Admission of Undergraduate Students

Admission is selective, and each student's entire application is individually reviewed. Candidates are expected to present a record of academic achievement that is above average. Evidence of academic preparation and personal achievement, letters of recommendation, and national test scores are given careful consideration in the determination of an applicant's eligibility. The University welcomes, but does not require, a personal interview with applicants.

Freshman Admission

For additional information, please visit: http://www.usfca.edu/admission/freshman 

Application Procedures

To ensure the proper processing of applications for admission, all candidates applying for freshman standing as full and part-time students should:

• Secure an application form for undergraduate admission in one of the following ways:
• Contact the Office of Admission, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton St., San Francisco, California 94117-1046. Telephone (415) 422-6563 or (800) CALL USF (outside California)
• Apply on-line, or download a PDF file at: http://www.usfca.edu/admission/freshman 
• You may also apply using the Common Application, a form used by more than 300 selective colleges and universities for admission to their undergraduate programs. The Common Application is available in a traditional paper format, or on-line at www.commonapp.org.
• Submit the completed application form and essay, along with the $55 application fee, to the Office of Admission.
• Request that their high school counselor or an appropriate teacher complete the letter of recommendation form (for on-line applications, this form may be downloaded and printed) and mail it directly to the Office of Admission.
• Request that their high school send an official transcript of all previous academic work directly to the Office of Admission. For Early Action candidates, the transcript should include their work through the end of the junior year. For Regular Action candidates, the transcript should include their work through the Fall semester. At the end of the year, a final transcript showing the graduation date is required to complete the applicant's file.
• Arrange for SAT or ACT scores to be sent to the Office of Admission.
• Information about SAT may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service or at http://www.collegeboard.com. 
• Information about ACT may be obtained from the American College Testing Program at http://www.act.org. 
• It is recommended that this test be taken no later than December for the subsequent Fall semester or no later than November for the Spring semester.

In addition to the requirements listed above, applicants who are not residents of the United States must observe the admission standards and procedures for international students.

See the special section on admission of international students.

Calendar

The Admission Office at the University of San Francisco offers both an Early Action program and a Regular Action program for freshmen applicants.

Regular Action:

Review of Regular Action applications begins after January 15. You will be notified of a decision by mid-March assuming that all of the required materials, including Fall grades for your senior year, have been received in a timely way.

Early Action:

The University of San Francisco's Early Action program allows excellent students, who consider USF their highest admission priority, the opportunity to receive an early evaluation of their application. The Early Action program does not offer either an advantage or a disadvantage in gaining admission to the University. Students admitted under the Early Action program are under no obligation to enroll at the University of San Francisco and have until the Common Candidates Reply Date (May 1) to confirm their intent to enroll at the University.

Early Action applicants are notified as follows:

• Admit: You are admitted to the University of San Francisco and have until May 1 to confirm your intent to enroll.
• Defer: Your application will be considered with the Regular Action candidates upon receiving your Fall senior-year grades and any additional test scores (if applicable).

Note: For both Regular Action Candidates and Early Action Candidates, Financial Aid Award Notices will be mailed in early April.

Important Dates

November 15: Early Action Deadline for Fall applicants. To be considered under the Early Action program you must have a completed application on file in the Admission Office by November 15 and must take either the SAT or ACT no later than the November test date. The Admission Office will make every effort to notify you of its decision by late December. If you wish to be considered for financial assistance, you must submit the appropriate financial aid forms to the processor by February 1.

December 15: A freshman wishing to begin in the Spring semester must submit all required material by this date.

January 15: Regular Action deadline. You should submit your application and all supporting materials, including your Fall senior year grades, by this date. If your Fall senior grades are not available by January 15, you should still submit your application form and request that your grades be submitted as soon as they are available. If you wish to be considered for financial assistance, you must submit the appropriate financial aid forms to the processor designated on the form by February 1.

If you apply by the priority deadline, you will receive first consideration for admission and financial aid. If you are applying after the January 15 priority filing date, you will be considered as space permits.

Applications for Professional Studies programs are accepted on a year-round basis.

Secondary School Course Requisites

For an applicant to be considered for admission to one of USF's Schools or Colleges, the applicant usually is expected to have, upon completion of secondary school, the number and distribution of credits listed by School or College in the "Secondary School Course Requisites" chart found in this section.

Tuition and Housing Deposits

Students who apply by the priority deadlines also receive priority for Financial Aid consideration and on-campus housing. Upon admission students are expected to submit a $250 tuition deposit. (USF complies with the National College Board's May 1 notification deadline for those students seeking admission to other colleges/universities.) Students who wish to live on campus must submit an additional $300 housing deposit to insure that space is reserved for them.

