Admissions Information

Women's College or College of Adult Undergraduate Studies?
Matriculant and Non-Matriculant Status
Full-Time/Part-Time Student Status
Applying to the Women’s College
Applying as Transfer/Adult Learners to the Women’s College or College of Adult Undergraduate Studies
Applying as an International Student
Readmission
Application Materials/Deadlines
Becoming a Notre Dame Student
Options for Earning Credit

Through the admissions process, Notre Dame attempts to determine the intellectual
potential and growth of each student. A student’s academic record, high school and/or college curriculum, and standardized test scores are good indicators of these qualities. However, the process also includes a close review of the student’s special interests, talents, letter of recommendation, the admission essay or writing sample and information from the personal interview. All of this information helps the University assess the unique qualities that are essential to a successful Notre Dame student.

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Women's College or College of Adult Undergraduate Studies?

Although many degrees and majors are offered through both the Women’s College and the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies (CAUS), there are significant differences in their populations and scheduling. To determine whether the Women’s College or CAUS is the most appropriate for you, see the college descriptions under Academic Information.

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Matriculant and Non-Matriculant Status

A matriculant is a student who is officially admitted to the University as a candidate for a degree in a particular field of study. Formal admission to the University is required to become a matriculant. Full-time students
in the Women’s College must maintain continuous study in order to keep their matriculant status, unless they obtain an official leave of absence. Part-time students in the Women’s College or the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies (CAUS) must complete a minimum of one course each academic year to maintain their matriculant status. (See Academic Information for policies on leave of absence or withdrawal.)

Non-matriculants are students who have not been formally admitted as degree candidates but who are registered for courses either full-time or part-time, for credit or audit. Adult students in the Women’s
College and students in CAUS may enter Notre Dame as non-matriculants. The same tuition and fees apply to non-matriculants as to matriculants. Non-matriculants are not eligible for financial aid and must apply for admission to the University upon completion of no more than 18 credits.

The catalog in effect at the time the student is formally admitted (matriculated) to Notre Dame contains the policies and program requirements under which the student will graduate.

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Full-time/Part-time Student Status

Women’s College students enrolled in 12 or more credits are considered full-time and must pay full-time tuition and fees. Women’s College students enrolled in 11 credits or fewer are considered part-time and will pay the part-time, per credit fees as listed under Tuition and Fees. Students in the Women’s College may attend either on a full-time or part-time basis.

The College of Adult Undergraduate Studies is designed as a part-time program and is not normally designed to accommodate a full-time credit load. Students enrolled in 11 credits or fewer are considered part-time and will pay the part-time, per-credit fee as listed under Tuition and Fees. Under unusual circumstances, CAUS students may carry a load of more than 11 credits.

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Applying to the Women’s College

First-year Students

A strong college preparatory program in high school is the best preparation for
success at Notre Dame. Therefore, the Admissions Committee places the greatest emphasis on the type and strength of courses taken and the grades earned. Accepted
students usually rank in the top half of their class. Applicants are required to be prospective
graduates of a high school accredited by the regional association of the College Board or of an approved home school program. A minimum of 18 academic units distributed as follows is required:

English 4 units
Foreign Language 3 units
Mathematics, College Preparatory 3 units
Science 2 units
History 2 units
Electives 4 units

The Admissions Committee may accept a student who lacks one or more of the stated requirements, but whose high school record and standardized testing show academic ability.

Elizabeth Morrissy Honors Program

Applicants whose academic records are exceptionally strong may be invited to participate in the Honors Program. Selection into the Honors Program is competitive; students typically have 20 or more academic units and have completed honors, Advanced Placement (AP), gifted and talented or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. Grades, standardized tests, and essays also are evaluated in the selection process. Students are notified on a rolling basis of their selection into the program and have until May to accept their invitation to participate. (See Special Academic Programs for more information on the Honors Program.)

