How to Apply to Chemistry at Arizona State University: In the School of Molecular Sciences, a B.A., a B.S. and an Environmental Chemistry B.S., Declared on the Application with No Extra School Admission Requirement, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

2026-10-29 · Application guides

At Arizona State University, undergraduate chemistry is offered by the School of Molecular Sciences in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; its pages mention a B.A. Chemistry, a B.S. Chemistry and a B.S. Chemistry (Environmental Chemistry). The School says it has no special admission requirements, so students declare the major on the university application, and new students complete the ALEKS math placement before orientation. SAT and ACT scores are not required; the priority admission date is 1 November 2026 and the regular date is 15 January 2027. International English requirements for most majors include IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 61 (3.5 on the new scale) and Duolingo 95. This guide covers degrees, entry, prerequisites, domestic, international and Chinese applicants, and transfer, based on ASU’s official information.

Arizona State University (ASU; main campus in Tempe) offers undergraduate chemistry through the School of Molecular Sciences (SMS) in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This guide follows the Admission office and the SMS website, covering US domestic, international and Chinese applicants, with transfer students at the end. SMS also offers undergraduate biochemistry degrees, which are not covered in depth here — see the SMS website; medicine, pharmacy, nursing, public health and chemical engineering degrees are outside this guide, so please see the university website.

1. Degrees and tracks

Degrees: the SMS undergraduate research page mentions these chemistry degrees: B.A. Chemistry, B.S. Chemistry and B.S. Chemistry (Environmental Chemistry); on the biochemistry side, B.A. Biochemistry, B.S. Biochemistry and B.S. Biochemistry (Medicinal Chemistry). The SMS admission page says students declare a major or minor in “biochemistry, chemistry, environmental chemistry or medicinal chemistry”. The SMS homepage also links to ASU Online pages, including an online chemistry B.A.; check the website for the exact offerings.
Positioning: the SMS undergraduate overview says its bachelor’s programs train students for scientific research, health professions such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists, teaching, forensics, and regulation and policy, and offers involvement in trans-disciplinary research.
Coursework, required courses and labs: required courses and credits for each degree are on the university’s program pages and checksheets, which were not read for this guide — check the website. The SMS pages read do not describe ACS-certified tracks, placement years or a thesis requirement (Honors College students write an honors thesis; see section 8).
Environmental and medicinal chemistry: these names appear on the SMS research-course and accelerated-program pages; their required courses and intended students are not described on the pages read.

2. How admission works: declare the major on the application, with no extra SMS admission requirement

At application: the SMS undergraduate admission page says the School “does not have special admission requirements” and that students must meet the university’s general requirements; the journey starts with the university application, where you declare a major or minor. Admission says that if your first-choice major has higher requirements you will be asked to select a second major without them; whether chemistry is one of those is not stated on the pages read — check ASU’s Degree Search.
After entry: the SMS freshmen page says all new freshmen take part in orientation and must complete the ALEKS math placement exam first; the SMS advising page says first-year students (not online students) are advised by The College, with the freshmen page naming the Advising HUB in Armstrong Hall, and SMS advisors help with degree planning, registration and transfer credit. A GPA or prerequisite threshold for current students switching into chemistry is not stated on the pages read — ask SMS advisors.

3. Prerequisites and course advice

High school courses: university-wide requirements are in section 5 (4 years of math, 3 years of lab science and so on). SMS pages do not state a required high school chemistry, physics or calculus background for the chemistry major, nor A-Level, AP or IB chemistry requirements — not published on the pages read; ask SMS advisors.
Math placement: the SMS transfer page says students who have not completed a college math course take the ALEKS assessment first (scores take 72 hours to process); Calculus I (MAT 270) needs a score of 76 or higher and Precalculus (MAT 170) at least 60; it can be taken twice and is good for one year. The freshmen page says new freshmen also complete ALEKS before orientation.
AP/IB and other exam credit: the SMS transfer page says AP, IB and CLEP scores must be sent directly to Admission, and only credit on official documents is added to the ASU record. Which chemistry courses it replaces is not published on the pages read.
First-year courses: the pages read do not list first-year chemistry course names — see the website’s course listing.

4. Timeline and materials

Rounds and deadlines (fall 2027 entry, Admission first-year page): the fall 2027 application opens in early July 2026; 1 November is the priority admission date and 15 January 2027 is the regular admission date. The site says the earlier you apply, the earlier you hear and the more scholarship opportunity you can secure; decisions begin in the first week of September, and students who do not meet the admission standards go to individual review, which may take longer.
How to apply and the fee: use ASU’s own application or the Common App — only one is accepted, with no preference — and the site says neither requires an essay or personal statement. Nonrefundable fees: Arizona residents $55, domestic nonresidents $85, ASU Online $75, international nonresidents $90.
Transcripts and self-reported grades: you may self-report high school grades in the application to speed up the decision; otherwise your school must send an official transcript. College credit requires official transcripts from the issuing institution.
Testing: SAT/ACT scores are not required and may be submitted for course placement or as supplemental information; in the scholarship notes the site recommends submitting scores for merit-based scholarship consideration.
Recommendations: the admission pages read do not require recommendation letters or a science-teacher recommendation.
Honors: Barrett, The Honors College requires a separate application; the site gives an early action deadline of 1 November.
Competitions: the pages read do not say how science olympiads or similar competitions are viewed in admissions.

