How to Apply to Chemistry at Knox College: A Three-Term Calendar and Small Classes, BA or BS, an ACS-Certified Track, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Knox College (Galesburg, Illinois) is a small liberal arts college on a three-term calendar. Undergraduate chemistry is offered by the Department of Chemistry, and you apply to the College as a whole. Here is what you need to know, based on the College’s website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Biochemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and other majors are not covered here beyond a passing mention where they overlap with chemistry.

1. Degrees and directions in chemistry

• Degrees and minor: the chemistry page lists a B.A., a B.S. and a minor. The website says the bachelor of science extends the chemistry curriculum.
• The BA (11 credits): General Chemistry CHEM 100A and 102A; Analytical Chemistry CHEM 205; Organic Chemistry CHEM 211 and 212; Inorganic Chemistry CHEM 215; Physical Chemistry CHEM 321 and 321A (0.5 credit); Presentation Skills in Chemistry CHEM 399 (0.5 credit); an Advanced Studies requirement; and Calculus MATH 145 and 146. Advanced Studies can be met by 300-level elective courses totalling at least one credit (BCHM 301 may be used), by an independent research project at the 350 level for at least one credit, or by an Honors Project in Chemistry or Biochemistry (for a double major).
• The BS (15 credits): everything above plus three credits from a listed set of advanced courses (CHEM 315, 316, 317A, 317B, 318, 319, 322/322A, 325, 328, 331, 395, 350 or 400, or BCHM 301) and one course from PHYS 110, 120, 130 or 130A. The page notes that up to 1.5 credits of CHEM 350 and 400 may count toward the major requirements for the BA and BS combined.
• Minor (5 credits): CHEM 100A and 102A; two courses from CHEM 205, 211 or 215; one course from CHEM 212, 220, 250, 315, 325, 328 or 331.
• American Chemical Society (ACS) certification: the requirements page says students interested in chemistry as a profession or for graduate school should consider the ACS-certified curriculum. On top of the BS requirements it adds CHEM 322/322A or BCHM 265; chemical instrumentation (CHEM 325 or 328); green chemistry (CHEM 220 or 315); BCHM 301 on biological macromolecules; one additional topic (nanoscale materials CHEM 233, synthetic polymers CHEM 315, or supramolecular aggregates BCHM 302, BIOL 332 or BIOL 333); one more physics course; and an advanced laboratory experience (1.5 credits of undergraduate research, or at least 107 hours of research with a lab report approved by the adviser, or specified advanced laboratory courses). The chemistry page also recommends a course in expository writing and an introductory computer science course for ACS certification.
• Relation to Biochemistry: the requirements page says that students double majoring in Biochemistry and Chemistry may count no more than 4 courses toward both majors, and that a major-minor combination of the two may share no more than 2 courses. The Biochemistry major itself is not covered here.
• Recommended for graduate study or a chemistry career (chemistry page): beyond the major requirements, advanced inorganic and physical chemistry, two upper-level instrumentation courses and a two-term sequence in general physics.
• Equipment: the chemistry page lists a 400 MHz NMR, IR, Raman, UV/visible, laser, mass, atomic, fluorescence, circular dichroism and polarimetry spectrometers, an inert atmosphere glovebox and Schlenk manifolds, chromatographs, a differential scanning calorimeter, and a 24-core server with computational programs (including density functional theory and the SciFinder Scholar database).

