How to Apply to Physics at Macalester College: Physics and Astronomy in One Department, an Original Research Project for Every Physics Major as the Capstone, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Macalester College is a liberal arts college; undergraduate physics is offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Students apply to the College as a whole and declare a major after entry. This guide is based on the College’s and the department’s websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Mathematics, chemistry and computer science are not covered here.

1. Degrees and areas

• Degree: the international FAQ says the College offers the Bachelor of Arts degree, with majors in 39 areas of study, 40 minors and 11 concentrations. The pages read do not mention a Bachelor of Science in physics.
• Two majors: the department’s majors page says it offers two majors, Physics and Physics with Astronomy Emphasis; students choosing the astronomy emphasis have it noted on the transcript. There is also a five-course physics minor.
• Physics major requirements: a minimum of 39 credits in physics (nine core physics/astronomy courses plus three terms of Physics Seminar, PHYS 489, including the spring of senior year), plus four supporting math courses. The nine core courses, four credits each: PHYS 226 and 227 (Principles of Physics I and II), 331 (Modern Physics), 348 (Laboratory Instrumentation), 370 (Computational Physics), 443 (Electromagnetic Theory I), 461 (Mechanics), 468 (Statistical Mechanics) and 481 (Quantum Mechanics); the plan-your-major page marks most of them as including a lab. Supporting math: MATH 135 and 137 (Applied Multivariable Calculus I and II), MATH 236 (Linear Algebra) and MATH 237 (Applied Multivariable Calculus III).
• Astronomy emphasis: the same, except PHYS 348 and 481 are replaced by PHYS 440 (Observational Astronomy) and PHYS 460 (Astrophysics); the department “strongly recommends” PHYS 481 for these students, and for those with little or no astronomy background it strongly recommends starting with PHYS 113 (Modern Astronomy I) and PHYS 120 (Astronomical Techniques). The department home page adds that through the MACRO Consortium students can take part in research with a robotic telescope in Arizona.
• Minor: PHYS 226, 227 and 331 plus any two physics and astronomy courses numbered above 331; MATH 135 and 137 are pre- or co-requisites for PHYS 226/227.
• Physics Plus: a program for majors who intend to go to graduate school: at least two of the three second-semester courses Quantum Mechanics (PHYS 482), Electrodynamics (PHYS 444) and Astrophysics (PHYS 460), plus one more special topics course or elective numbered above 331; completers receive an official letter from the department. The page also says preparation for graduate study in physics should include MATH 312 (Differential Equations), PHYS 444 and PHYS 482.
• Engineering: Macalester offers no engineering courses; students who want an engineering career can earn a graduate degree in engineering after Macalester, and the pre-engineering page says each student is guided by a faculty pre-engineering adviser and lists popular graduate areas (biomedical, electrical, mechanical, materials, chemical). A 3-2 engineering dual degree does not appear on the pages read.
• Other variants: applied physics, engineering physics, biophysics, chemical physics, physics education and similar majors do not appear on the department pages read. On combining with computer science, the majors page says only that a double major in physics and computer science would be excellent preparation for graduate study in computer engineering.

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

• At application: the application pages read do not ask you to choose physics, and do not say whether physics has a separate admission line or capacity limit. Applications are reviewed holistically by the College. Physics sits in the liberal arts college; there is no separate school to apply to.
• When to declare: the international FAQ says students are not required to officially declare a major until the end of their second year, and that they choose advisors when they formally declare, no later than the end of the second year. The physics majors page offers a Planning Form as the way to start declaring.
• Conditions: grade thresholds and capacity limits are not stated on the department pages read; ask the department (Olin-Rice Science Center, Room 116).
• Starting later: the department’s sample schedules show three paths: a physics major started in the first year; a physics major started in the sophomore year (taking MATH 137 and PHYS 226 together in the fall of sophomore year); and the astronomy-emphasis major. It encourages students considering the major to talk to department faculty early.
• Switching in: no separate conditions on the pages read.

