How to Apply to Chemistry at Michigan Tech: A Department in the College of Sciences and Arts with an ACS-Certified Chemistry BS, a Chemistry BA, Computational Chemistry and Chemical Informatics BS and Medicinal Chemistry BS, with First Chemistry Course Set by Math Placement and High-School Chemistry Grades, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech) is in Houghton, Michigan, and undergraduate chemistry is offered by the Department of Chemistry in the College of Sciences and Arts. Here is what you need to know, based on the university’s website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (chemistry focus) is shared with the Department of Biological Sciences; chemical engineering, pharmacy and medicine are outside this article, so see the university’s website.

1. Degrees and areas

• Degrees in the department: the department’s home page lists Chemistry BS, Chemistry BA, Computational Chemistry and Chemical Informatics BS (the page title says Cheminformatics BS, and the department and college lists word the name differently), Medicinal Chemistry BS, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology BS, shared with Biological Sciences, in a chemistry focus and a biology focus. The chemistry pages list both a chemistry focus and a biology focus; the biology-focus program page sits under the biological sciences pages, and the chemistry-focus page was not read.
• Chemistry BS: described as the traditional approach to chemistry, preparing for graduate school, industry or laboratory research, with most of your time spent on lab work and research. The BS page offers concentrations in Environmental Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry and Chemical Physics, and says there are “four different concentrations” sharing a common chemistry core so students can switch between them; the department’s undergraduate page says “one of three concentrations,” so the two statements differ. You can add a minor, certificate or second major. The certification page says the Chemistry BS is certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS). The typical four-year outline (labelled ACS Certified) totals 120 credits: University Chemistry I–II with labs, organic chemistry (mechanistic and synthetic) with labs, Computing in Chemistry, Physical Chemistry I–II with labs, Analytical Chemistry I–II with labs, Biomolecular Chemistry I, Inorganic Chemistry I with lab, calculus, University Physics I–II and major approved electives; the first-year outline also has a professional development seminar for chemists (CH 1134).
• Chemistry BA: described as a traditional liberal arts degree giving a foundation in the chemical sciences and basic lab skills, with plenty of room for electives and minors (law, education, business, pre-health and others); the BA offers a Pre-Pharmacy concentration. The typical four-year outline is 120 credits and includes University Chemistry, organic chemistry, Analytical Chemistry I, Biomolecular Chemistry I, Physical Chemistry for the Natural Sciences (CH 3500), College Physics, many free electives and 9 credits of major electives. The outline title also says “ACS Certified,” but the certification page says “our BS” is certified, so confirm with the department whether the BA is certified too. Pharmacy (PharmD) and other pre-professional paths are outside this article.
• Computational Chemistry and Chemical Informatics BS: chemistry plus information technology, with upper-level coursework in chemistry and computer science and a route to a computer science minor with four computer science courses.
• Medicinal Chemistry BS: emphasises research experience, computer-aided drug design and modern chemical techniques plus biomedical science; the page mentions graduate study or pharmaceutical careers and an arrangement with Ferris State University for its PharmD (pharmacy is not covered here).
• Other: the website also has chemistry minors, pre-professional and summer pages, which were not read.

2. How admission works: apply to the university; the chemistry admission line is not published

• Who you apply to: the university’s undergraduate application or the Common App (international students must use the Common App, see below); chemistry is taught in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Sciences and Arts. The requirements page says admission requirements vary by major.
• Chemistry-specific requirements: the admissions and department pages read give no GPA or course threshold for chemistry; this is not published, so contact Admissions (mtu4u@mtu.edu, 888-688-1885).
• Undecided: the College has a General Sciences and Arts option, up to three semesters to explore without delaying graduation, with a one-credit course, SA 1000.
• Changing into chemistry: the pages read do not state conditions, GPA or limits for moving into chemistry; ask the department’s advisors. The chemistry first-year page names Associate Professor Paul Charlesworth as the first-year advisor.
• Graduation credits: both the Chemistry BS and BA four-year outlines total 120 credits, including 37 credits of Essential Education requirements, of which up to five can overlap with major courses.

