How to Apply to Mathematics at Kalamazoo College: No General Education Requirements and Declaring in the Second Term of Sophomore Year, with a Mathematics Major Built on Calculus, Proof-Based Courses and a Senior Integrated Project, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Kalamazoo College (K) is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Undergraduate mathematics is offered by the Mathematics Program (the department); students apply to the College through the Office of Admission and declare a major after entry. Here is what you need to know, based on 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.

1. Degrees and areas

• Major and minor: the academics page says K has 30 majors, 21 minors and 12 concentrations; mathematics has a major and a minor. The name of the degree awarded for the mathematics major is not stated in the pages read; see the catalog or ask Admission.
• Mathematics major: the catalog says nine units of mathematics are required, excluding the SIP and the computer science or applied statistics cognate. Required: MATH 112–113 (Calculus I and II), MATH 214 (Calculus III), MATH 240 (Linear Algebra and Vectors); one of MATH 310 (Complex and Vector Variables), 316 (Topics in Number Theory) or 318 (Topics in Topology); MATH 320 (Real Analysis I) or 330 (Abstract Algebra I); one two-term sequence beyond calculus (such as Real Analysis I–II, Abstract Algebra I–II, or Probability and Mathematical Statistics); and a cognate of one unit of computer science or applied statistics (MATH 260 or 261). MATH 105, 260 and 261 do not count toward the nine units. The department says typically up to two units from outside courses (AP, transfer, dual enrollment or study abroad) may count toward the major or minor.
• Graduation requirements: the department says majors must also pass the sophomore comprehensive exercise (after Calculus I, II, III and Linear Algebra, also called the New Majors Math Exercise) and the senior comprehensive exercise, and complete the Math Colloquium Credit (MC2: attending 10 colloquia and writing 3 reflections). In years with no senior seminar in mathematics, a seminar from another major or an interdisciplinary senior seminar can be used.
• Minor (six units): four options: statistics (Probability and Mathematical Statistics), computational mathematics (Discrete Mathematics or Abstract Algebra I, plus Automata, Formal Languages, and Computability), applied mathematics (Differential Equations and Complex and Vector Variables) and pure mathematics (Real Analysis I or Abstract Algebra I, plus one more listed course).
• Senior Integrated Project (SIP): every K student completes one. The department says most math SIPs are research projects (for example an REU, a national laboratory or work with faculty) or experiential projects (an internship at a company or agency followed by a report); they are usually two units, with the project done over the summer, the report written in the fall and an oral presentation at the departmental SIP Fest in spring. The SIP does not count toward the courses of the major. One department page says “eight courses” for the major while the catalog and requirements page say nine units; the two differ, so check with the department.
• Honors: the department says honors in the major require a GPA of at least 3.75 in mathematics courses and either honors on a mathematics SIP or exceptional breadth and depth of involvement in the department.
• Study abroad: K lists more than 50 study abroad options; the department especially recommends the Budapest Semester in Mathematics (two terms at Eötvös Loránd University, in English), and majors have also studied in Erlangen, Quito, Perth, Aberdeen and Lancaster.

2. How admission to the major works: apply to the College, declare after entry

• At application: the academics page says there is no prescribed list of general education requirements and that students wait until the second term of the sophomore year to officially declare, while still typically graduating in four years; students who already know their field can start taking classes in it right away. The pages read do not say whether the application asks for mathematics or whether the department has a separate admission line or cap.
• Declaring and moving in: any grade requirement for declaring the mathematics major is not stated in the pages read. The sophomore comprehensive exercise (after Calculus I–III and Linear Algebra) is a graduation requirement for majors, not a condition for declaring.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school math: the admission pages read do not state a minimum high school mathematics requirement. The department does not offer a precalculus course and awards no K credit for the AP Precalculus exam.
• Calculus placement: the department says most students who intend to take calculus take an online placement exam (calculus readiness or calculus proficiency); the catalog says it is offered online in the summer before the first year. Calculus I is also offered in a two-term “with review” version (MATH 110–111), open on the basis of the placement examination; completing it is an alternate prerequisite for courses requiring MATH 112 and counts one unit toward the major.
• AP: for placement and prerequisites only, 4 or 5 on the AB calculus exam (or the AB subscore of BC) counts as MATH 112, 4 or 5 on BC as MATH 113, and 4 or 5 on statistics as MATH 260 (which does not count toward the major). Whether graduation credit is awarded is decided by the Registrar under the admission policies section of the catalog, which was not read; IB credit rules were not read either.
• Honors sequences: not described in the pages read.
• Math competitions: the admission pages do not say how they are viewed. The department’s MC2 page lists participation in math competitions and Putnam examinations among activities for math majors.