Honors at Entrance

A student entering the Women’s College who has outstanding scholastic and personal records receives recognition from the University with admission with honors. The minimum level of achievement necessary for honors at entrance is as follows:

First-year students—3.5 cumulative GPA and 600 on each of the critical reading and mathematics portions of the SAT.
Transfer students—minimum of 24 graded college credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 OR membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (as officially noted on the community college transcript).

This distinction carries no monetary award and is conferred without regard to financial need. No special application is required. Students receiving this award are officially recognized at Honors Convocation.

Early Admission

Applicants may wish to enter the University after three years of high school. Generally, the applicant should meet the following requirements:
• Submission of all admissions materials as listed
• Completion of 13 college preparatory units and three elective units prior to start of college work
• Minimum of 550 on both the critical reading and math sections of the SAT Reasoning Test
• Cumulative average of at least 3.0 in required areas of study as listed above
• Additional letter of recommendation from the high school principal
• A personal interview, including a parent, with the vice president for enrollment management

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Transfer/Adult Learners: Applying to the Women’s College or College of Adult Undergraduate Studies

Notre Dame welcomes applications from qualified transfer students and first-time and returning adult learners.

Adult learners applying as first-time college students should possess a strong college preparatory high school record. This record will be reviewed along with a written essay to assess ability to succeed at Notre Dame. An interview with the transfer counselor (Women’s College) or an enrollment manager (College of Adult Undergraduate Studies) is recommended for initial registration and application purposes. Students holding a GED Certificate also are considered for admission.

Students applying to Notre Dame as transfer students must submit official transcripts of all college work completed. This academic record, along with a letter of recommendation (where required), resume (where required), and a written essay or writing sample, will be reviewed. (See Application Materials/Deadlines for details on admissions application requirements.)

Students applying as transfer students with fewer than 30 college credits will be asked to submit a high school transcript. A transfer applicant who holds an associate degree, or has more than 30 college credits with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average, is typically granted admission.

The Admissions Committee will evaluate the record of any applicant who presents a 2.0 to 2.49 cumulative average for all college or high school work. The committee evaluates a student’s record and all corresponding documents (including Adult Placement Exam test scores for CAUS applicants) to determine academic potential and success at Notre Dame. A student with a cumulative average below 2.0 or GED scores below 2500 (250 under the old GED test scoring parameters) will not be considered for admission.

As part of the application process, prospective transfer students have the opportunity for review of their courses for transfer equivalency and credit. This unofficial evaluation clarifies the coursework needed to complete degree requirements. (An official evaluation is completed at the time of acceptance.)

Students applying to the Women’s College dual-degree programs in engineering or nursing should refer to their respective program pages for additional admissions criteria. These programs require students to complete the four-year degree programs in a three-year intensive program of study. Therefore, transfer students may enter these two programs of study up to, but not later than, the first semester of their sophomore year (completion of approximately 30 credits) and should confer with the faculty coordinator of these programs at the time of admission. Additional admissions criteria also exist for the bachelor of science in radiological science program.

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Applying as an International Student

The University values the contribution international students make to the Notre Dame community. International students should make preparations to apply for admission at least four months in advance of the application deadlines. Due to the part-time nature of the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies, international students requiring an F-1 visa are not eligible for admission to this program.

International students must meet all of the requirements for admission to the University. (See Application Materials/Deadlines.) In addition, international students must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores (minimum score needed for admission is 500 on the written test and 173 on the computerized test or 61 on the IBT) and a completed financial affidavit which indicates ability to finance the student’s Notre Dame education.

An I-20 is issued only after the student has been accepted for admission. Students on an F-1 (student) visa are required, by Department of Homeland Security regulations, to take a minimum of 12 credits (full-time status) each semester. Federal financial aid programs are restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International students may compete for academic and achievement scholarships that are awarded on the basis of academic performance and significant achievement in leadership, community service or talent (excluding athletic ability). To qualify for academic scholarships, international students must take the SAT Reasoning Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) in addition to the TOEFL (see test information).

A student visa (F-1 status) is required of most students who wish to study in the United States. Students should not enter the United States on a tourist visa hoping to change their visas to an F-1 while here.

