How to Apply to Psychology at Dartmouth College: Declare Psychology by Sophomore Year, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At Dartmouth College, psychology is offered by the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS). Dartmouth does not admit by major: all first-year applicants apply to the College through the Common App and choose a major after entry, and Dartmouth says students don’t need to declare a major until sophomore year. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Dartmouth’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. The psychology major

• Topics: the major and minor cover social interaction, sensation and perception, the physiological basis of behavior, cognition and cognitive neuroscience, learning, social and cognitive development, and behavioral disorders, and undergraduates can do research with a faculty mentor.
• Structure:
  • PSYC 1 (Introduction to Psychology), PSYC 10 (Experimental Design, Methodology, and Data Analysis Procedures) and PSYC 11 (Laboratory in Psychological Science);
  • two courses in the 20s: one from social, abnormal and developmental psychology, and one from perception and cognitive psychology;
  • one course numbered 50 or higher, three electives, and a Culminating Experience seminar, lab or thesis.
• Grades: at least a C in PSYC 1; students who don’t get one can still major if they earn a C or better in their next two psychology courses.
• Statistics: PSYC 10 is strongly recommended, and Math 10 credit by AP or IB does not replace it.
• No AP Psychology credit: the department does not give credit for AP Psychology.
• No modified major: from the Class of 2026, psychology cannot be part of a modified major; students who want more psychology on their transcript can add a psychology minor.
• Psychology vs neuroscience: the department also offers a neuroscience major starting with PSYC 6; psychology starts with PSYC 1, which the department suggests if you are unsure.
• Honors: usually in senior year, with two terms of PSYC 89; students need a 3.30 major GPA and 3.0 overall and must apply by the end of the first week of senior fall.

2. Application plans and timeline

• Early Decision (ED): due November 1, binding (barring circumstances such as unforeseen financial hardship), with decisions by mid-December. Financial aid materials are also due November 1.
• Regular Decision (RD): due January 1 per Dartmouth’s timeline (another part of the site says January 2; follow the application portal), with decisions in late March or early April and a May 1 reply date. Financial aid materials are due February 1.
• Materials: the Common App, the Dartmouth Writing Supplement, the school report with transcript, school profile and counselor evaluation, two teacher evaluations and testing; a peer recommendation is recommended.
• Interviews: not required for first-year applicants; alumni interviews are optional.
• Last test dates: early November for ED and December for RD.

3. Testing

• Students at high schools outside the US can meet the requirement with any one of:
  • the SAT or ACT (multiple sittings are automatically superscored);
  • three AP exams in different subjects, ideally at least one math or science and one history, social science or English;
  • predicted or final IB Diploma results (predictions must come from the school);
  • predicted or final A-Level results, ideally at least three;
  • final results of a standardized national exam (predictions are not accepted).
• The Gaokao: Dartmouth says applicants whose national exam results come after February must choose another option. Gaokao results come out in June, so current-year Gaokao students should use the SAT/ACT, AP, IB or A-Levels.
• Weight: Dartmouth calls testing one factor, but never the primary factor.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Apply through the Common App with your school transcript and recommendations, and meet testing with the SAT/ACT, three APs, IB or A-Levels.
• English: required if English is not your first language and your curriculum has not been in English for at least two years: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or Cambridge English.
• No minimum, but most successful applicants score above 7 on IELTS, above 135 on Duolingo or above 185 on Cambridge English; on the TOEFL, above 100 for tests before January 21, 2026, and 5 or above for tests from that date.
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition and IELTS Indicator are accepted; MyBest scores and TOEFL Essentials are not.

5. Students at Canadian high schools

• Canadian schools count as outside the US, so you can use the SAT/ACT, three APs or IB. BC has no national exam of the kind Dartmouth lists, so most BC students will use the SAT/ACT or AP.
• No English test is needed if English is your first language or you have studied in English for at least two years.
• Dartmouth publishes no grade requirement specific to Canadian or BC curricula; decisions are holistic.

6. Transfer students

• Eligibility: students who have matriculated at a college and completed two years or fewer of coursework, even one term. Students with a bachelor’s degree cannot apply, and high school students whose college courses count toward graduation apply as first-years.
• Fall only: all transfers apply by March 1 and start in September; the 2027 Transfer Application opens in January 2027, with decisions in mid-May.
• Small numbers: Dartmouth says it has recently enrolled between a handful and two dozen new transfer students a year.
• Materials: the transfer application with essays, final high school transcript, college report and transcript (updated in May/June), two evaluations from college instructors and testing; course syllabi are strongly recommended. There are no interviews for transfers.
• Testing: required, but you can request a waiver if you did not test for first-year admission, your scores are more than five years old, or testing would be a hardship.
• Credit: admitted students submit transcripts and all syllabi for the Registrar and departments to assess. Psychology majors and minors may take no more than two of their required courses elsewhere, approved in advance, and transfer courses cannot meet the upper-level (50, 60 or 80) requirements.

7. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 cost of attendance (US$): tuition 71,697, fees 2,426, housing 13,032, food 8,746, books 1,005 and miscellaneous 2,040, for a total of about 98,946 including first-year orientation fees. Students must also buy the college health plan (5,216 in 2026-27) unless they have comparable coverage. 2027-28 figures are not yet published.
• Need-blind for international students: Dartmouth extended need-blind admission to all international applicants, so applying for aid does not affect your admission decision, and says its aid program will meet your family’s demonstrated need.
• Financial aid materials follow your round: ED November 1, RD February 1, transfer March 1.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Submit the Common App and Writing Supplement by November 1 (ED) or January 1 (RD)
• Testing: SAT/ACT, three APs, IB or A-Levels (current-year Gaokao results come too late)
• TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo; typical admits: IELTS 7, new TOEFL 5, Duolingo 135
• For aid, submit by your round’s deadline (ED November 1, RD February 1)

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply by November 1 (ED) or January 1 (RD); use the SAT/ACT or three APs
• No English test if you have studied in English for two years or more

Transfer students:

• Opens January 2027, due March 1, September start; two college instructor evaluations, syllabi and testing
• At most two psychology requirements can come from transfer credit

Sources: Dartmouth College, Apply to Dartmouth: process and timelines; Testing policy; English language proficiency; Universal need-blind policy; Cost of attendance 2026-27; Majors and minors; Transfer enrollment; Testing for transfer applicants; Transferability of college credits; Psychological and Brain Sciences: Psychology; Psychology major requirements; Psychology major/minor FAQs; Psychology honors thesis; Psychology transfer and AP credit. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Dartmouth for the latest details.