Kennesaw State University welcomes applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, or national origin. Admission to Kennesaw State is based on a number of factors depending upon an applicant’s admission type and previous educational experience. The University’s admission requirements have been developed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the KSU faculty and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (BOR Policy Manual 4.2. and BOR Academic and Student Affairs Handbook 3.2). It is the responsibility of the applicant to review admission standards in advance to determine the likelihood of eligibility.
Applicant credentials must indicate a reasonable chance of successful completion of academic work at Kennesaw State University. Admission decisions are based on an applicant’s previous record of academic preparation, academic performance, test scores, personal qualities, and experience.
It may become necessary to request additional testing for a more accurate assessment of an applicant’s ability to succeed or for appropriate course placement. If an application file is not completed in time for such testing to be scheduled prior to registration, it may be necessary for an applicant to reapply for a future term.
If an applicant fails to enroll for the term of application, a new application and application processing fee must be submitted. After twelve months, all documents are purged and destroyed and the entire application process, including credentials, must be repeated. Approval for admission is valid only for the term specified at the time of acceptance and does not imply that approval will be granted for a term not specified. Prior to enrollment, any changes in an applicant’s record due to completion of additional course work will necessitate a new review of the application file.
An applicant’s file will be reviewed to ensure the applicant meets the above noted satisfactory academic performance, good character, and good conduct requirements if an applicant: (a) is on probation, suspension, expulsion, or any other type of academic warning at any previously attended institution, (b) is ineligible to enroll at any previously attended institution, (c) is currently charged with, or has been found guilty of, any violation of academic honesty, honor code, or conduct regulations of a previously attended institution, (d) left a previous institution while there were pending charges of any violation of academic honesty, honor code, or conduct regulations, (e) is currently charged with or has been found guilty of any violation of a federal, state, or municipal law, regulation or ordinance other than minor traffic violations, including offenses for which any type of first offender status has been granted, (f) has ever entered a plea of guilty, no contest, nolo contendere, or an Alford plea, or has otherwise accepted responsibility for the commission of a crime, (g) has received any type of discharge from military service other than honorable discharge. If, after a letter of acceptance has been issued, information comes to light that shows an applicant did not meet all admission requirements, or an applicant’s application contained omissions or misrepresentations, the applicants offer of admission will be revoked. If this information comes to light after the student has enrolled, the applicant’s enrollment at Kennesaw State University will be terminated and earned credit may be revoked.
Prior to enrollment, any changes in a student’s record will necessitate a new review of the application. Any omissions or misrepresentations on a student’s application for admission will invalidate consideration by, acceptance to, and continuation at Kennesaw State University.
Admission to the University is primary and is a sequential prerequisite to any other program admission or departmental or athletic scholarship award.
Admission to Kennesaw State University as an undergraduate student does not automatically admit the individual to teacher education, nursing, business, engineering or other programs with internal admission criteria. Separate application processes are required for formal admission to such professional programs, and those admission decisions are often made after a prescribed amount of course work has been completed with satisfactory grades by the applicant. Details of program level admission requirements can be found in the section of this catalog that outlines degree program requirements.
Applications for admission and all required credentials (such as transcripts and test scores) must be submitted by established deadlines. Application deadlines are available on the KSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. All application deadlines are subject to change. Unless otherwise noted for a specific applicant type, the application file for admission is complete and ready for review when the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has received the following:
The University reserves the right to withdraw admission, prior to or following enrollment, if the student has falsified application materials or otherwise demonstrated ineligibility as determined by the standards of the University or Board of Regents.
KSU does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s disability and is committed to providing students with full and equal enjoyment of services, facilities, and goods on campus as required by law.
Upon acceptance and prior to enrollment, any student with a documented disability or special need must notify the University of any required accommodations. Please contact the Office of Student Disability Services in the Student Development Center at the Kennesaw campus (470) 578-2666 or Building A on the Marietta campus (470) 578-7361.
Applicants who have graduated from a high school meeting criteria of the University System of Georgia will be considered for admission based on the Required High School Curriculum, SAT/ACT scores, and the high school academic grade point average.
The Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) is a key factor considered in freshman admissions decisions. Completion of the University System of Georgia’s RHSC requirements at a regionally accredited or USG recognized high school is expected of most successful traditional freshman applicants.