Test Information

Notre Dame requires that a first-year applicant to the Women’s College take the SAT Reasoning Test or the American College Test (ACT). An applicant must arrange to have test scores forwarded to the University. This is done by indicating Notre Dame’s school code on the distribution request at the time each test is taken. (Notre Dame’s school code for the SAT is 5114; for the ACT it is 1727. Students should indicate this coding at the time of testing, so the scores will automatically be sent to the University.) The committee will review the test scores in the context of all of the student’s admission materials. Prospective Women’s College students should plan to take the SAT/ACT tests beginning in the spring of their junior year. Since Notre Dame considers the highest scores (critical reading, math, writing, ACT composite), students should plan on taking the test more than once. It is recommended that the test be taken no later than December of the senior year. A student may obtain an application and information about the test from the high school guidance office or from The College Board, SAT Program, P.O. Box 6200, Princeton, NJ 08541-6200 or at www.collegeboard.com.

A student for whom English is a second language is required to take the SAT or ACT, but also may be asked to submit test scores from the TOEFL.

All international students—first-year or transfer—must demonstrate a satisfactory level of English proficiency. Such proficiency is necessary to be admitted to the University. The minimum TOEFL score required for all undergraduate students is 500 on the written test and a comparable 173 on the computerized test or 61 on the IBT. Some students who do not meet this minimum level of proficiency may be asked to enroll in Notre Dame’s English Language Institute to prepare for entering the University.

International students applying to the Women’s College may submit scores from the TOEFL in place of the SAT. SAT scores are required, however, if an international student wishes to compete for academic scholarships. Students should arrange to take the TOEFL by December of their senior year and may receive more information by contacting TOEFL at www.ets.org/toefl.

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Application Materials/Deadlines

International students in all categories: MUST also include TOEFL scores (which can replace SAT scores), a financial affidavit including recent bank/financial statement, and English translations and evaluations of all transcripts.

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Readmission

Notre Dame does not automatically readmit a student who has withdrawn or has not taken at least one course within an academic year. The student must file an application for readmission along with the application fee. The student must submit an official transcript reflecting work taken at other colleges since leaving Notre Dame, as well as catalog information on those courses.

All scholarships, awards and Notre Dame grant money originally offered to the student are no longer in effect. The catalog in effect at the time the student is readmitted contains the policies and requirements under which the student will graduate.

Veteran Student Readmissions Policy

Notre Dame of Maryland University complies with requirements for readmission of veterans as defined in the “Higher Education Opportunity Act.”

In part, the Act states that:
“A person who is a member of, applies to be a member of, performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an obligation to perform, service in the uniformed services shall not be denied readmission to an institution of higher education on the basis of that membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation.”

IN GENERAL — Any student whose absence from an institution of higher education is necessitated by reason of service in the uniformed services shall be entitled to readmission to the institution of higher education if:
A) the student (or an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces or official of the Department of Defense) gives advance written or verbal notice of such service to the appropriate official (registrar or VA coordinator) at the institution of higher education;
B) the cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences from that institution of higher education by reason of service in the uniformed services does not exceed five years; and
C) “except as otherwise provided” in the Act, “the student submits a notification of intent to re-enroll in the institution of higher education. This intent to enroll should be sent directly to the VA Coordinator (registrar’s office).”
Any student providing the requisite documentation of eligibility and readmitted to Notre Dame under the terms of the statute will return with the same academic status as when last in attendance.

Service members separating from the military under certain conditions are not eligible for readmission under the terms of the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Those individuals may seek return to the University under the academic policies applicable to all students.

Veterans wishing to be readmitted should complete the readmissions form (available through the admissions office), submit official transcripts from any educational institution at which courses were taken since last enrolled at Notre Dame and contact the Veteran’s Coordinator in the registrar’s office by submitting an intent to enroll form.

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Becoming A Notre Dame Student

Upon acceptance to Notre Dame, an applicant will receive information on possible scholarships (if full-time) and/or need-based financial aid if the student has filed all necessary financial aid documents.

