How to Apply to Psychology at the University of Rochester: Declare the BA After Entry, Test Optional, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At the University of Rochester, psychology is offered by the Department of Psychology in the School of Arts & Sciences and leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA). Applicants are not admitted by major; you take the required courses and declare after entry. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on the University of Rochester’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Psychology major (students entering fall 2025 and later)

• Introduction: PSYC 101, taken as early as possible as the prerequisite for other PSYC courses; waived with a 4 or 5 on AP Psychology or a 6+ on HL IB Psychology.
• Statistics: one of STAT 180, 190 or 203, ideally by the end of sophomore year; AP Statistics 4 or 5 earns STAT 180.
• Research methods: PSYC 218 or PSYC 219W, no later than the end of junior year.
• Foundations: two cognitive and neurobiological foundations courses and two social, developmental and clinical foundations courses.
• Electives: five four-credit PSYC electives, plus two upper-level writing courses, at least one at the 200 level or above.
• Declaring: submit a major declaration form listing courses that meet all requirements; forms are typically processed within a week. The department’s pages do not state a deadline semester for declaring.
• Research honors: for students heading to graduate study. You must be a declared major with a psychology GPA of 3.3+ by the end of junior year, a B+ or higher in PSYC 219W, and at least one semester of independent research or a 300-level research seminar before senior year; find a faculty mentor and apply by 1 August before senior year. The program is a year of honors research courses ending in a thesis and public defense.

2. Deadlines and decisions

• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November, decisions mid-December, reply within three weeks.
• Priority scholarship deadline: 1 December, decisions late February, reply by 1 May. Rochester says to send all materials by 1 December for the highest scholarship consideration.
• Early Decision II: 5 January, decisions early February.
• Regular Decision: 5 January, decisions 1 April, reply by 1 May.
• The Common App or Coalition application must arrive by the deadline; other materials may follow by 1 December (ED I), 1 February (ED II) or 15 February (RD).
• Application fee: $50, with waivers available.
• Materials: secondary school transcript, one teacher recommendation, school report and counselor recommendation, mid-year report, and the Rochester supplement and essay. An interview is highly recommended.

3. Testing and English

• Test optional: not submitting tests is no disadvantage for admission or scholarships. You may also be “test flexible” and submit AP, IB, A-Level or national exam results instead of the SAT/ACT, self-reported at application with official scores before enrolling.
• Gaokao: the list of approved national exams includes the Chinese National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gaokao), with verification available through CHESICC. For Canada, the list names Canadian provincial secondary school qualifications.
• Test timing: ED I and ED II accept October ACT and November SAT scores; Regular Decision accepts December tests.
• English: required for non-native speakers attending secondary or higher education in a non-English-speaking country, via Duolingo, IELTS or TOEFL. Recommended scores:
  • Duolingo 130;
  • IELTS 7.5;
  • TOEFL 100 on the former scale or 5 on the new scale; no MyBest scores or combining sub-scores across sittings.
  Applicants below these ranges are still encouraged to apply; some may be admitted through the two-semester English for Academic Purposes Program (EAPP).
• Waiver: available to native English speakers and to students with at least three years at a high school where English was the primary language of instruction.

4. Costs, aid and scholarships

• 2026-27 costs (US$): tuition 71,750, mandatory fees 1,622, housing 12,822, about 96,022 in total with food and other items. Rochester notes higher travel allowances for international students; textbooks are included in tuition.
• Need-based aid: Rochester commits to meeting the full demonstrated need of all admitted students regardless of citizenship, but financial need is a contributing factor for international applicants, so admission is highly selective for those with need; only a small number qualify.
• Financial documents at application: the International Financial Support Form (IFSF) if you do not need aid, or the CSS Profile if you do (from 1 October; fee waiver requests by 15 January for first-years). Applicants who cannot secure funding cannot be admitted.
• Merit scholarships: all applicants are considered regardless of citizenship, with no extra documents.

5. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall 15 March for priority consideration, with rolling decisions every three to four weeks from late March; spring 15 October. Supplemental materials are due by 15 June for fall.
• Eligibility: you are a transfer once you have eight or more college credits after high school; the most competitive applicants have completed a year of college (24–32 credits). Rochester says transfers average a 3.3+ GPA, with a median college GPA of 3.5 among typical admits, entering as sophomores or juniors.
• Materials: Common App; college transcripts, final high school transcript (waivable after a full year of college), English results or waiver request, and the IFSF or CSS Profile. College work outside the U.S. needs a course-by-course evaluation from WES or ECE.
• Credit: comparable courses with a C or better transfer, all initially as elective credit; course equivalencies come from the relevant department. A transfer credit evaluation comes with the offer.
• Psychology: transfers are not admitted to a major, but intended major is a review factor. Rochester says departments allow at least two outside courses toward the major; for psychology, send full syllabi to the instructors of the equivalent courses for approval as soon as possible after admission.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply by 1 November (ED I), 1 December (priority scholarship) or 5 January (ED II or RD)
• Decide whether to submit SAT, ACT, AP or Gaokao results; the Gaokao can be verified via CHESICC
• Duolingo 130, IELTS 7.5 or TOEFL 5 recommended; an interview is highly recommended
• Submit the IFSF or CSS Profile with your application; needing aid affects admission

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

• Same deadlines; provincial qualifications can be used for the test-flexible option
• Three years at an English-medium high school qualifies you to request an English waiver

Transfer students:

• Fall priority deadline 15 March; ideally a full year of college and a 3.3+ GPA
• Arrange a WES or ECE evaluation for college work outside the U.S.; keep psychology syllabi

Sources: University of Rochester, Dates and deadlines; First-year students; International students; Testing policies; Transfer students; Psychology major requirements; Psychology honors program; Psychology advising and credit; Undergraduate tuition and expenses 2026-27. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check the University of Rochester for the latest details.