2. Admission route: apply to the College, choose a major after entry

• When applying: the pages read do not say whether you must name chemistry on the application or whether it is reviewed by major, and there is no separate admission line for chemistry. The Apply page says you will never be just a class rank, GPA or test score. This is not published in those pages; please confirm with the Office of Admissions (admissions@knox.edu).
• Declaring the major: the pages read do not say when to declare chemistry or what grade or capacity conditions apply; ask the Registrar or the department.
• Moving in from another major: no separate condition is published in the pages read.
• Which school: the pages read do not say which school chemistry belongs to and publish no school-level admission line; Knox is a liberal arts college and you apply to the College as a whole.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school coursework: the Apply page says successful applicants will have completed at least 4 years of English, 3-4 of mathematics, 3-4 of science, 3-4 of social studies and 2-4 of a foreign language, and encourages honors, AP and IB courses where available. The chemistry pages read state no specific high school chemistry or calculus prerequisite and describe no chemistry placement test; this is not published there, so check the catalogue or ask the department.
• Introductory chemistry (courses page): CHEM 100A, General Chemistry I, covers atomic and molecular structure, solids, liquids, gases and chemical calculations, with four periods of lecture and three of laboratory; CHEM 102A continues with solution chemistry, thermodynamics, equilibrium, acids and bases, kinetics and nuclear chemistry, again with four periods of lecture and three of laboratory. CHEM 100AS and 102AS are supplemental courses reserved for students enrolled in 100A or 102A at the same time; their content follows the difficulties students meet, from algebra review and dimensional analysis to major chemical concepts. The page also lists non-major courses such as CHEM 161 (Introduction to Forensic Science).
• Mathematics and physics: majors take calculus, MATH 145 and 146; the BS also needs one physics course (PHYS 110, 120, 130 or 130A). The courses page does not state how MATH 145/146 relate to the chemistry courses as prerequisites, and describes no mathematics placement test.
• AP, IB and college courses: the Apply and test-scores pages say such credit is not required for admission but may be submitted for advanced course standing and/or credit on enrolment, with the rules in the course catalogue. The credit given for AP or IB chemistry towards CHEM 100A/102A is not published in the pages read; check the College’s website.
• Laboratories and research: CHEM 100A, 102A, 205, 211, 212 and 215 include laboratory work; the chemistry page says all labs are taught by faculty and upper-level classes range from 5 to 15 students. CHEM 399 has students give an oral presentation based on a literature review, a 350-level research project or an Honors project, and teaches poster presentation. CHEM 299 is a seminar series (students attend talks each term and receive 0.5 credit after the spring term).
• Honors: the experiences page says many majors pursue College Honors, advanced research culminating in a defence before an outside examiner; the pages read do not give the conditions for entering it.
• Competitions: the website does not say how chemistry competitions are viewed in admission.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

• Rounds (Apply page; no year shown, so check that the dates apply to fall 2027 entry): Early Action 1 apply by 1 November, decision by 15 December; Early Action 2 apply by 1 December, decision by 15 January; Regular Decision apply by 15 January, decision by 15 March; after 15 January applications are considered on a rolling basis as space allows; the enrolment reply date is 1 May for every round.
• How to apply and fee: the Knox College Application, the Common Application or the Coalition Application; the Apply page says that however you apply there is no application fee.
• First-year materials: the School Report and transcript from your counsellor; one teacher evaluation from an academic subject (English, mathematics, social studies, science or language; the page does not require a science teacher); a Mid Year Report with fall grades. Optional: test scores, arts portfolios and an interview with an admission counsellor (strongly recommended).
• Testing: ACT or SAT scores are optional for most applicants; home-schooled students and students from schools that do not give grades must submit them. Knox superscores. SAT code 1372, ACT code 1052.
• What the review looks at: course difficulty and type (with a preference for honors, AP and IB), consistently high grades, the quality of extracurriculars, and demonstrated interest as one factor among many. There is no minimum GPA; the middle 50% of admitted students have a high school GPA of 3.5-3.7, and the middle 50% of those who submit scores range 22-32 on the ACT and 1195-1368 on the SAT.

