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

At Syracuse University, psychology is taught by the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, which offers a BA in Psychology and a BS in Psychology, plus minors in psychology and cognitive science and an integrated neuroscience major. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Syracuse’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 to apply to

• Single enrollment: most applicants apply to one of nine undergraduate colleges; psychology is in Arts and Sciences. You can also apply for dual enrollment, pursuing majors in two colleges and earning a single bachelor’s degree granted by both.
• Declaring the major: Arts and Sciences students submit the Major Declaration Form through MySlice eForms and are notified by email; students in other colleges email the form to the department’s Student Support Office, stating BA or BS. Syracuse does not state a deadline for declaring.
• Extra requirements: Architecture, some Arts and Sciences programs, Engineering and Visual and Performing Arts have additional application items; none are listed for psychology.

2. BA versus BS

• BA: covers clinical, cognitive, developmental, social and other areas of psychology plus research methods; the department sees it as suited to careers in business, communications or social services.
• BS: all BA requirements plus one psychology lecture-laboratory sequence, one biology, chemistry or physics lecture-laboratory sequence, and at least three courses (nine credits) in mathematics or natural sciences.
• The department notes that a BS is not necessary for graduate school or medical school; programs care more about GPA, coursework, experience and recommendations.
• Credit requirements for the major are in the course catalog, which returned a verification page to us while this guide was written, so we could not check them. Honors is through the university-wide Renée Crown Honors Program.

3. Deadlines and decisions

• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November; notification in late December (the enrollment options page says most hear before 1 January); reply by 15 February.
• Early Action (non-binding): new for fall 2027, deadline 1 November, decisions in early February, reply by 1 May.
• Early Decision II: 5 January. The deadlines table says notification begins mid-January, while the enrollment options page says candidates are typically notified by mid-February; reply by 1 March.
• Regular Decision: 5 January; notifications begin mid-March and continue weekly; reply by 1 May.
• ED reply dates apply when you are admitted to your first-choice college; if admitted to an alternate choice, the reply date is 1 May.
• Apply through the Common App or Coalition (Scoir). First-year applicants submit an official high school transcript, senior grade report, counselor evaluation and one academic recommendation.

4. Testing and English

• Testing: SAT/ACT is not required for fall 2026 through spring 2028 entry; not submitting causes no disadvantage and keeps you eligible for merit scholarships. Students outside the U.S. at schools not following the American system also do not need SAT/ACT.
• English: first-year and transfer applicants living outside the U.S. whose first language is not English must submit English test results. TOEFL (including Home Edition), IELTS, Cambridge, PTE and Duolingo are accepted; TOEFL Essentials, ITP, MyBest scores and IELTS Indicator are not.
• Preferred scores for Arts and Sciences (not a guarantee): TOEFL 85 (4.5 on the scale effective 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Cambridge 176, Duolingo 125, SAT EBRW 600, ACT English 27.
• Waivers: first-year students who attended U.S. high schools in person for at least three full years (grades 10–12) can be waived; students in bilingual or non-English curricula must submit proof. Waivers are at the committee’s discretion.
• Conditional admission: academically qualified applicants with insufficient English or financial documentation may be admitted conditionally; only those with official TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge or PTE scores are considered.
• Interviews: optional; virtual interviews can be scheduled, students in Asia can interview with Vericant, and InitialView is accepted.

5. Students in China and Canada

• China: the international credentials table asks for the Upper Middle School Graduation Certificate and, if taken, a copy of Gaokao results “with superior scores”; no advanced credit is given.
• Canada: BC applicants submit the Secondary School Diploma and transcript, Ontario applicants the OSSD and transcript, and other provinces their equivalents; Quebec requires one year of CEGEP, and a two-year CEGEP program can earn up to one year of credit. No grade cut-offs are published.
• Credentials from outside the U.S. need official records and English translations, with a grading-scale key.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 international undergraduate, on campus (US$): tuition 69,180; housing and food 20,580; miscellaneous fees 1,869; books 1,847; transportation and travel 1,888; personal 1,294; health insurance 2,868; program and technology fees 1,000; total 100,526. Off campus, the total is 98,248. First- and second-year students generally live in university housing.
• Summer: international undergraduates may need about $7,291 more for summer housing, meals and personal costs.
• Scholarships: international undergraduates are considered for merit scholarships, selected by the Office of Admissions on academic credentials and announced at admission.
• Proof of funds: F-1 applicants must document funding for the full first-year cost of attendance; bank statements or bank letters are accepted, screenshots and income statements are not.

7. Transfer students

• Who is a transfer: students who have completed at least 12 credits in a degree program elsewhere; those with fewer apply as first-year students.
• Deadlines: fall entry 1 July, but admission is rolling from late February and some programs fill, so apply early; spring entry has a preferred deadline of 15 November and a final deadline of 1 December, then space-available.
• Materials: a College Report and transcripts from every college attended; applicants with fewer than 30 college credits since high school also send a final high school transcript. Transfer applicants do not need SAT/ACT.
• English waiver: transfers with at least 24 in-person credits at a U.S. institution and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (excluding ESL) can be waived.
• Credit: psychology transfer credit is reviewed through a Transfer Credit Petition with the course syllabus, submitted to the department’s Student Support Office; review can take up to two weeks. Syracuse also offers the Orange Transfer Credit Navigator.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply to Arts and Sciences via Common App or Coalition by 1 November (ED I or EA) or 5 January (ED II or RD)
• TOEFL 85 (4.5 new scale) or IELTS 6.5+; include Gaokao results if you took it
• Optional Vericant or InitialView interview
• Prepare proof of funds for about $100,526; you may be considered for merit scholarships

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

• Same deadlines; send your diploma and transcript
• Submit English scores if English is not your first language

Transfer students:

• At least 12 credits; fall deadline 1 July, but rolling decisions start in late February, so apply early
• Keep psychology syllabi for credit petitions after enrolment

Sources: Syracuse University, Dates and deadlines; Enrollment options and admission plans; First-year requirements; College-specific requirements and test policy; International undergraduate requirements; International credentials; Transfer admissions; Transfer requirements; International costs; Psychology undergraduate study; Psychology undergraduate advising; BA in Psychology. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Syracuse University for the latest details.