How to Apply to Mathematics at Middlebury College: a liberal arts college’s Mathematics major with a standard route and an Applied Mathematics track, plus a separate Statistics major; how local, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants are admitted, and what to study first

Middlebury College (in Vermont) is an undergraduate liberal arts college, and its mathematics degree is offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. This article follows the College’s website and covers US local applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students. Computer science is not covered here; the Statistics major, which shares the department, gets only a brief mention.

1. Degrees and tracks in mathematics

• Programs: the department says it offers two majors, Mathematics and Statistics, and a minor in Mathematics (there is no minor in Statistics). Within the Mathematics major there are two routes: the standard (general) route and the Applied Mathematics Track. The department does not offer a joint major.
• Standard Mathematics major (eleven courses, at least six taken at Middlebury): core courses MATH 0122, 0200, 0223, 0302 and 0323 (at least one of 0302 and 0323 completed by the end of junior year); five MATH electives at the 0200, 0300 or 0400 level, with up to two replaceable by STAT courses (one at the 200 level, the other at 300 or 400); and a 0700-level MATH seminar in the senior year. The department strongly encourages a proof-based course such as MATH 0241 or 0247 early, especially before 0302 or 0323, and calls Abstract Algebra and Real Analysis the two core courses of the general major.
• Applied Mathematics Track (eleven courses, at least six at Middlebury): five core courses MATH 0122, 0200, 0223, 0226 and 0323; two required electives (a computational one, MATH 0228 or 0328, and an advanced differential equations one, MATH 0315 or 0326); three more electives at the 0200, 0300 or 0400 level; and a 700-level applied mathematics seminar (currently MATH 0715 and 0728).
• Statistics major: also eleven courses, with a STAT seminar in senior year; see the department’s requirements page, which this article does not detail.
• Mathematics minor: six courses (MATH 0121, 0122, 0200 and three MATH courses at the 200 level or above), at least half taken at Middlebury.
• Honors: students who want to be considered for departmental honors in Mathematics (or Statistics) take one additional elective with the same prefix (twelve courses in all); honors are based on senior work and GPA within the major.
• 3-2 engineering: students planning a 3-2 engineering program who major in Mathematics should complete the 700-level seminar in their sixth semester at Middlebury.

2. How admission works: you apply to the College

• Middlebury is a liberal arts college, and the admissions instructions do not set a separate threshold by mathematics major. The pages read do not say whether the application asks for an intended major, when students declare, or whether declaring has a grade threshold or seat limit; ask admission or the department.
• The pages read give no specific conditions for moving into the Mathematics major from another program.
• You can state a preferred entry term: September only, February only, or either (a “Feb”). The website says this does not change the timeline or the evaluation of your application; about 100 students enter each February.

3. What to study first, and placement

• High school math: the pages read do not state any College or department requirement for high school mathematics (pre-calculus, calculus).
• Math placement: the department says that every student who wants to take a MATH course, or place out of one for another major, must complete the Math Placement Survey or submit a qualifying AP/IB score to the registrar. The survey has no time limit, takes most students 15 to 60 minutes, must be done without calculators or other aids, and you receive a placement email within one to two business days. Placement only determines which courses you may enroll in; it does not guarantee a seat.
• AP/IB: the website says AP and IB credit is no longer awarded for students enrolled from fall 2025 onward, though students may still submit scores to satisfy prerequisites or major requirements. The department’s chart: AP Calculus AB 4 or 5 starts in MATH 122 and places out of MATH 121; AP Calculus BC 3 also starts in MATH 122 and places out of MATH 121; AP Calculus BC 4 or 5 starts in MATH 200 and places out of MATH 122; IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL 6 or 7 starts in MATH 200 and places out of MATH 122. AP Statistics does not substitute for any of the introductory statistics courses. Students who place out of MATH 121/122 can waive them for the major, but the major must still include at least seven Middlebury or approved transfer courses.
• Starting point: students who begin calculus with MATH 0121 can count it as one of the five electives; MATH 0121 is part of the minor but not the major. The department says it generally does not let students take courses below their placement.
• Math competitions: the pages read do not say how competitions are viewed in admission.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

