Admission

The undergraduate admission policy is designed to seek students who demonstrate intellectual promise in a challenging curriculum, and who are committed to the liberal education reflected in the Mission of The University of Tulsa and to upholding the Student Code of Conduct. The University of Tulsa uses a holistic approach in evaluating candidates for admission based on available information including academic and extracurricular achievement and personal qualities. Admissibility is determined by an admission committee under the auspices of the Dean of Admission. Admission to certain degree programs may be limited and have additional academic requirements or a separate program application.

The University has a non-binding Early Action freshman admission plan with an application deadline of November 1 and notification in December. Applications completed after November 1 will be reviewed under a rolling admission process and applicants will be notified on an ongoing basis starting in January. The priority deadline for admission and scholarship consideration is February 1. The Office of Admission also adheres to the national Candidate’s Reply Date, which means that applicants are not required to pay a non-refundable enrollment deposit nor accept an offer of admission or financial aid/scholarships prior to May 1. Students notified after May 1 of acceptance for the fall semester, or after December 1 for the spring semester, should make their admission deposit within two weeks of notification. The deposit is credited toward first semester tuition and is non-refundable.

As a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, The University of Tulsa fully subscribes to the Statement of Principles of Good Practices.

Applicants should review the residency requirements for undergraduate students at The University of Tulsa.

Degree-Seeking Status

Freshman Application Procedures

Graduating high school seniors or adults who have a high school diploma or GED and have never attended an accredited two- or four-year college should apply for admission as freshmen. High school graduates who have attended only a non-accredited postsecondary institution should follow freshman procedures.

The Office of Admission reserves the right to verify the authenticity of any documents or statements provided as part of the application and to request additional materials as needed to render an admission decision.

Application for Admission and Fee. The freshman application, including an essay, should be signed and submitted to the Office of Admission no later than August 1 for fall admission. The priority deadline for admission and scholarships is February 1. Application may be made using either TU’s on-line form or the Common Application. A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $50.00 is also required.

In addition to the undergraduate application for admission, freshman applicants to the Energy Management program , and the School of Music  must follow additional procedures for acceptance to these programs. Details are available from the Office of Admission or from the program directors.

Transcripts. Applicants may be considered for admission on the basis of official sixth semester high school transcripts; however, seventh semester transcripts may be requested by the admission committee. The final official high school transcripts of enrolling students must be submitted from the school directly to the Office of Admission upon graduation. Non-submission will preclude students from enrollment in subsequent terms.

Candidates for admission who have received a high school equivalency credential based on the Test of General Educational Development (GED) must submit an official report of their GED scores from the testing agency in addition to a final official transcript of any coursework completed in high school.

Transcripts of college courses earned through dual enrollment high school credit are not required for an admission decision, but should be submitted from the credit-granting institution directly to the Office of Admission upon completion of the coursework.

School Report Form. Freshmen who have graduated high school within one year prior to the intended term of enrollment must provide a school report form completed by the high school guidance counselor.

SAT or ACT. Freshman applicants must provide official scores from the SAT Critical Reading and Mathematics exams or the ACT exam. The Office of Admission reserves the right to validate SAT and ACT results reported on the high school transcript by requesting an official score report from the testing agency.

Applicants who are 25 years of age or older are not required to submit SAT or ACT results. However, the admission committee may request scores from college entrance exams or scores from alternative placement exams if deemed necessary to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications.

Green Card (PRA) Verification Form. Applicants who have a green card (Permanent Resident status) must submit a completed, signed and notarized Verification Form along with a legible copy of both sides of the green card signed and dated by the applicant and notarized.

Interview. A personal interview with an admission counselor is strongly recommended.

Freshman Selection

Freshman admission decisions are based on all available information, including performance in a college preparatory curriculum, scores on college entrance examinations, class rank, personal qualities, achievements, and recommendations. Special talent, leadership, maturity, strength of character, perseverance, and initiative demonstrated through recommendations, extracurricular involvement, personal interviews and the application are also considered. Test scores of the middle fifty percent of the freshman class typically fall between the 80th and 95th percentile nationally and the majority of the freshman rank in the top 10% of their class.

The University strongly encourages applicants to undertake a rigorous academic curriculum that includes a minimum of 16 units of college preparatory work (a unit is one year of study in a subject). Honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate classes are strongly encouraged and are viewed favorably by the admission committee.

High School Course Recommendations

Computer competency is expected.

