Admission to a Degree Program
To be considered for admission to a graduate degree program at the University of Saint Francis, the student must:
- Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States of America. (Foreign credentials will be evaluated by off-campus specialists.)
- Have an undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 point scale. Individual departments may require a higher entering GPA. For more information, consult the departmental admissions information listed in this catalog.
- Turn in a completed Application for Admission form and application fee to the Office of Admissions. Official transcripts from all previous post-secondary study must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the registrar of the institution attended.
- Fulfill additional requirements as outlined for specific degree programs. When applicable, these admission requirements follow the program description in the graduate catalog.
Application forms are available from the Office of Admissions in Trinity Hall, room 110A. Prior to acceptance into a specific graduate program, the application fee, completed application form, and other required documents must be on file with the Office of Admissions. Questions should be addressed to the Office of Admissions at 260-399-8000 or 1-800-729-4732.
Conditional Admission
Applicants who are missing an application item can be admitted conditionally. Conditionally accepted students may take one semester of coursework. No subsequent registration is permitted until all required materials are on file with the Graduate School and a final admission decision has been made.
Provisional Admission
Students who do not meet academic program entrance standards may be admitted to a graduate program provisionally. Students admitted provisionally are required to meet specific criteria as set by the program director to be fully accepted.
Non-degree Students
Individuals interested in taking graduate work for credit without pursuing a graduate degree are classified as Non-degree students. Non-degree students need to file an Application for Admission, pay the application fee and submit an undergraduate transcript from the regionally accredited institution in the United States of America from which they received their undergraduate or graduate degree. In addition, permission from the dean of the school or department chair or program director is required for admission and entry into a course(s). These students are allowed to register for classes only after degree-seeking students have registered. Registration dates are posted in each term's course schedule.
Audit Students
Individuals interested in taking graduate work on a non-credit basis are classified as Audit Students. No academic credit is granted. Upon completion of the course a grade of AU is entered on the records. Audited courses do not count toward degree requirements. Students may not change from audit to credit after the second week of class. Audit students need to file an Application for Admission and submit an undergraduate transcript from the regionally accredited institution in the United States of America from which they received their undergraduate degree. These students are allowed to register for classes only after degree-seeking students have registered. Registration dates are posted in each term's course schedule.
International Students
Applicants with degrees from foreign colleges and universities must have completed the equivalent of at least an American bachelor's degree and must have their credentials evaluated prior to admission. Applicants must submit transcripts with translation to English, if necessary.
The University of Saint Francis is unable to offer financial support to international students. The university, therefore, requires that the applicant show proof of financial responsibility so that the necessary funds are available for two semesters of full-time graduate study. The applicant must show proof of personal or family funding for tuition, room and board, and expenses for the Fall and Spring semester. Once an applicant is eligible for academic acceptance, a deposit in United States currency must be placed in an escrow account in the Business Office. This amount must be sufficient to cover tuition, book fees and living expenses for the first year.
Applicants must be thoroughly conversant with the English language. Skill level is determined by results of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) given by the Educational Testing Service or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Complete information may be obtained by visiting the TOEFL website or the IELTS website. The minimum TOEFL score is 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the computer-based test or 79-80 on the internet-based test and the minimum IELTS score is 6.5.
Each applicant must present a formal application, official transcripts, results of their credentials evaluation, results from the TOEFL or IELTS, and proof of financial responsibility. All documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by certified English translations.
Upon arrival in the United States, the student must show proof of adequate health and accident insurance coverage, or arrange for such coverage through the Office of Admissions on campus.
Completed applications and official records must be submitted by July 1 for Fall Semester, by November 1 for Spring Semester and by March 1 for Summer Semester.
The I-20 will be issued only after the student has supplied the above documentation and has been accepted into a graduate program of study.
Second Master's Degree
A student may be granted the privilege of earning a second master's degree. The same requirements for the first master's degree must be met for the second degree. A total of 33-52 hours are required for the second master's degree, depending upon the area of concentration, except in the case of an MBA degree for a student who already holds a MSBA degree from USF or vice versa. In this case only 15 additional credit hours must be earned at USF in non-duplicative courses. Any transfer course accepted for the application to the second graduate degree cannot have been used in fulfillment of another degree already earned.