Mar 18, 2024  
NCU Catalog - July 2021 (Amended) 
    
NCU Catalog - July 2021 (Amended) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admissions Requirements



Notice of Nondiscrimination

The University does not permit discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, ancestry, national origin, religious creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, color, physical or mental disability, marital status, military or veteran status, or medical condition, under any program or activity under its control. In a continuing effort to enrich its academic environment and provide equal educational and employment opportunities, the University actively encourages applications from members of all groups that are under-represented in higher education. 

General Admissions Requirements

NCU offers programs for bachelor’s degree completion, master’s, and doctoral degrees in specializations designed to meet the needs of adult students and professionals. Meeting the admission requirements is an indicator that the student is qualified to enter and pursue the degree program chosen. The University emphasizes that a student’s success depends upon applying oneself to the degree program studies.

State regulatory information is available at https://www.ncu.edu/consumer-info/state-regulatory-information.

Online Requirements

NCU uses electronic communications. To complete the admissions process, applicants need to have access to the internet readily available to them. The University requires all applicants to submit an online application by completing the application form at: https://apply.ncu.edu

Technical Requirements

It is highly recommended that applicants review the minimum technology requirements outlined at: http://www.ncu.edu/northcentral-global/consumer-information/technical-requirements.

Students should also periodically review these requirements. In addition, students must also be able to navigate the internet. Students are responsible to check NCUOne and their student email account on a regular basis, including electronic communications sent via the NCU messaging system, and to advise the University of any related problems.

Recommended hardware requirements:

  • Intel P4 (minimum of 2 Ghz) or faster processor
  • Minimum 2GB or greater is recommended
  • Minimum 40 GB of free hard disk space, 50 GB or greater is recommended
  • Minimum of 56 Kbps or faster modem, Broadband (high-speed at 144 Kbps or faster), DSL, Cable or better is recommended
  • Color monitor, keyboard, mouse and access to a printer

Note:Students enrolled in a program offered by the School of Undergraduate Studies and School of Law will need have access to both a webcam and microphone in order to complete certain assignments.

Recommended software applications for PC systems:

  • Minimum of Microsoft Windows 10 is recommended
  • Minimum of Microsoft Office 2010 or above is recommended
  • IE 8, Firefox 3.6 or Safari 4.0
  • Adobe Reader 10 or latest version and Adobe Flash Player 30
  • High-quality antivirus software

Recommended software applications for MAC systems:

  • MAC OS X is recommended 
  • Microsoft Office 2011 for MAC or above
  • Firefox 3.6 or Safari 4.0
  • Adobe Reader 10 or latest version and Adobe Flash Player 30
  • High-quality antivirus software

Application Requirements

A completed application (available online at https://apply.ncu.edu) must be accompanied by:

Additionally, a Social Security Number (SSN) is required to be recorded on a student’s education record if the student has or will receive U.S. Federal Title IV funding, U.S. Federal Veterans Affairs funding, and/or U.S. educational tax credit/T-1098. Students who have not or will not be receiving these types of funding will need to complete the Social Security Number Override Verification Form if the student prefers to have the Social Security Number omitted from the student’s education record. Should the University be made aware that U.S. Federal Title IV funding, U.S. Federal Veterans Affairs funding, and/or U.S. educational tax credit/T-1098 has or will be disbursed to a student, the student’s SSN will be added to the student’s education record by the Office of the Registrar. If this occurs, the student will be notified by the Office of the Registrar that the SSN Override has been administratively rescinded.

Note: Applications are good for 365 days from the date of completion for the original program of interest. New applications are required if there is a change in the program of interest. 

Admissions & Evaluation Procedures

Applications may be submitted using the online application form at https://apply.ncu.edu or by contacting Enrollment Services at 866-776-0331 for assistance. Additional documents may be submitted by mail, fax, or email. Fields are available on the online application form to securely store credit card information and social security information, which should never be transmitted by email.

Applicants must request official transcripts be sent directly to NCU from prior colleges and universities during the application process. Acceptance may be granted based on unofficial transcripts. However, all official, sealed transcripts must be received from U.S. institutions within 90 days of the start of the first course, and from foreign institutions within 180 days of the start of the first course.