Once a decision has been made to attend Notre Dame, students in the Women’s College will be asked to send in a non-refundable deposit. Students in the Women’s College should be advised that spaces in the incoming class are not guaranteed until the deposit is received and places are reserved chronologically, according to deposit date. Deposits are as follows: $500 for resident students and $300 for commuters. Notre Dame abides by the National Candidate’s Reply Date of May 1.

Once admitted to the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies, students should meet with an enrollment manager to discuss their program of study and transfer credits (if applicable) and register for courses in the following semester. If students will not begin studies in the semester following admission, they should contact the CAUS office as to their academic plans and their actual start date.

All new students are required to participate in an orientation program prior to the start of classes. This program enables students to meet one another; learn about academic policies, support services and degree programs; take care of all practical matters pertaining to the start of classes; and learn about all aspects of life at Notre Dame. Information on the orientation programs is sent to students after their initial registration or acceptance to the University.

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Options For Earning Credit

College Courses Taken While in High School

Incoming first-year students who have taken college courses while seniors in high school should confer with their personal admissions counselor as to the granting of credit for these courses. In most cases, courses that are academic in nature in which the student has received a grade of “C” or higher will be posted to the Notre Dame transcript. Official transcripts from the college must be sent to Notre Dame for the credits to be reviewed and posted.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an intensive program of study taken as part of the high school program leading to comprehensive examinations in six different areas (two languages, individual and society, experimental sciences, mathematics and fine arts), culminating in the IB diploma.

Notre Dame recognizes the International Baccalaureate and grants a maximum of 30 credits to any student completing the diploma with a score of 30 or better.

Higher level examinations for which a student has received a grade of 5 or higher will be reviewed and credits granted accordingly.

Other Examination Credit

A total of 30 credits can be earned toward a degree through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Excelsior College Examinations, Notre Dame challenge exams and petitioning for credit. These credits are given a grade of “P” and must be posted on the student’s record within 30 days from the date of notification of results. A fee is charged per credit for the posting. Policies and guidelines concerning these options are available in the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies office.

The College of Adult Undergraduate Studies accepts CLEP and Excelsior College exams in a number of subject areas. Students receiving a score of 50 or above on these examinations will be awarded credit. In addition to CLEP, matriculated students may earn college credit by successfully completing Notre Dame challenge exams. Challenge exams are available for CST-130 Microcomputer Applications, BIO-205 Nutrition and LCL-332 Scientific and Specialized Terminology. Credits earned from these options do not count toward the total of 30 graded credits required to graduate from Notre Dame.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is granted for satisfactory completion (“C” grade or higher) of courses taken at an accredited two- or four-year college or university. The course credit is applied to Notre Dame’s degree requirements in accordance with established transfer agreements, articulation agreements and course-by-course evaluation, as appropriate. Articulation agreements indicate how specific courses will transfer from a two-year institution to Notre Dame in the areas of general education and selected courses in the major.

Students transferring to Notre Dame should familiarize themselves with the transfer policy or consult an advisor in either the office of admissions or CAUS offices. Evaluation of transfer credit is available prior to applying to the University.

Courses taken from companies or agencies other than an accredited college or university are assessed using the American Council of Education guidelines and placement recommendations. Final approval on all transfer courses and credit is determined by the registrar.

Credit for Life/Career Experience

Many adult students have rich and varied backgrounds in their career fields; therefore, an opportunity to earn credit toward the degree is also available by petitioning for credit. The procedure for petitioning for credit for academically relevant experience requires matriculant status and enrollment as a student at Notre Dame for one year. The complete policy for petitioning for credit is available from the CAUS office. Since nursing majors can use CLEP and Excelsior College Challenge Examinations, petitioning for credit is not an option for these students.

Advanced Placement

Incoming first-year students who have taken Advanced Placement (AP) tests of The College Board and have achieved satisfactory scores are considered for advanced placement.

College credit may be granted for scores of three or higher. The following is a list of the most frequently taken tests. Please contact the registrar’s office for more information on placement/credit for other AP tests.

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