3. Prerequisites, course planning and credit

• High school physics and calculus: the admissions FAQ says the best preparation is strong performance in a balanced and rigorous curriculum across five core subjects (English, mathematics, history or social science, laboratory science and world language); most applicants complete at least 20 academic core courses. Department-specific requirements (whether high school physics or calculus is needed) are not stated on the pages read.
• College mathematics: the math prerequisites for the physics core are MATH 135, 137, 236 and 237; MATH 135 and 137 are pre- or co-requisites for PHYS 226/227. No math placement exam is described on the pages read.
• AP / IB / A-Level (the department’s policy page): (1) Credit—AP Physics C: Mechanics, the score column shows “5” and “4”, credit for PHYS 226, with the note “student may earn credit for PHYS-226 on completion of a more advanced course”; AP Physics C: E&M, the same two figures, credit for PHYS 227 with the same note; AP Physics 1, 2, any score, “not automatic”; IB Physics Higher Level 5, 6 or 7, 8 credits of PHYS 194 (College Physics); A-levels (advanced exam), 8 credits of PHYS 194. (2) Placement—guidelines for what a student “may skip”: AP Physics C: Mechanics 4 or 5, PHYS 226; AP Physics C: E&M 5, PHYS 227; AP Physics 1, 2 with 5, PHYS 126 and 127; IB Physics HL 5, 6 or 7, and A-levels, PHYS 226. Placement is decided individually by the instructor of the advanced course in consultation with the chair. The department also says AP or transfer credit for PHYS 226 and/or 227 may count toward the major and minor and toward their credit totals. What the two figures “5 / 4” in the mechanics and E&M rows mean is not explained; ask the Registrar or the department.
• Credit cap: the admissions FAQ says Macalester accepts a maximum of 32 semester credits earned before matriculation (college courses, summer college credits, AP, IB and GCE A-Levels together). The international FAQ says Higher Level IB exam scores of 5, 6 or 7 may receive the equivalent of four or eight semester hours per exam, determined by the academic department; Standard Level evaluation was to be published on the Registrar’s page in the fall of 2026.
• Labs and research: most core courses include a lab. Every major must complete an original research project, which meets the College capstone requirement: a written paper and a talk in Physics Seminar in the spring of senior year. The department says finding a research opportunity is the student’s responsibility and lists options: summer research at Macalester (through the Office of Student Research and Creativity), NSF-sponsored REU programs, DOE-sponsored SULI internships at national labs, and the Chicago Quantum Exchange’s Open Quantum Initiative fellowship. The page says these come with a stipend/housing/travel allowance; the student-opportunities page warns that many of these programs require US citizenship or permanent residence, and lists a separate set of research opportunities for international students.
• Honors: a substantial research project in physics or astronomy with a written thesis and an oral presentation. To enter: senior standing, or the second semester of junior year; Modern Physics or equivalent completed; a written proposal to the department chair by October 1 of senior year (May 1 for fall graduates) with a faculty sponsor’s letter; a progress report by February 15 (September 15 for fall graduates). A three-person committee evaluates, including at least one person from outside the department. No more than six credits of independent study may be earned for the honors project.
• Physics competitions: the pages read do not say how competitions such as USAPhO are viewed in admissions.