4. Deadlines and application materials (first-year)

• Rounds and deadlines: Early Decision (binding) is due 15 November, with notification on 1 December and the deposit due 15 January; Early Action is due 1 December, notification 18 December, deposit 1 May; Regular Decision is due 1 February, notification 15 April, deposit 1 May. The FAFSA opens 1 October with a priority deadline of 1 March. The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply and fee: first-year applicants use the Common Application exclusively, and there is no application fee.
• Materials: high school transcript (including dual enrolment or early/middle college transcripts) sent by the school; counselor recommendation and school report; a teacher recommendation (alternative references such as coaches or employers are also accepted); the application essay. The College says it looks at grades and trend, academic rigor, extracurricular activities and the essay. Homeschooled applicants must interview and submit a non-family reference and an academic portfolio.
• Testing: test optional since 2015. Submitted scores are used as additional material and “do not have a direct impact on the admission decision”; they must come from the testing agency, and self-reported or transcript scores are not accepted. Applicants without scores are still considered for merit scholarships, which are based on high school GPA and rigor.

5. US domestic applicants

• Cost (2026-27): the cost page lists tuition and fees of $66,308 and food and housing of $13,803. No in-state or out-of-state difference is shown, and the page says most students do not pay the full price (a net price calculator is provided). Dollar figures for books and travel are not stated in the pages read.
• Merit scholarships: the website says every admitted student receives a merit scholarship, individually determined by holistic review, announced with the admission offer and usable for study abroad. The cost page and the merit scholarship page say $44,000–$53,000 per year; the international page says $44,000–$52,000. The upper limits differ, so check the latest.
• Need-based aid: file the FAFSA. The website says 98% of students receive some financial aid, the average need-based aid package is $61,080, and the College delivered more than $57.4 million in institutional aid in 2025-26.
• In-state: the website mentions partnerships with the local Kalamazoo Promise and Bearcat Advantage scholarship programs; their eligibility rules were not in the pages read. In-state priority or guaranteed admission is not stated in the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Materials: Common Application, no fee; proof of English proficiency; secondary school (and any university) transcripts sent directly by the institution; school report and counselor recommendation (required); a teacher recommendation (optional); bank statements from parents or sponsors (no more than 6 months old) and an income statement; the Resource Verification Form; and the financial aid form in the application portal. The College says it is need aware for international admission. A passport is not needed to apply but is needed for the visa.
• English requirement: all international students must verify English proficiency. Waivers: originally from an English-speaking country with English as the language of instruction; English as a second language but at least two years at a secondary school in an English-speaking country; or a full IB diploma with English A1 or A2 and a predicted 5 or higher. Methods: TOEFL iBT recommended 84 or higher (computer-based 213; code 1365); SAT evidence-based reading and writing recommended 600 or higher; IELTS required overall 6.5 (no band below 6); Duolingo required 130 (no band below 115), and applicants with 115 (no band below 100) may request an interview; Pearson PTE required 62 (no band below 58).
• Funds and aid: the website says that, in general, families must be able to pay $25,000–$35,000 per year, depending on any scholarship, and that the average aid package for an admitted international student (need and merit) is roughly 55–65% of the total cost of attendance. For need-based aid, submit either the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) or the College’s own international aid application with the admission application; students who do not should not expect need-based aid for all four years, and the page describes need-based aid as minimal. The international page still shows the 2025-26 estimate: tuition and fees $63,426, room and board $13,257, health insurance, books, supplies and travel $4,440, a total of $82,452, plus $2,000–$3,000 for personal expenses. The 2026-27 figures are in section 5.
• International scholarships: merit scholarships (section 5); a limited number of full-tuition Global Leadership Scholarships, with a separate application, a one-page leadership resume, an essay of up to 300 words and a recommendation, renewable for four years, where the dates printed (Common App by 1 November and an admission decision by 18 December 2025) belong to the previous cycle, so confirm the 2027 entry dates with Admission; and the Davis UWC Scholars Program.