5. US domestic applicants: costs and aid

• Costs (2026-27): the cost page lists tuition of $61,998, room and board of $11,862 and fees of $897, a total of $74,757 for full-time undergraduates; the estimated cost of attendance, including books ($1,200), transportation, personal expenses and other items, is $78,217 for on-campus students, $74,668 off campus and $65,773 for commuters. The page shows one tuition rate, with no in-state and out-of-state difference. The rates for 2027-28 are not published in the pages read; check when released. Bills are sent three times a year.
• Academic scholarships: admitted first-year students are automatically considered with no separate application. The website gives several figures: the Scholarships page says $46,000-$52,000 a year; the Apply page says up to $50,000 a year; the cost page says up to $52K a year; and the Prairie Promise page says families earning more than $100,000 can receive academic and talent scholarships of up to $58,000 a year. Talent scholarships (creative writing, dance, music, theatre, visual arts; up to $4,000 a year) are awarded on auditions or portfolios; students from Colorado can apply for the $3,000-a-year Colorado Alumni Scholarship (based on the application and an interview with the Colorado Knox Club).
• Need-based aid: US citizens file the FAFSA (opens 1 October; 1 December is the priority date, 1 March the preferred date for offers before 1 May; offers begin on 1 February). The College says 100% of students receive aid. In the junior or senior year, students receive a $2,000 Power of Experience Grant for internships, international study, service, creative work or research.
• Illinois residents: Prairie Promise: for admitted first-year or transfer students from families with income of $100,000 or less who are Illinois residents (or members of a Native nation with historical ties to Illinois), 100% of tuition is covered by gift aid; no separate application, and you are considered automatically by submitting the FAFSA and being admitted. Federal and state grants count toward it.
• Home-state priority or guaranteed admission: not mentioned in the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Who applies as an international student: applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents and will need a visa. The website says more than 27% of students come from outside the United States, representing 56 countries. Apply with the Common Application, the Coalition Application or the Knox College Application; there is no application fee.
• English: the international applicants page says Knox has no ESL programme and lists as the only accepted tests, any one of: IELTS 6.5 overall; TOEFL iBT 80 overall (4.5 for tests taken after January 2026); Duolingo 115; scores are valid for two years. The test-scores page also lists the Global Test of English Communication (GTEC) at 1200. The two pages differ, so confirm with admissions.
• Exemptions: two consecutive years of full-time high school or university study in the US or a country where English is the only official language (from official transcripts); four years of secondary school at an American-accredited institution abroad with English as the medium; AP English Language and Composition 4 or higher; IB English Language and Literature 5 or higher; A/AS Level English C or above (predicted scores not accepted). The medium of instruction at a previous school does not by itself waive the requirement.
• Materials: an official secondary school transcript (self-reported transcripts are not accepted; the counsellor requests it through the Common Application or emails admission@knox.edu); one teacher evaluation from an academic subject; English proof; GCE, IGCSE or other national or external exam results; transcripts from any college attended; and financial documents: Knox is need-aware, so all applicants complete the Knox Affidavit of Support and submit a bank statement, issued within the last three months, from every party helping to sponsor the education. Some applicants may be asked for an international admissions interview; interviews are strongly recommended and virtual interviews from InitialView and Xtraview are accepted.
• International costs (2026-27): the international costs page estimates tuition $61,998, standard fees $897, books and supplies $1,200, on-campus living $11,862, transportation $500, extra housing during breaks $280, additional food $200, an international pre-orientation fee $200, an optional intensive English programme $1,800 and international insurance $750, a total the page prints as $79,687; additional fees to consider (English test, DS-160 $300, SEVIS $350, deposit $300, airfare $500-$2,000) are printed as $1,939-$3,585. The College suggests planning for annual increases of 4% to 6% and currency fluctuations. Financial aid is not reevaluated each year, so you apply only once.
• International scholarships: the transfer page says international students also get a $4,000 Campus Employment Award if eligible and if they work on campus. The pages read do not separately describe how first-year international applicants are considered for academic scholarships; check the international applicants page or ask admissions.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not say whether the Gaokao is considered; this is not published there, so contact the admissions office (admission@knox.edu).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: no China-specific requirements are published in the pages read; the general international requirements are in section 6 (official transcripts, no self-reported transcripts, national or external exam results, affidavit of support and bank statements).