Transfer Admission

Application Procedures

For additional information, please visit http://www.usfca.edu/admission/transfer 

Each fall and spring semester the University accepts transfer students, provided that they are in good academic standing with the last college attended and that they meet the University's admission standards. To ensure proper processing of applications for admission, candidates applying as transfer students must provide the following items:

• A completed application form with essay.
• An official transcript from each college attended, submitted at the time of application. Failure to submit all transcripts may result in a change of admission status. No credit will be granted for any transcript received after the initial admission decision.
• An official high school transcript is required of students with less than 24 semester or 36 quarter credits of transferable work.
• One letter of recommendation (from an academic source).
• $55 application fee (non-refundable).

Calendar

The Office of Admission has a rolling Admission process for transfer applicants, except for Nursing applicants who must adhere to the stated deadlines. Your application will receive a decision approximately four to six weeks after all required material has been received. Notification of Spring applicants will begin in October; notification of Fall applicants will begin in January. These dates do not apply to Professional Studies programs. Applications for Professional Studies programs are accepted on a year-round basis.

Important Dates

November 1: Priority deadline for Spring semester.

January 15: Priority admission deadline for those students applying for admission and financial assistance for the Fall semester. You should submit your application for admission by January 15 and file the appropriate financial aid forms with the processor designated on the form by February 1.

Those students applying by the priority deadline will receive first consideration for financial aid and admission. Students applying after the January 15 priority filing date will be considered as space permits.

Policy on Recognition of Degrees and Acceptance of Transfer Credit

The University of San Francisco welcomes applicants for admission from regionally accredited post-secondary institutions and from post-secondary institutions which are candidates for accreditation (as defined in the Handbook of Accreditation, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Applicants are reviewed on the merits of their prior academic achievements and potential for achieving the goals and objectives of the program to which they seek admission. The University of San Francisco shall not refuse, on the basis of policy, to recognize the degrees or accept the transfer of credits from a regionally accredited, post-secondary institution or a post-secondary institution which is a candidate for accreditation. Courses from regionally accredited four-year post-secondary institutions or from such institutions that are candidates for accreditation are generally transferable, as are courses from regionally accredited, two-year post-secondary institutions, or such institutions that are candidates for accreditation. Courses from non-regionally accredited institutions are not transferable to the University of San Francisco.

A USF student who has previously been awarded an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution may receive credit for the University's Core Curriculum requirements following review of the student's transcripts. In such cases the University will judge the appropriateness and adequacy of the core curriculum at the school from which the student transfers, even though specific courses may differ from those offered at the University of San Francisco.

The University accepts credit from other institutions under guidelines set down by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (AACRAO) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Guidelines for Transfers from Two or Four Year Institutions

Transfer candidates are eligible to transfer from a two- or four-year institution with a record of achievement in college or university parallel courses.

After a potential transfer student has applied to the University, all prior course work will be reviewed by a University Evaluator to determine transferable credit.

To be considered for admission, a student must be in good academic standing at the last institution attended. Students who would not have been admissible to the University based upon their secondary school records must normally complete at least 24 semester or 36 quarter credits of transferable academic coursework, and admission will be based on their achievements at a two-year or four-year institution of higher education.

Note:

• An applicant cannot disregard his or her college record and apply for entrance to freshman standing. Complete official transcripts must be presented from all secondary schools and colleges attended.
• Certain USF colleges and programs may require different academic averages for admission than are regularly required.
• For purposes of admission, the University disregards any failing grades applicants may have received ten years or more prior to their application to USF.
• Students transferring to USF with less than 24 semester credits or 36 quarter credits are required to submit official copies of transcripts from all secondary schools attended, as well as SAT or ACT scores.
• Completion of all the requirements in either the UC or CSU version of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) will permit a student to transfer from a California Community College to the University of San Francisco without the need, after transfer, to take most of USF's Core Curriculum requirements. Documents of IGETC completion from the community college must be submitted prior to the student's initial enrollment at USF. Completion of the IGETC will only require the following courses at USF: one course in advanced university-level English composition; one course in Public Speaking; Topics in Philosophy (not including Critical Thinking/Logic); one course in Theology; and one course in Ethics. The student must also fulfill the Service Learning credits component.
• A maximum of 70 semester or 105 quarter credits are transferable from two-year institutions.
• The University will accept a maximum of 9 semester credits in Physical Education activity courses including credit granted for intercollegiate athletics.
• New transfer students should consult with an advisor in the office of the appropriate dean for program planning. While transferable credit will count toward the baccalaureate degree, some of that credit may not satisfy the requirements for the student's major or the Core Curriculum.
• Further information on transferring to USF may be obtained by asking the Office of Admission for a transfer brochure.

Transfer Applicants to the School of Nursing and Health Professions

Acceptance as a transfer student into the School of Nursing and Health Professions is based on academic achievement and available clinical placement.