5. US domestic applicants

Course requirements (Admission): 4 years of math; 4 years of English (non-ESL/ELL); 3 years of lab science (1 year each from biology, chemistry, earth science, integrated sciences or physics); 2 years of social science (including 1 of American history); 2 years of the same second language; 1 year of fine arts or career and technical education. Admission may be granted with one deficiency in no more than two competency areas, but not in both math and lab science, and each area needs at least 2.00.
Aptitude requirements (meet one): top 25% of the graduating class; a 3.00 unweighted GPA in the competency courses; ACT 22 (24 for nonresidents); or SAT 1120 (1180 for nonresidents). The site also says these are the general university requirements, applicants who do not meet them may be reviewed individually, and some degree programs have higher requirements — check ASU’s Degree Search; if your first-choice major has higher requirements you will be asked to select a second major without them.
Costs (Admission, 2026–27): average resident tuition and mandatory fees are $14,814 per year; nonresident tuition and fees are $39,262 per year. The out-of-state first-year expense table lists base tuition $35,715, tuition surcharge $350, Advanced Technology Fee $200, undergraduate college fees up to $2,190, student-initiated fees $807, on-campus housing and food $18,819 (estimated for the Tempe campus), books and materials $1,320, travel $1,650 and personal $2,343, with a printed total of $63,394. This guide does not add them up itself.
Aid and scholarships: Arizona residents can look at the Arizona Promise Program (Pell-eligible students, valued up to $14,215 a year), the President Barack Obama Scholar Program and the College Attainment Grant, which cover tuition, plus the New American University (NAMU) President’s Award ($9,000 a year; the page says this reflects 2027–28 amounts) and the University Grant ($3,000 a year, FAFSA required, household income $120,000 or less). Nonresidents can look at the NAMU President’s and Provost’s Awards ($15,500 to $17,500 a year), the Academic Achievement, University and Dean’s Awards ($10,000 to $13,500) and the ASU Commitment Scholarship (up to $7,500). NAMU awards are considered automatically with no separate application; ASU’s FAFSA school code is 001081 and 15 January is the priority date for need-based aid.
In-state priority or guaranteed admission: the pages read do not state guaranteed admission.

6. International applicants

Academic requirements: the international first-year page says applicants need a 3.00 GPA (B or better, A = 4.00) from a secondary school and three years of high school coursework (grades 9–11 if still in school, grades 10–12 if finished), plus a completed high school diploma or certificate; international students who completed high school outside the US must meet the math (four years) and lab science (three years) competencies; some programs have higher admission or English requirements. Records are sent directly from schools or exam boards, documents not in English need a certified translation, and ASU does in-house credential evaluation at no extra cost while also considering course-by-course evaluations from four named agencies.
English requirements (the “all other majors/colleges” tier, Admission): IELTS 6.0; TOEFL iBT 61, or an overall 3.5 (3.5 in each section) on the new scale for exams taken on or after 21 January 2026; PTE 53; Duolingo 95; Cambridge English (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency) 170. Engineering, journalism and some other programs have higher scores (listed on the page). Scores must be within two years of the start date; IELTS General Training, TOEFL paper edition and PTE Academic Online are not accepted. Completing ASU’s Global Launch English programs also counts, and exemptions exist, for example for a secondary or higher degree taught solely in English or four years of English at a US high school. Applicants who meet academic but not English requirements may receive conditional admission, with up to three semesters to meet the English requirement.
Costs (Admission, 2026–27 international undergraduate): base tuition $39,062, tuition surcharge $350, Advanced Technology fee $200, undergraduate college fees up to $2,190, student-initiated fees $807, on-campus housing and meals $18,819, books and materials $1,320, travel $1,650, personal $2,343, health insurance $2,765 (the page notes these are 2025–26 rates), international student fee $400, with a printed total of $69,906. This guide does not add them up itself. Proof-of-funds amounts and I-20 details are not printed on the pages read — check the website.
Scholarships: international first-year and transfer F-1 students may be considered for the New American University (NAMU) scholarship (merit-based, limited number); colleges and departments also offer scholarships with varying amounts and criteria; international students do not qualify for federal and state aid (unless an eligible noncitizen).
Deadlines: the international first-year page lists fall 2026 (15 January 2026 priority) and spring 2027 (1 November 2026 priority) and does not print fall 2027; the general first-year page gives fall 2027 as 1 November priority and 15 January 2027 regular. Ask Admission which applies to international applicants.

7. Applicants from China

Gaokao and Chinese high school records: the admission pages read do not say whether or how the gaokao is used — not published. The international page has a drop-down of comparable-degree requirements by country (China included), but its content did not appear on the pages read — check the requirement for China on the website and contact Admission.
General requirements: applicants from China follow the international requirements in section 6: a 3.00 secondary GPA, three years of high school coursework, a high school diploma, proof of English, English-translated records and so on.
International curricula: the international page links to guidance for Cambridge examinations and the IB Diploma and Career-related Programmes, whose content did not appear on the pages read — check the website.

