How to Apply to Case Western Reserve University for a Chemistry Degree: B.S. Meets ACS Certification Requirements, Plus B.A. Chemistry and B.A. Chemical Biology, Test-Optional, AP Chemistry 4 or 5 Earns CHEM 111 Credit; Admission and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is in Cleveland, Ohio. Its chemistry degrees are offered by the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. This guide follows the department website, the College’s majors page and the admissions office, and covers U.S. domestic, international and Chinese applicants, then transfer students. The university’s General Bulletin should be consulted on the university website; the course lists for each degree and the conditions for declaring the major are not in the pages read, so degree requirements here come only from the credit tables on the department’s own website, most of whose pages show no update date, so check with the university. Medicine, nursing, pharmacy and similar degrees are outside this guide; see the university website.

1. Chemistry degrees and tracks

• B.S. in Chemistry: the department says the degree “provides an intensive coverage of the field for the student who desires to become a professional chemist”, preparing students for graduate programs in chemistry or direct entry into the job market, and that many CWRU B.S. majors are highly recruited by top national PhD programs. Credit table: SAGES general education 39 credits, chemistry courses 53 (54), other math and science courses 31 (less 12 already counted in the core), free electives 9, total 120 (121). The chemistry “core set” is 47–48 credit hours, plus 6 credit hours of chemistry electives and 6 of technical electives. The department says the B.S. meets all the requirements of the American Chemical Society (ACS) for ACS certification.
• B.A. in Chemistry: for a student who wants a solid chemistry background to enter medical school or another chemistry-related field; extra chemistry electives can prepare for graduate programs in chemistry. Credit table: SAGES 39, chemistry courses 31 (32), other math and science 16 (less 12), free electives 46 (45), total 120. The B.A. can meet ACS certification requirements with additional courses, including additional laboratory experience. The department adds that many B.A. students double major, for example in chemistry and biology.
• B.A. in Chemical Biology: for pre-professional students planning careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or pharmacy, or careers that use chemistry to solve problems affecting living systems; it needs a strong foundation in biology and chemistry plus math and physics. Credit table: SAGES 39, chemical biology courses 38, other math and science 16 (less 12), technical electives 6, other electives 33, total 120.
• Teacher licensure option: the department says students can add a second major in Education (34 hours of education courses plus practicum) to the B.A. in Chemistry to earn an Ohio teaching license for grades 7–12 in physical science.
• Minor and combined degrees: there is a chemistry minor; students in the B.A. or B.S. in Chemistry or the B.A. in Chemical Biology can pursue a combined bachelor’s/master’s (Integrated Graduate Studies): 60 credit hours toward the bachelor’s degree are required, and 9 credits of graduate coursework count toward both degrees; the department says an undergraduate scholarship can still be used in the fourth year.
• Related degrees: the College’s majors page also lists Biochemistry (B.A./B.S.) and other neighboring degrees; their requirements are not in the pages read, so see the university website.

2. Admission: you apply to the university; declaring chemistry is not published

• At application: students apply through the Common Application or Coalition with Scoir. The admissions pages read do not say whether you must name a major or whether chemistry has its own admission standard; not published there, so ask admissions.
• Review: holistic, with no minimum GPA or test score.
• Declaring chemistry after enrolling: the department pages read do not give the timing or conditions (prerequisite grades, GPA, limited places); not published there. The department has an undergraduate advising office hours page and a contact for current undergraduates.
• Internal transfer: not published.

3. Prerequisites and course planning

• High school courses: admissions requires at least 4 years of English, 3 of math, 3 of science (2 of them laboratory science), 3 of social studies and 2 of a foreign language, and recommends an additional year of math and laboratory science for engineering or the sciences. Neither the department nor admissions says that high school chemistry is required for the chemistry major; not published.
• AP Chemistry: the admissions page (applying to students entering in 2025-26; departments review credit annually and it may change) says a score of 4 or 5 earns 4 credit hours as CHEM 111, which meets a requirement of either CHEM 105 or CHEM 111; placement is CHEM 106 and 113, or ENGR 145.
• IB and A-Level chemistry: the department says IB Chemistry at the Higher Level with 5, 6 or 7 (HL only) and a grade of A or B on Cambridge International AS and A Levels Chemistry earn the same 4 credit hours of CHEM 111. The admissions IB page agrees for HL 5, 6 or 7. The department adds that students continuing on the chemistry track in the College of Arts and Sciences should plan to take CHEM 106, those continuing in engineering should take ENGR 145, and those planning organic chemistry labs (CHEM 233, 234 or 322) should take CHEM 113.
• First-year courses and labs: the pages read do not list a first-year course plan for chemistry majors. A department FAQ explains laboratory enrollment; its highlights say the department does not use waiting lists and that you should enroll on your appointment date. Check the website.
• Math and physics: each degree table includes “other math and science courses” (31 credits for the B.S.; 16 for the B.A. and the chemical biology B.A.), but which courses they are is not given on the pages read; see the Bulletin.
• Competitions: the admissions and chemistry pages read do not say how chemistry olympiads or similar competitions are viewed in admission.

