How to Apply to Mathematics at DePauw University: A Mathematics B.A. in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 10 Courses with a Senior Seminar, No Application Fee and Test-Optional, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) offers undergraduate mathematics through the Department of Mathematical Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and students apply to the University through the Office of Admission. Here is what you need to know, based on the University’s website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science is not covered in this article beyond a mention of related programs.

1. Degrees and areas

• Degree: the mathematics page lists a Mathematics B.A. in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, on campus, with 10 courses, and a mathematics minor of 5 courses.
• Major requirements: core courses MATH 151 (Calculus I), MATH 152 (Calculus II), MATH 223 (Foundations of Advanced Mathematics), MATH 251 (Calculus III), MATH 270 (Linear Algebra) and MATH 495 (the senior requirement and capstone experience); plus four courses at the 300 or 400 level, not counting MATH 495. The department advises students planning graduate work in mathematics to include MATH 361 (Analysis) and MATH 371 (Algebraic Structures), and students concentrating in actuarial mathematics to include MATH 331 (Financial Mathematics) and MATH 441 (Probability), with MATH 341 or MATH 348 also highly recommended.
• Writing in the major: developed in MATH 223 and MATH 270 and culminating in the senior seminar, where students write an expository paper of about twenty pages.
• Related programs: the mathematics page lists related majors in actuarial science and risk management, computer science, economics, physics and pre-engineering, and related minors in applied statistics, business analytics, data science, mathematics and physics. This article does not go into them.
• Honors: the mathematics pages read do not describe a math-specific honors sequence or program.

2. How admission works: you apply to the University, not to the major

• At application: the admission pages do not ask applicants to choose mathematics and do not describe a separate admission line for it. You apply with the DePauw Application, the Common Application or the Coalition Application; the University describes a holistic review looking for academic achievement, intellectual curiosity and a desire to learn with others.
• Declaring the major: the pages read do not say when to declare mathematics or whether there is a GPA threshold or a cap; this is not published in what was read, so ask the Department of Mathematical Sciences (765-658-4566) or the Registrar.
• Internal transfer into the major: not published in the pages read; ask the department.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school math: the admission and department pages read do not state a high school math requirement.
• Where to start: the Registrar says DePauw offers placement tests for foreign languages and mathematics; the results help you pick the course that matches your knowledge, and high scorers can test into higher levels. Placement tests for calculus, computer science and many modern languages are available during New Student Orientation. The courses page lists MATH 135 and 136 (Calculus with Review I and II) for students who need to review algebra and trigonometry; completing MATH 136 is equivalent to completing MATH 151. The Registrar also says the math curriculum begins with calculus and statistics, and that College Algebra and Finite Math are treated as precalculus and receive no transfer credit.
• AP credit: per the Registrar, AP Calculus AB 3 – if MATH 152 is completed with a C- or better, 1.00 credit is awarded for MATH 151; AB 4 or 5 – credit for MATH 151, and the student may enrol in MATH 152. AP Calculus BC 3 – credit for MATH 151, with MATH 152 or 251 open, and if MATH 251 is completed with a C- or better, 1.00 credit for MATH 152; BC 4 or 5 – credit for MATH 151 and 152, and the student may enrol in MATH 251. AP Statistics 3, 4 or 5 – MATH 141 (Statistics for Professionals). DePauw generally gives one course credit (four semester hours) for AP scores of 4 or 5, and a maximum of eight course credits (32 semester hours) can be awarded through dual enrollment, early college and advanced placement programs.
• IB and A-Level: IB scores of 5, 6 or 7 on higher level examinations often earn course credit, and A-Level grades of C or better may earn up to two course credits. Which math courses these map to is not stated in the pages read; ask the Registrar.
• Math competitions: not mentioned in the pages read.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Rounds and deadlines: Early Decision I and Early Action I are due 1 November with materials by 8 November, notification by 15 December; the ED I deposit is due 15 January and the EA I deposit 1 May. Early Decision II and Early Action II are due 15 December with materials by 22 December, notification by 15 January; the ED II deposit is due 15 February and the EA II deposit 1 May. Regular Decision is due 1 February with materials by 8 February, notification by 1 March and a deposit by 1 May. The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• Application fee: none.
• Materials: school transcripts, the counselor’s school report and one letter of recommendation from a teacher, school counselor or community group leader. The site does not say the recommender must be a math teacher. Transcripts and recommendations must come directly from a school official. The pages read do not describe supplemental essay requirements; check the application platform you use.
• Testing: test-optional for all first-year and transfer applicants enrolled in a public, private or charter school. DePauw accepts self-reported scores, the student score report, official scores from a testing center, or scores on the official transcript, and test-optional applicants are still considered for merit scholarships. Codes: SAT/AP/TOEFL 1166, ACT 1184.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (2026–27): the tuition and fees page lists tuition of $62,710, housing and meals $16,240 and mandatory fees $1,170, a total of $80,120 in direct costs billed by the University; estimated indirect costs are $800 for books and supplies, $1,000 transportation, $1,700 personal expenses and $70 average loan fees. The pages read show no in-state versus out-of-state difference. The 2027–28 figures are not published in the pages read; see the University’s website.
• Aid: the DePauw Promise commits to meeting 100% of calculated financial need for every incoming first-year student, beginning with the class entering in fall 2026. Need is determined by the FAFSA and, for some students, the CSS Profile; the priority FAFSA date is 1 February. Every applicant is automatically considered for merit scholarships, ranging from $20,000 to full tuition; the Promise page says students on average qualify for $30,000–$45,000 in DePauw scholarships. Competitive full-tuition awards include the Rector, Jordan, Green, Sanger and Prindle scholarships. The University says more than 90 percent of students receive scholarships, grants or other university aid.
• Priority or guaranteed admission for state residents: not mentioned in the pages read.