8. Costs, research, scholarships and outcomes

Costs: see sections 5 and 6.
Undergraduate research: the SMS research page says you can volunteer in a faculty lab, work as a paid lab assistant, or earn course credit (you cannot earn credit and be paid for the same research in a semester); research outside SMS, for example in the School of Life Sciences, Mayo Clinic or the Biodesign Institute, is also possible. Credit courses are CHM/BCH 392 (Introduction to Research), 492 (Honors Directed Study) and 493 (Honors Thesis) — chemistry B.A., B.S. and Environmental Chemistry B.S. students choose CHM, biochemistry students BCH; each credit needs at least 45 lab hours a semester. Barrett Honors College students usually take 492 and 493 in the senior year. The page says research experience is an essential part of a competitive application to chemistry or biochemistry graduate school.
Internships: the SMS internships page says some internships can earn credit (CHM 484/BCH 484), generally not for students already employed by the company; listed opportunities include Helios Scholars at TGen, the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation, NSF REU and the NIH Summer Internship Program.
4+1 accelerated program: SMS says it offers three accelerated BS/MS pathways — Biochemistry MS, Biochemistry (Medicinal Chemistry) MS and Chemistry MS — completing both degrees in five years instead of six; applicants must be in an eligible BS, have no more than two semesters left, 85 semester hours and a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or better; the MS needs 30 credits with up to 12 shared; no GRE and no application fee. The page suggests applying by 15 November for spring and 15 April for fall (rolling review; no year is printed — check). There is also a 3+4 Doctor of Pharmacy pathway with Creighton, whose details were not read.
School scholarships: the SMS scholarships page says applications for 2026–2027 are open with deadlines of 15 February; listed awards include the Barbara Munk Memorial Scholarship ($900; first-generation students and those seeking to increase women’s presence in the field), the George M. Bateman Memorial Scholarship ($1,500; Arizona-resident first-year chemistry, biochemistry or biophysics students), the Therald Moeller Scholarship ($1,000), the Wayne W. Luchsinger Chemistry Scholarship ($4,500; veterans preferred), the Arizona Society for Coatings Technology Scholarship ($2,250), the Edward B. Skibo Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), the John Holloway Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000), the Ted Brown Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), the SMS First Generation, Women in Molecular Science and Veterans scholarships ($1,000 each) and the School of Molecular Sciences Scholarship ($1,000; at least 12 ASU units). The Martin Hudson Scholarship ($900) requires US citizenship. Whether international students are eligible for each is not spelled out on the pages read.
Pre-health: the SMS pre-health page says the chemistry and biochemistry degrees include most medical-school prerequisites (general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus, physics and so on) and offer research opportunities; it does not describe a pre-med major.
Outcomes: the SMS pages read give only the general description in section 1 and print no employment data.

9. Transfer students

Who counts: applicants with 12 or more transferable semester credits earned after high school from a regionally accredited institution, with grades of C- or better; those with fewer than 12 are evaluated as first-year applicants.
Requirements: with 12–23 transferable credits, a minimum 2.50 cumulative transfer GPA and the first-year admission requirements; with 24 or more, a minimum 2.50 cumulative transfer GPA; with an associate degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution, a minimum 2.00. Some programs have higher requirements (see Degree Search).
Deadlines (Admission transfer page): for fall 2027 the priority admission deadline is 15 January 2027 (the page notes it is a priority, not final, deadline and ASU accepts applications on a rolling basis until the term starts), with an enrollment deposit deadline of 1 June 2027; for spring 2027 the enrollment deposit deadline is 1 December 2026. The international transfer page gives a spring 2027 priority deadline of 1 October 2026 and fall 2027 of 15 January 2027. The page asks applicants to allow at least two to four weeks for a decision once materials are complete.
Materials: official transcripts from every institution attended; high school transcripts are also required in some cases, such as fewer than 24 transferable credits. ACT/SAT scores are not required.
Credit transfer: the site offers the Transfer Guide credit tool. The School of Molecular Sciences transfer page adds that ASU accepts up to 64 credits from a regionally accredited two-year college and requires at least 30 semester hours of resident credit at the campus you graduate from.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

ASU application or Common App; priority 1 November 2026, regular 15 January 2027; fee $55 (Arizona residents) or $85; no SAT/ACT and no essay required; grades can be self-reported
High school: 4 math, 4 English, 3 lab science, 2 social science, 2 second language, 1 fine arts or CTE; meet one aptitude requirement (top 25%, 3.00 GPA, ACT/SAT)

International applicants (including China):

3.00 secondary GPA; IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 61 (3.5 on the new scale), Duolingo 95, PTE 53 or Cambridge 170; fee $90; English translations of documents
How the gaokao is used is not published; ask Admission

After entry:

Declare chemistry on the application, with no extra SMS admission requirement; complete ALEKS math placement before orientation; contact SMS advisors to plan courses

Transfer students:

12+ transferable credits, GPA 2.50 (2.00 with an associate degree); fall priority 15 January 2027; use the Transfer Guide for credits