How to Apply to Drexel University for a Chemistry Major: An ACS-Approved BS and a More Flexible BA in the College of Arts and Sciences, With Optional Co-op, for US, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Drexel University is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The chemistry major is taught by the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences; you apply to the University with the Common App or Coalition App and choose a major on the application. Below, the information from the University’s website is organised for US applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Biology, physics, mathematics, engineering and other majors are outside this article.

1. Degrees, tracks and how you are admitted

• Two degrees: the chemistry department page says undergraduates choose between a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Chemistry. The BS curriculum is “approved by the American Chemical Society”, is a rigorous plan of study and requires a full year of undergraduate research under a faculty mentor, with substantial hands-on laboratory experience; BS majors may also opt for a Biochemistry concentration. The BA introduces the same sub-disciplines but does not require the full sequence of courses; it has additional free electives for courses required by professional schools or for a double major, and the page calls it ideal for students planning medical, dental or pharmacy school.
• Related programs: the department page also lists an accelerated Chemistry BS/MS (qualified undergraduates earn both degrees concurrently), and Chemistry and Biochemistry minors.
• Course requirements: the department and program pages read do not list the required courses or credits for the BS or BA (the course plans are in the University catalog); these are not published on those pages, so check the Drexel catalog.
• Choosing a major, timing: the first-year instructions encourage applicants to choose two different majors as first and second choices, and to say if they want to be considered for the undeclared program, First-Year Exploratory Studies; to change your major after applying, email enroll@drexel.edu. The pages read do not describe a separate admission bar or quota for chemistry, nor conditions for moving into chemistry after entry; this is not published.
• Teaching: the chemistry program page says that in the first two years all courses are taught by Chemistry faculty, not graduate students; the department page says undergraduates are encouraged to join faculty research as early as the first year.
• Co-op and length of study: BA majors follow a four-year program with a single co-op; BS majors choose a four-year or five-year program: no co-op (four years), one co-op (four years), or three co-ops (five years). The department page describes three six-month periods of full-time employment. Recent co-op employers listed include Arkema, Axalta Coating Systems, FMC Corporation, Fox Chase Cancer Center, GlaxoSmithKline, Incyte, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, NASA, the Philadelphia Water Department and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

2. Preparation, placement exams and research

• High school courses (sciences majors): the first-year admission prerequisites for “Arts and Sciences (Sciences)”, which names Chemistry, are four years of mathematics (algebra I and II, geometry, and trigonometry or pre-calculus) and two years of a laboratory science (biology, chemistry or physics). The page does not require a particular high-school chemistry course; this is not published.
• Chemistry placement exam: the placement page says students who expect to enroll in CHEM 101 are required to take the Chemistry Placement examination (nursing students are not). It is based on high-school material, with 30 multiple-choice questions, one hour, a calculator allowed, to be done without help, and no sample questions; students who have not taken chemistry in high school do not need to take it, as they will not enroll in CHEM 101. The content page describes the courses: CHEM 101 assumes familiarity with elements and compounds, chemical equations and stoichiometry; CHEM 101 Honors covers the same content with more detail and applications and is open only to Honors College students; CHEM 111 assumes limited or no familiarity with introductory concepts; CHEM 108 is for nursing students and CHEM 151 for business students. For fall 2026 entry all placement exams had to be completed by 24 June (exams opened 21 May); the dates for 2027 are not given on that page, so check.
• AP, IB and A-Level: the credit page (2026–2027) says AP Chemistry 4 or 5 earns 8–10 credits for CHEM 101 and CHEM 102 (the table also lists CHEM 121 and CHEM 122) and is marked placement-exam exempt; IB Chemistry 6 or 7 earns 8 credits for CHEM 101 and 102 (as per major requirements) or CHEM 121 and 122 (placement exam required); Cambridge A-Level Chemistry (9701) and CLEP Chemistry are “not accepted”. AP Calculus AB 4 or 5 earns 4 credits (MATH 121) and BC 4 or 5 earns 12 credits (MATH 121, 122, 123), both exempt from the math placement exam. The page also says AP scores are not a substitute for the placement exams unless taken in your sophomore or junior year: scores of 4 or higher from those years in Chemistry, Calculus/Precalculus or Physics may exempt you, if you email an unofficial score report by 1 June; May AP results reach the University only in July, so the placement exams must still be completed on time.
• Research: the BS requires a full year of undergraduate research. The department page says research spans biochemistry, materials, theoretical, polymer and atmospheric chemistry, supported by companies and agencies such as the NSF and NIH; the program page also lists analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, theoretical and computational chemistry, chemical biology and chemical education. Undergraduates can be co-authors on peer-reviewed publications.
• Honors and capstone: the chemistry pages read do not describe an honors program or a required thesis; this is not published.
• Competitions: see section 3.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Plans and deadlines (the deadlines page prints no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027): Early Decision (binding) 15 November, decisions mid-December, CSS Profile 25 November, tuition and housing deposit 15 January; Early Action (non-binding) 15 November, decisions mid-December, deposit 1 May; Regular Decision 15 January, decisions by 1 April, CSS Profile 1 February, deposit 1 May. FAFSA priority date 1 February (domestic applicants only). There is also Winter Entry: applications due 1 October, decisions by 1 November, deposit 13 November, and the page gives 4 January as the first day of winter term (no year printed). International students also have an International Gateway Program (fall-entry applications due 15 July, deposit 31 July), whose requirements this article does not cover. Deadlines are received-by dates, not postmark dates.
• How to apply and the fee: the Common App or the Coalition App (Scoir), with one active application at a time; the application fee is $65 and non-refundable; U.S. veterans or their dependents, children of Drexel employees and Pennsylvania residents qualify for the University’s fee waiver, and others can request a Common App or Coalition App fee waiver.
• Choosing a major: the instructions encourage applicants to choose two different majors as first and second choices, and to say whether they want to be considered for the undeclared program, First-Year Exploratory Studies; to change your major after applying, email enroll@drexel.edu.
• Materials: a 250–650-word essay through the Common App or Coalition App (paper or emailed essays are not accepted); official transcripts sent directly from each high school attended, covering all coursework in grades 9, 10 and 11 plus 12th-grade coursework in progress (self-submitted transcripts are not accepted); one letter of recommendation from a school or college counselor (BA/BS+MD Early Assurance applicants need two, one from a science teacher). The website does not require a science-teacher recommendation otherwise.
• Testing: “No Harm Test-Optional”: SAT or ACT scores are not required, and scores that do not strengthen an application are not used in the review; choosing not to submit does not affect eligibility for merit scholarships. SAT code 2194, ACT code 3556; the ACT science and writing sections are not required. BA/BS+MD Early Assurance applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores.
• chemistry competitions and supplements: the pages read do not say how chemistry competitions are viewed in admission.

4. US applicants

• Costs (2026–2027, estimated first-year costs before aid): tuition $63,078, fees $2,420, housing and food $19,398. The University is private; the pages do not set separate in-state and out-of-state tuition. The tuition page also says that during a co-op term you are not billed tuition, but you still pay University fees and any applicable housing and food; the enrollment plan for transfer students may differ with the transfer credit evaluation, which affects cost. Books, materials, a computer, transportation and personal costs are extra and are taken into account in aid eligibility.
• Aid: US citizens and permanent residents submit the CSS Profile and the FAFSA (Drexel’s FAFSA school code is 003256); without the CSS Profile by the deadline there is no eligibility for institutional need-based aid. The University’s pages say that 100% of the 2025–2026 first-year class received financial aid, the average grant aid for full-time first-year undergraduates entering in fall 2025 was $40,814, the average net tuition price in 2025–2026 was $26,388 (tuition minus the average aid package), and the average offered to fall 2025 transfer students was $32,378.
• Merit scholarships: the page gives, for admitted fall 2027 first-year students, $20,000–$35,000 for Early Decision and Early Action and $10,000–$35,000 for Regular Decision; applying test-optional does not affect eligibility. No chemistry-specific scholarship appears on the pages read.
• State residents: the pages mention only an application-fee waiver for Pennsylvania residents; they do not describe guaranteed or priority admission.

5. International applicants

• Who counts: anyone who is not a US citizen or a permanent resident (green card holder).
• Materials: the application, essay, transcripts and recommendation in section 3; international transcripts must be sent by the school directly to Admissions or be officially signed, stamped in color and sealed; use your passport name; applicants who attended any part of secondary school outside the US submit an official academic record with notarized English translation from every secondary or postsecondary school attended, reflecting grades 9, 10 and 11 and any 12th-grade coursework in progress.
• English: applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed three full years of instruction in English must submit an approved test: TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge English C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency (TOEFL code 2194). Exemptions: English is your first language; at least three full years at a high school where English is the primary language of instruction; or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600+ or ACT English 27+. The website strongly recommends that students using the three-year exemption still submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE. The pages read do not state minimum scores for the tests; check the website.
• Proof of funds: international applicants must show financial responsibility, with sufficient support for education in the United States, to obtain the I-20/DS-2019 for a student visa.
• Aid: international students are automatically considered for merit scholarships with no extra application, and awards are notified with the admission offer; for need-based aid, submit the CSS Profile by the deadline. The FAQ says F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week, that jobs are not guaranteed, and that such income cannot be listed as a funding source on the I-20. The pages read do not say whether the University considers ability to pay in international admission; this is not published.
• Co-op and visas: the FAQ says F-1 students can do co-op through Curricular Practical Training (CPT); three co-ops (five-year plan) done full-time in the US all affect OPT after graduation, whereas one co-op (four-year plan) does not; ask International Students and Scholars Services.

6. Applicants from China

• Transcripts and diplomas: the international transcript-requirements page lists China separately. Current high school students: an official transcript from the third year of junior school and from years 1 and 2 of senior school, with a certified English translation if not in English. High school graduates: the junior-year-3 transcript and final transcripts from senior years 1, 2 and 3, plus official copies of the original Chinese graduation certificate with a certified English translation. (The general text on the page says “notarized” English translation while the China entry says “certified”, so confirm with Admissions.)
• Gaokao: the application pages read (international instructions, international FAQ, transcript requirements) do not say whether or how Gaokao results are used; this is not published. Ask Admissions (enroll@drexel.edu). Huikao records are likewise not mentioned.
• English and testing: see sections 5 and 3.