Transfer Application Procedures

Students who have attended other accredited colleges or universities since graduating from high school must apply as transfer students. This includes students who were previously enrolled at The University of Tulsa and subsequently attended another institution.

The Office of Admission reserves the right to verify the authenticity of any documents or statements provided as part of the application and to request additional materials as needed to render an admission decision.

Transfer students must complete a minimum of the last 45 hours of their degree plan at The University of Tulsa.

Application for Admission and Fee. The transfer application, including a personal statement, must be signed and submitted to the Office of Admission the semester before the beginning of the term in which enrollment is sought. Application may be made using either TU’s on-line form or the Common Application. A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $50.00 is also required.

In addition to the undergraduate application for admission, transfer applicants to the Energy Management program , the School of Art, Design and Art History , the School of Music , the Department of Theatre , the School of Nursing , and the McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering  must follow additional procedures or meet additional standards for acceptance to these programs. Details are available from the Office of Admission or the program directors.

Transcripts. Final official transcripts must be mailed directly to the Office of Admission from the high school and each accredited college attended. Hand-carried transcripts will not be accepted as official. Failure to disclose a college previously attended could result in withdrawal of the application or offer of admission. Applicants who have received a high school equivalency credential based on the Test of General Educational Development (GED) must submit an official report of their GED scores from the testing agency, in addition to an official transcript of any high school work completed. Transfer students who have completed 48 or more semester hours of college credit at the time of their application are exempt from submitting high school transcripts or GED results unless requested by the admission committee.

SAT or ACT. Transfer students must provide official scores from the SAT Critical Reading and Mathematics exams or the ACT exam unless they have completed more than 30 semester hours of college work or are 25 years of age or older. Scores from college entrance exams or additional placement testing may be required if deemed necessary by the admission committee or dean to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications. The Office of Admission reserves the right to validate SAT and ACT results reported on the high school transcript by requesting an official score report from the testing agency.

Green Card (PRA) Verification Form. Applicants who have a green card (Permanent Resident status) must submit a completed, signed and notarized Verification Form along with a legible copy of both sides of the green card signed and dated by the applicant and notarized.

Interview. A personal interview with an admission counselor is strongly recommended.

Transfer Selection

Transfer admission decisions are based on the complete academic record of the applicant, including all previous college work and, in some cases, high school transcripts and college entrance exams. Factors such as motivation, maturity, strength of character, perseverance, and accomplishments demonstrated through the application, interview, and other documentation will also be considered.

Transfer applicants must be in good standing at the institution last attended. A 2.75 (all-college) cumulative grade point average is recommended for consideration for admission.

Offers of admission made to applicants who have coursework in progress at another institution will be provisional pending receipt of final official transcripts.

Transfer students who show academic promise but whose overall academic records do not fit conventional standards for admission may be considered for admission on probation. Under the terms of probation, credit hours may be limited and the student will be required to maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average during the first semester. Transfer students admitted on probation are referred to the Center for Student Academic Support (CSAS) for services to assist their transition.

Students who have been dismissed or suspended from any college or university may not be considered for admission to The University of Tulsa until one calendar year has elapsed. Transfer students who were dismissed from The University of Tulsa prior to attending another college must petition the dean of their college of enrollment before being considered for readmission. Credits earned at another college or university during the dismissal period may not be applied toward a degree from The University of Tulsa unless approved by the readmitting dean.

Previous TU students who have not attended another institution since their last term of enrollment at The University of Tulsa are not required to reapply for undergraduate admission. They may be reinstated as continuing students by the Office of the Registrar under the same status previously accorded them by their college advising office. Continuing students who have been dismissed must petition their college dean for readmission.

Transfer Credit. The college transcripts of admitted applicants are evaluated by the advising office of each undergraduate college. Transfer applicants are notified in writing of credit that will be accepted toward their intended degree plan at The University of Tulsa. See Transfer Credit  for further clarification of the awarding of credit.

Non-Degree-Seeking Status

Non-Degree Seeking Application Procedures

A student should apply for admission as a non-degree-seeking student under the following circumstances:

• Attending on a temporary basis as a “visiting student” while pursuing a program of study at another institution;
• Fulfilling undergraduate prerequisites for graduate or professional school;
• Seeking an undergraduate certificate beyond the bachelor’s degree;
• Seeking individual courses for personal and/or professional development; or
• Auditing a course at The University of Tulsa.

Application for Admission and Fee. An abbreviated Non-degree-seeking Application Form must be submitted to the Office of Admission along with a nonrefundable, one-time application fee of $50.00.

