Simon Fraser University psychology admission requirements: a BA through Arts and Social Sciences, and a BSc route through behavioural neuroscience

SFU's admission page lists psychology as a Bachelor of Arts in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The calendar offers a Psychology major and honours, an Applied Behaviour Analysis concentration, a minor and three joint majors with business, criminology, and gender, sexuality and women's studies.

There is no BSc in psychology. The closest science degree is Behavioural Neuroscience, a BSc run jointly by the Faculty of Science and Arts and Social Sciences. It mixes biology, physiology, kinesiology and psychology. If you want lab science with your psychology, look at that route.

SFU asks Ontario students for six Grade 12 U or M courses, including ENG4U with at least 70%. For Arts and Social Sciences programs like psychology, the Ontario page lists ENG4U, one 4U math or science, and one 4U or 4M social studies, plus one more math, science, social studies or language course and two others.

The Ontario page also lists Grade 11 courses for these programs: ENG3U, MCF3M or MCR3U, and one Grade 11 science. SFU looks at all approved Grade 11 and 12 courses, with more weight on the required list. Map your timetable with our course planner.

BC students see a shorter list. The psychology requirements page asks for English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, at least five approved Grade 12 courses, and no specific Grade 11 courses.

For the BSc, SFU's BC list asks for Pre-Calculus 12, at least two of Anatomy and Physiology 12, Calculus 12, Chemistry 12 and Physics 12, and two Grade 11 sciences.

Through the Faculty of Science, the Ontario page asks for ENG4U at 70%, MHF4U, two 4U or 4M math or science courses and two more courses. It also lists SCH3U and SPH3U in Grade 11. Plan these early, since Grade 11 courses are hard to fit in once you reach Grade 12.

SFU posts historical grade ranges from the past three years. For Arts and Social Sciences programs, from anthropology to world literature, the range was the low 80s for Canadians and permanent residents, and the mid 80s for students on a study visa. The Science range was the mid 80s for Canadians.

SFU says meeting a range does not guarantee an offer. It does not post a separate range for psychology or an acceptance rate. Check your standing with our Top 6 average calculator.

Applications for Fall 2027 open October 1, 2026, on Education Planner BC. The deadline is January 31, 2027. High school applicants must submit documents by February 28. Current high school students must finish all courses by June 30, and May 1 is the usual deadline to accept an offer.

SFU reviews high school applications more than once. Early offers usually go out from November to January to students with strong marks. Standard decisions usually come between February and April. Fall 2027 classes start September 7.

You enter Arts and Social Sciences, then declare the major. To declare, you complete PSYC 100 and PSYC 102, PSYC 210 or STAT 270, and earn at least a C in PSYC 201W, the research methods course.

SFU urges you to take PSYC 100, 102 and 201 early. The department reserves all 300 and 400 level psychology seats for approved psychology majors, minors and honours students until open enrolment. The BA needs 120 units in total.

The major needs 30 upper division units, with a psychology GPA of at least 2.0 on SFU psychology courses. At least 15 of those upper division units must be taken at SFU. Required upper level courses include PSYC 300W.

Research is open to strong students. Research Engagement courses need 60 units, PSYC 201 and an upper division GPA of at least 2.5, plus department permission. Directed Studies need an upper division GPA of at least 3.0. If grad school or clinical psychology is your goal, aim above those marks from second year on.

First year psychology runs at both campuses. The Fall 2026 calendar lists PSYC 100 sections in Burnaby and in Surrey, so you can start close to home.

Psychology has a co-op option through the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. You alternate full time study terms with full time paid work terms. Employers include industry, government and not for profit groups.

The calendar points to the Arts co-op office for GPA rules and application deadlines. For Fall 2026, domestic students pay a co-op fee of $932.08 per work term.

SFU charges per unit. The Fall 2026 calendar lists $220.61 per unit for Canadian students and $1,262.88 per unit for international students who entered in 2024/2025 or later. Psychology courses use the basic rate. Fall 2027 rates were not posted when we checked.

Our estimate, tuition only: a 30 unit year costs about $6,618 at the Fall 2026 domestic rate. Student fees, books and housing are extra, so budget for more than tuition.

SFU's Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarships (USES) need at least a 90% average, or 31 IB points, in the courses required for your program. You apply to SFU first, then to USES between October 1 and December 15, 2026.

Awards range from $20,000 to $140,000, paid over eight terms. They're competitive and look at community contributions as well as grades.

Getting into Arts and Social Sciences is the first step. Your child still has to declare the major, which needs a C or better in research methods and the intro courses done.

Encourage early psychology courses and steady marks. Compare SFU with our UBC psychology guide, and read our SFU admissions overview.