General Admissions Policy

Benedictine University reserves the right to deny admission, continued enrollment, or re-enrollment to any applicant or student whose personal history and background indicate that his or her presence at the University would endanger the health, safety, welfare or property of the members of the academic community or interfere with the orderly and effective performance of the University's functions. Graduate students denied admission are required to wait one calendar year before reapplying to the program.

Some programs have special admissions standards. If you are considering a particular program, you need to determine the admissions standards for that program by reviewing the descriptions contained later in the catalog or by contacting the faculty responsible for the program. Failure to provide Benedictine University with a correct and complete academic history will result in revoking of acceptance and/or administrative withdrawal.

Admissions Requirements for U.S. Citizens and U.S. Residents

• Graduate Application for Admission.
• $40 nonrefundable application fee.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously enrolled.
• Proof of U.S. baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university or equivalent.
  • Student must submit a Transcript Evaluation for any school attended outside of the United States. Students may request a report from any of the following evaluation companies, or any credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES): Educational Credential Evaluators (EP), Educational Perspectives (EP) or Slate Education Foundation (SEF). In addition, SEF will assist with credential authentication and degree equivalency using appropriate resources of World Education Service (WES) for admission into Benedictine University’s graduate programs by computing calculations such as GPA conversions and credit hours. Students completing the SEF evaluation seeking course waivers must supply Benedictine with the appropriate course syllabi. Transcript evaluations shall be performed by trained foreign credential evaluators at SEF. Students must request a course-by-course evaluation including a U.S equivalent cumulative GPA. Official reports are mailed or electronically sent directly to Benedictine Admissions (admissions@ben.edu) from a NACES member organization. Please contact the Enrollment
• Official results of professional entrance exam or Graduate Professional Entrance Exam Waiver form, if applicable.
• Letters of references from persons who know the applicant from a professional or academic perspective. Quantities of letters required vary by program. Letters of reference must be no more than one year old at the time the application is received.
• Resume, if applicable.
• Essay statement of career and academic goals.
• Personal Interview (may be required of some programs).
• At any time, the Office of Admissions reserves the right to test the English writing and speaking skills of any incoming graduate student if circumstances warrant it. If asked, students must complete an in-house English assessment and/or be asked to submit an official TOEFL score. Those students who do not demonstrate English proficiency may be conditionally admitted pending successful completion of ADG (Academic Discourse Graduate) coursework. ADG coursework must be completed within the first two quarters of the student’s graduate career. The purpose of ADG coursework is to help the student improve their academic endeavors and language proficiency skills.

Student-at-Large Study

Graduate students-at-large (GSAL) are those who enroll for graduate coursework before being accepted or applying for admission to a graduate degree program. All academic policies and institutional regulations apply to the GSAL, except that the student is not identified with any class year. Students must demonstrate proof of a baccalaureate degree conferred from a regionally accredited college or university and submit an application to University Admissions. Applicants will be referred to the department chair or program director for permission to register.

Graduate students-at-large do not qualify for financial aid. Credits earned as a GSAL may or may not apply toward specific degree requirements. GSAL credits do not guarantee program admission. A GSAL may later request admission to degree status through the formal admissions process. Admission and acceptance of credits completed is subject to the discretionary approval of the University.

Courses taken as a GSAL can be counted toward the residency or program requirements if the GSAL is later admitted to degree status. At the discretion of the program director or department chair, GSAL credit may be designated as not fulfilling program graduation requirements. Regardless of status, all courses taken for credit will become part of the student’s official record at Benedictine University. The graduation requirements a student must meet are based on the catalog in effect at the time of admission to degree program, which may be different from those in effect during the GSAL period. GSAL status is not available to students denied regular admission to Benedictine, those who have recently been dropped by the University for poor scholarship, or those who have been dismissed from the last institution of attendance within the previous 12 months.