• Platforms: Common Application, Coalition Application or QuestBridge Application.
• Dates (admissions calendar; it shows no year, so check that it applies to fall 2027 entry): Early Decision I is due 2 November, with notice in mid-December; Early Decision II is due 4 January, notice in mid-February; Regular Decision is due 4 January, notice in late March. The “student admissions options” page on the same site says Regular Decision is due 5 January, which does not match the calendar’s 4 January; check the latest on the website. Early Decision is binding.
• Essay: use the prompts on the application; a supplemental essay is not required.
• Recommendations: at least two teacher recommendations, plus the school report, counselor recommendation and transcript sent directly by your counselor. The website does not say a math teacher is required.
• Senior grades: ED I, first-term grades as soon as possible; ED II, midyear grades by 15 January; RD, midyear grades by 15 February. No decision is made without senior grades.
• Testing: test-optional; if you send an ACT score you need not include the science section; self-reported scores are accepted at the time of application.
• Interview: not required. After applying you can request an optional alumni interview (by 8 November for ED I, 9 January for ED II, 16 January for RD), with no guarantee of a match; if unmatched, a 90-second Glimpse video or audio statement is an alternative.
• Application fee: not stated on the pages read; check the application platform or ask admission.
• College-wide figures printed on the site: the “Apply to Middlebury” page prints a profile for the Class of 2030 and 2030.5: 755 students (640 September starts and 115 Febs), 11,458 applications, 18% of applicants admitted, SAT middle 50% of 1460 to 1530 and ACT middle 50% of 33 to 34. These are school-wide, not for mathematics, and the page does not say whether the score ranges cover only students who submitted scores.

5. What each type of applicant should note

US local applicants

• Tuition: Middlebury is private, and the tuition page lists a single figure: 2026-27 tuition of $72,924 ($36,462 a semester). The website does not give separate in-state and out-of-state prices, and does not describe a preference or guarantee for Vermont residents.
• Aid: the website says the College meets the full demonstrated need of all admitted students; almost all aid is institutional grants that need not be repaid; aid covers all books and supplies, and higher-need students also qualify for student health insurance and a laptop. Apply with the CSS Profile (code 3526) and the FAFSA (code 003691).
• New policy for fall 2027 entry: the website says that starting with the first-year class entering in fall 2027, Middlebury will be tuition-free for students with family incomes up to $175,000 and typical assets.

International applicants

• English: no score is needed if English is your native language or your high school classes were taught entirely in English (for the last three or four years, depending on the length of high school in your country). Everyone else needs verifiable results from TOEFL iBT, the Duolingo English Test, IELTS or Cambridge English. The recommended minimums are TOEFL iBT 5.5 on the new scale (105 for tests taken before 21 January 2026), DET 130, IELTS 7.0 and Cambridge English C1 Advanced.
• Records: apply through the Common App or Coalition and ask your school to send transcripts, test scores and recommendations to the admissions office; the website notes that some requested information may not apply to every international education system.
• Review: need-aware for international students. International applicants who want aid must apply for it with the application, by the deadlines. The admissions page says 15 percent of students carry international passports or grew up outside the US, while the “Apply to Middlebury” page lists 11 percent international students for the Class of 2030; the two figures are stated differently.
• Aid application: international applicants must submit the CSS Profile online (the ISFAA and the paper CSS Profile are not accepted), plus the parents’ 2025 non-US tax forms or an earnings statement translated into English and signed by the employer (total gross income and benefits for January to December 2025), or a non-filing statement; documents go through the College Board IDOC service.
• Interview: the website suggests InitialView or Vericant to complete an interview that can be included in the application (for a fee).

Applicants from China

• The international requirements apply to Chinese applicants. 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 the admissions office.

6. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• 2026-27 estimate: tuition $72,924, student activity fee $542, on-campus housing and meal plan $20,920, books and supplies (students receiving need-based aid) about $1,000, transportation about $1,000 and personal expenses about $1,000, for a total cost of attendance of $97,386. There is no charge for winter term (J-term).
• Aid figures: the website says about $80 million in institutional aid, an average grant of $66,000, and about half of students receiving aid.
• Prizes and research: the Parker Prize (Dr. Francis D. Parker ’39 Mathematics Prize) goes each year to the graduating student with the best senior work in the department; a new John Emerson Senior Prize recognizes an outstanding graduating Statistics major. Students collaborate with faculty through the 700-level senior seminar, independent study (MATH 500) and semester or summer paid research assistantships, and can present in the weekly seminars, the school-wide spring and summer research symposia, and at conferences such as the Hudson River Undergraduate Math Conference and the Joint Math Meetings. The number and amount of paid assistantships are not stated on the pages read.
• Outcomes: the department says that some majors pursue advanced degrees in mathematically related fields, while many go on to careers in law, medicine, teaching, business, finance and various types of consulting. The site gives no placement rate or salary figure.

7. Transfer students

• Timeline: fall transfer applications are due 1 March, with notice in mid-May; spring transfer applications are due 2 November, with notice in mid-December (the admissions calendar and the aid deadline table give 2 November, while the admissions page’s transfer aid note and the main aid page give 1 November for spring transfer aid; check the latest). The aid page labels the terms: Fall 2027 transfer, 1 March 2027; Spring 2027 transfer, 2 November 2026. If there are no spring vacancies you are told in early December and can ask to be considered for the following fall.
• Materials: the Common Application for transfers; official transcripts from every high school and college attended; midterm reports; a college report from your dean or registrar; at least one academic recommendation from a college instructor; official course descriptions for each class; and an English proficiency test if English is not your first language. Testing is optional.
• Credit: transfer students should expect to complete at least two full academic years (a minimum of 18 units of credit) at Middlebury. There is no transfer credit estimate before admission; the dean of curriculum and the registrar provide an estimate before the deposit deadline, and the final evaluation follows the last transcript. The Mathematics major requires at least six courses at Middlebury, and the department requires approval before you register for an outside course to substitute for a mathematics course. The website does not state GPA or calculus or linear algebra sequence requirements for transferring into mathematics; ask the department.
• Aid: transfer aid is based entirely on demonstrated need, as resources permit; file the FAFSA and CSS Profile by 1 November for spring and 1 March for fall (international transfer students file the CSS Profile).

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• ED I 2 November; ED II and Regular 4 January; Common App, Coalition or QuestBridge; no supplemental essay; at least two teacher recommendations; testing optional
• CSS Profile and FAFSA; aid deadlines ED I 15 November, ED II 4 January, RD 1 February

International applicants (including China):

• English proficiency (TOEFL iBT 5.5, DET 130, IELTS 7.0 or Cambridge C1 recommended) or a waiver; need-aware admission; apply for aid with the application, with the CSS Profile and parents’ non-US tax or earnings documents
• How the Gaokao is used and any China-specific guidance: not published on the website, so ask admission

After entry:

• Complete the Math Placement Survey or submit AP/IB scores; the major takes eleven courses, a proof-based course early, and a 700-level seminar in senior year

Transfer students:

• Fall 1 March, spring 2 November; at least two full years (18 units) at Middlebury; at least one college instructor recommendation

Sources: Middlebury College, Mathematics and Statistics department; Department: requirements; Department: placement information; Department: honors and awards; Department: student and faculty collaboration; Admissions: instructions and deadlines; Admissions: student admissions options; Admissions: apply; Admissions: financial aid; Student Financial Services; Tuition and fees; Apply for aid; Aid for first-year and transfer students. The dates on the admissions instructions page show no year while the aid pages do; check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the College’s website for the latest.