How to Apply to Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University: Apply to Dietrich College, Choose a B.A. or B.S., and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), psychology is taught by the Department of Psychology in the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and you can earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.). CMU admits by college, so to study psychology you apply to Dietrich College. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on CMU’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Which college, and when you choose a major

• Apply to the college: CMU’s psychology admission page says to submit your application to Dietrich College. Under Early Decision you can apply to only one college.
• Declaring after entry: undeclared first-year students are advised by Dietrich’s Academic Advising Center through major declaration. CMU does not state the exact semester by which you must declare; ask the college’s advising center.
• Related programs: the department also offers Cognitive Science (B.S.), Neuroscience (B.S., an intercollege program) and a unified major in Psychology and Biological Sciences (B.S.).
• High school course requirements (Dietrich): 4 years of English, 3 years of mathematics (including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, elementary functions and pre-calculus; advanced math encouraged), 1 year of science (2 or more preferred), 2 years of a foreign language and 6 electives.

2. Psychology major requirements

• Common to the B.A. and B.S.:
  • calculus;
  • advanced statistics (36-309 or 85-309 Behavioral Statistics);
  • Introduction to Psychology plus two 100-level psychology courses;
  • 85-300 Introduction to Research Methods plus one 85-3xx advanced research methods course;
  • a computer programming course, a breadth course and a practical application course.
• B.A. vs B.S.: in CMU’s requirement lists, the B.A. takes two 85-4xx advanced psychology courses and two science courses, and the B.S. takes three of each (biology recommended). The department’s description says two natural science courses for the B.A. and four for the B.S., which does not match the lists; follow your degree audit.
• Concentration: both degrees require one, such as learning and developmental, social, cognitive, health, cognitive neuroscience, or clinical and counseling psychology.
• Research: majors take two research methods courses, and many work in faculty labs, take research courses for credit or complete a senior honors project; clinical internships are also available.

3. Application plans and deadlines

• Early Decision (binding): deadline November 2, notification by December 15, enroll by February 1. Outcomes are admit, deny or defer to Regular Decision; students denied in ED cannot reapply in RD.
• Regular Decision: deadline January 4, notification no later than April 1, enroll by May 1. RD applicants can switch to ED by emailing the Office of Admission by November 1 and submitting the ED Agreement.

4. Standardized testing

• Dietrich College is test flexible: you must submit scores, but you choose which: SAT, ACT, IB (predicted or actual), AP, Cambridge A-Level (predicted or actual) or the French Baccalaureate. Students submitting predicted results provide actual results only if admitted and enrolling.
• SAT and ACT: CMU superscores the SAT but not the ACT. ED applicants should finish testing by November 1 and RD applicants by January 3; December testing is too late for ED. Self-reported scores are accepted, with official reports needed only on enrollment.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Testing: under the test flexible policy, submit one or more of SAT, ACT, AP, IB or A-Level.
• Gaokao: CMU does not mention the Gaokao or list it as a testing option; check with the admission office.
• English: nonnative English speakers must submit an English test (section 7). CMU recommends, but does not require, InitialView or Vericant interviews for nonnative speakers.
• Transcripts: documents not in English need an official translation verified by a counselor or school official.

6. Students at Canadian high schools

• Process: international applicants follow essentially the same process and timetable as U.S. applicants.
• Testing: the same test flexible policy applies, so submit SAT, ACT, AP or another accepted option.
• BC curriculum: CMU publishes no separate grade requirement for BC or other Canadian provinces.
• English: the requirement depends on native language, so applicants whose native language is not English still need a test.

7. English requirements

• IELTS Academic at least 7.5 overall, with consideration for subscores of 7.5 and above;
• TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition): at least 102 for tests before January 21, 2026 (subscores 25+ considered), or at least 5 for tests on or after that date (subscores 5+); MyBest scores are not used;
• Duolingo at least 135 overall and in each integrated subscore; Cambridge English at least 191; TOEFL Essentials at least 11;
• scores should be no more than two years old, and CMU suggests taking TOEFL or IELTS by December of senior year.

8. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 costs for first-years entering in fall 2026 (U.S. dollars, on campus):
  • tuition 69,702; housing 11,700; food 7,950; fees about 1,862;
  • tuition, fees and living expenses 91,214; total cost of attendance 93,614 with books and personal expenses;
  • health insurance is also required, with a 2026-27 individual premium of 3,093.
  Fall 2027 costs have not been published.
• No aid for international students: CMU does not offer financial aid to international students, who must plan to pay the full cost of attendance.

9. Transfer students

• Deadlines: CMU admits a small number of transfer students as space permits, for fall only. Its pages differ: the deadlines page says February 16 with documents by March 1, while the transfer page says February 15 with documents by March 10. Both give notification by May 17; plan for the earlier date.
• Eligibility: you must complete a semester of college before the deadline and can apply to only one college or program.
• Materials:
  • college and high school transcripts, and course descriptions for college courses taken;
  • a recommendation from a professor or advisor and the Common App College Report;
  • no SAT or ACT required; nonnative English speakers still need an English test.
• Credit: the admitting college evaluates your courses for transfer credit and sends the evaluation with your decision letter.
• University housing is not guaranteed for transfer students.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply to Dietrich College by November 2 (ED) or January 4 (RD)
• Submit at least one of SAT, ACT, AP, IB or A-Level
• IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 5 (102 on the old scale) or Duolingo 135; consider an InitialView or Vericant interview
• Plan to pay the full cost; CMU gives no aid to international students

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

• Same deadlines, and submit SAT, ACT, AP or another accepted test
• Submit an English test if English is not your native language

Transfer students:

• Complete at least one semester; apply by about February 15 with documents in by early March
• Prepare course descriptions and a professor’s recommendation; no SAT or ACT needed

Sources: Carnegie Mellon University, Admission: Psychology; Psychology undergraduate program; B.A./B.S. in Psychology requirements; Dietrich College student success and advising; Application plans and deadlines; Standardized testing and English proficiency; International applicants; Transfer applicants; 2026-27 undergraduate tuition. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check CMU for the latest details.