Admissions Information - University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2024)

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Undergraduate Application Requirements
• Undergraduate Admission Requirements
• Admission Rules and Regulations
• Credit Evaluation Policies
• Nontraditional Credit
• Nevada System of Higher Education Transfer Rights and Responsibilities for Students and Institutions

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, welcomes applications from all interested students. All the admission and application requirements are subject to modification by the Nevada Board of Regents and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and are provided here as a guideline. Please refer to our website (www.unlv.edu) for the most up-to-date requirements.

Anti-Discrimination Policy
The university is committed to ensuring that all programs and activities are readily accessible to all eligible persons without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, Vietnam-era and/or disabled veteran status, sexual orientation, and any protected class under relevant state and federal laws.

Application Deadlines: The application deadlines are Feb. 1 for summer and fall-semesters, and Oct. 1 for spring semesters. To be assured full consideration, applications for admission should be received by these deadlines. Completed applications will continue to be taken and considered up to six weeks prior to the start of the semester on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are encouraged to apply well before the posted deadlines.

Admission Application: An online application form for domestic and international applications is available through the university website. Applicants to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, are solely responsible for submitting a completed, signed, and dated application for undergraduate admission with supporting materials and a $60 nonrefundable application fee ($95 for international students) to the Office of the Registrar & Admissions. All application materials, including transcripts, become the property of the university and are not returnable.

Freshman Composition Placement: Placement is determined by a student’s test scores are shown below.

The current placement guide for Mathematics courses for can be found on the university’s website, http://www.unlv.edu, on either the Mathematics class schedule or the Freshman Test Scores web page

Residency Application: The regulations pertaining to Nevada residency for tuition purposes are established by the Board of Regents. Each applicant claiming legal residency in Nevada must submit a residency application and the supporting documentation along with their admission application. Current enrollees or graduates of a Nevada high school are exempt from this requirement. The residency application forms can be obtained from the university’s website or from the Office of the Registrar & Admissions.

Requirements for International Applicants: The university is authorized by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to admit international students on F-1 student visas. International students are subject to additional requirements that are established by the university and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as outlined below:

1. Proof of English Language Proficiency: Applicants whose native language is not English must provide official copies of their TOEFL scores to the Office of the Registrar & Admissions as proof of English proficiency in one or more of the following ways:
   • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 173 (Hotel College requires 193) .
   • UNLV institutional Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency (MTELP) score of 76 percent (Hotel College requires 80 percent) .
   • Equivalent scores on other selected English proficiency exams approved by the Office of the Registrar & Admissions
   • Completed course work in Freshman Composition equivalent to UNLV’s English 101 (grade of C or better)

Applicants who do not meet the proficiency requirements stated above may be admitted to the English Language Center (ELC) for appropriate course work prior to being admitted to an academic major. The ELC admits students with an intermediate level of English competence as evidenced by scores on approved tests of English language proficiency as well as transfer work from other institutions.

2. Certification of Finances: Before the university may issue a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20), the Office of International Students and Scholars must receive a Confidential Financial Certification form indicating sufficient financial resources to fully meet all institutional and personal expenses while studying in the United States. The certification must be accompanied by a bank letter that has been signed and/or stamped by a bank official. Visit the Office of International Students and Scholars website at www.unlv.edu/studentlife/international for current information and form.
   
3. Health Insurance: All UNLV international students are required to purchase UNLV health insurance regardless of other health insurance policies they may have. International students are automatically charged health insurance fees when they register for classes. Optional dental coverage and vision insurance may also be purchased.

The minimum academic requirements for admission to the university are described below. Please note that admission to the university may not mean admission to the program of your choice. Specific academic programs may have additional entrance requirements beyond those required for admission to the university. Applicants should consult the corresponding section of this catalog to find out about additional requirements for their major of choice.

High School Students: Admission to the university requires graduation from an accredited high school with a minimum weighted grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in the following required high school courses:

ENGLISH: Emphasis on composition; rhetoric; and
American, English, and world literature……………………4 units

MATHEMATICS: Algebra or higher-level mathematics,
including algebra I and II, geometry, analytic
geometry, trigonometry, precalculus, probability and
statistics and other advanced mathematics………………..3 units

NATURAL SCIENCE: (lab or simulation); Including
biology, chemistry or physics with at least two
years in a laboratory science……………………………………3 units

SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDIES: Including world history,
geography, U.S. history, economics, government,
or law…………………………………………………………………..3 units
TOTAL………………………………………………………………..13 units

In-State Transfer Students: Applicants wishing to transfer to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, from another institution within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) must apply for admission to UNLV in the Office of the Registrar & Admissions and must fulfill the same requirements as those applicants who are not enrolled within the NSHE system. Transfer students with an Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Science degree, or Associate of Business degree from an NSHE institution with a cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher will be automatically admissible upon application to the university.

