For First-Year / Freshman Applicants:

Submit a completed application (SMU, Common App, or other) and pay the application fee. 

Official high school transcript is required. 

Counselor recommendation is required; teacher recommendation is optional. 

SAT or ACT scores: SMU is test-optional; you may submit them, but they are not required. 

English proficiency test: For students whose high school instruction was not in English, SMU requires official scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo). 

International students:

  • TOEFL minimum 90 with certain section subscores; or IELTS 6.5; or Duolingo 115; or equivalent test. 

  • English test requirement may be waived if the student attended a school using English as the medium of instruction or scored sufficiently high on the SAT/ACT (reading/writing) portion. 

Concurrent / dual credit / AP / IB / college courses taken in high school may be considered for credit, if they meet SMU’s standards (grade C- or better, accredited institution, transferable). 

For Transfer Applicants:

Submission of official college transcripts from all institutions attended. 

If fewer than 30 transferable credits, you may also need to submit high school transcripts / essay. 

Minimum GPA: transfer students should have at least 2.0 GPA, though a 2.7 GPA is recommended for a stronger application. 

SAT / ACT: optional, consistent with SMU’s test-optional policy. 

Application fee (USD $60) for undergraduate applicants / transfers.