In addition, students desiring a career in Nursing may take courses such as Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology plus Labs, and General Psychology, prior to application to USF. These courses may be transferred into the Nursing program providing the student has earned a grade of "C" or better in each course. If the student completes these courses, the course of study here at USF for a BSN could be as little as six semesters. If, however, a student earns below a "C" in any one of these courses, the student must earn a "C" or better when the course is repeated.

Transfer Applicants to the College of Professional Studies

For more information, please visit: http://www.usfca.edu/bps/psug/admission  and the undergraduate Professional Studies sections of this catalog.

Applicants must have a minimum of fifty transferable semester credits from an accredited school or college, with at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.

International Applicants

For more information, please visit: http://www.usfca.edu/admission/undergraduate/international 

Applicants who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States should submit their applications by January 15 for the Fall semester or November 1 for the Spring semester to meet the priority deadline, unless individual programs require an earlier submission. International applicants to undergraduate programs must provide the following:

• Official academic records for all secondary schools, colleges and universities attended and, when appropriate, external exam results. All documents must be certified by the appropriate educational authorities and be accompanied by certified English translations.
• Proof of financial support for the intended period of study showing that the applicant will have sufficient financial resources to cover direct and indirect expenses for the duration of the degree program.
• Official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score report. These scores must be forwarded directly to the Office of Admission by the testing organization, Educational Testing Services (ETS) for TOEFL or the IELTS Test Center, at the time of application. Information about the TOEFL can be obtained from any United States Embassy or Consulate or directly from TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey, 08541-6151, U.S.A. Information about the IELTS can be obtained directly from Cambridge Examination and IELTS International at 1024 West Orange Grove Avenue, Arcadia, California 91006-1923, U.S.A.
• English Language Proficiency: Applicants without full native fluency in English must fulfill the English language proficiency requirement as a condition of admission on either a regular or conditional basis.
• Students with acceptable academic credentials may be offered regular admission if the official TOEFL score report is at least 550 (paper based) or 79 (internet based); or the official IELTS overall band score is 6.0 or higher with no individual band score below 5.5.
• Students with acceptable academic credentials may be offered admission on an English conditional basis if the official TOEFL score is between: 460 - 547 (paper based) or 48 - 78 (internet based); or the official IELTS overall band score is between 5.0 and 5.5. Such students must take courses in the English as a Second Language Program (ESL) for up to 15 credit hours per semester, with restrictions on the number of academic courses that can be taken simultaneously. The academic courses must be selected in consultation with a designated faculty advisor and the director of the ESL Program. English Conditional status students will continue in ESL until attaining a paper-based TOEFL score of 550 or higher with no subscore below 50. Students who fail to achieve the required TOEFL score within three consecutive semesters will not be allowed to continue at USF.
• Additional testing may be required and will be available prior to registration for classes.
• Exceptions from the requirement to verify English language proficiency will be made for students who are considered truly native speakers of English.
• One letter of recommendation from a teacher, professor, or academic counselor.
• Upon receiving either regular or English conditional admission to an undergraduate program, the prospective student must satisfy the following additional steps in the admission and registration process.
• Pay the required $250 tuition deposit and, if living on-campus, the $300 housing deposit as outlined in the section on "Application Filing Dates."
• Request that an official transcript of grades received for courses in progress is sent to the Office of Admission by the school currently being attended.
• Provide proof of adequate health insurance valid in the United States or purchase the health insurance plan offered by USF.
• The I-20 form will be issued only to students who have received an offer of admission and have submitted a completed certificate of finances form. (Students currently studying in the United States must also request release of their SEVIS number.)

Procedures for Obtaining and Maintaining Student Visa Status for Undergraduate Students

All prospective students to the undergraduate programs of the University who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S. must obtain an I-20 Form (Certificate of Eligibility for Student Visa) from the Office of Admission before entering the United States or transferring from another school within the United States. The I-20 Form will be provided only to those students who have satisfied the admission requirements stated above.

The I-20 Form must be presented to an American Embassy or Consulate abroad in order to obtain a Student Visa (F-1). If the prospective student is already in the United States, the I-20 Form must be presented to the International Student Advisor at USF in order to process the transfer as instructed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Students accepted by more than one school must present the I-20 Form of the school they wish to attend at both the American Embassy and border crossing point. It is essential that prospective students of USF declare their intention to study at USF before leaving their own country and not expect to change their visa status after arrival in the U.S.

Anyone holding a B-2 (tourist) Visa who wishes to attend USF will be mailed an I-20 Form only to an address outside the U.S. and only prior to registration for classes. The University does not offer legal assistance to anyone attempting to change from tourist to student status.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service requires that all international students maintain a full-time program of study (at least 12 credits for undergraduates), attend classes regularly and maintain normal progress toward completion of the degree objective. Failure to maintain this status will make students subject to immediate deportation. Additional information regarding United States Citizenship and Immigration Service regulations is available from International Student Services at USF.

Secondary School Course Requisites