Course
Units
Required Course Emphasis
For the most updated information and specific course requirements, see: http://www.usg.edu/assets/student_affairs/documents/Staying_on_Course.pdf
Literature (American, English, World) integrated with Grammar, Usage and Advanced Composition Skills
Algebra I/Coordinate Algebra, Geometry/Analytic Geometry, Algebra II/Advanced Algebra and a fourth unit of advanced math, or equivalent courses
The 4 science units should include two courses with a laboratory component. Georgia public high school students should have at least one unit of biology, one unit of physical science or physics, one unit of chemistry, earth systems, environmental science, or an advanced placement course, and a 4th science
Must include one unit focusing on U.S. Studies and one unit focusing on World Studies
Foreign Language, American Sign Language or Computer Science
The 2 units of the same foreign language must have an emphasis on speaking, listening, reading and writing. The 2 units of computer science must have a coding and programming emphasis.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions recalculates the applicant’s academic HSGPA using only acceptable academic units (RHSC) while excluding other high school courses such as physical education, vocational courses, ROTC, driver’s education, etc. from the calculation. All repeated RHSC courses are calculated in the GPA. This GPA is calculated using a 4-point scale. Kennesaw State University welcomes students who have pursued accelerated high school courses and national standardization programs such as College Board Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP). For information about AP, IB and CLEP college credit, please visit the Transfer Services website.
Freshmen are recent high school graduates who will be attending college for the first time. KSU’s minimum requirements for admission as a freshman include the following:
Evidence Based Reading and Writing Test Score
Math Test Score
ACT-English or ACT Reading
No lower than 17
Freshmen applicants may apply after their junior year in high school. After the receipt of all required documents (juniors should include their planned senior year subjects on their application) the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will notify applicants of their admission status. See admissions.kennesaw.edu for the most current admission requirements.
Admission is a competitive process and meeting minimum requirements may not guarantee admission.
Transfer students satisfying RHSC requirements elsewhere in the University System will be recognized as having met those requirements at Kennesaw State University upon admission.
Kennesaw State University recognizes the choice and rights of a family to home educate their children; however, home-educated applicants bear the burden of demonstrating through proper documentation that they meet all the standard requirements for regular or limited freshman admission.
Home school applicants are defined as completing a high school program of study that is not from a regionally accredited or University System recognized high school; and those who have not satisfactorily completed the prescribed Carnegie units of the Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) in a manner acceptable to the University System.
Nevertheless, the University System of Georgia permits home educated applicants to be considered if they demonstrate sufficient Required High School Curriculum preparedness on appropriate standardized subject matter tests. The portfolio review approach for handling exceptions for home school students waives the high school graduation requirement, the academic HSGPA requirement, and the Carnegie unit requirements of the Required High School Curriculum. These waivers are in exchange for satisfactory performance on additional standardized testing or transferable college credit, which validates college preparedness in each area of the RHSC and demonstrates a satisfactory comprehensive high school academic experience. The applicant must meet or exceed the required minimum freshmen average scores on the SAT I or ACT of the prior fall semester freshman class at KSU.
Prospective home school applicants are encouraged to contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at least six months prior to the planned date of entry to obtain information and direction as to how to pursue these alternatives and exceptions for admission. Refer to the Home Educated Students website for the current accepted freshman average test scores and for information regarding portfolio procedures and standardized test options.
Incoming first-year students may join the University Honors Program if they have each of the following:
Honors Opportunities for Currently Enrolled and Transfer Students
Currently enrolled students may join the University Honors Program if they have:
Transfer students with 15 or fewer credit hours may join the University Honors Program by meeting the same criteria as first-year students. Those who are bringing in 15-45 credit hours must have an Adjusted GPA of 3.5 or better and an Honors application essay assessed to be satisfactory.*
For the current deadline, admissions instructions, and additional program information, visit https://dep.kennesaw.edu/, or contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible for the Dual Enrollment Program if they earn each of the following:
To be admitted to DEP, students must submit an online application, their Dual Enrollment new student forms, dual enrollment juniors or seniors under the age of 16 by the first day of class must submit the dual enrollment program acknowledgment form for minor (this can be found in the required document at https://admissions.kennesaw.edu/admissions-requirements/dual-enrollment.php), their official SAT or ACT score report, sent directly from the testing agency; and their high school transcript or homeschool portfolio. The application fee will be waived for Dual Enrollment Program applicants. Prior to registration, accepted students are required to attend a mandatory KSU orientation session. A minimum KSU GPA of 2.0 is required to continue in the program.
Kennesaw State University welcomes students who have pursued accelerated academic course work while in high school or through recognized national standardized programs. Such programs include College Board’s Advance Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Subject Examination Program (CLEP), Defense Activity for Nontraditional Educational Support (DANTES), and Foreign Language Achievement Testing Services (FLATS).