Applicants using academic documents issued by non-U.S. academic institutions for admissions consideration may be required to have these official documents sent directly from the academic institution to the credential-evaluating agency. Please refer to the section entitled Credential Evaluation for current information regarding accepted Credential Evaluation agencies and procedures involved or see: http://www.ncu.edu/northcentral-global/consumer-information/internal-admissions.

Incomplete applications and those without official transcripts or credentials evaluations for applicants with international credentials will not be evaluated. Certain programs may require additional information or documents. Applications missing all required documents will be considered incomplete and will not be evaluated.

Acceptance Requirements

Program acceptance requirements vary by degree-level, School, and program of study. Minimum requirements for acceptance are outlined below. Please refer to School and program sections for additional, program-specific admissions, evaluation, and application requirements or procedures.

Basis for Admissions

NCU accepts students on a continual basis. Application for admission can be submitted online any time during the calendar year via www.ncu.edu. The Office of the Registrar reviews each applicant file to ensure that the prospective students meet the institutional and program-specific basis for admission requirements. Please refer to School and program sections of this catalog for program-specific admissions requirements and procedures.

Address for Submission of Transcripts

Transcripts should be sent to the Office of the Registrar for processing at:

Office of the Registrar
Northcentral University – Scottsdale Service Center
8667 E. Hartford Drive, Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Transcripts sent electronically can be emailed to transcript@ncu.edu

Acceptance to the University

Upon receipt of the application for admission materials, the Office of the Registrar will evaluate the application file and supporting documentation. The academic evaluation includes a review of the applicant’s educational intent, program of interest, prior college work, professional experiences, and University requirements.

Applicants will be notified of their admission status and the requirements for the degree program upon completion of the academic evaluation.

Transfer Credit

Requests for course transfer credit must be made along with the admissions application so that an appropriate degree plan can be developed and accepted by the student.  Requests by the student for consideration of additional transfer credit can be made at any time prior to degree conferral provided the maximum number of transfer credits permissible has not already been accepted by the University. 

The Office of the Registrar, School Dean, or designee must approve all requests for transfer credit. Transfer courses are evaluated for currency and relevancy to NCU degree programs, and whether they meet academic standards. The Admissions and Evaluation team will document which courses are accepted in transfer and which University requirements the course satisfies. The number of semester credit hours that will be accepted in transfer is documented on the Evaluation Worksheet. Quarter credit hours accepted as satisfying a University requirement, will be converted to semester credit hours by multiplying them by 2/3 and rounding up to the next whole credit. Trimester credit hours as satisfying a University requirement, will be converted to semester credit hours by multiplying them by 3/2 and rounding up to the next whole credit. 

Any credit hours to be considered for transfer into a Northcentral University academic program must:

  • Have been completed at a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution;
  • Be equivalent to the degree program requirements, including specified electives;
  • Appear on an official transcript from the institution where they were earned;
  • Meet required minimum grade requirements for transfer credit eligibility outlined by degree or program-level;
  • Have been completed within the specified number of years for transfer credit eligibility outlined by degree or program-level

Note: If students submit a transcript for basis for admission and the transcript has pending coursework or grades not posted to courses, those courses will not be evaluated for transfer credit until a transcript is submitted with final grades for those courses. NCU is not responsible for duplication of transferable courses that the student may have taken and received credit from a prior institution.

Transfer Credit Articulations and Crosswalks

NCU has several partnerships with schools and organizations that allow students to satisfy NCU program requirements with previously completed coursework and certifications. To learn more about the specific requirements necessary to receive transfer credit, please click on the specific institutional and organizational partnerships linked below.

School of Business

School of Education

School of Technology

School of Undgergraduate Studies

Transferability of Credits and Credentials Earned at Our Institution

The transferability of credits you earn at Northcentral University is at the complete discretion of an institution to which you may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the degree, diploma, or certificate you earn in your educational program is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer. If the credits or degree, diploma, or certificate that you earn at this institution are not accepted at the institution to which you seek to transfer, you may be required to repeat some or all of your coursework at that institution. For this reason, you should make certain that your attendance at this institution will meet your educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which you may seek to transfer after attending Northcentral University to determine if your credits or degree, diploma, or certificate will transfer.

