How to Apply to the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon: Business Administration with 11 Concentrations (Economics Through Dietrich College), with Requirements and Timelines for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), undergraduate business is taught at the Tepper School of Business, and the degree is in Business Administration. 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 students), and transfer students.

1. What Tepper undergraduates study

• Structure: the core covers business, economics, mathematics and statistics. The first year builds foundations in economics, maths and the liberal arts, alongside the introductory course Business Science; sophomore and junior years focus on the business core, electives and a minor; senior year includes a capstone.
• 11 concentrations: Accounting, AI and Business (new), Business Analytics and Technologies, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Global Economics and Business, Islamic Business Management, Marketing Management, Operations Management, Product Management and Strategic Management. A concentration is required, and students are encouraged to declare by the end of sophomore year; concentration courses cannot double count toward other requirements, including the minor.
• Minors: Tepper also offers minors in Business Administration, Business Analytics and Optimization, Economics, Financial Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Operations and Supply Chain Management and Product Management, plus an additional major in Business Administration.
• Economics: the undergraduate economics programme is housed in Tepper, but students who want economics apply to Dietrich College and join Tepper after declaring the major.
• Outcomes: the admission page reports that 93% of the Class of 2025 were employed or in graduate school six months after graduation, with an average salary of US$92,993.

2. Applying to Tepper

• Apply directly to Tepper: CMU’s Office of Admission handles first-year and external transfer applications; choose the Tepper School on the Common App. Under Early Decision you can apply to only one college.
• High school course requirements (Tepper): 4 years of English, 4 years of mathematics (at least algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry and elementary functions/pre-calculus, preferably calculus), 1 year each of chemistry, physics and biology, 2 years of a foreign language and 3 electives. Calculus is especially encouraged.
• Internal major change: CMU students in other colleges can apply to Business Administration after at least one semester (fall first-years can apply in their first spring), having passed 70-122, 73-102 or 73-104, and one of 21-254, 21-256 or 21-259. Acceptance depends on academic performance and space.
• Scholarships: Tepper manages several scholarships that enrolled undergraduates can apply for.

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

• The Tepper School 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 Tepper (or to Dietrich College for economics) by November 2 (ED) or January 4 (RD)
• Four years of maths (calculus preferred) and a year each of chemistry, physics and biology
• Submit at least one of the SAT, ACT, AP, IB or A-Level
• IELTS 7.5, new TOEFL 5 (old 102) or Duolingo 135; optionally 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; submit SAT, ACT, AP or another accepted option
• Nonnative English speakers need an English test

Transfer students:

• Complete at least one semester; apply around February 15 with documents by early March; one college only (Tepper)
• Prepare course descriptions and a professor recommendation; no SAT or ACT needed

Sources: Carnegie Mellon University, Admission: Tepper School of Business; Tepper undergraduate Business Administration; Tepper undergraduate admissions and major change; Application plans and deadlines; Standardized testing; 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.