Students may receive college credit for certain courses based on scores received in the above tests. The criteria for credit awarded under these testing programs are available on the Transfer Evaluation Services website at transfer.kennesaw.edu.
PLA credit is not awarded based upon high school or college transcripts. Official score reports for AP, IB, CLEP, DSST and FLATS must be sent from the testing agency to Kennesaw State University to be considered for credit.
CLEP exams are administered nationally through Educational Testing Service (ETS) testing centers or through the University’s Testing Center. See testing.kennesaw.edu for testing information. AP tests are given at many high schools throughout the country, and qualified applicants are advised to take these tests in the spring of their senior year in high school. CLEP, IB, DANTES, AP and FLATS credits do not count toward the KSU residency requirement or grade point average.
Students demonstrating satisfactory evidence of acquired knowledge from prior learning may receive course credit and hours by a departmental examination for advanced standing. Requests for institutional advanced standing examinations should be initiated with the academic department chair responsible for the course in question and must be approved by the Registrar.
Transfer applicants for admission are students who have earned college credit elsewhere at regionally accredited collegiate institutions and wish to transfer to KSU in order to continue their collegiate studies.
KSU’s Office of the Registrar conducts transfer evaluations and accepts transfer credit only from such accredited institutions, only in courses comparable to KSU courses or in subject fields appropriate for KSU degrees, only when the grades earned are sufficient for the transfer courses to meet KSU degree requirements, and only when the GPA for all acceptable transfer courses is 2.0 or higher.
Transfer students must make arrangements with each college previously attended, whether credit was completed or not, to have a complete official transcript forwarded to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Kennesaw State University.
Official transcripts are required, regardless of the applicant’s wishes concerning transfer credit or financial holds, and must be mailed directly from the sending institution, sent by an approved electronic service, or hand-delivered in a sealed college envelope to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Transcripts must be issued within one year of the application submission.
Transfer students’ records will be evaluated in the same manner as Kennesaw State University resident students. Transfer students must have completed 30 semester hours (or 50 quarter hours) of transferable credit with a 2.0 cumulative GPA or above and be in good academic standing at their most recent college. The 30 semester hours must be from an accredited college or university and does not include PLA credit. Transfer applicants who have been academically dismissed from their previous institution may not enter Kennesaw State until they are fully eligible to return to their former institution, have attained good academic standing, and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
Students transferring from another institution in the University System of Georgia must have satisfied any and all learning support requirements before being admitted to KSU. All admission application deadlines cited earlier apply to transfer applicants. All of the required documents cited earlier for a complete application file apply to transfer applicants with the following exceptions:
Applicants with fewer than 30 semester hours of acceptable transfer credit (or 50 quarter hours) must meet the same admission requirements as recent high school graduates attending college for the first time. Also, an official transcript from each college previously attended indicating the applicant is in good academic standing must be sent directly from the sending institution to KSU’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Transfer credit is awarded in accordance with the policies of the University System of Georgia, accrediting agencies, and KSU. Transfer Evaluation Services functions as the liaison between acceptance to the university and academic advising by awarding transfer credit and applying relevant credit to the degree program. For further details regarding the transfer evaluation policy, visit the Transfer Evaluation Services website.
Military Transfer Credit Policy Practice
Military Transfer Credit may be awarded for undergraduate students accepted to Kennesaw State University Fall 2012 or later who have served in the U.S. Military and who desire to have their military experience considered for transfer credit. Students must request their official Joint Services Transcript (JST) be sent directly from JST to the Office of the Registrar, Graduation Audit and Transfer Evaluation Services (G.A.T.E.S.).
In addition to traditional freshmen and transfer applicants, KSU also has a number of special admission categories.
Adult learners with 30 semester hours (or 50 quarter hours) of transferable prior college credit may qualify for transfer status. Nontraditional adult learners are those students who meet the following:
Applicants eligible for review in this category are exempt from the SAT/ACT and Required High School Curriculum requirements; however, non-traditional students applying in this category will be required to take the ACCUPLACER examination. Minimum scores are required for admission. As an alternative, non-traditional freshmen who have taken either test (ACT/SAT) within the past seven (7) years and scored SAT scores of at least 500 in both Verbal/Critical Reading and Mathematics, if taken prior to March 2016, or a Redesigned SAT score of 480 EBRW and 530 on the Math Section, or ACT scores of at least 21 on both English or Reading and Mathematics, may provide an official score report from the testing service to exempt ACCUPLACER testing. More information about testing can be found at testing.kennesaw.edu.
