ACADEMICS

Admission and Recruitment

The Office of Recruitment & Admission at The University of the District of Columbia executes timely orderly processing of admissions/re-admissions applications for prospective and returning students. Specifically, the Office: disseminates appropriate admissions related materials to potential applicants; accepts and processes applications for new and returning students; creates applicant folders for all new students; evaluates transcripts and grants advance standing to eligible students; responds to admissions related questions from prospective or returning students; retrieves and distributes mail and other documents that affect the status of applications; interfaces with academic departments to evaluate academic transcripts, and communicates with individuals regarding the status of their applications, transcripts, and other pertinent information.

Most new students are admitted to the University of the District of Columbia for the fall and spring semesters, although some students may apply for admission during the summer term (See academic calendar for the exact dates). Secondary school students may apply for admission to the University any time following the completion of their junior year of high school.

Application forms and additional information describing the programs offered by the various colleges at the University, the admission procedures, and other rules and regulations can be obtained by writing or visiting the Office of Recruitment & Admission, 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW, Building 39, Room A-14, Washington, DC 20008, 202.274.6110.

Freshman Applicants (New Students)

A freshman applicant must submit the application for admission, the non-refundable application fee and an official transcript reflecting all high school course work, grades and date of graduation. The transcript must be mailed directly to the Office of Admission by the applicant's secondary school.

The applicant will be informed regarding the status of the application within 30 days after all necessary documents have been received. A freshman applicant may be admitted prior to actual graduation from a high school (located in Washington, DC) on a provisional basis. Such provisional status will be removed by the Office of Admission upon receipt of the student's complete high school transcript indicating date of graduation.

Transfer Applicants

Transfer applicants must submit the Application for admission, the non-refundable application fee, and official copies of all college transcripts showing course work and grades earned in previously attended institutions. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Admission by the student's previous college or university. Transfer students who have earned fewer than 30 college credits also must have official copies of high school transcripts submitted. Acceptability of transfer credits by the University is determined by the Office of Admission. Acceptability is based on the accreditation of the previously attended institution and the student's level of performance (i.e., a grade of "C" or better; see section on Credit and Grading for additional information). At the time of application to the University, transfer students must list all previously institutions attended. Failure to do so may result in the denial of transfer credit.

Transfer applicants wishing to apply for financial aid must also have each of their former colleges' or post secondary schools' financial aid offices submit a financial aid transcript to the UDC Financial Aid Office.
International transfer applicants must submit the same as above with the F-1 Transfer Certification Form.

International Applicants

International applicants with non-immigrant visas are admitted as international students. International applicants must pursue a degree and are not eligible for special student status.

STEP 1: APPLICATION PROCEDURE Complete and submit an application to the Office of Admission and Recruitment. Applications may be downloaded from the University website, www.udc.edu; there is a required $50 application fee. International student applications must be received by the following dates:

Applications for international students are accepted by the following dates:

Graduate Applicants  Graduate applicants must submit ALL documents at one time with the exception of entrance exam results (GRE/GMAT), TOEFL, and WES evaluations, which will be sent directly from the appropriate agencies. If your application and fee are not received by the above mentioned dates, your application will be processed for the next available semester.

STEP 2: ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS All academic work completed outside of the U.S, at the secondary or university levels, must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) www.wes.org. Please visit the WES website for a complete application and instructions by country.

High School Graduates (from countries outside of the U.S.) If you have completed secondary school and have not attended a college or university, please request a document-by-document evaluation be completed and sent from WES to the University of the District of Columbia. No hand delivered originals or copies of academic credentials will be accepted; documents requiring translation must be translated prior to sending your application to WES.

Pending or University Graduates (from countries outside of the U.S.)  If you have completed university-level coursework, please request a course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts be completed and sent from WES to the University of the District of Columbia. No hand delivered originals or copies of academic credentials will be accepted; documents requiring translation must be translated prior to sending your application to WES. Additionally, if the period of attendance at the University was less than one year a secondary school evaluation must also be completed.

World Education Services (WES)

www.wes.org (Please visit the WES website for a complete application and instructions for specific requirements by country).

REQUIRED FOR F-1 Visa Holders ONLY: Submit an Affidavit of Support, i.e., Financial Ability Statement indicating monetary resources in U.S. dollars), reflecting necessary funds to support a person (or persons) for the period the student is given to complete their degree requirements.

