Admissions

Core Curriculum

NOTE: Other courses may be acceptable as substitutes for courses in the core curriculum. Contact LOSFA at www.osfa.state.la.us for more information on acceptable substitute courses.

All freshman applicants should submit their applications as early as possible in their senior year. Applicants who meet admission requirements will be admitted conditionally as soon as possible after receipt of the application, official test scores, and official high school transcripts. UNO will retrieve transcripts for Louisiana high school graduates from the Louisiana State Transcript System (STS) if available. An official transcript certifying courses, grades and graduation from high school is required before the student can begin taking classes. .

Transcripts must be mailed directly from the high school to the UNO Office of Admissions in order to be considered official; ACT/SAT I scores must be sent directly to UNO from the American College Testing Program/Educational Testing Services.

Advanced Standing Examinations

Students of superior ability and preparation and students who have already obtained a fundamental knowledge of subjects offered by the University may be permitted to take departmental advanced standing examinations in
specific courses, which, if passed with satisfactory grades, will enable the student to receive degree credit. The Advanced Placement tests of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB), International Baccalaureate exams taken at the Higher Level, the subject examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Dantes, and UXCEL, and military coursework also may be used as a basis for allowing advanced standing credit. Details on advanced standing are outlined in the chapter entitled University Regulations. New freshmen may also seek advanced standing through the University School. Contact the Office of Admissions for details. Please note that advanced standing credit earned may not be used for the last 30 hours of degree requirements.

Transfer Students

Those applicants who are now or have been in college should submit applications as early as possible in the semester preceding the date that admission is desired. Eligibility for admission cannot be determined until the application and complete official transcripts from each college and university attended have been received. Applicants should refer to the Important Dates Calendar on the University Registrar's website for application deadlines. Applicants must list on their applications each college and university attended and have transcripts sent from all institutions attended, regardless of whether credit was earned or is desired. Any student who fails to acknowledge attendance in each college or university in which he or she has been registered is subject to dismissal from the University.

Students enrolled in college at the time applications are submitted should have transcripts sent when they apply for admission, to be followed by the complete final transcript at the close of the semester. The admissions decision is not complete until the final transcript from the institution where the applicant is currently enrolled.

Credits earned at other post-secondary institutions and presented for transfer credit will be evaluated according to four considerations:

1. the educational quality of the institution from which the credit is being transferred;
2. the comparability of the nature, content, or level of credit to that offered by UNO;
3. the appropriateness and applicability of credit earned to the programs offered by UNO; and
4. a member of one if the six regional accrediting agencies.

The extent to which credits earned in colleges and universities are accepted toward the degree program the student follows at UNO is determined by the dean of the college in which the student plans to major. If students have previously received a failing grade in 1158 from UNO, they must take and pass English 1158 with a grade of C or better.

Students transferring with 1158 credit may take any upper-level English course for which they qualify during their first semester, provided that they resolve their 1158 transfer credits within that first semester.

Transcripts from every college/university attended are required of all transfer students. Not more than one-half the credit required for a degree may be accepted from junior or community colleges. A maximum of one-fourth the credit required for the degree may be earned through appropriate university correspondence and extension study. Students must complete the last 30 hours prior to graduation in residency at UNO. Students not meeting general transfer requirements (2.00 or greater, but less than a 2.25) may be admitted by the Director of Admissions via exception. .

Transfer students with less than 24 semester hours of earned credit must satisfy freshman requirements as well as transfer admission requirements.

Re-entry Students

Former UNO undergraduate students who were not enrolled in the regular semester immediately preceding the semester of desired enrollment must apply for admission according to the deadline published on the Important Dates Catalog maintained on the University Registrar's website. If intervening college work was taken, official transcripts from all institutions attended must be submitted before an admissions decision can be made.

Former students who were on scholastic probation and are readmitted will be continued on scholastic probation regardless of the average earned at the other institution(s).

Guest Students

Transfer students who are enrolled in any accredited college or university and wish to enroll in UNO for one semester must have at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and must be eligible to return to their home
institution. Such admission will terminate at the end of the session and does not presuppose acceptance by any college or division of the University during the regular session. Students attending on this basis must submit all official university transcripts in which they are currently enrolled stating total number of credit hours previously earned. These are required in order to satisfy any course prerequisites requirements for registration. New freshmen entering UNO during the summer are classified as summer-only students even though they plan to attend another
university in the fall. To be eligible, freshmen must meet normal freshmen admission requirements.

Special Student Program

This program is designed for non-degree seeking students who are not currently enrolled in another institution and whose intention is to only enroll in undergraduate courses.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for enrollment in undergraduate credit courses in the Special Student status, students must satisfy one of the following criteria:

If you never attended college, you must meet freshmen admission requirements.

If you have attended college, you must be eligible to return to your home institution and have at least at 2.0 GPA. Enrollment at your last accredited institution of higher education must not have resulted in an academic/disciplinary suspension.

Candidates must submit all prior transcripts to be considered.

