How to Apply to Mathematics at St. Lawrence University: A Liberal Arts College Major You Need Not Declare Until the Second Semester of Sophomore Year, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

St. Lawrence University is a liberal arts college. Undergraduate mathematics is offered by the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics. Students apply to the University as a whole and decide on a major after entry. This guide is based on the University’s and the program’s websites, 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 program page says mathematics is offered as a major and a minor. The major requires 11 units: four foundational courses (MATH 135 Calculus I, MATH 136 Calculus II, MATH 205 Multivariable Calculus, MATH 280 Bridge to Higher Mathematics), one analysis course (MATH 305 Real Analysis or MATH 306 Complex Analysis), one algebra course (MATH 315 Group Theory or MATH 316 Ring Theory) and five electives (three at the 200 level or above and two at the 300 level or above; STAT 113 and CS 140 may count as 200-level electives, as may any course cross-listed as MATH or STAT). Majors must also complete a Senior-Year Experience (SYE): in mathematics (one of the 11 units), outside the major, or an internship approved by the department chair.
• Degree name: the pages read do not say whether the mathematics major leads to a BA or a BS, and do not divide it into pure or applied tracks; ask the department.
• Minor: seven units, including MATH 135, 136 and 205, with four more at the 200 level or above.
• Statistics and related majors: the majors list has a separate Statistics major and others. The department notes that there are limits on how many courses can count toward both when you double major (or major and minor) in mathematics and statistics; see the department page for details.
• Combined and double majors: the program page lists popular double majors: Business in the Liberal Arts, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Data Science, Environmental Studies, Physics and Statistics; combined majors in Math/Economics and Math/Environmental Studies (computer science and other majors are not covered here); 4+1 programs with the University of San Francisco (M.S. in Data Science) and Clarkson University (Data Analytics); and 3+2 engineering combined programs with Dartmouth College, Columbia University, Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Rochester.
• Honors: honors requires a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major and a departmentally approved honors project, completed as the senior-year experience; interested students consult the department chair. The pages do not describe it as a separate entry route at admission.
• Research and activities: the program page mentions paid summer research through the University Fellowship Program, original research in the senior year, the April Festival of Science, peer tutoring at the Peterson Quantitative Resource Center (PQRC), the Q-Club and the honor society Pi Mu Epsilon.

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

• At application: the application page and checklist read do not ask you to choose mathematics, and do not say whether mathematics has a separate admission line or capacity limit; confirm with the Office of Admissions.
• When to declare: the “Choosing a Major” page says students do not have to declare a major until the second semester of their sophomore year; when you are ready to declare, you move to a faculty advisor in that program.
• Conditions for declaring: grade thresholds and capacity limits are not stated on the pages read; ask the department. The requirements page encourages prospective majors to complete MATH 280 before the end of sophomore year, and strongly encourages students considering graduate work to take MATH 217 (Linear Algebra) and MATH 305, 306, 315, 316 (a full year each of analysis and algebra).
• Switching in: no separate conditions are described on the pages read.