Support and academic services for adult learners are available through the Adult and Commuter Student Affairs website.
All International students should apply online to Kennesaw State University. Application processing and other United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) procedures for applicants on a student visa (F1) or exchange visa (J1) will be processed by the Office of Admissions. Applications with other visa types including permanent residents will be processed by the Office of Admissions.
Kennesaw State University supports international education and the philosophy that cross-cultural understanding is vital for creating mutual respect, appreciation, and understanding of diversity. The presence of international students fosters cultural exchanges, which are beneficial to the student body and to the community at large.
International students may enroll in any program of study offered at Kennesaw State University. In addition, there are on-campus apartment complexes where international students can make arrangements for living accommodations. For information, visit the Housing and Residence Life website.
Students are responsible for their own transportation needs. There is limited county bus service to the campus.
KSU has no designated financial assistance for international students. All international applicants must pay nonresident fees unless the individual receives one of the nonresident fee waivers available to international students through the Office of Admissions. As per USCIS regulations, international applicants must present documented evidence that they have sufficient funds to meet their educational and living expenses.
All international students requesting admission to Kennesaw State University must submit the following credentials at least one semester prior to the semester of enrollment:
To be eligible to register and remain in compliance with the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS), international students must have a current valid F1 visa status. An I-20 Form will be issued only upon the student’s full acceptance into the University and supporting documentation such as Sworn affidavit of support from the applicant’s financial sponsor. A letter from the sponsor’s bank showing that funds (in U.S. dollars) are available for one year of support (for F1 applicants).
In order to maintain F-1 status with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), international students with a student visa are required to be full-time students (minimum 12 semester hours) for spring and fall semesters, excluding summer term (unless it is the student’s first term of enrollment at KSU). The University is required to notify the USCIS whenever a student’s course load drops below 12 semester hours.
Upon arriving at Kennesaw State University, all international students are required to visit the International Student and Scholar Services Office and have their passports, I-20 ID, and Arrival-Departure Record copied and placed in their student file. This procedure facilitates the replacement of a lost Arrival-Departure Record and is required by the USCIS.
International transfer students from other educational institutions in the United States who are applying to Kennesaw State University are also required to have their passports, I-20 ID copy, and Arrival-Departure Record copied before enrollment.
Students who have been enrolled in another college or university and who expect to return to that college or university may apply for temporary (one term) admission and registration at Kennesaw State University as a transient student. Transients must have all documents filed by the deadline to be considered for admission. In fairness to its degree-seeking students and because of limitations on available space, KSU must give its continuing students higher priority for registration than transient students. Transient students have no guarantee that space will be available in the classes they seek and may only enroll in courses for which they qualify. Courses requiring program admission may not be available to transient students.
In addition to completing an online application for admission, which includes paying the non-refundable application fee, prospective transient students must present the following:
It is the responsibility of the transient applicant to determine (with assistance from the home college) the course(s) that should be taken at Kennesaw State University.
Further information for Transient Students/Applicants:
This non-degree category exists for those eligible students who have previously earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and who wish to enroll in undergraduate courses for personal or professional reasons. Students applying for non-degree status must submit an online application for admission, which includes payment of the non-refundable application processing fee, and an official transcript from the institution that awarded the initial degree (meeting all deadlines). Non-degree seeking students can only take courses for which they are eligible and may not be able to enroll in courses requiring program admission.
Non-degree seeking students do not qualify for financial aid, do not receive a transfer evaluation of previous coursework and are not considered degree-seeking students.
Non-degree seeking students who wish to pursue another undergraduate degree at KSU must meet all pertinent transfer admission requirements and deadlines and apply for admission as a transfer student in order to change status from non-degree to degree seeking.
Audit applicants must have graduated from high school or hold a GED. To be admitted as an auditor, the individual must complete an online application for admission, which includes payment of the nonrefundable application-processing fee; and provide an official high school transcript reflecting date of graduation, an equivalency (GED) or official transcript from an accredited college or university showing credits earned. These requirements must be submitted prior to the published deadline for the term they wish to enroll.
Audit students attend classes and may participate in course assignments but are not graded and do not receive degree credit for completing the audited courses. Students are not permitted to receive retroactive credit at any future date for their participation in a course as an auditor nor change from an audit to a credit status while enrolled in a course. In determining the student’s load for fee computation, audited courses are counted at full value. Students wishing to change their classification from an auditor to a degree-seeking student must reapply for admission for a future term in the appropriate category and meet all pertinent requirements and deadlines.