Credits Earned

Credits earned in Special Student status are recorded on the student's permanent academic record. Credits earned in the Special Student status may or may not be applied to a degree program at UNO to be determined by the Dean of the college to which the student is admitted after the students applies and meets the normal admission requirements. A maximum of 30 hours of credit earned as a Special Student will be allowed toward a degree program at UNO. A minimum of 30 semester hours must be completed in the college in which the degree is
awarded. Students in Special Student status may not enroll in graduate level courses.

Academic Advisement and Continuing Each Semester

Since prior college work is not posted to the student's record unless they apply and are admitted to a degree program, students must contact the college office to determine course enrollment eligibility. This may include
taking necessary placement tests in English, mathematics, and foreign language. All prior transcripts and test scores are added to the student's file and will be available for the college office. To continue each semester, the student
must complete a request in the Admissions Office and meet satisfactory academic progress the prior semester.

Academic Standards and Regulations

Students in the Special Student status participate in credit courses side by side with degree students. Day, evening, and off-campus credit offerings of UNO are taught by regular faculty members. The standards maintained for each offering are the same. Outside preparation and study are required in all UNO credit classes. Students are advised not to enroll unless they have time to study and attend classes regularly.

Special Students are subject to University rule governing class attendance, minimum grade point average, schedule changes, resignations, and other academic regulations. Academic standing will be determined on the basis of coursework taken in the Special Student status only. A Special Student who is admitted later to regular status will have his/her academic status determined by the college dean on the basis of the complete record.

A Special Student may not petition for scholastic amnesty or permission to take advanced standing examinations. In addition, a Special Student may not receive credit for bypass courses, CEEB Advanced Placement Examinations, the College Level Examinations Program, armed services courses, and correspondence courses. Special Students who change to degree status may petition the dean of the new college for all of the above.

A Special Student is eligible to apply for a grade suspension when a course is repeated. If a Special Student changes to degree status the grade suspension will be reviewed in light of the complete UNO and transfer record and may be nullified if it appears as though the student would not have been eligible for the original suspension.

Veterans

Veterans planning to attend UNO under one of the public laws governing veterans' educational benefits should not attempt to enroll in the Special Student status. To be eligible for educational benefits, a veteran must enroll in regular status.

The University does evaluate formal service school training according to the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services published by the American Council on Education. In order to have your coursework evaluated, send wither an in-service training transcript (Army) or certified DD295/DD214 with course completion certificates to the Office of Admissions, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148.

These records must indicate:

1. Exact title and identification number of course completed
2. Location of training
3. Length of course in weeks
4. Exact dates of attendance
5. Branch of service teaching the course

International Students

International students are not eligible for Special Student status.

Financial Aid

Special Students are not eligible for Pell Grants and many other types of financial aid. Please check with our Financial Aid Office at (504) 280-6603 for more details.

Application for Degree Program

Students in the Special Student status desiring to change to a degree program must:

1. Complete a Change to Undergraduate Degree Status form located in the Admissions Office or online at: http://www.uno.edu/admissions/adm_documents/general_forms/Change_to_Degree_Status_Form.pdf
2. Submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
3. Meet minimum requirements for admission.

International Students

Citizens of a foreign country applying to UNO as freshmen and transfer undergraduate students are expected to meet all requirements for admission to the University. Graduates of foreign secondary schools who have completed the equivalent of at least an American high school diploma may apply for admission to UNO. Transfer applicants are considered for admission on the basis of secondary school records as well as previous college records. The deadline dates for filing applications and submitting complete official records can be found on the Important Dates Catalog maintained on the University Registrar's website.

Proficiency in the English language is vital to the academic success of international students. All students whose native language is not English are required to submit an acceptable Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 525 with a composite score of 50 on the listening comprehension section or a composite score of 195 on the computer based test or 71 on the internet based version as part of the application process. For additional information on the TOEFL write: TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. Further testing will be given to verify English competency when the student arrives on campus. Students may also submit IELTS scores for admission consideration if they have not taken TOEFL.

In certain cases applicants with superior academic credentials who do not meet the minimum TOEFL requirement may be considered for admission into the Intensive English Language Program before pursuing a degree. All applicants are required to provide evidence of sufficient funds to cover all costs while studying at the University.

It is mandatory that all international students participate in the student medical insurance program. Fees for this insurance will be assessed at registration.

Golden Ager Program

This program is designed to encourage persons over 65 years of age to enroll in credit classes at UNO. It has been made possible by state legislation which exempts persons age 65 and over from payment of tuition at all public colleges and universities in the state. The costs of textbooks and special fees are not included in the fee exemption.

The same academic regulations which apply to the student body in general also apply to Golden Agers. These include class attendance, testing, course prerequisites, and admission requirements. It is recommended that Golden Agers apply for their first admission through the Special Student Program if they are not seeking a degree.

Academic Renewal

The University permits students who have not attended college for a given three-year period to request that all work prior to that three-year period not be considered in computing their averages. This allows a student who may have made a poor record in the first attempt at college to start over with a "clean slate.'' For further explanation the student should consult the Office of Admissions.