How to Apply to Psychology at Lehigh University: Apply to the College of Arts and Sciences, Declare a Psychology BA or BS by the End of Sophomore Year, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At Lehigh University, psychology is taught by the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, which offers a B.A. and a B.S. You choose your intended college on the Common App or Coalition (Scoir) application, choosing Arts and Sciences for psychology, and declare a major after entry. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Lehigh’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. When you choose psychology, and major requirements

• Declaring: students in the College can declare after their first semester and must do so by the end of their fourth. The catalog warns that the B.S. is tightly structured, and students who declare late may find it hard to complete.
• B.A.: 13 psychology courses (about 49 credits): Introduction to Psychology, four 100-level breadth courses with a recitation, a three-course research methods and data analysis sequence, and four 300-level seminars, plus a portfolio of written work. An optional concentration is available in cognition and cognitive neuroscience, development, social and personality, or clinical and behavioral health. The B.A. leaves more room for double majors and minors.
• B.S.: 14 psychology courses (about 53 credits) plus 9 collateral courses in math and computer science, natural science, and social and cognitive science (about 31 to 36 credits), a required concentration and five 300-level seminars. It suits students with strong math and science interests, including those preparing for medicine or health professions.
• Department honors: apply in junior year; you must maintain overall and major GPAs of 3.5.

2. Deadlines and decisions

• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November, decision mid-December.
• Early Decision II (binding): 1 January, decision mid-February.
• Regular Decision: 1 January, decision late March.
• Lehigh has no Early Action. ED I and ED II applicants are considered for admission and merit scholarships in the same holistic way.
• Materials: application with Lehigh questions and writing supplement, school report and transcript, one teacher recommendation, mid-year report, and a $75 fee.

3. Students at high schools in China

• International status: non-US citizens apply as international students wherever they attend high school (eligible non-citizens such as permanent residents apply as domestic students).
• Qualification: you must be completing, or have completed, the equivalent of 12 years of education or the program that qualifies you for university study in your system.
• Gaokao: Lehigh does not say how Gaokao results are used.
• Interviews: Lehigh’s pages do not describe interview arrangements.

4. Students at Canadian high schools

• Same application and deadlines; Lehigh publishes no grade requirements for Canadian or BC curricula.
• English waiver: not required if English is your first language or your last two full years of formal instruction (not counting the current year) were in English.

5. Testing and English

• Test optional: Lehigh has extended test-optional admission indefinitely for first-year and transfer applicants and superscores SAT and ACT. Admitted students who reported scores must send official scores before classes; any discrepancy may reverse admission.
• English: non-US citizens must submit an English test unless waived. TOEFL and IELTS are preferred; TOEFL Home Edition and Duolingo are considered if those are unavailable; SAT/ACT cannot meet the requirement. Lehigh’s guidance:
  • strong proficiency: TOEFL 95+ (before 21 January 2026) or 5.5+ (from 21 January 2026), IELTS 7.5+, Duolingo 120+;
  • may need additional support: TOEFL 86–94 or 4.0–5.0, IELTS 6.5–7.0, Duolingo 110–119;
  • lower scores raise considerable concern about readiness.
  Another Lehigh page says the most competitive candidates score above TOEFL 90, IELTS 7.0 or Duolingo 120.

6. Costs and aid

• Typical 2026-27 costs (US$): tuition 69,420, first-year housing 11,470, full meal plan 7,760, technology fee 630, plus activity and wellness fees, for a total of 89,820; some programs add a $910 college fee (including an Arts and Sciences fee). Books and personal expenses are extra. The international page estimates tuition, room and board at more than $98,900 a year.
• International aid: Lehigh has limited aid for international students and therefore reviews non-US citizens who apply for aid need-aware. Aid applicants submit the CSS Profile by the application deadline (1 November for ED I, 15 January for ED II and RD); if the $25 fee is a hardship, the ISAFA is accepted, though places are limited.
• Aid at admission is final: it will not increase except for cost-of-attendance increases, and is not adjusted for home-currency changes.
• Fee waiver: families unable to contribute more than $10,000 a year can use the waiver code Lehigh lists on its international page.
• Merit scholarships: Lehigh says 26% of admitted students for 2025-26 received merit scholarships of $15,000 or more a year, but does not say whether international students are eligible.

7. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall entry 1 April (decision mid-May); spring entry 1 November (decision late December).
• Materials: Common App or Coalition, final high school transcript (high school requirements apply), college transcripts and a conduct report from your institution; testing optional.
• Credit: evaluated after admission by Registration & Academic Services with the faculty. Only courses graded C or better transfer (never C-); pass/fail courses do not; transfer grades are not counted in the Lehigh GPA.
• Psychology major: transfer and study-abroad credit can count, but at least two 100-level breadth courses, three 300-level seminars and the PSYC 201, 202 and 203 sequence must be taken at Lehigh.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply to Arts and Sciences by 1 November (ED I) or 1 January (ED II, RD)
• Submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, aiming for TOEFL 5.5 (new scale) or IELTS 7.5
• If you need aid, file the CSS Profile by the deadline

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

• Same deadlines; two full years of English-medium instruction waives the English test

Transfer students:

• Fall deadline 1 April, spring 1 November
• Only C or better transfers; save the methods sequence and seminars for Lehigh

Sources: Lehigh University, How to apply and deadlines; Admissions requirements; International students; Transfer students; Tuition, aid and affording college; Catalog: Psychology; Catalog: College of Arts and Sciences. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Lehigh for the latest details.