Admission to the University

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

The Office of Admissions is responsible for processing applications of first-year and transfer students, and requests for readmission and non-degree status. For graduate and professional studies admissions, please refer to the table of contents.

Office hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and selected Saturdays.

Academic Admission Requirements for First-Year Students

1. A candidate for admission should have been graduated from an approved secondary school. Applicants who have not completed four years of high school must submit a High School Equivalent Diploma (GED) issued by their state department of education
2. Candidates for admission must submit an official transcript indicating the successful completion of at least 16 academic units of work (grades 9-12) earned at a secondary school approved by state and regional accrediting agencies. The 16 units are to be distributed as indicated below:

Admission Requirements for Transfer Students

Any student who has attended a college/university full-time and has attempted 12 credits will be considered a transfer student.  A candidate for transfer admission should have earned minimum of 12 transferable credits and a 2.0 Q.P.A. to be considered for admission to the university.  Meeting the minimum Q.P.A. does not guarantee admission to all academic programs. The Nursing and Physical Therapy programs can accept students on a space available basis. To be considered for admission into those programs, competitive applicants should have a minimum cumulative Q.P.A. of a 3.0.  Students transferring into the nursing program must also have a 2.6 Q.P.A. in required science courses.

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

Transfer students will receive an official credit evaluation after an offer of admission has been made. A preliminary evaluation, even before application, may be requested.  Changes in the transfer evaluation will not be made after the student has completed one semester at Saint Francis University.

1. Transfer credits will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. A maximum of 64 credits can be transferred to the university.
2. A course for which no credit is given at the original institution cannot be transferred for credit at Saint Francis University; developmental, review or remedial courses are not transferrable.
3. Only courses with a grade of “C” or better will be approved for transfer, however, courses that were graded a C-minus and carried two quality points are acceptable.
4. Transfer credits are not used in the computation of a student’s cumulative quality point average at Saint Francis University.
5. Students may transfer up to six credits of Religious Studies at the original time of transfer, but three of those must be from another Catholic college. Except by permission of the appropriate department chair, RLST 105  and RLST 205  must be completed at Saint Francis.
6. Students who, upon admission, transfer 28 or more credits including a two-semester, six-credit sequence in college-level English composition classes (excluding Placement and CLEP credits) will be exempt from ENGL 103  .
7. Military credit may also be considered for transfer credit.
8. The Provost resolves any questions regarding transfer policy.

Admission of International Students

International applicants will need to meet the admission requirements for first-year or transfer students.  In addition to those requirements, students whose native language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency. TOEFL, IELTs, iTEP exam scores can be submitted to satisfy the language proficiency requirement. 

Those that do not meet the English language proficiency requirement will enroll in the University’s intensive English language program (IEP).  After successful completion of the IEP, students begin their traditional undergraduate or graduate studies they were admitted to pursue.

Readmission

Students previously enrolled at Saint Francis University who have interrupted their studies for financial or personal reasons do not need to submit another undergraduate admission application.   However, they do need to contact the Office of Admissions for the reactivation of their credentials. The Admissions Office will process their request for readmission through the Provost, the Vice President for Student Development, and the appropriate academic department chair.

Students who are academically dismissed from the University may not reapply for admission for at least one calendar year.  Applications for readmission from students who have been academically dismissed will be reviewed by the university’s Academic Standing Committee.  Additional details can be found in the Academic Policy  section of this catalog.

Students who have attended another institution in the interim will need to submit an official transcript from the institution in which they have enrolled, be in good academic standing at that institution, and submit the College Clearance Form.

Students who are readmitted to Saint Francis University, either in their original major or a new major, will be governed by the degree requirements as stated in the University’s catalog in effect at the time of readmission. Readmitted students will be assigned their former departmental advisors for scheduling purposes where appropriate.

Non-Degree Students

Students wishing to take courses of interest may do so on a space-available basis. Applications for non-matriculated status can be obtained in the Admissions Office.  No more than 24 credits may be taken by any student in the non-degree category.

For Those Currently in the Military Service

The Military Affairs Office educates veteran-students on Federal and State programs that are in place to assist with funding an education. This includes but is not limited to Veterans Affairs and ROTC benefits. The Certifying Official submits all veteran enrollments to the appropriate VA Regional Processing Office (VARPO).

The Military Affairs Office assists veterans with the application, financial aid, and scheduling processes at Saint Francis University as well as overseeing the Military Science curriculum as acting liaison for the program on campus. The staff educates veterans about physical and mental health services that are provided on campus and throughout the surrounding area. For additional information or questions, please contact: Laura Papcunik, Military Affairs Representative, (814) 472-3077, lpapcunik@francis.edu.

Saint Francis University has been designated as an institutional member of Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of more than 400 colleges and universities providing voluntary postsecondary education to members of the military throughout the world. As a SOC member, Saint Francis University recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences. SOC has been developed jointly by educational representatives of each of the Armed Services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a consortium of 13 leading national higher education associations; it is sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC).