How to Apply to Chemistry at DePauw University: B.A. in Chemistry and B.A. in Biochemistry in One Liberal Arts Department, No Application Fee, Test-Optional, with a Promise to Meet 100% of Calculated Need for First-Year Students, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana), chemistry is taught in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the degree is a B.A. Below is what DePauw publishes for fall 2027 entry, in sections for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students. Anything the site does not say is marked "not published". Medicine, pharmacy, nursing and other professional degrees are outside this guide; see the relevant pages on the DePauw site. DePauw counts in "courses" (course credits): one course is one credit unit, and some courses count 0.25 or 0.5.

1. Degrees

• Chemistry (B.A.): 9.75 courses; the Chemistry minor is 5.25 courses (Biochemistry majors may not earn a Chemistry minor). The site says chemistry begins with the core concepts of organic, inorganic, physical chemistry and biochemistry, then moves to upper-level classroom and laboratory work, with off-campus internships and on-campus research with faculty.
• Biochemistry (B.A.): in the same department, 9.75 courses; the Biochemistry minor is 5.25 courses (Chemistry majors may not earn a Biochemistry minor). Core: CHEM 120, 130, 170, 240, 260, 320, 343 and 440; two further course credits (at least one in the Molecular Biology cluster and one in the Chemistry & Biochemistry cluster); 4.5 course credits at the 300 and 400 level; and CHEM 490 Senior Capstone or CHEM 405 Thesis with a grade of C- or better.
• A B.S. degree in chemistry, American Chemical Society certification or an internship-year option: not mentioned on the pages we read. The Biology major is not covered here.

2. Admission route, prerequisites and course plan

• Chemistry B.A. requirements: 9.75 courses. Core: CHEM 120 (Structure and Properties of Organic Molecules), CHEM 130 (Structure and Properties of Inorganic Compounds), CHEM 170 (Stoichiometric Calculations, 0.25 course), CHEM 240 (Structure and Function of Biomolecules) and CHEM 260 (Thermodynamics, Equilibrium and Kinetics). Advanced courses in three categories: Chemical Reactivity, 1.5 courses from CHEM 320, 331, 332, 335 (at least one with a lab); Chemical Analysis, CHEM 450 plus one of CHEM 351-354; Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, CHEM 460 plus one of CHEM 361-364; and one additional 0.5 course from those categories or CHEM 342 or CHEM 395 research (with advisor approval, up to 0.5 each). 5.5 course credits at the 300 and 400 level.
• Senior requirement: CHEM 490 Senior Capstone or CHEM 405 Thesis with a grade of C- or better, and attendance at departmental seminars in the junior and senior years.
• Prerequisites: the course page lists "high school chemistry or CHEM 180 or permission of instructor" for CHEM 120, CHEM 130 and CHEM 170; CHEM 180 (Topics in Chemistry and Biochemistry) is for non-majors and does not count toward a chemistry or biochemistry major; CHEM 156 is advanced-placement credit in General Chemistry for entering first-year students; CHEM 260 requires CHEM 170 and CHEM 120 or CHEM 130. CHEM 120, 130 and 260 are described as including laboratory work; none of these courses may be taken pass/fail. High-school mathematics or physics requirements: not stated on the pages we read.
• AP / IB credit: the international checklist refers to an advanced credit policy, but the pages we read give no conversion table; not published here, so check the Registrar's pages on the DePauw site.
• Choosing a major: whether applicants choose a major at application and when chemistry is declared: not stated on the pages we read.

Research, facilities and outcomes

• Research: the site describes on-campus summer research with faculty (the Biology page mentions 10-week summer research internships) and the Asher Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. The chemistry page lists internships at Elanco, Eli Lilly, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, UConn Health, UC Davis Health and the Indiana Department of Health (environmental chemistry). The international applicants page says 36% of DePauw students conduct faculty-student research.
• Facilities and organisations: the Percy L. Julian Science and Mathematics Center; student organisations include Future Medical Professionals and Students of Color in STEM. Fellows programmes such as Science Research Fellows are open to all majors.
• Outcomes: the chemistry page lists graduate schools DePauw students have attended, including Colorado State, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt and Washington University. No placement rates are published on the pages we read. The international applicants page says that in recent years about one third of international graduates secured professional jobs in the U.S., one third returned to work in their home country and one third went straight into a master's or doctoral programme.

3. Rounds and application materials

• How to apply: the DePauw Application, the Common App or the Coalition App (all available 1 August). No application fee, and testing is optional.
• Rounds (apply by / materials due / notified by / deposit due): Early Decision I (binding) 1 Nov / 8 Nov / 15 Dec / 15 Jan; Early Action I 1 Nov / 8 Nov / 15 Dec / 1 May; Early Decision II 15 Dec / 22 Dec / 15 Jan / 15 Feb; Early Action II 15 Dec / 22 Dec / 15 Jan / 1 May; Regular Decision 1 Feb / 8 Feb / 1 Mar / 1 May. The pages print no year, so confirm the dates apply to fall 2027 entry.
• Materials: school transcripts, a school report from the counselor and one letter of recommendation (from a teacher, school counselor or community group leader). Whether chemistry applicants need a science-teacher recommendation: not stated.
• Testing: ACT/SAT are optional for first-year and transfer applicants enrolled in a public, private or charter school; self-reported scores, student score reports, official scores and scores on the transcript are all accepted; test-optional applicants are still considered for merit scholarships.
• Whether applicants choose a major at application, when chemistry is declared, and any conditions or quotas: not stated on the pages we read; ask admission. chemistry is in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the pages we read do not mention a separate admission cut-off for the College.

4. U.S. applicants

• Cost: the tuition page lists one tuition figure with no in-state/out-of-state split. 2026-27 direct costs: tuition $62,710, housing and meals $16,240, mandatory fees $1,170, which the page totals as $80,120. Estimated indirect costs: books and supplies $800, transportation $1,000, personal $1,700, average loan fees $70. 2027-28 costs: not listed on the pages we read. The page adds that housing and meals follow DePauw's four-year residency requirement.
• The DePauw Promise: DePauw says it meets 100% of calculated financial need for every first-year student: the apply page says beginning with the class entering in fall 2026, and the tuition FAQ refers to the 2027 incoming class. Family income up to $50,000 (on a U.S. domestic aid basis): full direct costs covered; up to $100,000: full tuition; up to $200,000: at least 50% of tuition; significant assets or foreign income can change the calculation. Need is determined by the FAFSA and, for some students, the CSS Profile; FAFSA priority date 1 February.
• Merit scholarships: every applicant is automatically considered, with awards from $20,000 per year to full tuition; the site says students on average qualify for $30,000 to $45,000 in DePauw scholarships. Competitive full-tuition awards (Rector, Jordan, Green, Sanger, Prindle) are also automatic; the Rector is described as going to roughly the top five percent of the applicant pool. The pages give two figures for aid recipients: more than 90% (tuition page) and more than 95% (scholarships page). No in-state preference is mentioned on the pages we read.

5. International applicants

• Share: nearly 20% of each incoming class is international.
• Transcripts: sent directly by a school official (through the Common App or by email); documents submitted by applicants are not accepted even if sealed and stamped; grades for the last four years (at least three if still in school); all documents in the original language plus certified English translations verified by the school or a local EducationUSA office; where applicable, the counselor also submits national, regional or state board exam results (such as CBSE/ISC, WAEC, IGCSE/GCSE). Admitted students send proof of graduation and the final transcript before enrolling.
• English (if English is not your first language): TOEFL iBT minimum 4.0 overall and per section (new 1-6 scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, or PTE Academic 57; TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online and PTE at-home are accepted, and TOEFL superscores are accepted. Applicants from the listed English-speaking countries/regions get an automatic waiver; students with an entire secondary education in an English-medium school may request one.
• Finances: every international applicant must submit the DePauw Student Certification of Finances and supporting documents (such as recent bank statements or employer letters verifying parent income). For 2026-27 the estimated amount needed to qualify for an I-20 is $80,120, minus any awards.
• Aid: international students are eligible for merit scholarships from $20,000 per year to full tuition. Need-based aid requires the Certification of Finances, with deadlines equal to the admission deadlines and packages awarded with admission. The site contradicts itself: the checklist and the international aid page say CSS Profile and ISFAA are no longer accepted, while an FAQ on the scholarships page says international students seeking need-based aid must complete the CSS Profile. Ask International Admission.
• Interview: optional; Vericant and InitialView interviews are accepted.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read have no China-specific section and do not say how the Gaokao is used. Not published; contact International Admission (intladmission@depauw.edu).
• Transcripts and translation: under the international checklist, non-English transcripts need the original plus a certified English translation verified by the school or EducationUSA, submitted directly by a school official. How Chinese school-leaving or proficiency exam results are submitted: not published.
• Other: English scores, financial certification and scholarships are as in section 5.

7. Transfer

• Deadlines (apply by / notified by / deposit due): spring semester 1 Dec / 15 Dec / 1 Jan; fall semester 1 Jul / 15 Jul / 1 Aug.
• Materials: the DePauw Application or Common App, the Common App College Official's Report, official transcripts from all colleges attended, the official final high-school transcript, and one letter from a professor or adviser (optional for domestic, required for international applicants). Tests are optional for domestic transfer applicants; international transfer applicants whose first language is not English need English scores and the Certification of Finances.
• GPA: the page says successful transfer applicants typically have at least a 3.0 GPA in college-level coursework.
• Credit: Transferology shows how courses transfer; after admission the Registrar's Office evaluates transfer credit and helps with scheduling. Any cap on transfer credit and whether chemistry courses transfer: not stated on the pages we read.
• Specific prerequisite courses or grades for transferring into chemistry: not stated on the transfer page we read.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• DePauw Application, Common App or Coalition App; no fee; testing optional; Early Decision/Action I 1 November, II 15 December, Regular 1 February; FAFSA priority date 1 February
• Without high-school chemistry, the course page points to CHEM 180 or instructor permission before CHEM 120/130

International applicants (including China):

• Transcripts sent by the school with the original and a certified English translation; English scores (TOEFL 4.0 on the new scale, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, PTE 57); Certification of Finances and supporting documents
• Ask International Admission how the Gaokao is used and whether need-based aid requires the CSS Profile

Transfer students:

• Spring 1 December, fall 1 July; successful applicants typically have at least a 3.0 GPA; use Transferology to check credit

Sources: DePauw University, Chemistry; Chemistry requirements; Chemistry courses; Student resources; Biochemistry; Biochemistry requirements; College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Apply; International applicants; International application checklist; Scholarships and aid for international students; Transfer applicants; Scholarships & aid; The DePauw Promise; Tuition & fees. Dates and costs are as listed on those pages; confirm that undated dates apply to fall 2027 entry. Check DePauw for the latest.