4. Timeline and materials (first-year applicants)

• Deadlines: the deadlines page prints no year, so check that it applies to fall 2027 entry. Early Action 1 November (aid documents 15 November, decision about 19 December, reply by 1 May); Early Decision I 1 November (decision about 5 December, reply by 12 December); Early Decision II 15 January (decision about 6 February, reply within a week of admission); Regular Decision 15 January (aid documents 1 February, decision about 20 March, reply by 1 May); spring entry 15 November. The Pre-Professional Scholars Program (conditional admission to the School of Medicine or School of Dental Medicine) is 1 December. Early Decision is binding: if admitted you withdraw other applications and enroll, and the agreement is signed by the student, counselor and a parent or guardian.
• How and fee: through the Common Application or Coalition with Scoir; the application fee is $75, with fee waivers available.
• Materials: official high school transcript, School Report, counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations and the application essay. Admissions does not say the recommenders must be science teachers; not published. The Arts Supplement is required only for music and a few arts scholarships and is not relevant here.
• Review: holistic, with “no minimum GPA or test score”; the emphasis is how you have challenged yourself and prepared for success.
• Testing: optional: CWRU is test optional; you choose at application whether to send scores and may change your mind until two weeks before decision release. Admissions says no testing is required for any undergraduate program, the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, or scholarship and aid programs. Scores can be self-reported on the application or the applicant portal, or sent officially (enrolling students confirm with official reports). Codes: SAT 1105, ACT 3244.
• Financial aid: for need-based aid, U.S. citizens and permanent residents submit the FAFSA plus the CSS Profile; non-U.S. residents submit only the CSS Profile (CSS code 1105, FAFSA code 003137). The application is not complete until aid documents are in.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Costs: the admissions cost page (2026-27, US dollars): tuition $71,410; housing $11,688 (commuter $3,824); meal plan $8,600 (commuter $1,124); fees $696; matriculation fee $760; books $1,200; personal expenses $1,350; transportation varies. The page totals $95,704 for residential and $80,364 for commuter students, and adds a transportation allowance of up to $2,000 depending on home state. It does not distinguish in-state from out-of-state tuition. Costs for 2027-28 are not published.
• Aid: admissions says most students do not pay the full published cost; the university “meets 100% of demonstrated financial need” of admitted students with a combination of scholarships, grants, work-study and loans.
• Automatic scholarships (U.S. citizens and permanent residents): the University Scholarship; the Michelson-Morley STEM Scholarship (for exceptional students who plan to major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics); the Austin E. Knowlton scholarship (supports talented students from Ohio); and others. Separate scholarship competitions need a complete application by 15 February, with winners notified by 1 April: the A.W. Smith Innovation Scholarship (two tuition awards for first-year applicants in engineering, the physical sciences and mathematics with a successful hands-on project); the Andrew and Eleanor Squire Scholarship (tuition, for the arts, humanities, management, accountancy and the natural, social and behavioral sciences); the FIRST Scholarship (FIRST Robotics or FIRST Tech Challenge participants); and others.
• Local programs: Cleveland Scholars (graduates of Cleveland Metropolitan School District, partner charters or East Cleveland schools; covers the full cost of attendance with a paid, mentored research or internship experience; FAFSA required); the Joan C. Edwards Scholarship for Cleveland students interested in becoming physicians.

6. International applicants

• How to apply: admissions says international applicants follow the same deadlines and process as domestic students, as first-year, transfer or 3/2 Engineering applicants; academic records and recommendations not in English need English translations. About 20% of undergraduates are citizens of other countries.
• English proficiency: students whose first language is not English send a score through the testing agency or self-report it on the applicant portal (enrolling students confirm with official reports). Minimums: Duolingo English Test 115; IELTS 7; PTE Academic 61; TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition and Paper Edition) 4.5 for exams taken on or after 21 January 2026 (as printed on the page), and for exams taken on or before 20 January 2026 90 (internet-based) or 577 (paper-based). Automatic waiver if you attended a school with English as the language of instruction for two years by graduation, score 630 or higher on SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, or 26 or higher on ACT English.
• Proof of funds and visa: not covered on the admissions pages read; not published there, so contact admissions.
• Aid and scholarships: the international page says undergraduates are automatically evaluated for several scholarships, that scholarship competitions (including full-tuition awards) require an essay, and that financial aid is available to international students; it adds that CWRU awarded $213 million in institutional aid last year. The scholarships page says the automatic awards are for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and that international students can enter the scholarship competitions unless otherwise noted. The two pages differ slightly, so confirm with admissions.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not mention the Gaokao or say how it is used; not published there, so contact admissions.
• Transcripts and Huikao materials: the international page has no China-specific entry; the general rule is English translations of non-English academic records and recommendations. How the Huikao is handled is not published.
• English scores: see section 6. Testing: SAT and ACT are optional.
• AP / IB / A-Level: for students taking these courses, see the prerequisites section for how credit maps.