STEP 3: ENGLISH PROFICIENCY Request that your official TOEFL results be sent to the University of the District of Columbia. TOEFL results are used by the University to determine English proficiency as well as English level placement. Please visit the TOEFL website www.toefl.org for complete instructions and testing locations. The University of the District of Columbia institutional code is #5929.

STEP 4: FINANCIAL VERIFICATION  Required for F-1 Visa Holders  
Sponsors of international students must complete and submit an Affidavit of Financial Support that indicates the sponsor’s ability to support the student with all applicable tuition and living expenses while in the U.S. All funds must be indicated in U.S. currency. Correspondence from third parties indicating bank balances will not accepted in lieu of the notarized Affidavit of Financial Support. The Affidavit of Financial Support may be faxed to the number indicated below.

STEP 5: IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTATION  Submit a photocopy of your passport photo/data page, U.S. visa and I-94 card. F1transfer students must also submit a photocopy of their most recent form I-20. If you are a Permanent Resident, please submit a copy of your Permanent Residency card (front/back). Please make sure that all copies are clear.

Special Students

A special student is defined as a person presently enrolled and pursuing a degree at another accredited undergraduate collegiate institution who wishes to attend UDC for one term. This applicant is regarded as a special student and must submit the application for undergraduate admission and pay the non-refundable application fee by the application deadline for the term for which he or she is seeking admission. An applicant enrolled at another institution at the time the application is submitted must have by the deadline a letter of good academic standing sent by the registrar of his/her institution to the Office of Admission at UDC. Permission letters to attend UDC are not acceptable.

A special student wishing to enroll for a subsequent term must submit an application for readmission, the non-refundable application fee, and request the registrar at each undergraduate collegiate institution previously attended to forward an official transcript to the UDC Office of Admission. These items must be received no later than the admission deadline applicable to the term for which the applicant wishes to re-register.

Readmission

Students who do not register for classes for two consecutive semesters (excluding summer sessions) and students who are suspended for academic reasons will be required to apply for readmission to the University. The Application for Readmission, along with the non-refundable readmission fee must be received in the Office of Admission by the application deadline for the term for which the student is seeking admission. The Office of Admission will review applications, consider prior academic records, and grant readmission in accordance with the policy and procedures of the University.

Degree Applicant

A degree applicant is one who is seeking admission to a specific graduate degree program**. The requirements for admission are:
**Note - Some graduate programs may have different requirements. Please refer to program you are interested in for specific requirements.

A non-degree applicant is one who wishes to undertake graduate study but is not currently seeking admission to a degree program. Admission will be based on the applicant's preparation for advanced study and specific training in a selected field of concentration. Applicants who hold an F-1 visa are not eligible to apply for non-degree status. However, students who have graduated from UDC within the past academic year and who have filed a degree application and are awaiting acceptance to a graduate degree program may be accepted upon completion of a non-degree application. Inquiries should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Non-degree applicants are required to submit one official transcript from each collegiate institution attended.

Special Applicant

A special applicant is one who is seeking admission as a non-degree student for one term only. The sole admission requirement is verification of conferral of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. A special applicant may submit a copy of the diploma or a copy of the transcript which indicates graduation.

Certificate Applicant

A certificate applicant is one who is seeking admission to a certificate program. The admission requirements are:

Readmission Applicant

A readmitted applicant is a former graduate student who is seeking readmission to degree or non-degree status or to a certificate program. The admission requirement is one official transcript from each collegiate institution attended since last enrolled at UDC.

Disposition of Application Documents

All documents submitted in support of applications become a part of the permanent records of the University and are not returnable. Documents submitted by applicants who do not enroll for course work will be retired after one year.

Information regarding requirements for advancement to candidacy is available in the department in which the student is enrolled.

Enrollment in Undergraduate Courses

A graduate student enrolled in The University of the District of Columbia may enroll in undergraduate courses to satisfy special needs or requirements. However, credits earned in undergraduate courses do not apply toward the total credits required for a graduate degree.

International Graduate Student Admissions

Procedures

The University is approved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice, to accept international students. All international students who are not on an immigrant or a refugee visa are considered non-residents for tuition purposes and must pay non-resident tuition.

Selection of international applicants for graduate studies is based on the applicant's undergraduate record and letters of recommendation. Individual departments may require pre-admission examinations before granting admission. Applicants should check the requirements of the department in which they wish to study.

