How to Apply to Business at the University of Maryland Smith School: Direct Admission by Choosing Business on Your Application, the 45-Credit Review and Transfer Requirements for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), undergraduate business is taught by the Robert H. Smith School of Business, which awards a Bachelor of Science. Business is a Limited Enrollment Program (LEP) with limited space. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on UMD’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. How first-year students get into Smith

• No separate application: mark “business” or one of the eight business majors as your intended major on the UMD application. If you do not, you will not be considered for direct admission. Smith says applicants who forgot can email ApplyMaryland@umd.edu before 1 November; after that, transfer admission is the only route.
• University first, then major: UMD reviews applications on a major-blind basis first, then considers admission to Smith. You can be admitted to UMD but not to Smith; you would then start in Letters & Sciences and apply later.
• Holistic review: Smith admission is highly competitive and considers academic record, co-curricular involvement, leadership and honours.
• 45-credit review for direct admits: direct admits must complete the gateway courses and pass a review at 45 credits to stay in the major; those who fail are dismissed and may not reapply. The gateway courses are:
  • BMGT 220 Principles of Accounting I, C- or better;
  • BMGT 230 or 231 Business Statistics (or an approved substitute), C- or better;
  • MATH 120, 136 or 140 Calculus I, C- or better.
  Only one gateway course may be repeated, once, and a W counts as an attempt. After admission, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 is required.
• Double majors: not possible until after the first semester; a second LEP requires a separate internal application.

2. Majors and curriculum

• Eight majors: Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, International Business, Management, Marketing, Operations Management & Business Analytics, and Supply Chain Management.
• Degree: at least 120 credits, including 58 upper-level credits and 45 BMGT credits.
  • Freshman–sophomore requirements (24–25 credits): Calculus I, BMGT 110 (direct admits only), Principles of Accounting I and II, Business Statistics, micro- and macroeconomics, and a speech course;
  • junior–senior core (19 credits): information systems, finance, marketing, managing people, career strategies, business law and strategic management;
  • plus 18–24 credits in the major.
• Smith-required courses need C- or better; the final 30 credits and half of BMGT credits must be taken at UMD.

3. Deadlines and application

• Early Action (non-binding): 1 November 2026, decisions by 1 February. Smith recommends this priority deadline for earlier notification, living-learning programs and best financial aid consideration.
• Regular Decision: 20 January 2027, decisions by 1 April; Smith notes these applicants are not considered for living-learning programs and may receive limited aid.
• Enrollment deposit: 1 May.
• Application: Common App or ApplyWeb, USD 80 non-refundable fee; essay, activities, two recommendations (counselor and teacher), and grade 9–12 transcripts with certified English translations.
• Test-optional: SAT and ACT are optional for fall 2027.

4. Students at high schools in China

• English: required, valid for two years and sent by the testing agency: TOEFL 5 on the new scale (95 on the old scale; MyBest not accepted), IELTS 7 or Duolingo 120.
• Gaokao: UMD publishes no Gaokao policy; your grade 9–12 record is reviewed.
• A-level, IB, AP: send official results after admission if you want credit.
• Maths: the gateway courses include Calculus I, so strong high school maths helps with the 45-credit review.

5. Students at Canadian high schools

• Same process and deadlines.
• English waiver: native English speakers who are Canadian citizens or completed high school in Canada may be exempt; French-system students must still test.
• BC curriculum: UMD publishes no grade requirements for Canadian or BC curricula.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 non-resident tuition: USD 22,043 per semester plus USD 910 mandatory fees for full-time students.
• Business differential: full-time juniors and seniors in business pay an extra USD 1,687.50 per semester, regardless of residency.
• Students on a UMD-issued I-20 pay a USD 125 per semester international student fee.
• Total cost: UMD’s current estimate is still for 2025-26: USD 41,974 tuition and fees, USD 16,436 housing and food, and books, transport and personal costs, for about USD 62,374, excluding the differential. International students may face higher living costs.
• Scholarships: UMD’s freshman merit scholarships consider only US citizens and eligible non-citizens, not international students. Smith scholarships go only to current Smith students, with applications due 31 May each year.

7. Transfer students (internal and external)

• Gateway requirements: BMGT 220, BMGT 230/231 (or an approved substitute) and MATH 120/136/140, each with C- or better; 45 credits by the end of the application semester; and a GPA of at least 3.0 in all college coursework.
• Decisions:
  • gateways complete with a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher: direct admission;
  • 3.0 to 3.599: competitive review for remaining seats. If 3.6+ applicants fill the transfer slots, no competitive review takes place and no further applications are accepted in future semesters.
  • Students may apply to an LEP once.
• Internal transfer (current UMD students): 1 March for fall and 8 October for spring, via the LEP application.
• External transfer: list business on the UMD transfer application; fall deadlines are 1 March (priority) and 1 June (regular), spring deadlines 1 August (priority) and 15 November (regular). UMD admission is decided first, then the business standards apply. Foreign university records need an ECE or JS&A course-by-course evaluation.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• List business or a business major as your intended major; apply Early Action by 1 November
• TOEFL 5 (new) or 95 (old), IELTS 7 or Duolingo 120; SAT/ACT optional
• Take Accounting I, Business Statistics and Calculus I early to prepare for the 45-credit review
• Budget for non-resident tuition plus living costs, and the junior/senior differential

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

• Same deadlines; native English speakers who finished high school in Canada may be exempt from English tests (not the French system)

Transfer students:

• 45 credits, three gateway courses and a 3.0+ college GPA; 3.6+ is admitted directly
• External transfer: 1 March (priority) or 1 June for fall; internal: 1 March or 8 October

Sources: University of Maryland, College Park, Smith prospective freshmen; Internal transfer students; External transfer students; Business LEP requirements; Smith degree requirements; Smith financial aid and scholarships; Limited Enrollment Programs; Application deadlines; English language proficiency; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Cost of attendance; 2026-27 undergraduate tuition. Information is for fall 2027 entry. Check the University of Maryland for the latest details.