3. Prerequisites and course placement

• High-school courses recommended: for the College of Sciences and Arts the requirements page recommends 3–4 years of English, 3–4 of math, 3 of science and 3 of social science; for natural and physical science majors the recommended science sequence is a year of physics and a year of chemistry. These are recommendations, not admission requirements.
• Choosing your first chemistry course: the first-year chemistry page says new students may be placed by their home department before arriving and can adjust at orientation or in the first weeks. It tells you to consider math placement, your grades in your last high-school chemistry and algebra, and how long since you studied chemistry. Table: placed in MA1030 (College Algebra), take CH1000 Introductory Chemistry; placed in MA1032 (Precalculus) with a chemistry and algebra grade below B, take CH1000; placed in MA1032 with B or better, take CH1150 (University Chemistry 1) and CH1151 (lab), with CH1153 recitation recommended. The FAQ says students entering college-level chemistry should have had one to two years of high-school chemistry with a B or better; if you took no chemistry, have a weak background or three or more years have passed, take CH1000 (offered in fall and summer Track B only). The page says most students should be placed in a calculus course or have completed MA1032 before college-level chemistry.
• Math placement: the math department’s placement page gives MA1160 (Calculus with Technology I) or MA1161 (Calculus Plus with Technology I) as the recommended first math course for chemistry, computational chemistry and medicinal chemistry. Placement into MA1160: ACT math 29 or SAT math 680 and above, or ALEKS 86–100; MA1161 (and MA1135): ACT 26–28, SAT 610–670, ALEKS 76–85; MA1032: ACT 22–25, SAT 540–600, ALEKS 61–75. An AP Calculus AB score of 3 allows placement into MA2160 (MA1160 credit awarded once you earn a C or better). The Chemistry BS outline has calculus I–II and physics in the first year.
• AP Chemistry (2027-28 credit table): a 4 or 5 earns CH1150, 1151, 1153, 1160, 1161 and 1163 (10 credits); a 3 earns CH1150, 1151 and 1153 (5 credits). Admissions sends a letter saying whether credit is granted, and you may decline it at the Registrar’s Office. Students without AP can take the CLEP chemistry exam; a minimum of 50 earns the same 10 credits.
• Other AP subjects (2027-28): Calculus AB 4 or 5 earns MA 1160 (4 credits); Calculus BC 4 or 5 earns MA 1160 and MA 2160 (8 credits); Physics 1 at 4 or 5 earns PH 1110 and 1111 (4 credits); Physics 2 at 4 or 5 earns PH 1200 and 1210 (4 credits); Physics C Mechanics (for non-physics majors) earns PH 1100 and 2100 (4 credits) and Physics C E&M (non-physics majors) earns PH 1200 and 2200 (4 credits); Biology 5 earns BL 1100, 1110, 1200 and 1210 (8 credits).
• IB (2027-28): Higher Level only, score 5 or better; Chemistry HL earns CH1150, 1151, 1153, 1160, 1161 and 1163 (10 credits), Mathematics HL earns MA 1160 and 2160 (8 credits) and Physics HL earns PH 1110, 1111, 1200 and 1210 (8 credits). Standard Level earns no credit. Cambridge A-levels may earn credit once you are admitted, based on results. To waive AP/IB/CLEP credit or course placement, contact the Registrar’s Office (906-487-2319, schedule@mtu.edu).
• Support: the Chemistry Learning Center; the page says participants typically earn one-half to one full grade higher than non-participants (the department’s own statement).
• Competitions: the pages read do not say how competitions such as the Chemistry Olympiad are viewed in admission.