Early (Tentative) Admission: Early (tentative) admission consideration is given to students applying for admission while still enrolled at another institution (high school, college, or university) if their current academic record indicates that they are admissible at the time of evaluation and that they will qualify for full admission upon completion of work in progress. Full admission is granted when all final credentials from institutions previously attended have been received and evaluated by the Office of the Registrar & Admissions, and provided the applicant meets the minimum admission requirements. Failure to complete final admissions requirements by the deadline listed in the academic calendar may result in cancellation of admission and/or enrollment (see Readmission after Cancellation). Freshmen should submit a final official high school transcript indicating the date of graduation and the final semester’s grades for the work in progress at the time tentative admission was issued.

GED Recipients and Home-Schooled Students: Applicants who received a general equivalency diploma or who have been officially excused from compulsory high school must apply for special consideration under alternative admissions. (See Alternative Admission Policy.)
Alternative Admission Policy: The Nevada Board of Regents has authorized the university to admit each year a limited number of deserving students who do not satisfy the university’s minimum admission requirements but who may be admissible through alternate means. Admission by alternative criteria is used for all GED and Home-schooled applicants and is also an option for those applicants who are denied admission. The criteria for admission under the alternative admission program are:

o A combination of test scores and grade point average that indicate potential for success.

o Special talents and/or abilities such as, but not limited to, the visual or performing arts or athletic abilities.

o Other evidence of potential for success.

o Improvement in the high school record.

o Overcoming adversity or special hardship.

o Other special circ*mstances.

Applications for alternative admission criteria are reviewed by the Faculty Senate Admissions Committee. In addition to the application procedures described earlier, an applicant for alternative admission is also required to submit the documents listed below and to meet any other educational criteria that may be required by the Office of the Registrar & Admissions.

1. All official transcripts indicating completion of all work in progress.

2. Standardized test scores (ACT or SAT) or other documented evidence of the necessary capability, readiness, achievement, and motivation to be successful in university-level study.

3. A personal explanation of the circ*mstances of previous academic performance.

4. Two letters of recommendation from an employer, educator, or responsible official.

Students admitted by the Faculty Senate Admissions Committee must achieve a 2.00 grade point average for six or more baccalaureate-level credits by the end of their first semester or their admission will be cancelled.

Second Baccalaureate Degree Students: An applicant who has earned one bachelor’s degree may apply for admission to earn a second bachelor’s degree according to the requirements and procedures outlined for transfer students. Students are not permitted to earn two bachelor’s degrees in the same specialized discipline. Information regarding the number of credits required and the course work required for a second degree may be obtained by consulting the section on Academic Policies and the section describing the desired major in this catalog.

Non-degree Seeking Undergraduate Student Status: At UNLV, any person, subject to review and approval by the University, may enroll as a non-degree seeking student for purposes of personal enrichment, or professional development or to improve their academic record in order to be reconsidered for admission after denial of admission for insufficient academic credentials. Non-degree seeking students may enroll for a maximum of eight credits per semester. Although there is no limit to the total number of credits one may earn as a non-degree seeking student, no more than 24 credits may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree upon admission.

Failure to Enroll Upon Admission: Admission of those students who are admitted but do not enroll for their term of admission will be canceled. Should the student decide to attend within the academic year of the original admission decision, he or she must submit an Update Form to the Office of the Registrar & Admissions. Fully admitted students who do enroll during the semester they are admitted but withdraw from all classes and later wish to return to the university must file a Returning Student Application with the Office of the Registrar & Admissions. (See section on Returning Students and Readmission Procedures.)

Denial of Admission: Applicants who do not meet the university’s regular admission requirements will be denied admission and may be referred to the Faculty Senate Admission Committee to be considered for admission under alternative criteria (see Alternative Admission Policy). Applicants denied admission as regular students may also enroll as non-degree seeking students until such time as a grade point average is achieved which meets the university’s transfer student requirements (see Non-degree Seeking Undergraduate Student Status).