6. International applicants

• English: applicants whose first language is not English must submit an official report: TOEFL minimum 85 iBT with 20 per section (563 paper-based; 223 computer-based; 543 TOEFL ITP Plus for China), IELTS minimum 6.5, Duolingo minimum 110 or PTE minimum 57. TOEFL Home Edition, IELTS Indicator and PTE at-home are accepted, and MyBest scores are accepted for TOEFL.
• Waivers: applicants from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (except Quebec) and a list of Caribbean countries and territories receive an automatic waiver; students who have spent their entire secondary education at an English-medium school can request one with the English Proficiency Waiver Request form, reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Academic documents: transcripts must be sent directly by the current or most recent secondary school and cover the last four years of secondary school (at least three if you are still in school). Non-English documents need a certified English translation verified by your school or a local EducationUSA office. Counselors submit national, regional or state board results (such as CBSE/ISC, WAEC, IGCSE/GCSE) with the school records. Documents sent by applicants are not accepted, even if sealed and stamped. Admitted students who enrol must submit proof of graduation and a final official transcript.
• Certification of finances: all international applicants must submit proof of financial support to complete the application. The page states that for 2025–26 the estimated amount required to qualify for an I-20 is $77,220 (minus any awards), subject to change if tuition changes; the tuition page gives $80,120 in direct costs for 2026–27. These figures come from different pages. Required: the DePauw Student Certification of Finances (in the applicant portal, required of everyone regardless of interest in need-based aid) and supporting documents such as recent bank statements or employer letters verifying parental income. The University states that the International Student Financial Aid Application and the CSS Profile are not accepted.
• Optional interview: an interview is not required; Vericant and InitialView interviews are accepted as a supplement.
• Scholarships and aid: every applicant is considered for merit scholarships. The Rector scholarship provides full tuition and typically goes to the top five percent of the applicant pool; Bonner, Prindle Institute Ethics and music performance awards also exist. Need-based aid requires the Certification of Finances; aid deadlines match admission deadlines and packages are awarded at admission. On-campus student employment is open to international students. Nearly 20% of each incoming class is international.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: whether and how the Gaokao is used is not published in the pages read; contact international admission (intladmission@depauw.edu).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: no China-specific transcript requirements are published; the general international requirements are in section 6. In the application process page, the “Students from China” entry only refers to the Optional Interview section, i.e. Vericant or InitialView interviews as an optional supplement.
• English scores: the page adds a TOEFL ITP Plus minimum of 543 for China; the other scores are as in section 6.
• International curricula: students taking AP, IB or A-Level can use the credit rules in section 3; AP scores should be sent to DePauw (CEEB code 1166).

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Department research and scholarships: the mathematics page describes research projects, publishing opportunities and conference participation with faculty. The pages read give no math-specific scholarship amounts. The student resources page lists the Mathematics Club and the DePauw Actuarial Student Organization, and the University-level Asher Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. The international page says 36% of students conduct faculty-student research.
• Outcomes: the mathematics page lists alumni careers (accountant, actuary, budget analyst, financial planner, investment analyst, mathematics teacher), graduate schools (including Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, UCLA, Chicago, Notre Dame and the University of Washington) and internships (including Cigna, CNO Financial Group, New York Life, RGA and Swiss Re). It prints no placement rate for mathematics majors; the international page says that in recent years about one third of international graduates secured professional jobs in the US, one third returned to work in their home country and one third went directly into a master’s or doctoral program.

9. Transfer students

• Materials: the DePauw Application or Common Application, the Common App College Official’s Report, official transcripts from all colleges attended, the official final high school transcript, and one letter of recommendation from a professor or advisor (optional for domestic applicants, required for international applicants). The page says successful transfer applicants typically have at least a 3.0 GPA in college-level work. Test scores are optional for domestic transfer applicants; international transfer students whose first language is not English submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo and complete the Certification of Finances after applying.
• Deadlines: spring entry 1 December (notified by 15 December, deposit 1 January); fall entry 1 July (notified by 15 July, deposit 1 August). The pages show no year, so check. There is no application fee.
• Credit transfer: the Registrar says DePauw generally accepts courses from regionally accredited colleges (including junior and community colleges) in areas where it has curricular offerings, with a grade of C or better and at a level parallel to DePauw’s; College Algebra and Finite Math are treated as precalculus and get no transfer credit. Use Transferology to check equivalencies; the Registrar evaluates credit after admission. Whether outside calculus courses can satisfy MATH 151–152 for the major is not stated in the pages read; ask the department.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• ED I / EA I 1 November; ED II / EA II 15 December; Regular 1 February; no application fee; one recommendation; testing optional
• FAFSA priority date 1 February

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL 85, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, PTE 57 (or a waiver); Certification of Finances with supporting documents; CSS Profile and ISFAA are not accepted
• Gaokao use not published; ask international admission

Before and after entry:

• Take the math placement test during New Student Orientation; AP Calculus AB 4–5 earns MATH 151 and BC 4–5 earns MATH 151 and 152; the major is 10 courses including the MATH 495 senior seminar

Transfer students:

• Spring 1 December, fall 1 July; courses with C or better; confirm calculus equivalency with the department

Sources: DePauw University, Mathematics; Mathematics major and minor requirements; Mathematics courses; Mathematics student resources; Advanced credit and placement; Admission: apply; Admission: international application process; Scholarships and aid for international students; Admission: transfer applicants; Scholarships and aid; The DePauw Promise; Tuition and fees. The deadlines on the admission pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the University’s website for the latest.