7. Accreditation, study abroad and outcomes

• Accreditation: the chemistry BS curriculum is approved by the American Chemical Society; the pages do not state ACS approval for the BA.
• Study abroad and civic engagement: the program page says chemistry students can broaden their development through study abroad and civic engagement; the specific programs are not described on the pages read.
• Outcomes: the program page says graduates are positioned for a wide range of careers, advanced study, and medical, dental and pharmacy school; common paths include academic research centers, chemical companies, environmental law firms, government agencies, health systems and hospitals, medical research, pharmaceutical companies and public policy organizations. The department page notes the concentration of pharmaceutical and chemical firms in the Philadelphia area for co-op and professional opportunities. BA graduates “often work as laboratory technicians or as research assistants in medical school science departments” (the page’s wording).
• Degrees outside this article: the University also has nursing and health-sciences degrees and a BA/BS+MD Early Assurance program; they are outside this article, so see the website.

8. Transfer students

• Deadlines (the page is labelled for the 2026–2027 academic year; look for the fall 2027 version): fall term: priority deadline 15 April (application fee waived if you apply by then), later applications reviewed on a rolling basis until one month before the term; international applicants who do not live in the US also have a 14 June fall I-20 application deadline and 15 July as the last date Admissions can consider an international transfer. Winter term (January): priority deadline 15 October; international 1 November. Spring term (March): domestic priority deadline 15 January. Transfer applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Materials: Drexel’s own application (full-time transfer programs); a 250–650-word essay, where the committee prefers you to discuss your transfer experience and why you are interested in Drexel; official transcripts from every college attended (including courses in progress) whether or not you plan to transfer the credits; official high school transcripts if you have fewer than 24 semester credits; international applicants submit an official academic record with notarized English translation from every postsecondary school, with syllabi or course descriptions for credit evaluation. SAT and ACT are not required for transfers. The application fee is $65; the page says it is currently waived for applicants who apply by the priority deadlines and afterwards only in certain cases.
• Prerequisites: The transfer prerequisites page does not list chemistry separately and the pages read do not state the prerequisites, GPA or places for transferring into the chemistry major; this is not published, so ask Admissions (enroll@drexel.edu) or the College of Arts and Sciences recruitment team (coas_enroll@drexel.edu).
• English: international transfer applicants whose first language is not English take an approved test, unless they completed English Composition I and II (and III at a quarter institution) with a C or better at a regionally accredited US institution, studied and graduated from a high school or university where English is the primary language of instruction for at least three years, or scored 600+ on SAT reading or 27+ on ACT English within the last two years. English scores are valid for two years from the test date.
• Aid: transfers need the FAFSA for institutional need-based aid; those with an associate degree from an accredited community college qualify for the Drexel Promise, a renewable scholarship for 50% of tuition; international transfers who get the Drexel Promise do not submit the CSS Profile and are not eligible for additional aid; other international transfers submit the CSS Profile. Second-bachelor’s and part-time applicants are not eligible for institutional aid.
• Credit: Transfer applicants submit official transcripts from every college with syllabi or course descriptions for credit evaluation; the transfer pages read do not state specific transfer-credit rules for chemistry courses, so this is not published. The tuition page notes that the enrollment plan for transfer students may differ with the transfer credit evaluation, which may affect cost.

Checklist

US applicants:

• Common App or Coalition App; $65 fee; ED and EA 15 November, RD 15 January (check the year); 250–650-word essay; official transcripts; one counselor recommendation; testing optional (“No Harm”)
• CSS Profile and FAFSA (school code 003256) by the deadlines; merit scholarships need no separate application

International applicants (including China):

• English test (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, DET and others) or an exemption; transcripts covering grades 9–11 and 12th-grade work in progress with translations; proof of financial responsibility; CSS Profile if you want need-based aid
• The China transcript list is in section 6; Gaokao use is not published

Before and after arrival:

• If you expect to enroll in CHEM 101, complete the chemistry placement exam on time (24 June for fall 2026 entry; check 2027); AP scores do not replace it unless taken in sophomore or junior year
• The BS needs a full year of undergraduate research; no tuition is billed in a co-op term

Transfer students:

• Fall priority 15 April, winter 15 October, spring 15 January (labelled 2026–2027; check); official transcripts from every college; syllabi for credit evaluation

Sources: Drexel University, Chemistry department; Chemistry degrees; Chemistry BS/BA program; Placement exams; Placement exam content; AP/IB credit; Application overview; First-year instructions; Admission prerequisites; Deadlines; Testing policy; International instructions; International transcript requirements; International FAQ; Transfer instructions; Transfer prerequisites; Transfer deadlines; Undergraduate financing; Tuition and costs. The first-year aid page names fall 2027 for its merit-scholarship ranges; most other application pages print no year, and the transfer deadlines page is labelled for the 2026–2027 academic year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry and see the University’s website for the latest.