How to Apply to the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University: Choose Leavey on Your Application and Declare a Major by the End of Sophomore Year, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

Santa Clara University (SCU), in Silicon Valley, teaches undergraduate business at the Leavey School of Business, and the degree is the Bachelor of Science in Commerce. 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 students), and transfer students.

1. Getting into Leavey: choose it when you apply

• 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.
• Maths: SCU says selectivity does not vary greatly between schools, but readiness is judged by your stated interest, and business applicants are expected to be ready for calculus.
• First year: every Leavey student starts with Contemporary Business Issues (BUSN 70) and general education courses, with a peer advisor; students declare a business major by the end of sophomore year.

2. Degree and majors

• Requirements: at least 175 quarter units (at least 60 upper-division), plus the University Core, the Leavey business core and the major. Prerequisites are strictly enforced.
• Maths: business students take MATH 30 (calculus for business) or MATH 11 (calculus and analytic geometry).
• Majors: Accounting, Accounting and Information Systems, Business Analytics, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Management Information Systems, and an Individual Studies major.
• Minors: Business Analytics, Management Information Systems, Marketing and Real Estate, plus interdisciplinary minors in Entrepreneurship, International Business, Retail Studies and Sustainable Food Systems.
• Leavey students complete at least one internship.

3. Deadlines and testing

• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November, decisions in late December.
• Early Action (non-binding): 1 November, decisions in late December.
• Early Decision II (binding): 7 January, decisions in mid-February.
• Regular Decision: 7 January, decisions in late March, deposit by 1 May.
• Materials: Common App, high school transcripts from grade 9, one academic teacher evaluation or counselor recommendation, and the school report; US$75 fee.
• Test-optional: neither first-year nor transfer applicants need the SAT or ACT.
• English minimums: IELTS 6.5; TOEFL 90 before 21 January 2026 or 4.5 after; Duolingo 120; or SAT Reading and Writing 630 or ACT Reading and English 27 each. MyBest, TOEFL Home Edition and TOEFL Essentials are not accepted.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Minimum coursework: 4 years of English, 3 of history and social science, 3 of maths (4 recommended), 2 of lab science (3 recommended) and 2 of a language other than English (3 to 4 recommended). Business applicants should reach calculus.
• Gaokao: SCU does not say how Gaokao results are used.
• A-level, IB and AP: no business-specific scores are published; review is holistic.
• Interview: SCU does not interview, but accepts InitialView and Vericant video interviews and encourages international applicants to use them.
• Funding: after applying, complete the international financial resources form and upload proof covering the first year.

5. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• Same deadlines and materials; SCU publishes no Canada- or BC-specific grade requirement.
• English waiver: four years at an English-only school in a predominantly English-speaking country, including English-speaking Canada, meets the requirement.

6. Transfer students

• External transfer: rolling admission for fall from 7 January to 15 April, with decisions from February to mid-May; 1 October for winter.
• Leavey recommended courses (recommended, not required): two English composition courses, one calculus course (two if majoring in Finance or Economics), financial and managerial accounting, and macro- and microeconomics; average GPA 3.5.
• Second choice: because Leavey and Engineering are competitive and space is limited, transfer applicants can ask on the Common App to be considered as undeclared in Arts and Sciences; students must then stay in the school that admitted them for one year before petitioning to change.
• Foreign universities: a WES course-by-course evaluation is required.
• Internal transfer into Leavey (current SCU students in Arts and Sciences or Engineering):
  • once a year in spring: applications open 5 March 2027 and close 4 April, with notifications on 1 May;
  • SCU cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, two one-page statements, and two full-time quarters at SCU (one quarter for external transfer students);
  • selection depends only on SCU GPA and the statements, not transcripts, résumés or letters, and the intended major does not matter;
  • about 100 to 120 students apply each year and 30 to 35 are admitted (about 30%); extra quarters may be needed.
• Conflicting information: the admission office’s transfer page says students must stay one year in their admitting school before petitioning, while Leavey’s internal transfer page says external transfer students need only one quarter. Confirm with the Undergraduate Business Programs Office (ugbprograms@scu.edu).

7. Cost and aid

• 2026-27 on-campus estimate (USD): tuition 64,956; student engagement and well-being fee 780; housing and food 20,094; direct costs 85,830; total about 92,556 with books, transportation and personal expenses. Tuition is the same across schools, with no business differential listed.
• International aid: federal and state aid is for US citizens and eligible non-citizens. SCU says non-citizen undergraduates may receive scholarships, but funding for international students is limited.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply to Leavey through the Common App by 1 November (ED I, EA) or 7 January (ED II, RD)
• Reach calculus-level maths in high school
• IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 4.5 (new scale) or Duolingo 120; optional InitialView or Vericant interview
• Complete the financial resources form and upload proof

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

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

Transfer students:

• External: apply between 7 January and 15 April for fall; average GPA 3.5; take accounting, economics and calculus if you can; WES evaluation for foreign coursework
• Internal: SCU GPA of 3.0+, application and two statements by 4 April 2027

Sources: Santa Clara University, Leavey undergraduate programs; Leavey internal transfer; Leavey advising; Bulletin: B.S. in Commerce requirements; First-year admission; First-year deadlines; International application requirements; English proficiency; Transfer admission; Cost of attendance; Aid for international students. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures); check Santa Clara University for the latest details.