4. Research and laboratory work

• The department’s research page says “a majority of our students conduct undergraduate research with faculty members.” Students often consider it after the foundational courses at the start of junior year, but you may begin at any time; some began in the first year or the summer before. You must take the initiative, ideally arranging it the term before you register.
• Research courses are CH4990 (Undergraduate Research) and CH4995 (Undergraduate Research for Biochemists), usually 2 to 4 credits a term with at least three hours of work a week per credit over a 14-week term. The page says to be meaningful, students must enroll for two semesters and at least 6 credits in total, and at most 12 credits of research count toward the graduation credits (the page says 128 credits for graduation while the outlines say 120, so confirm with the department). Beforehand you are advised to choose an advisor and volunteer in the lab, and complete a lab safety form. The grade is given only after a research report is submitted, and the department sends report copies to the ACS.
• Instruments: the page says the NMR and mass spectrometers have recently been upgraded and that students enrolled in research have access to the instruments they need; some students are listed as co-authors on peer-reviewed publications and have presented at conferences.
• The BA page says most chemistry majors take part in research or a co-op/internship; the BS outline does not list a separate thesis.

5. Deadlines and materials (first-year, domestic)

• Application system: the university’s online application or the Common App; choose one and submit only one. Application fee: the requirements and FAQ pages read do not say; this is not published there, so check the application page.
• Deadlines: the FAQ says to apply by 1 November for priority consideration and by 1 February for regular decision, and applications are still accepted afterwards; priority applicants hear by 15 January, regular applicants by 1 March, and later applicants within 2–3 weeks. The pages do not print an entry year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• Materials: an official high-school transcript (sent by the school or through a transcript service such as Parchment); a final transcript within 30 days of graduation, which the university reviews and a significant decline may affect enrollment. The pages say most majors need no letters of recommendation or essays; the programs listed as needing extra materials are audio production, sound design and theatre technology (the FAQ also lists pre-nursing), and chemistry is not among them.
• Testing: SAT/ACT is not required but recommended, for scholarships and later course placement. The pages say homeschool students and students with a GPA below 3.0 may be asked for scores or other documentation; there is no superscoring and the best single sitting is used. The requirements and FAQ pages still carry older wording about 2025 applicants; check the latest statement for 2027.
• In-state applicants: the pages do not describe guaranteed or priority admission for Michigan residents; tuition and scholarships differ for residents and non-residents (see below).
• Admission standard: the requirements page says admission requirements vary by major and the Admissions Committee reviews the high-school transcript, courses and grades; it prints an average first-year high-school GPA of 3.83 (4.0 scale) and average SAT total of 1221, while the FAQ says an average GPA of 3.8 and ACT composite of 26.7 (about 1260 SAT). These are university-wide figures, not an admission line for chemistry.

6. US domestic applicants: costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 estimate (cost page): tuition USD 20,396 for Michigan residents and USD 46,294 for non-residents; required fees USD 382; lab and course fees USD 668; housing and food USD 15,321; books USD 1,200; personal expenses USD 640; transportation USD 1,474; loan origination fee USD 64; the page’s annual totals are USD 40,145 (resident) and USD 66,043 (non-resident). 12 to 18 credits a semester are charged at a plateau rate, fewer than 12 per credit (resident USD 769, non-resident USD 1,714). Students with 60 or more credits (including transfer, dual enrollment or AP/IB/CLEP) pay upper-division tuition. 2027-28 costs are not on the pages read. The FAQ says the university does not participate in tuition reciprocity programs.
• Automatic merit scholarships: admitted first-year students are considered automatically by GPA, and official test scores may raise the amount. Michigan residents (Presidential Scholars, GPA-only table): 4.00+ USD 5,000 a year, 3.90–3.999 USD 3,000, 3.75–3.899 USD 2,000, 3.50–3.749 USD 1,000; another passage values the program at USD 1,000 to 7,500 a year, renewable for eight semesters. Non-residents (National Scholars, GPA-only table): 4.00+ USD 19,000 a year, 3.90–3.999 USD 17,000, 3.75–3.899 USD 15,000, 3.35–3.749 USD 12,000; another passage values the program at USD 12,000 to 21,000 a year, renewable for eight semesters.
• Awards needing a separate application: the Leading Scholar Award (apply by 15 November of the senior year; for Michigan residents it is valued at full-time tuition, housing and food plus USD 1,000 a year, and for non-residents at full-time non-resident tuition); the FIRST/VEX Robotics scholarship (USD 1,500 or 4,000 a year, by 1 February); Summer Youth Scholars and others; see the scholarships page.
• Federal and state aid: complete the FAFSA (the FAQ says between October and 1 March); the scholarships page also lists the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, up to USD 5,500, for students who graduated from a Michigan high school after 2023, lived in Michigan at least a year and filed a FAFSA with an SAI of 30,000 or less.