4. Deadlines and application materials (fall 2027 start)

• Rounds and deadlines: the U.S. first-year page is headed “Application Deadlines for a Fall 2027 start”: Early Decision I (binding) Nov. 1; Early Action Nov. 1; Early Decision II Jan. 1; Regular Decision Jan. 15. The dates page lists: ED I notification Dec. 6, reply Dec. 21; EA notification Dec. 19, reply May 1; ED II notification Jan. 31, reply Feb. 15; RD notification Mar. 14, reply May 1.
• How to apply and fee: the Common App (QuestBridge applications are also accepted). The transfer pages say there is no application fee; the first-year pages read do not print a fee amount, so check in the Common App.
• Materials: Common App; official high school transcript (grade 9 through junior year); two recommendation letters, one from a counselor or school official and one from a teacher in a core academic subject (English, social studies, world language, mathematics or science; the page does not say it must be a science or physics teacher); Early Decision applicants self-report in-progress senior grades (ED I Nov. 1–16, ED II Jan. 1–20); Regular Decision applicants send an updated transcript by Feb. 15 if first-term senior grades are not on it. There are two optional Macalester essay prompts (the Twin Cities location, and the College’s mission).
• Testing: test optional; applicants may submit ACT, SAT, AP and IB scores, self-reported if they wish. School codes: the pages give ACT 2122 and SAT 6390, but one line of the international FAQ gives 6390 as the ACT code; check before submitting.
• Interview: one page calls it optional and not required, another “recommended, but not required”; offered to domestic rising seniors, seniors and prospective transfers, online with a staff member.
• Admission figures (as printed): for fall 2026 entry, 10,048 students applied and 26% were admitted; the College typically seeks to enroll 545 first-year students.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (2026–27): the financial aid page lists tuition $74,394, residence hall $9,268, meal plan $8,162, activity fee $230 and a comprehensive fee of $92,154. The four listed items add up to $92,054, $100 less than the printed comprehensive fee; see the College’s comprehensive fee details. One price is listed, with no in-state or out-of-state distinction.
• Merit scholarships: all applicants are considered automatically with no separate application and no FAFSA or CSS Profile; awards go up to $40,000, are for eight semesters with no minimum GPA for renewal, and Early Decision applicants are considered equally. The College states two different shares: the merit page says 4 out of 5 students receive a merit scholarship, while the financial aid page says more than half. National Merit Finalists who name Macalester their first choice may receive a Macalester National Merit Scholarship.
• Need-based aid: the College says it meets 100% of demonstrated need for every admitted student; the page prints 59% of students receiving need-based grants from Macalester and an average need-based package of $67,609 (no year shown). You must express interest in aid in the application; aid cannot be awarded after an offer of admission. The “Macalester Promise”: for admitted U.S. students with a family income of $100,000 or less and typical financial assets, a full-tuition scholarship (see the website for eligibility details).
• Preference or guaranteed admission for state residents: not stated on the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Selectivity: the international FAQ says the overall international admit rate has ranged between 6% and 11% in recent years; acceptance rates for international students tend to be a bit higher in the binding Early Decision rounds; in recent years extra consideration has been given to international students needing significant aid who apply Early Decision; and students with the highest financial need (contributions under $40,000) face the greatest competition.
• English proficiency: optional. It is “recommended” for international applicants whose first language is not English and who have spent fewer than two years in secondary school taught primarily in English; TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, or third-party interviews (InitialView, Vericant) are accepted. There is no minimum score, but the College says students scoring the following are the most successful in the classroom: new TOEFL (tests after January 2026) 5.0 or higher, earlier TOEFL 100 or higher; IELTS 7.0 or higher; Duolingo 130 or higher. Superscoring and the TOEFL “MyBest Scores” are not considered. TOEFL and IELTS scores may be self-reported; Duolingo and TOEFL Essentials results must come officially from the testing agency.
• Transcripts and materials: official transcripts and external exam results, with grades for years 9 through 12/13; students who have not yet sat final exams submit predicted results. Two recommendation letters and the school report. IB students must submit IB exam scores. Credential-evaluation agency requirements are not stated on the pages read.
• Proof of funding: students on a non-immigrant visa who apply for need-based aid must submit the CSS Profile OR the 2027–2028 International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA) and the Macalester Financial Declaration Form; the application will not be reviewed until both are submitted. There are no CSS Profile fee waivers (the free ISAFA is accepted instead). International students not applying for aid must submit the Financial Obligations Agreement.
• Aid deadlines: the international aid page says the forms are due Nov. 9 (ED I and EA), Jan. 8 (ED II), Jan. 22 (RD) and Mar. 15 (transfer), matching the “Priority for Financial Aid” dates on the dates page. International students who qualify for need-based aid receive a four-year aid package at admission; aid applications from international students cannot be considered after they have begun their studies.
• International scholarship: aid is mainly need-based; the Charles J. Turck Presidential Honor Scholarship goes to a limited number of international students with special academic potential, up to $40,000 a year, and every international applicant is considered automatically. Students receiving aid are offered part-time campus work (about 9 hours a week, about $3,600 after taxes in the first year), and a Macalester College International Student Loan is available.
• Interviews: because of capacity limits the College cannot accommodate online interview requests from international applicants on non-immigrant visas; you may submit an InitialView or Vericant interview. Interviews are optional and not having one does not decrease your chances.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: whether the gaokao is considered, and how, is not published; it does not appear on the international pages read. Contact the Office of Admissions (the website lists an admissions counselor by region).
• Transcripts and school-leaving exam materials: no China-specific requirements are published; see Section 6 for the general requirements.
• English: as in Section 6, English proficiency scores are optional.
• From the physics department: the student-opportunities page links a list of research opportunities for international students, and warns that many federally funded summer programs require US citizenship or permanent residence. The department’s “After Macalester” page includes graduates from cities in China among its listed theses; it gives no statistics for such students.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs and scholarships: see Sections 5 and 6. Physics-department scholarships are not described on the pages read; the department lists summer research, REU and SULI opportunities, and employs students as tutors, graders and lab assistants.
• Outcomes (the website’s own words): the department home page says many Macalester physics graduates go on to master’s and doctoral programs in engineering at places like MIT, Yale and the University of Michigan, and that recent graduates have earned PhDs at MIT and Cornell, become National Science Foundation graduate research fellows, and found employment at places like NASA, Google, 3M and Epic Systems. The “After Macalester” page lists each graduating class’s capstone or honors titles and, for some, next steps, for example a PhD in astronomy at the University of Minnesota, a PhD in astronomy at the University of Illinois, a master’s in physics at Brown and a PhD in physics at Ohio State. It gives no percentages.