3. Prerequisites and placement

• High school mathematics: the admissions page says competitive candidates typically present at least three years of mathematics (algebra 1, geometry and algebra 2 at minimum), along with four years of English, at least three years of science (at least two lab sciences), at least three years of social studies and at least three years of a world language (or ASL). Department-specific prerequisites are not stated on the pages read.
• Calculus placement: the department says students who have seen some calculus are encouraged to register for MATH 136 (Calculus II) or MATH 205 (Multivariable Calculus); students who pass MATH 136 receive credit for MATH 135, and students who pass MATH 205 receive credit for MATH 135 and 136, for all students who have taken any calculus course before college. Students unsure of placement should talk to any member of the department. No placement exam is described.
• AP credit: a 4 or 5 on Calculus AB earns credit for MATH 135; a 4 or 5 on Calculus BC earns credit for MATH 135 and 136. Statistics AP, IB and A-Level credit are not described on the pages read.
• Math competitions: the pages read do not say how competitions are viewed in admissions.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Rounds and deadlines: Early Decision 1 (binding) Nov. 2; Early Action Dec. 1; Early Decision 2 Feb. 1; Regular Decision Mar. 1. Regular and transfer applications received after the deadlines are reviewed on a space-available basis. The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply and fee: the Common Application or the St. Lawrence Application; the University says applying is free.
• Materials: official high school transcript, one school counselor recommendation, one recommendation from a teacher who has taught you an academic subject in high school (the page does not say it must be a mathematics teacher), and an optional resume. The checklist does not list essay prompts; follow the application system you use. The interview is optional; the University describes it as a casual conversation with an admissions team member, encouraged but not required.
• Testing: SAT/ACT are optional for most applicants; a strong high school record is welcome regardless of scores. Self-reported scores are accepted (a screenshot or PDF of the full score report; do not convert or superscore), and official scores are required on enrollment; a decision may be at risk if self-reported scores differ from official ones. Codes: SAT/TOEFL 2805, ACT 2896.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (2026–27): the tuition page lists tuition $69,460, room and board $18,030 (single rooms cost more), student activities fee $465 and class dues $10, for a total of $87,965. One price is listed, with no in-state or out-of-state distinction. The figure for fall 2027 entry is not published on the pages read; check the website when it is.
• Scholarships: you are considered automatically for an academic merit scholarship; only one merit or specialty scholarship can be awarded, and the highest in value is given. Merit scholarships stay constant for four years if the required minimum cumulative GPA is maintained. There is also a $1,000 Visit Award for an official campus visit before the deadline, a $2,000 per year Early Decision Incentive Grant (domestic and international first-year students), and a $1,000 per year FAFSA Incentive Grant for US citizens and permanent residents who file the FAFSA (federal school code 002829). The Trustee Scholarship (full tuition) and Kirk Douglas Scholarship (the full comprehensive fee and program expenses) involve interviews. Specialty scholarships (Environmental Scholars, Presidential Distinction, Leadership, Vilas Scholarship for Business & Finance and others) are for domestic students, those listed are worth up to $50,000 per year; the Vilas page gives a January 4, 2027 deadline.
• Aid: complete the FAFSA for need-based aid. The University describes its Affordability Compass, which gives predictable contribution levels based on family income and assets. The tuition page prints an average annual total gift aid of $39,960 for the Class of 2024.
• Preference or guaranteed admission for state residents: not stated on the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Definition: an international student is one who is not a US citizen or permanent resident.
• English: students whose native language is not English and who are not attending an English-speaking school must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Minimum scores are not stated on the pages read; ask the international admissions office. TOEFL code 2805.
• Materials: the international page lists the St. Lawrence or Common Application, official high school transcript, TOEFL or IELTS (if required), counselor and teacher recommendations, and the International Student Certificate of Finance. Credential evaluation requirements are not stated on the pages read.
• Aid: merit and/or need-based aid is offered but is very competitive. To apply, indicate it on the Common Application and submit the Certificate of Finance, and send the application, the form and any required documents together; the University does not require the CSS Profile or the ISFAA form. The initial Certificate of Finance does not need bank signatures or documents; a final one may be requested later. The deadline for processing the Certificate of Finance for first-year students is Feb. 1; later ones are considered as funding allows.
• International scholarships: merit awards for international students are called International Scholarships and range from $5,000 to full tuition. Other programs (the Canadian Scholars Program, the Augsbury/North Country Scholarship for designated North Country and Canadian high schools, the Kenya Scholarship and the Davis United World College Scholars Program) are aimed at particular groups, and the eligibility described on the pages does not mention China. A small number of campus jobs are available to international students.
• After admission: enrolled students are connected with the Office of International Student Services for immigration documents.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: whether the gaokao is considered, and how, is not published; it does not appear on the pages read. Contact the international admissions office (the listed contact is Musa Khalidi, Executive Director of International Admissions, mkhalidi@stlawu.edu) or admissions@stlawu.edu.
• Transcripts and school-leaving exam materials: no China-specific requirements are published; see Section 6 for the general requirements.
• English: as in Section 6, TOEFL or IELTS is required when English is not your native language and you are not attending an English-speaking school.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs and scholarships: see Sections 5 and 6. Mathematics-department scholarships are not described on the pages read; the program page mentions paid summer research through the University Fellowship Program.
• Outcomes (the website’s own wording): the program page says “71% of math majors completed at least one internship before they graduated” and “42% of math majors complete an advanced degree within five years of graduation”; it does not say which graduating classes these refer to. A University-wide statement reads “Recent graduates were employed or in graduate school within 7-9 months of graduating”, a 94% outcomes rate (all majors, not mathematics only). Example internship employers listed for math majors include Goldman Sachs, GE Capital, DIRECTV, Morgan Stanley, the World Wildlife Fund and the Peace Corps.

9. Transfer students

• Deadlines: the transfer page lists Spring 2027 entry Nov. 2 and Fall 2027 entry Mar. 1; later applications are reviewed on a space-available basis.
• Requirements: applicants from two-year or four-year institutions are welcome; a two-year graduate with a liberal arts program can expect to begin as a junior. A college GPA of at least 2.8 is required, and high school transcripts are also reviewed.
• Materials: Common App or St. Lawrence Application, official high school and college transcripts, one recommendation from a college professor, a Transfer College Report, a Mid-Term Report (completed by each current professor) and an optional resume, all sent directly by the schools and professors.
• Credits: up to 17.5 credits are accepted toward the graduation requirement of 33.5 units, so at least 16 course units must be taken at St. Lawrence (at least two years). The Registrar evaluates credit after admission; generally a course with at least a C and a similar course in the University Catalog earns at least partial credit. Mathematics-specific transfer requirements (calculus or linear algebra sequences) are not stated on the pages read; ask the department.
• Scholarships: US citizen and permanent-resident transfers with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or above receive a $50,000 per year merit scholarship; with 2.99 or below, $35,000 per year; first-year transfers with no college credits are considered under the first-year model (up to $40,000 per year). International transfer students complete the University’s financial form and take scholarship questions to the international admissions office.

Checklist

• Confirm the round and deadline for fall 2027 entry (ED 1, EA, ED 2, RD); applying is free.
• Prepare transcript, counselor and academic-teacher recommendations and an optional resume; testing is optional; international applicants add TOEFL/IELTS (if required) and the Certificate of Finance.
• Bring your calculus background and AP Calculus score to the department when choosing a starting course; declare the major by the second semester of sophomore year.
• Ask the department and international admissions about the degree name, conditions for declaring and any China-specific guidance.

Sources: St. Lawrence University, Mathematics program; Mathematics major and minor requirements; Majors and minors; Choosing a major; Applying; International students; Financial aid for international students; Transfer students; Tuition and fees; Scholarships. The dates on the application and international pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the University’s website for the latest.