• English: applicants from China can use any of the options in section 6.
• Course preparation: the website gives no note on how Chinese high school courses correspond to Knox’s; ask admissions and the department.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see sections 5 and 6.
• Department scholarships and research: the Scholarships page lists no scholarship specific to chemistry (its one subject-specific award is the Rothwell Stephens Scholarship in Mathematics). The chemistry page says that in the last five years the faculty have been awarded more than $1 million in grant funding for research-grade instrumentation and for student scholarships and summer on-campus internships; that in the last decade faculty have published 25 peer-reviewed papers, the vast majority with undergraduate co-authors; and that almost 90% of chemistry graduates did independent research while at Knox. The experiences page mentions the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study, Richter funds, McNair scholars, student internships at places such as Argonne, Ames and Los Alamos national laboratories, presentations at American Chemical Society national meetings, and a Chemistry Club that is an affiliated ACS chapter.
• Outcomes: the career outcomes page lists individual alumni only: doctoral study in chemistry (for example at Indiana University, Yale University, Howard University and Pennsylvania State University), forensic science, production supervision, data science, secondary teaching, or other fields. The page prints no College-specific employment or graduate-school rate. The chemistry page also quotes a recent graduate on the transition to graduate courses.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts: applicants who have graduated from high school and have completed at least a semester of coursework at a two-year or four-year college.
• How to apply and materials: the Common Application, the Coalition Application or the Knox College Application, with no application fee; transcripts from each college attended, sent directly; an optional college instructor evaluation (English, mathematics, social studies, science or language); a secondary school transcript for those with fewer than 15 college credits; an interview is strongly recommended. International transfer applicants also need bank statements (and, as international applicants, English proof and the Affidavit of Support). The pages read give dates only for the transfer scholarship: apply by 1 April for fall entry or 1 November for winter entry.
• Credit transfer: the transfer page says Knox courses are typically one credit each because of the 3-3 calendar; credits generally transfer at 0.3 credits per semester hour and 0.2 per quarter hour; 36 credits are needed to graduate; the maximum from a community college is 18 credits, and from other institutions no more than 19 credits overall; the Registrar reviews each record individually (see the transfer credit policy). The pages read do not give chemistry-specific transfer requirements (GPA, prerequisite sequence).
• Transfer scholarships: academic transfer scholarships of $46,000-$50,000 a year (the transfer scholarships page says up to $50,000), based on academic achievement in liberal arts courses; Phi Theta Kappa members receive an additional $5,000 a year; transfer students can also apply for talent scholarships and receive federal work study. Illinois transfer students qualify for the Prairie Promise: the transfer page describes it as meeting 100% of demonstrated need for qualified Illinois families, while the Prairie Promise page says 100% of tuition is covered by gift aid. The wording differs, so confirm with admissions.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• EA1 1 November; EA2 1 December; Regular 15 January; no application fee; one academic-subject teacher recommendation; testing optional; reply date 1 May
• FAFSA (1 December priority); after entry the chemistry major needs CHEM 100A, 102A and MATH 145, 146

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL 80 (4.5 on the new scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115 (or an exemption); official transcript; one recommendation
• Affidavit of Support with bank statements from the last three months; whether the Gaokao is considered is not published

After entry:

• BA 11 credits, BS 15 credits; the BS adds one physics course; ACS certification needs extra courses and a laboratory experience

Transfer students:

• At least one semester of college work; 36 credits to graduate; at most 18 credits from a community college; transfer scholarship dates 1 April (fall) and 1 November (winter)

Sources: Knox College, , Chemistry; Chemistry: requirements; Chemistry: courses; Chemistry: experiences and opportunities; Chemistry: career outcomes; Apply and dates; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Test scores and English; Cost and financial aid; Costs for international students; Prairie Promise; Scholarships; Transfer scholarships. The dates on the Apply page show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry; see the College’s website for the latest.