Academic Requirements

Admission Criteria. 

In making admission decisions, the Graduate School works cooperatively with the various departmental admission committees.

1. To be admitted unconditionally to an ACU graduate program, a student must:
   Complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited university;
2. Earn a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.25 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work;
3. Score within the upper half of the appropriate standardized test measure for the discipline (GRE, GMAT, MAT, etc.);
4. Submit two letters of recommendation that indicate support of readiness for graduate study;
5. Submit a writing sample that shows writing ability consistent with the expectations of graduate work; and 
6. Satisfy program prerequisites, if applicable.

Individual graduate programs may also have higher standards or additional requirements for admission to their programs.  Some programs have higher demand for admission, or are limited in the number of students who can be accepted each semester, and are therefore more selective in admission criteria.

Departmental admission committees make holistic judgments based on their evaluation of an applicant's ability and readiness for graduate work.  Occasionally the department may recommend conditional admission for an an applicant who does not meet all the admission criteria.

Conditional Admission. 

If a student fails to meet one or more of the requirements outlined above for unconditional admission to a graduate program, the appropriate admissions committee may choose to grant conditional admission with the understanding that in order to stay in the program, the student must satisfy certain conditions, normally within the first semester at ACU. A letter from the Graduate School to the student outlines how to move from conditional to unconditional admission, requiring the applicant to eventually meet all the standards of an unconditional acceptance.

Special Graduate Non-degree Admission. 

A student can also enter classes as a special graduate, or non-degree student, a situation normally reserved for those who want to take a few classes without any particular program commitment, or for those wishing to enroll in a certifical program.  The process includes submitting a special graduate application along with a fee and an official undergraduate transcript indicating an awarded degree.  Then, the student selects the appropriate courses and is registered for classes by the Graduate School.

Non-degree students must fulfill the same quality standards in class as fully-admitted students. Some courses require admission to a program before a student is allowed to take a course.

A non-degree student can take no more than 15 hours without being admitted to a degree program.  However, there is no guarantee that the hours taken will fulfill degree requirements. Therefore, it is extremely important to seek admission and follow a degree plan within a program.

Admission to a Certificate Program. 

ACU offers graduate certificate programs in:

• Conflict Mediation
• Family Studies
• Gerontology
• Missions
• Social Services Administration

Some students complete these certificate programs in conjunction with a master's degree program.  If a student is not matriculated in a master's degree program, he or she must apply for the certificate program.  If the student decides to apply any part of the certificate toward a graduate degree, he or she must apply and be admitted into that degree program.

Application Fee. 

The application fee is non-refundable ($40 for U.S. Citizens; $45 for International Students; $25 for Certificate applicants; $10 for Non-Degree applicants).  No action can be taken on any application until the fee has been received.  There are no waivers of this fee considered for domestic or international applicants.

Application Date. 

Unless otherwise specified by a department, applications are accepted year-round.  Thus, many programs have rolling admissions based on space available. However, because of competition for financial aid, scholarships, and assistantships, as well as limited enrollment, the early applicants have better chances for admission and financial aid.  It is strongly suggested that applicants submit their application materials by March for fall enrollment, and by October for spring enrollment.

Accuracy of Material.  

All application materials submitted must be accurate.  Any erroneous, misleading, or incomplete information may be grounds for dismissal.

Official Acceptance. 

Official acceptance letters come from the ACU Graduate School. While academic departments and others play a major role in the evaluation of all applicants, any offer of admission is not binding without an official letter from the Graduate School.

Delayed Admission. 

Students who receive an official letter of acceptance will be informed that the acceptance is available only for the semester or term indicated.  Students who wish to change their entry date must petition the Graduate School in writing before the designated deadline.  Students taking any graduate or undergraduate coursework between the date of acceptance and the date of first course enrollment at ACU must submit official transcipts for that work before beginning their program at ACU.  Students will be governed by the catalog in effect when they actually begin coursework at ACU.  The time limit for completing the degree will begin with the first enrollment in the graduate program.

Admissions Process

Required Materials. 

Ordinarily to be admitted unconditionally to an ACU graduate program a student must submit:

1. A non-refundable application fee.
2. An official transcript(s) of all previous college work (official means an original with the seal which comes directly from the issuing institution to ACU Graduate School).  One of the transcripts must indicate a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Admission decisions are made on the assumption that applicants will have the bachelor's degree by the time of matriculation, and if not, the Graduate School admission is void.
3. Officially reported test score(s) in the upper 50th percentile on the GRE, GMAT, or MAT.  International students must submit official TOEFL scores if English is not the applicant's first language.  Official test scores come directly from the testing institutions.
   • The GRE is scored by Educational Testing Services (inside the U.S. or Canada ­ 1-800-537-3160 or outside the U.S. or Canada ­ 1-609-771-7243). Check with Prometric Testing Center (formerly Sylvan Learning Center) for test dates (325-698-7858)
   • GMAT information is available at 1-800-GMAT-NOW.
   • The MAT is scored by The Psychological Corporation (1-800-622-3231).
   • If English is not the applicant's first language, TOEFL is scored by Educational Testing Services (609-951-1100).
4. Letters of recommendation from two individuals with knowledge of applicant's readiness for graduate study.
5. Health forms indicating immunization record and a tuberculosis test within the last year.
6. Writing sample according to program guidelines.
7. Additional materials may be required by some departments such as additional letters of recommendation, personal interviews, or special tests.  Please see specific graduate degree program requirements.

Admission for International Students.

International students applying for admission to the Graduate School must meet the same admission requirements as other students as outlined above.  However, additional requirements also apply:

1. A non-refundable application fee.
2. Official TOEFL score minimum 213 on the computer version or 550 on the paper version  is required of all applicants from non-English speaking countries (official means it must be sent directly from the testing institution to ACU; see No. 3 of the "Required Materials" section for phone numbers).
3. Financial admission and I-20. After academic admission comes financial admission.  International applicants must satisfy all academic admission requirements before a Form I-20 can be issued and before they leave their home countries.  Particularly, official academic transcripts of their college or university courses must show evidence of completion of a bachelor's degree.

It costs approximately $12,000 to live in Abilene and to attend ACU for one full year. Unfortunately, the university usually cannot offer financial assistance to international students.  However, there are many campus job opportunities.  In any case, the student must be able to bear financial responsibility.

Once international students arrive on campus, they are encouraged to meet with their advisors for program details (see other parts of the catalog) and to meet with the international student program advisor.  International students are encouraged to join the International Student Association on campus and experience great fellowship and fun with up to 300 students and faculty. Welcoming international students is a special part of that process.  Also, see Ted Presley, Director of International Studies, ACU Box 28226, Abilene, Texas 79699-8226, call 325-674-2258 or fax 325-674-2966.

Admission to Institute of Intensive English.

The Institute of Intensive English is not a graduate program, but is a program in which several international post-bachelor's degree students participate. Students with a TOEFL score of 425 (or a computer-based score of 113) may apply to the Institute of Intensive English (IIE)  to study English and become more proficient in speaking, reading and writing. Sometimes called ESL (English as a Second Language), the Institute is not graduate school. However, if a student reaches a TOEFL of 550 or above, he or she would be permitted to apply for admission to Graduate School under the same guidelines for admission as stated above.