9. Transfer students

• Eligibility and deadline: applicants must have completed at least one full semester or trimester of college by the transfer deadline. For fall entry, the application deadline and financial aid priority date are both March 15, with notification May 2 and reply May 30; the dates page lists the same date for U.S. and international transfer applicants. There is no application fee.
• Materials: Common App; official transcripts of all college coursework; final high school transcript (from grade 9); one recommendation from a college academic course instructor; the College Report (for currently enrolled students); an optional transfer essay. International transfer applicants have additional requirements on the international transfer page.
• Credits: up to 64 credit hours may be transferred, and a Macalester degree requires two full years (64 credit hours) at Macalester. Credit is evaluated after an offer of admission; generally credit is awarded for liberal arts courses at regionally accredited institutions. Physics-specific transfer requirements (calculus or physics sequences) are not stated on the pages read, although the department says transfer credit for PHYS 226 and/or 227 can count toward the major; ask the department.
• Housing and aid: transfer students who have not completed the equivalent of four semesters of college must live on campus; all transfer applicants are considered for merit scholarships, and the College commits to meeting full demonstrated need. The Transfer Student Coordinator is the contact.

Checklist

• Confirm the round and deadline for fall 2027 entry (ED I/EA Nov. 1, ED II Jan. 1, RD Jan. 15), and say in the application whether you are applying for aid.
• Prepare transcript, a counselor recommendation and a recommendation from a core academic subject teacher; tests are optional; international applicants add the CSS Profile or ISAFA with the Financial Declaration Form (or the Financial Obligations Agreement); English scores are optional.
• After entry: plan PHYS 226/227 with MATH 135/137/236/237 using the dependency charts and sample schedules, declare the major by the end of sophomore year, and look for a research placement early.
• Ask the department and Admissions about high school physics and calculus advice, the meaning of the “5 / 4” in the AP rows, physics competitions and any China-specific guidance.

Sources: Macalester College, Physics and Astronomy; Majors and minors; Plan your major; AP/IB policy; Honors; Original research requirement; Sample schedules; After Macalester; Student opportunities; Pre-engineering; Apply; Dates and deadlines; U.S. first-year applicants; International admissions; International first-year applicants; International FAQ; Transfer applicants; Transfer FAQ; Financial aid and tuition; Merit scholarships; International financial aid. The application pages are labelled for a fall 2027 start and the cost figures for 2026–27; see the College’s website for the latest.