Non-Degree Applicants

Applicants who want to enhance their personal and professional knowledge but do not intend to pursue a degree, can enroll as a Non-Degree student. The application process for non-degree studies follows the standard admissions process outlined above. Non-degree applicants must provide unofficial transcripts to demonstrate that they have the appropriate academic background for the course level requested (e.g., students requesting a Bachelor-level course must have a high school diploma).

There is no limit on the number of courses a student can take while in a non-degree status. For tuition information specific to Non-Degree applicants, please see Tuition and Fees - Non Degree Tuition. The Academic and Finance Advisor will advise the applicant if there are prerequisites for the course requested.

If the student later applies for admission to a degree program, they will be required to complete the admissions application for the degree program of interest and submit all required documentation for admissions. The student will be evaluated as a new applicant and must meet tuition requirements, graduation requirements, and policies in effect at the time of application to the degree program. In addition, non-degree coursework completed at NCU will be evaluated during the admissions process.

Note: Non-Degree students will be reported to the National Student Clearing House as attending less than half-time and are not eligible to receive financial aid or have their loans placed in deferment status.

Matriculation

Students admitted to a degree program at NCU are considered matriculated into their degree program upon successful completion of their third degree course and participation in one day past the drop period of their fourth degree course (not including leveling coursework). Any student who does not successfully complete the first three degree courses and participate in one day past the drop period of their fourth degree course are considered non-matriculated and will not be used in calculating completion rates. See the Refund Policy and Procedure  for detailed information regarding the University’s drop period.

Student’s Right to Cancel

Students have the right to cancel the Enrollment Agreement and obtain a full refund of charges through attendance in Week 1 (day 7 of the first course).* Applicants who wish to cancel an enrollment agreement must contact their Academic and Finance Advisor at learnerservices@ncu.edu or call (888) 628-6904 prior to attending Week 2 of your first course. Cancellation or Withdrawal will be effective on the date that the notice is received.

The University reserves the right to cancel or terminate the agreement if the applicant fails to accept and attend their first course, meet basic academic requirements during provisional admissions periods, violate the Student Code of Conduct, fail to make satisfactory academic progress, fail to make payment in accordance with the terms of the student finance agreement, and/or fail to meet attendance requirements as outlined in the NCU Course Catalog.

If students obtain loan(s) to pay for their educational program, they have the responsibility to repay the full amount of the loan plus interest, less the amount of any refund that is owed under the refund policy.

Re-entry Enrollment

Students who have been out of attendance for less than 365 days will be allowed to return to the degree program/catalog version that they were enrolled in prior to exiting the University. New application paperwork is not required unless the student changes degree program/catalog version.

Students who have been out of attendance for over 365 days must reapply for re-entry to the University under the most current degree program/catalog version. Students applying for re-entry must meet all applicable University policies including the basis for admission criteria in effect at the time of their re-entry enrollment.

All returning students are subject to current tuition rates and fees applicable at the time of their return. Click 

  for current tuition information. 

Students who are academically or administratively dismissed may not be eligible to return to the University. See Academic and Administrative Dismissal policies for additional information.

Students dismissed due to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, the University’s Academic Integrity policy, or due to any other legal or ethical matters, do not qualify for re-entry to NCU.

Denied Admissions

NCU may refuse admission/re-entry to a potential student whose record shows previous or current misconduct that is deemed not to be in the best interest of the University community. The Office of the Provost or designee will review all situations in which behavioral conduct issues or other issues that will prohibit student success are noted. When necessary, this officer will contact appropriate parties having knowledge of the applicant and/or the misconduct and make a decision as to whether admission of the applicant would be in the best interest of the NCU community. Any applicant denied admission under this policy may submit a written appeal to Provost@ncu.edu to be reviewed after the notification of the denial of admission. Details should include the student name, school, contact information, and a description of the circumstances including all supporting documents to be reviewed.