• Interview and visa: an international applicant interview requirement is not stated in the pages read. A student visa can be applied for only after admission, deposit and submission of the Resource Verification Form; the Center for International Programs helps with the I-20 and visa.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: whether it is considered and how is not published on the pages read; please contact Admission (admission@kzoo.edu).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: no China-specific requirements are published in the pages read; the general requirements are in section 6 (transcripts sent directly by the school, and so on).
• English scores: see section 6 for the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE and SAT figures. The list of English-speaking countries and territories on the English proficiency page includes Hong Kong but not mainland China, so mainland applicants submit scores unless another waiver applies.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see sections 5 and 6.
• Department scholarships and research: the pages read do not mention math-specific scholarships. The department has a summer research opportunities page, and K’s Office of Grants, Fellowships and Research helps students find internal and external funding for research, internships or academic travel; neither page was read in detail.
• Outcomes (the website’s own words): the mathematics program page lists careers (data scientist, software engineer, research assistant, professor/teacher, actuary), employers (Google, PNC, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Morgan Stanley, the Kresge Foundation) and graduate schools (University of Michigan, Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University) of its alumni. It prints no placement rate.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts as a transfer: applicants who have completed high school or its equivalent, previously enrolled at a degree-seeking institution, and never attended Kalamazoo College.
• Deadlines: fall entry application deadline 15 June and deposit 1 July, with rolling review; the College strongly encourages applying by 15 June. The pages show no year, so check. Deadlines for spring entry are not stated in the pages read.
• Materials: the College’s own transfer application (not the Common Application), no application fee; the final high school transcript; official transcripts from all colleges attended; the college report from the last institution (confirming good standing); and an academic evaluation (the equivalent of a teacher recommendation, preferably from a college instructor). The website says successful transfer applicants usually present a B average or better in current courses. Transfer students are eligible for merit scholarships within the same range as first-year students.
• Credit transfer: up to 18 of the 36 units required for graduation; the Registrar issues an evaluation after admission; the College does not guarantee that accepted credit will apply to a major or graduation; transferred credit is not included in the K GPA.
• Math requirements: the department says outside courses earn mathematics credit if they are similar in content and rigor to an existing course or cover an important topic not offered at K, and students should meet the department chair in advance to confirm; typically at most two outside units count toward the major or minor, with more by consultation. Any calculus-sequence requirement specific to mathematics for transfer students is not stated in the pages read.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• ED 15 November; EA 1 December; RD 1 February; no application fee; Common App, transcript, counselor recommendation, teacher recommendation, essay; testing optional
• FAFSA (priority 1 March)

International applicants (including China):

• English proof (TOEFL recommended 84, IELTS required 6.5, Duolingo required 130, PTE required 62) or a waiver; bank statements, income statement and Resource Verification Form; ISFAA or the College’s international aid application if you need aid

After entry:

• Take the calculus placement exam; after Calculus I–III and Linear Algebra, pass the sophomore comprehensive exercise; declare in the second term of sophomore year; complete MC2 and the SIP

Transfer students:

• Fall 15 June; the College’s own transfer application; up to 18 units transfer; confirm outside math courses with the department chair

Sources: Kalamazoo College, Academics; Mathematics program; Academic catalog: mathematics; Catalog: placement and transfer; Mathematics: major and minor requirements; Mathematics: calculus placement; Mathematics: MC2; Mathematics: SIP; Admission: how to apply; Admission: first-year students; Admission: international students; Admission: English proficiency; Admission: test optional; Admission: cost and aid; Admission: merit scholarships; Admission: transfer students. The dates on the admission pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the College’s website for the latest.