8. Costs, scholarships, research and capstone

• Costs: see section 5. The pages read do not mention a chemistry-department undergraduate scholarship; not published.
• Undergraduate research: the department says advisors can come from the chemistry department, another department or University Hospitals. Graduation requirements: for the chemistry B.A., the SAGES capstone (any subject); for the chemistry B.S., 3 credits of CHEM 397 or 398; for the chemical biology B.A., 3–6 credits of CHEM 398. CHEM 397 is a 3-credit pass/fail research course that can be taken at any time (about 10 hours a week); CHEM 398 is the chemistry capstone, usually taken in the second semester of senior year, with a letter grade, a written summary in ACS journal format and an oral or poster presentation. No more than 9 credits of CHEM 397 and 398 combined count toward the degree. The department warns that many lab positions fill about six months ahead and some faculty ask students to volunteer for a semester first.
• Honors program: the department invites chemistry majors with excellent records at the end of junior year; requirements are a combined GPA of 3.5 in chemistry, physics and mathematics and an overall GPA of 3.2, at least 6 semester hours of chemistry research, and an approved senior thesis.
• Outcomes: the department pages read describe aims (graduate programs, direct employment, medical school) but print no outcome figures; not published.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts: admissions says anyone who has graduated from high school (or equivalent) and enrolled in college courses, whether or not credit was earned, can be considered for transfer admission; at its discretion admissions may consider a transfer applicant as a first-year applicant. You can apply for spring or fall; first-year transfers are admitted in the spring semester.
• Deadlines (no year is printed, so check): Fall Early Plan 15 March (aid documents 1 April, reply by 1 June); Fall 3/2 Engineering 15 February; Fall Regular Plan 1 July; Spring 15 November (later applications are considered on a space-available basis).
• Materials: Common App or Coalition application; the official high school transcript (waived for students who will have graduated two years before the entry term and have an associate degree, or have completed 45 credit hours by application); official transcripts from every college attended; SAT/ACT optional; a recommendation from a college instructor; the $75 fee; and a transfer college report showing you are in good standing and eligible to return to the college you most recently attended.
• Credit: evaluated after admission and receipt of the final transcript; courses completed with a C or better at an accredited institution can earn credit. The detailed transfer-credit policy is not published on the pages read; check CWRU’s website.
• 3/2 Engineering: partnerships with more than 50 liberal arts colleges (three years there, two at CWRU in engineering); it is not a major covered here.
• Aid: transfer students applying for need-based aid are fully considered; merit scholarships are automatic, including the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship for active members admitted as transfers ($25,000 per year).
• Chemistry transfer credit: the department advises chemistry majors who take chemistry, physics or math courses elsewhere (including study abroad) to seek the department’s prior approval; such courses should be nearly equivalent in content and duration to the CWRU course they replace, and syllabi go to the department for review. GPA or prerequisite requirements for transferring into chemistry are not published.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply by 1 November (EA or ED I) or 15 January (ED II or RD); counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations and an essay; testing optional; $75 fee
• AP Chemistry 4 or 5 earns CHEM 111; ask the chemistry department about declaring the major (not published)

International applicants (including China):

• Prepare TOEFL (4.5 under the new rule), IELTS 7 or Duolingo 115, or check the waiver conditions; translate non-English records; ask admissions how the Gaokao is used
• Submit the CSS Profile if you need aid; scholarship competitions are due 15 February (confirm international eligibility)

Transfer students:

• Fall Early Plan 15 March or Regular Plan 1 July; a college instructor recommendation and a transfer college report; ask the chemistry department to approve chemistry courses before taking them elsewhere

Sources: Case Western Reserve University, Chemistry: undergraduate programs; B.S. in Chemistry; B.A. in Chemistry; B.A. in Chemical Biology; Combined bachelor’s/master’s; Chemistry: AP, IB and A-Level credit; Chemistry: honors program; Chemistry: undergraduate research; Chemistry: transfer credit; Admission: deadlines and requirements; First-year applicants; Test policy; International applicants; Transfer applicants; AP, IB and college credit; Tuition and costs; Scholarships; College of Arts and Sciences: majors and minors. The chemistry department pages show no update date, and the admissions pages show no year, so check that the deadlines apply to fall 2027 entry; costs are for 2026-27. See CWRU’s website for the latest.