who applies will receive aid. Need-based aid requires the CSS Profile, the Certification of Finances with a bank letter, and an employer letter on parental income (the page names the 2025 calendar year).

Applicants from China

• The pages read contain no statement written specifically for Chinese applicants. Whether the Gaokao is considered and how, and any special requirements for Chinese transcripts or school-leaving exam materials, are “not published on the website”; ask admission (gotovu@villanova.edu, 610-519-4000).
• The general international requirements apply as written: official transcripts and school report, English proficiency or a waiver, and proof of finances. The page asks for official results from a national secondary leaving exam where one exists, and does not name the Gaokao.

6. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• 2026-27 estimate: tuition $72,990, student services fee $1,024, housing about $10,314, meals about $9,040, books $600, plus other expenses, for a total estimated cost of attendance of $96,886 (housing and meals are estimates). For commuters the estimate is $80,652. First-year students also pay a $300 orientation fee, and the tuition deposit is $700, non-refundable. University health insurance, if needed, is about $3,165 a year and is not included.
• Department research: the department says Co-MaStER (Community of Mathematicians and Statisticians Exploring Research) posts research projects each semester that students can apply for, open to all Villanova students. The Center for Research and Fellowship also runs the Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Whether these carry funding is not stated on the pages read.
• Department resources: the Math Center offers free tutoring in nearly all math and statistics courses; Pi Mu Epsilon honor society (Pennsylvania Iota Chapter); Math Club, the Association for Women in Mathematics and the Villanova Society of Actuaries; and Villanova often hosts DataFest Philly.
• Outcomes: the site says that graduates work at employers such as Ernst and Young, Deloitte, MassMutual, Willis Towers Watson, the New York Yankees, JP Morgan Chase, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Lockheed Martin and the National Security Agency, and that recent graduates have also gone to medical school, law school, graduate study in math-related fields and service organizations such as the Peace Corps. The site gives no placement rate or salary figure.
• Combined bachelor’s/master’s conditions: a GPA of at least 3.5 in mathematics and statistics courses taken at Villanova, and at least junior status by the end of the semester you apply (generally 65+ credits). For the MS in Applied Statistics and Data Science: overall GPA of at least 3.5, STAT 4310 with at least an A-, and at least 15 credits in mathematics or statistics before applying (AP can count). For the MA in Mathematics: overall GPA of at least 3.3, MAT 3300 or 3500 completed or in progress, and at least 24 credits in mathematics or statistics completed or in progress. Recommended deadlines: 15 March to begin graduate courses the next fall, 15 October for the next spring.

7. Transfer students

• Mathematics is open: the transfer page lists Mathematics and Statistics (and Computer Science, among others) among the majors the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences accepts. Transfer students apply directly to their program and, once enrolled, are not eligible to request an internal move to another college, major or program. Spring places are extremely limited and only in select programs; whether Mathematics accepts spring transfers is not stated on the pages read.
• Timeline (the page labels the terms Fall 2027 and Spring 2027): for Fall 2027 the application opens 15 December and is due 15 March, with a decision by 1 June, deposit 15 June and classes starting 23 August. For Spring 2027 it opens 15 August and is due 15 October, with a decision by 15 November, deposit 1 December and classes starting 11 January.
• Grades and credit: a college cumulative GPA of at least 3.00/4.00 is strongly recommended; Villanova typically accepts at most 60 transfer credits, with a C or better; at least half of the major courses and the final 30 credits must be taken at Villanova. The site does not state calculus or linear algebra sequence requirements for transfer into mathematics, and credit is reviewed only after admission; ask the department.
• Materials: one of the Common App transfer, Coalition transfer or Villanova Transfer Application; official transcripts from every college attended, mid-term grades (self-reported is fine), the final high school transcript, a course catalog with descriptions, the Transfer Conduct Form and a writing supplement; an $80 fee; test-optional. International transfer credentials must be translated and evaluated by a NACES-recognized service. The website says Villanova offers no merit or need-based aid to international transfer students.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• EA and ED I 1 November; ED II and RD 15 January; $80 fee; choose the Mathematics major directly (or Exploratory Science with a second choice); one teacher recommendation; testing optional
• FAFSA and CSS Profile (code 2959); admission is need-blind

International applicants (including China):

• English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Duolingo, PTE or Cambridge) or a waiver; Certification of Finances with a bank statement; admission is need-aware
• How the Gaokao is used and any China-specific guidance: not published on the website, so ask admission

After entry:

• Check the required courses and AP/IB credit in the linked course catalog; for the combined bachelor’s/master’s, watch the GPA and course conditions

Transfer students:

• Fall 15 March, spring 15 October; GPA of 3.00 or higher recommended; up to about 60 credits

Sources: Villanova University, Mathematics and Statistics department; Department: undergraduate programs; Major in Mathematics; Major in Statistics; Combined bachelor’s/master’s; Resources and opportunities; Careers and alumni; Dates and deadlines; First-year applicants; Transfer applicants; Admission FAQs; International students; Merit-based scholarships; Financial aid for international students; Cost of attendance; Tuition and fees. The detailed Mathematics course list and the AP/IB credit tables sit on third-party catalog sites, which this article did not visit. Most dates on the admissions pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the University’s website for the latest.