Transcripts. An official transcript must be sent directly to the Office of Admission from the institution most recently attended or, in the case of candidates who hold undergraduate degrees, from the degree-granting institution. Academic advisors may require additional transcripts to verify prerequisites.

Green Card (PRA) Verification Form. Applicants who have a green card (Permanent Resident status) must submit a completed, signed and notarized Verification Form along with a legible copy of both sides of the green card signed and dated by the applicant and notarized.

Non-Degree-Seeking Admission Selection

Non-degree seeking students must be in good academic standing at the post-secondary institutions previously attended and must demonstrate potential for success in the specific coursework they wish to pursue at The University of Tulsa. Students who have been dismissed or suspended from any college of university will not be considered for admission as a non-degree seeking student until one calendar year has elapsed.

After 15 semester hours have been earned under this status, students must obtain approval from the office of the collegiate dean to continue enrollment as a non-degree seeking student. Non-degree seeking students will be accorded advising privileges and will be subject to the academic rules and regulations of the college in which they are enrolled but are not required to follow a degree plan.

A non-degree-seeking student who decides to seek a degree must reapply through the Office of Admission and meet the criteria for admission as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.

Concurrent Enrollment of High School Students

High school students who are mature, motivated, and exceptionally capable academically may apply to take courses for college credit before graduation if they have completed appropriate preparatory coursework at their school or if they wish to pursue areas of study not available at the secondary level. Concurrent students may apply for fall, spring or summer admission and must provide updated documents and be approved prior to each semester of enrollment. To evaluate each applicant for admission to the Concurrent Enrollment Program, the following documents are required:

Concurrent Enrollment Application Form. The Concurrent Enrollment Application Form, including a brief essay, must be completed by the student and signed by both the student and parent. No fee is required.

High School Transcript. An official high school transcript must be mailed from the school to the Office of Admission. A cumulative grade point average of 3.5 is required.

School Approval Form. The School Approval Form must be completed and submitted each semester by the current high school principal or counselor.

ACT/SAT Scores. A score report from ACT or SAT must be submitted. An ACT Composite score of 25 or an SAT combined score of 1130 on the Math and Critical Reading sections is required. If ACT or SAT has not been taken, comparable scores on PLAN or PSAT may be considered.

Interview. Concurrent applicants are requested to schedule a personal meeting with the Dean of Admission.

Deadline. Concurrent students are encouraged to have all materials submitted no later than July 1 for fall classes or December 1 for spring classes.

Summer School Enrollment

Students who are not continuing students at The University of Tulsa may attend the summer term under an open admission policy. The Summer Term Application Form must be submitted, but no application fee or transcripts are required. Summer school students who are degree-seeking at another college or university must be in good academic standing at their home institution.

International Student Admission

An international student is an applicant who is not a citizen of the United States and does not have permanent residency (a “Green Card”) in the U.S.  Citizens of countries other than the U.S. should contact the International Student Services Office for assistance.  Students are encouraged to inquire at least six months in advance of the time they wish to enter the University to confirm deadlines for the receipt of applications.

Students must complete an application for admission, pay the application processing fee, and supply certified copies of original transcripts, with certified English translations, for all secondary and post-secondary work. Academic records include a student’s secondary school marks, the result of any national school-leaving examination or certificate, and records from each college or university attended outside of the United States. Failure to disclose a college or university previously attended could result in a withdrawal of the application or offer of admission. Students transferring from another institution in the U.S. are required to submit official transcripts from each college or university they have previously attended. Transfer students who have completed fewer than 60 semester hours at the time of application must also submit transcripts of secondary work. For all coursework beyond the secondary level, a syllabus must be submitted so that transfer credit may be determined.

Financial responsibility must be attested to in accordance with current cost estimates available from the International Student Services Office.

English proficiency is not used in determining the admissibility of students to the University. Proficiency is required, however, before a student will be allowed to enroll in academic courses.

International students under age 21 and unmarried who are admitted as first- or second-year students will live and dine on campus. See the residency requirements for undergraduate students at The University of Tulsa.

English Institute Admission

Admission to the English Institute for International Students (EIIS) is open to all students accepted to The University of Tulsa without the required level of English proficiency. Those interested in attending the Institute should contact EIIS by phone at 918-631-2535 or visit the EIIS webpage, then submit an application and the application fee. Eight-week sessions are available year-round. EIIS students are eligible for University housing when available.

Admission to the English Institute for International Students does not guarantee a student admission to academic programs at the University.