Returning Students: Admitted students who enroll then subsequently leave the university for a period of at least one semester and wish to return must complete the Returning Student Form. The form should be submitted with any supporting documents and is subject to the admissions application deadline.

Freshmen and transfer applicants to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas may be awarded credit for previous college or university course work, certain nationally administered examinations, correspondence and extension work, and military service according to policies established by the university and the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The policies are as indicated in this section.

Previous College or University Course Work: Students who are transferring baccalaureate-level course work from regionally accredited institutions of higher education ordinarily will be granted credit for work completed that is equivalent to courses offered at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or that can, upon petition, be applied to a degree in the general education core or as general elective credit. The amount of credit awarded is based upon university regulations and the guidelines below:

1. Regionally Accredited Institutions: To be granted credit, transfer course work must have been earned at an institution accredited by one of the eight regional accrediting associations listed below and recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or they must have been earned at an institution that is a candidate for accreditation by one of these associations.
   1. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), Middle States Commission on Higher Education
   2. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE), Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
   3. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CTCI), Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
   4. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC), The Higher Learning Commission
   5. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
   6. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Commission on Colleges .
   7. Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC-ACCJC), Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
   8. Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC-ACSCU), Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
      
2. Nationally Accredited Institutions: Generally, credits earned at nationally accredited institutions will not be accepted by UNLV. However, credits earned in specialized institutions offering associate or bachelor degrees that are accredited (or that are candidates for accreditation) by one of the six national accrediting associations listed below and recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) will be evaluated on an individual, course-by-course basis if requested by the student by means of petition to the Admissions Committee of the UNLV Faculty Senate.
   1. Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
   2. Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
   3. Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), Commission on Accreditation (formerly the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, or AABC)
   4. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS)
   5. Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)
   6. Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accreditation Commission (TRACS)
      Transfer credit from any of the six CHEA-recognized nationally accredited institutions may be granted for courses that are comparable to those offered by UNLV or by other regionally accredited colleges and universities, provided the courses are relevant to the student’s academic program. A petition approved by the Admissions Committee of the UNLV Faculty Senate is required to grant transfer credit from the above nationally accredited institutions.
      
3. Unaccredited Institutions: Credits earned in U.S. institutions of higher education that are not accredited by one of the regional or national accrediting associations recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are not accepted in transfer by the university. The policies permitting advanced course placement and the earning of credit for nontraditional learning (see Nontraditional Credit) provide adequate opportunities for the objective evaluation of knowledge acquired through a variety of learning experiences, including military schools.
   
4. Duplicate or excess credit is not counted toward a UNLV degree.
   
5. Transferable baccalaureate-level credit earned at a regionally accredited community or junior college may be applied toward a UNLV bachelor’s degree.
   
6. Although transferable credit may be awarded at the point of admission, there is no guarantee that all transferable course work will be applicable to every degree program. However, course work that is deemed transferable at the point of admission will, at a minimum, be eligible for general elective credit.

The following programs offer students the opportunity to earn credits through examination and military service. The maximum number of credits that may be applied toward a UNLV degree from these programs is 60. An official copy of appropriate grades/scores must be sent to the Office of the Registrar & Admissions directly from the school, testing service, or reporting agency.

UNLV courses or requirements satisfied through Advanced Placement Scores

Please see Biological Sciences catalog section and confer with the College of Sciences Advising Center for additional information about use of honors courses, SAT scores, AP courses and AP scores for Biological Sciences placement

International Baccalaureate: Credit may be awarded for up to 24 hours of elective credit as a block grant with four credits for each higher-level examination passed at a level of 4 or above. Official transcripts of a student’s exams may be presented to appropriate departments to determine whether performance satisfies specific university, college, or department requirements. Departments may evaluate exams individually or establish equivalent grade policies. The department that offers the UNLV course will determine if the exams satisfies a university requirement. If the requirement is programmatic, the department and college offering the program will make the determination.

Correspondence, Extension, and U.S. Armed Forces Institute Courses: The university awards up to a maximum of 15 semester hours of credit for acceptable correspondence, extension, or USAFI courses. Credit awarded for such work is not considered resident credit.

Military Service: Honorably discharged veterans having served a minimum of 12 months active duty in the U.S. military service may, upon request, be granted physical education credit. To obtain credit, a copy of the Report of Separation, Form DD 214, should be presented to the Office of the Registrar & Admissions when applying for admission. A maximum of four semester credits will be awarded.

