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
The University 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
The University 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 University 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 Business and Economics, School of Arts, Letters and Sciences, and the College of Law and Public Service 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 the University 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
As of 3/1/2023 the Acceptance Policy has been updated. Student enrolling prior to March 1st, can contact the Registrar for the previous policy.
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
As of 3/1/2023 the Basis for Admissions Policy has been updated. Student enrolling prior to March 1st, can contact the Registrar for the previous policy.
NU accepts students on a continual basis. Application for admission can be submitted online any time during the calendar year via www.nu.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
National University
9388 Lightwave Ave
San Diego, CA 92123
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
As of 3/1/2023 the Transfer Credit Policy has been updated. Student enrolling prior to March 1st, can contact the Registrar for the previous policy.
Transfer Credit Eligibility
National University accepts credits from regionally and nationally accredited institutions. It may also accept credits from institutions that are accredited by an agency which is a member of Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or from collegiate institutions which are accredited by non-CHEA member agencies provided they are recognized by the Department of Education. Transfer credits from institutions that are accredited by an agency which is a member of CHEA are only accepted provided that the academic quality of the institutions can be verified and the credits otherwise comply with National University guidelines. Transfer credits from agencies which are not CHEA members are subject to additional scrutiny to validate that their academic programs adhere to the standards of institutions accredited by CHEA members.
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 NU 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.
Any credit hours to be considered for transfer into a National University academic program must:
- Have been completed at a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution, an institution accredited by an agency which is a member of CHEA, or from a collegiate institution accredited by a non-CHEA member agency provided it is recognized by the Department of Education;
- 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 (remedial college credits are not accepted as transfer credit);
- Have been completed within the specified number of years for transfer credit eligibility outlined by degree or program-level.
Note: If a student submits 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 an official transcript is submitted with final grades for those courses. NU 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
The University has several partnerships with schools and organizations that allow students to satisfy University 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 and Economics
Sanford College of Education
School of Technology and Engineering
School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences
Transferability of Credits and Credentials Earned at Our Institution
The transferability of credits you earn at the 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 the 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 the University 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 the University 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 University 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 the University.
All students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) Program are required to complete the Statement of Professional Ethics prior to re-entry. Students enrolled in the MAMFT Program or related certificate who have been out of attendance for over 365 days (or in the case of certificate students, are seeking to change the courses in the certificate regardless of length of time away from their program) and re-entry students new to the MAMFT Program, must complete all application paperwork, participate in an interview with program leadership, and complete a background check (if needed).
Denied Admissions
The University 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 University 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.
Program Availability
Program availability varies by state. Admission is granted at the time of initial acceptance into a program and is dependent on program availability in a state where the applicant resides at the time of admission. If a student moves to a state other than the state where the applicant resided when accepted into the program, continuation in the program will depend on the availability of the program within the new state of residence. It is the applicant’s responsibility to notify the institution of a change in residence (new state). Students who relocate while enrolled may be unable to complete their studies if they are moving to a state where the university is not currently authorized to offer a particular program. Not all programs are approved in authorized states. Students wishing to relocate to a restricted state will not be able to continue in their program of study. Students should contact their Advisor to discuss how relocation could alter their eligibility in their current program.
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