Audited courses do not qualify for educational benefits or financial assistance under the social security laws, veterans, and other federal and state programs.
Kennesaw State University offers fully-online degree programs, certificate programs, hybrid online programs and a large selection of courses in online and mixed-model versions. Designed and taught by KSU faculty, distance learning at KSU offers high quality degree options with distance learning convenience and flexibility. For more information, visit learnonline.kennesaw.edu/.
Citizens of the State of Georgia who are 62 years of age or older may attend Kennesaw State University without payment of fees (except supplies, laboratory fees, special course or major fees, premium program fees, online tuition, and the parking permit fee).
To be eligible for participation under this amendment to the Georgia Constitution, such persons:
Certificate applicants must meet admission requirements for their student type.
Prior to registration, a valid Certificate of Immunization is required to be on file in the KSU Office of the Registrar. The immunization form may be found at immunizations.kennesaw.edu. Mail immunization forms to the KSU Immunization Services, Office of the Registrar, 585 Cobb Avenue NW, MD 0116, Kennesaw, GA 30144 or fax to 470-578-9097 or email to: immunizationsvc@kennesaw.edu.
Former Kennesaw State University students that must apply for readmission include those who have not been enrolled at KSU for three or more consecutive semesters, last attended as a transient student or are returning after academic dismissal or learning support exclusion. As well, students who wish to change their status (such as transient to degree seeking, degree seeking to non-degree) must apply for readmission. The application and all required credentials to support the applicant’s admission type must be submitted by the application deadline for the term they wish to readmit.
Transfer credit for readmission students will be re-evaluated in accordance with the transfer evaluation policies in effect for the term a student is readmitted to KSU.
After taking or attempting an undergraduate course for the second time, students will not be allowed to re-enroll in that class without the permission of the department chair or his/her designee. It is the sole discretion of the department chair/designee to decide if and when a student will be allowed to enroll in a class that they have taken/attempted twice. There is no obligation on the part of the chair to allow a student to enroll in a course after the student’s second attempt to take the course. This limitation is in place regardless of previous grades including grades of “W or “WF”. The standing exception to this policy is for courses described in the KSU undergraduate catalog as being repeatable for credit. Students who wish to participate in the Academic Fresh Start program must contact the Office of the Registrar to complete the Academic Fresh Start Request Form. The request must be submitted within three semesters after re-enrollment or one calendar year, whichever comes first. A student can be granted Academic Fresh Start status only one time. Once granted, the petition for Academic Fresh Start cannot be rescinded.
The Board of Regents (BOR) of the University System of Georgia has implemented a policy requiring University System Institutions to verify the lawful presence in the United States of all admitted students entering Kennesaw State University who are seeking in-state (resident) tuition status. BOR Policy 4.3.4 states: “University System institution shall verify the lawful presence in the United States of every successfully admitted person applying for resident tuition status (in-state tuition).”
For information regarding this requirement and how it can be satisfied, visit https://lpv.kennesaw.edu/.
SAT I and II Tests
ACT Tests
Send KSU Dual Enrollment Forms to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
ACCUPLACER Exam
KSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions
3391 Town Point Drive, MD 9111
Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591
admissions.kennesaw.edu/
Kennesaw State University Testing Services
testing.kennesaw.edu
Kennesaw campus: 470-578-4800; Marietta campus: 678-915-3082
Applicants who do not meet freshman admission standards are encouraged to try to improve in the area(s) they do not meet requirements prior to high school graduation by retaking the SAT or ACT and/or improving their grade point average. Their application will be reviewed again based on final grades and new test scores. As an Alternative Pathway to Enrollment, applicants who are not eligible to begin as a freshman are encouraged to attend another college and reapply to KSU in the future as a transfer student once they have completed all Required High School Courses and Learning Support requirements, achieved at least 30 transferable semester hours (or 50 transferable quarter hours) at appropriately accredited college(s), and obtained a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on all coursework attempted.
Applicants are invited to discuss their alternatives with an admissions counselor. An admissions counselor can advise applicants on an alternative pathway to enrollment as a transfer student, as well as the feasibility for success as a candidate for an admission appeal.
From the admissions website, students can submit an application or check the status of their application and take advantage of the online services including:
It is the responsibility of the student to review admission standards in advance to determine the likelihood of eligibility.