Applicants who hold a F-1, J-1, B-1, or B-2 visa are not eligible to apply for non-degree status. However, UDC graduates who have filed a degree application and are awaiting acceptance to a graduate degree program may be accepted upon completion of a non-degree application. Applications, required test scores, affidavits of support, and other supportive documents must be received by the Office of Admissions no later than May 1 for fall admission and September 1 for spring admission and March 1 for summer admission. Applications will not be considered for summer terms. Since all documents become the property of the University and are not returnable, students are advised not to submit original certificates but certified documents.

In addition to the required documents listed under "Graduate Admission Application Procedures," international applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency. The international applicant must be proficient in the English language to a degree compatible with that required to earn a graduate degree. Adequate English proficiency will be determined or assumed by the Office of Recruitment & Admission, if the applicant meets any one of the following criteria:

A minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); degree earned in an accredited American college or university; or one year completed in academic good standing in an accredited American college or university.

Non-Degree Applicants

A person who wishes to undertake graduate study but does not intend to pursue a degree at the University of the District of Columbia may apply for admission to the Office of the Registrar and Enrollment Management as follows:

Admission will be based on the applicant's general preparation for advanced study and specific training in a selected field of concentration. No action will be taken on an application until all required documents are on file in the Office of Admissions. Applicants who hold the F-1, J-1, B-1, or B-2 visa are not eligible to apply for non-degree status unless awaiting action on a degree application. Permanent or other legal residents and foreign diplomats with an A-1, A-2, or A-3 visa are eligible to apply for non-degree status after specific clearance. Inquiries may be made to the Office of Admissions. Students may transfer no more than nine semester hours of credit earned as a non-degree student towards a degree program. Non-degree applicants may apply for admission through the last day of registration each semester. Non-degree applicants must meet with an advisor in the department offering the desired course(s). This meeting should be held prior to registration for the purpose of program planning.

Readmission of Graduate Students

Any student who does not enroll for two consecutive semesters, excluding the summer term, must apply for readmission. The non-refundable readmission application fee must accompany the application. Fees may be paid by money order or certified check. Applications for readmission must be submitted to the Office of Recruitment & Admission by the application deadline.

Graduate Transfer Credit

Up to nine (9) semester hours earned at another institution may be applied to a master's degree. For transfer credit, individual courses (1) must have been completed with a grade of "B" or better; (2) must have been completed within five years of the beginning of the semester for which the student is admitted to a degree program, and (3) must not have been a part of a program for which a degree has been awarded.

Closing Dates for Application for Graduate Admission

Applicants for admission must have all documents on file no later than June 15 for the fall semester, November 15 for the spring semester, and April 1 for the summer session.

Application forms and additional information can be obtained by writing or visiting the Office of Recruitment & Admission, The University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202.274.5008.

Applicants who complete the application process by the specified time will receive written notification of acceptance or rejection.

University Health Services

D.C. law requires all students under the age of 26 to submit proof of certain immunizations. The deadline for submission is August 1, 2005. The following memo from the University Health Service provides further details about submitting immunization records.

Memo Regarding Immunization Requirements (Spring 2007)

District of Columbia Residency

Students who are residents of the District of Columbia are entitled to reduced tuition at the University. No student shall be eligible for classification as a resident unless he or she is domiciled in the District of Columbia (the "District"), and has resided in the District continuously for not less than one (1) year immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term for which classification is sought.

A student shall not be considered to be domiciled in the District unless he or she is in continuous physical residence in the District and intends to make the District his or her permanent home, while in attendance at the University and indefinitely thereafter, and has no intent to be domiciled elsewhere.

Residency Classification

For purposes of classification as a resident student at the time of enrollment, if any of the following apply, the applicant shall be deemed a resident student:

Residency Factors

The University will consider a number of factors when determining whether a student or applicant is eligible for resident student status. The following facts and circumstances, although not necessarily conclusive, shall have probative value in support of a claim for classification as a District resident. The existence of at least three (3) of these factors with respect to a student shall create a presumption of residency:

Other factors in addition to the factors listed above indicating an intent by a student to make the District his or her domicile shall be considered by the University in classifying a student.

The following circumstances standing alone shall not constitute sufficient evidence of domicile to effect classification of a student as a resident unless they exist in conjunction with one (1) or more of the requirements listed above:

Individuals who are currently serving in the military on active duty, active reserve, or in the National Guard and those who are stationed within the DC Metropolitan Area are eligible to enroll at the University at resident tuition rates, provided they have earned a high school diploma or equivalent. Dependents of these persons currently serving in one of the above categories are also entitled to the same benefits.

University of the District of Columbia • Office of Recruitment and Admission • Building 39, Room A12 Washington, DC 20008 • 202/274-6110 • Fax 202/274-6341