How to Apply to Psychology at Santa Clara University: Apply to the College of Arts and Sciences for the Psychology BS, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At Santa Clara University (SCU), psychology is taught by the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the degree is the B.S. in Psychology. SCU uses a quarter system. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on SCU’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Which school to apply to, and major requirements

• Choose a school first: applicants choose the College of Arts and Sciences, the Leavey School of Business or the School of Engineering, then declare a major or stay undeclared. SCU says selectivity does not vary greatly between schools, but readiness for your stated interest is assessed; science, business and engineering applicants are expected to be ready for calculus.
• Declaring or changing: after entry, students declare or change a major through the Registrar’s Program Petition form.
• Psychology major courses (beyond the Core Curriculum):
  • PSYC 1 and 2 (General Psychology) and PSYC 51, 52 and 53 (a three-course statistics and methods sequence);
  • MATH 8, plus MATH 6, 11 or 35;
  • one course each in biological, developmental, applied, socio-cultural/personality, and learning/cognition/perception psychology;
  • one advanced topics course and three more upper-division psychology courses.
• The Bulletin requires a declared psychology major for the statistics and methods sequence, so declaring early helps.

2. Deadlines and decisions

• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November, decision late December.
• Early Action (non-binding): 1 November, decision late December, deposit by 1 May.
• Early Decision II (binding): 7 January, decision mid-February.
• Regular Decision: 7 January, decision late March, deposit by 1 May.
• Winter first-year entry is also available, with a 1 October deadline.
• Materials: Common App, high school transcript from grade 9, one academic teacher evaluation or counselor recommendation, school report, a mid-year report for RD and deferred EA applicants, and a $75 fee. Non-English transcripts need the original and an English translation.

3. Students at high schools in China

• Minimum high school courses: English 4 years, history and social science 3, mathematics 3 (4 recommended), laboratory science 2 (3 recommended), and a language other than English 2 (3 to 4 recommended).
• Gaokao: SCU does not say how Gaokao results are used.
• Interviews: SCU offers no interviews of its own but accepts optional InitialView and Vericant video interviews for international applicants, recommends them, and reviews them holistically.
• Proof of funds: after applying, non-US citizens complete the International Student Financial Resource Form in the applicant portal and upload documents showing they can cover the first year’s total cost.

4. Students at Canadian high schools

• Same deadlines and materials; SCU publishes no grade requirements for Canadian or BC curricula.
• English: attending secondary school in a primarily anglophone country, including anglophone Canada, and completing four years at an English-only school meets the requirement.

5. Testing and English

• Test optional: SAT and ACT are not required for first-year or transfer admission but can be submitted.
• English minimums (all international applicants must demonstrate proficiency; if not exempt, submit one current score, valid two years):
  • IELTS 6.5; TOEFL 90 before 21 January 2026 or 4.5 after; Duolingo 120;
  • SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 630, or ACT Reading and English of 27 each;
  • MyBest, TOEFL Special Home Edition and TOEFL Essentials are not accepted.

6. Costs and aid

• 2026-27 undergraduate on-campus estimate (US$): tuition 64,956, student engagement and well-being fee 780, housing and food 20,094, for direct costs of 85,830; with books, transportation and personal costs the total is about 92,556.
• International aid: federal and state aid is limited to US citizens and eligible non-citizens. SCU says non-citizen undergraduates may qualify for a scholarship, but funding for international students is limited; private loans with a US co-borrower are another option.

7. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall entry has rolling admission from 7 January to 15 April, with decisions from February to mid-May; winter entry closes 1 October, with decisions in mid-November.
• Recommended courses for Arts and Sciences: two English composition courses, two college-level math courses (for B.S. majors) and one lab science; SCU lists an average GPA of 3.3. These are recommendations, not requirements.
• Foreign university credit: coursework from a foreign university requires a WES course-by-course evaluation; SCU accepts only WES, and no credit is considered without it.
• English: international transfers must meet the English minimums above or will be denied.
• Applicants with fewer than 30 semester (45 quarter) units may submit earlier SAT or ACT scores.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply to Arts and Sciences through the Common App (you can list psychology) by 1 November (ED I, EA) or 7 January (ED II, RD)
• IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 4.5 (new scale) or Duolingo 120; optional InitialView or Vericant interview
• Complete the financial resource form and proof of funds after applying

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

• Same deadlines; four years at an English-only school in anglophone Canada meets the English requirement

Transfer students:

• Fall rolling admission from 7 January to 15 April; average GPA 3.3
• Get a WES course-by-course evaluation for foreign university coursework

Sources: Santa Clara University, First-year students; First-year key deadlines; International application requirements; Undergraduate English proficiency; Transfer students; Transfer key deadlines; Psychology academic programs; Undergraduate Bulletin: Psychology; Cost of attendance; International financial aid; Tuition and fees. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Santa Clara for the latest details.