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges: UNLV has been designated as an institutional member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of more than 1,275 colleges and universities providing voluntary postsecondary education to members of the military throughout the world. As an SOC member, UNLV recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences. SOC has been developed jointly by educational representatives of each of the Armed Services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and a consortium of 13 leading national higher-education associations. It is sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

Transfer credit for courses taken at other NSHE Institutions is governed by policies established in the Board of Regents Handbook, Title 4, Chapter 14, Sections 13, 14 and 15. For transferring course work from other NSHE institutions

A. The completion of the associate of arts, associate of science, and associate of business degree at a community college automatically fulfills the lower-division general education requirements at any other NSHE institution (Section 13.1.a).

B. Baccalaureate level courses included as part of the associate of arts, associate of science, or associate of business degree will transfer to any other NSHE institution at a minimum as general elective credit (Section 13.1.d).

C. Completion of the associate of arts, associate of science, or the associate of business degree does not guarantee satisfaction of all state college or university lower-division requirements except for the lower-division general education requirements (Section 13.1.e)

D. All undergraduate courses in the NSHE must be common course numbered with equivalent courses offered throughout the System. An NSHE transfer guide or common course numbering master file shall be maintained by the Office of the Chancellor and published on the Web. (Sections 14.1 and 14.2)

Student Rights
Students have the right to:

· Receive automatic fulfillment of lower-division general education requirements at the universities, state college, and community colleges that offer select baccalaureate degrees upon completion of an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or an Associate of Business degree from a NSHE community college.

· Access information from the community colleges, state college, and universities about their transfer admission requirements, including documents required for admission, housing, and information about the institution’s costs, financial aid, and student services.

· Access information about the transfer of specific courses, credit hours, grades, and degree requirements. This includes information about transferring courses with grades below a “C,” courses students may have repeated, and credit previously granted by examination.

· Access and receive admission and transfer-related decisions in writing (electronic or paper) specifically:

o Acceptance by the community colleges (limited access programs only), state college, and the universities.

o Evaluation of courses and credits accepted for transfer credit and their course equivalencies, if applicable.

o Outline of transfer courses and requirements which the transferred courses or credits will satisfy for the degree or program sought.

o Analysis of the number of semester credits required to complete a degree in the chosen major program of study.

o The NSHE institution’s appeals process for transfer-related decisions.

· Appeal any NSHE institution’s transfer-related decision. The appeal process will be developed and maintained by each NSHE institution and published on the institutions’ website.

· Elect to graduate under the course catalog graduation requirements under any of the following options, provided that the course catalog at the time of graduation is not more than ten years old:

o The course catalog of the year of enrollment in a baccalaureate level course/program at a NSHE community college (valid transfer contract may be required.)

o The course catalog of the year of transfer into a baccalaureate level program at the universities, state college, or community colleges that offer select baccalaureate degrees.

o The course catalog of the year of graduation from a NSHE institution.

Warning: Changing majors may change the course catalog and graduation requirements, which may increase the time to degree completion.

Notice: Students have all the above rights and any others as summarized in the Summary of Board of Regents Transfer Policies. The summary can be accessed at the NSHE website at http://system.nevada.edu. Paper copies of this document are available upon request of the institution’s admission office.

Student Responsibilities
Students have the responsibility to:

· Understand the transfer policies and procedures of the institution they are considering for transfer. Students should seek information from the institution they are transferring to regarding: core curriculum, prerequisites, major program requirements, degree requirements, admissions, financial aid, scholarships, housing, deadlines, restrictions, and other transfer-related criteria.

· Complete all materials required for application and submit the application on or before the published deadlines.

· Research how courses are applicable to degree and major requirements.

· Understand that if they change their major, not all courses taken will necessarily apply to their new major.

· Plan ahead and realize that appointments with advisors are necessary.

· Understand that after a break in their enrollment, status as an admitted student may be affected.

NSHE Institution Responsibilities
NSHE institutions will:

· Make transfer-related policies and procedures available on their websites.

· Make answers to frequently asked questions about transfer issues accessible for students and provide opportunities for appropriate follow-up appointments to students.

· Provide information on the approximate costs of attending the institution, including tuition, books and supplies, housing, and other related fees.

· Relay admission and transfer-related decisions to students in writing (electronic or paper); including information about the student’s appeal rights.

· Establish and make available upon request internal appeals processes to review transfer-related issues and decisions.

· Engage in continuous, authentic dialogue among NSHE institutions about transfer-related issues with the purpose of solving the challenges before they negatively impact students.

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