7. International applicants

• Applying: all undergraduate international students (except exchange students) must apply through the Common App with a one-time, non-refundable USD 35 processing fee; fee waivers are not approved. Do not send recommendations, essays or portfolios unless your portal checklist asks for them. Transcripts must be sent directly by your school, covering the most recent three years, with English translations.
• Deadlines (the page says “Fall (August start)” with no year; check fall 2027): application due 1 April, documents due 1 May, post-acceptance I-20 documents due 1 June, last day I-20 documents are issued 15 June. Spring (January start): 1 October, 15 October, 1 November, 15 November.
• English proficiency (one test is enough): TOEFL iBT, minimum 79 for exams before 21 January 2026 and 4.5 for exams on or after that date (new scoring); IELTS overall 6.5 with at least 6.0 in speaking and writing; SAT evidence-based reading and writing 510; ACT 18 in both English and reading; Pearson 53; Duolingo 120 (accepted only for international undergraduate admission). Scores must be within two years of the intended enrollment date.
• Exemptions and conflicting wording: one passage of the English requirements page says English waivers are not accepted, while another says applicants from certain countries are exempt and study at a US high school or college may also waive it (decided once official transcripts arrive); the FAQ also says applicants from certain countries may be exempt and mentions conditional admission if a score falls below the minimum, referring to the English page, which does not contain that detail on the version read. The exempt list includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Nigeria and the Philippines, among others.
• Proof of funds: after admission, the I-20 requires an Affidavit of Financial Support (F-1) and proof of funds for at least one full year (bank statements, scholarship or loan letters), dated within 12 months of the semester start, plus a passport photo page.
• Costs and aid: tuition is charged at the non-resident rate, and international students pay a USD 250 per-semester surcharge (excluding summer). New international first-year students are automatically considered for the International Ambassador Scholarship, which the page values at USD 11,000 to 14,300 a year; the FAQ says international students are not eligible for need-based aid. Other awards need separate applications, such as Summer Youth Scholars (up to USD 4,000 a year, due 1 December) and the FIRST Scholarship.
• Academic documents: the application page lists secondary-school transcripts (or attested mark sheets) and English results; the exact checklist appears in your portal after you apply. Country-specific documents (for example CBSE for India, WAEC for Nigeria, GCSE/IGCSE and AS or predicted A-level results for Cambridge-curriculum schools) are listed on the application page.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international application pages read do not say whether the gaokao is considered or how, and there is no China-specific page; this is not published, so email international@mtu.edu. The application page asks only for secondary-school transcripts (the last three years) or attested marks sheets; which documents Chinese schools should send is given by the portal checklist after you apply.
• English: China is not on the exempt list, so submit one of TOEFL, IELTS, SAT/ACT, Pearson or Duolingo (scores above). The pages do not say whether gaokao English can substitute.
• International curricula: AP and IB Higher Level students can use the credit tables in section 3; A-level credit is decided after admission from results.
• Interviews and evaluators: the pages do not say whether first-year international applicants are interviewed or name a credential evaluator for Chinese records (course-by-course evaluation is required only for international transfer, below).

9. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see sections 6 and 7.
• Departmental awards: the chemistry pages read list no scholarships specific to the department; this is not published there, so check the department and scholarship pages.
• Outcomes: the Chemistry BS page lists career paths including biochemist, chemist, college or university professor, environmental consultant, food and drug inspector, forensic scientist, patent examiner and toxicologist, and employers that have hired Michigan Tech chemistry graduates (for example Cayman Chemical, Honeywell, Perrigo, Nestle Nutrition and the US Army). It gives no employment rate or starting salary for chemistry graduates.

10. Transfer students

• Who counts: applicants who graduated from high school and took at least one college course afterwards (even if not completed or not graded well); students in early or middle college programs count as first-year.
• Deadlines: spring (January) 1 December, summer (May/June) 1 April, fall (August) 28 July; the page says applications are being accepted for spring, summer and fall 2027.
• Materials: apply with the university’s undergraduate application or the Common App, listing all colleges attended; official college transcripts sent directly to Admissions; and an official high-school transcript unless you hold an associate degree or higher. SAT/ACT scores are not required for transfers.
• Credit: appropriate courses from accredited institutions with a grade of C or better can transfer; after acceptance the Registrar’s transfer services staff review transcripts, and you can contact transfer@mtu.edu before applying. The pages read set no GPA or prerequisite requirement for transfers entering chemistry and do not say how transfer credit maps to chemistry courses, so contact the Department of Chemistry or transfer services (transfer@mtu.edu) first.
• International transfer: also through the Common App, USD 35; deadlines as in section 7. Transcripts from colleges outside the US and Canada go first to a pre-approved evaluator (Scholaro, World Education Services or The Evaluation Company) for a course-by-course evaluation, paid by the student. For international transfer credit you submit English syllabi or descriptions (course name, number, dates, topics, textbooks) at least four months before the start; credit is evaluated only once you are admitted and the deposit is paid, and only courses comparable to Michigan Tech courses with a US-equivalent grade of C or higher are eligible, decided by the relevant academic department. The FAQ says students who attended a university in their home country apply as transfer students even if they do not want credit.
• Scholarships: transfer students with at least 12 college-level credits are considered automatically by cumulative college GPA: Michigan residents USD 6,000 a year (3.50–4.00) or USD 4,000 (3.00–3.49); non-residents USD 12,000 (3.50–4.00) or USD 7,000 (3.00–3.49).

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• University application or Common App; priority 1 November, regular 1 February; official high-school transcript; test scores not required but recommended
• FAFSA; GPA-based merit scholarships considered automatically (resident and non-resident)

International applicants (including China):

• Common App only, USD 35; fall deadlines 1 April (application) and 1 May (documents); transcripts for the last three years; one of TOEFL, IELTS, SAT/ACT, Pearson or Duolingo
• Gaokao use is not published; ask international@mtu.edu; proof of funds after admission for the I-20

After entry:

• Choose your first math and chemistry courses from math placement and your high-school chemistry grades; CH1150/1151 or CH1000; plan calculus, physics and organic chemistry; to do research, contact a faculty member a term ahead

Transfer students:

• 1 December (spring), 1 April (summer), 28 July (fall); courses with C or better can transfer; colleges outside the US and Canada need a course evaluation first

Sources: Michigan Technological University, Department of Chemistry; Undergraduate chemistry; Chemistry BS; Chemistry BA; BS four-year outline; BA four-year outline; ACS certification; First-year chemistry; Undergraduate research; Medicinal Chemistry; Computational chemistry and chemical informatics; Math placement; General Sciences and Arts; Admissions requirements; Admissions FAQs; International first-year; English requirements; English exemption countries; Transfer applicants; International transfer; 2026-27 tuition and fees; Scholarships; Aid for international students; AP/IB/CLEP; 2027-28 AP credit guide; 2027-28 IB credit guide. The international deadline table does not print an entry year, and the requirements and FAQ pages still contain older “2025” wording; costs are 2026-27 figures. Check Michigan Tech’s website for the latest.