Undergraduate Study

This section includes admission and academic policies for students seeking undergraduate degrees from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Admission and Application Procedures

Admission for First-Time Freshmen
The University of Missouri has a uniform policy for admission of freshman students to its four campuses. The procedure for regular admission from high school is based on high school class rank, performance on a standardized college aptitude test, and required high school units. Veterans who have been out of high school for five or more years should refer to the Veterans and Mature Adults section.

Admission Procedure.
Students applying as first‑time freshmen (i.e., students without previous college work) need to submit to the Director of Admissions the following four items:

Undergraduate Application for Admission
Applications may be requested by calling the Office of Admissions at (314) 516-5451. Applications are also available via the Internet.  Applicants may apply on-line.

Application Fee
The $35.00 application fee ($40.00 for international students) may be paid by:

High School Transcript and Class Rank.
A transcript must be sent directly from the high school to the UMSL Office of Admissions. The transcript should indicate class rank, all coursework, and, when available, date of graduation.   Required college aptitude test scores may also be submitted via this transcript or directly from the testing agency.

Students from Non-Ranking High Schools
Students applying for Undergraduate Admission who attend High Schools which do not rank graduating seniors must present an ACT Composite score of at least 24 or an SAT composite score of at least 1090.

College Aptitude Test.
Freshman admission requires that a test score be submitted for each applicant, from one of the following:

When to Apply.
Qualified applicants are admitted and notified by letter of their admission in the order that completed applications are received.  Applications are accepted after October 1 for the next fall semester on the basis of six or more high school semesters.

Admission Requirements.
Any 1997 or later high school graduate is admissible with evidence indicating he or she meets both the following requirements:

At least 17 units of credit (1 unit=1 year in class) as follows:

In addition to the 17-unit requirement, each student will be evaluated on high school rank and test score (ACT or SAT). Students with a composite ACT score of 24 or SAT of 1100 will be admitted without regard to class rank. Class rank will be used to determine eligibility for admission when the student's ACT score is from 17 to 23 (SAT is 800 to 1090). 

If the ACT Composite score is 17 to 23 or the total of SAT Verbal and Math scores is 800 to 1090, the applicant must meet the following high school class rank requirement to be admitted automatically.

ACT
SAT Total
Verbal, Math
High School Class
 Percentile Rank 

23
1050-1090
48

22
1010-1040
54

21
970-1000
62

20
930-960
69

19
890-920
78

18
840-880 
86
17
800-830
94

If you

A. Rank in the top 10% of your graduating class of a Missouri high school; and

B. Complete the college preparatory curriculum which includes at least 17 units of credit (four units each of English and math, three units of social studies, two units of a single foreign language, and one unit of fine art); and

C. Submit an ACT/SAT score, you will be eligible for automatic admission to any campus of the University of Missouri.

If you

A. Graduate from a Missouri high school that does not rank its graduates;  but

B. Have taken a college preparatory curriculum which includes at least 17 units of credit (four units each of English and math, three units of social studies, three units of science, two units of a single foreign language, and one unit of fine art); and

C. Achieve a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in these core courses; and

D. Submit an ACT/SAT score, you will be eligible for automatic admission to any campus of the University of Missouri.

Applicants who do not meet these criteria may still be admitted, depending on other evidence of likely success and campus enrollment objectives.

These applicants can apply to the Director of Admissions. Additional factors considered for admission may include:

For additional information regarding admission requirements, contact the Office of Admissions at (314) 516-5451 or by E-mail at admissions@umsl.edu.

Acceptance.
Upon graduation, students must submit a final high school transcript indicating their class rank and graduation date. First‑time freshmen may be required to take a placement examination in mathematics.

Advanced Standing for Entering Freshmen.
UMSL grants credit hours to entering freshmen who, through their performance on College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Tests and faculty‑administered tests, demonstrate proficiency in certain college‑level courses such as biology, chemistry, English, foreign languages, history, mathematics, political science, and physics. For further information and applications, write to College Board Placement Examinations, Box 592, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. The score‑reporting institution code number for the University of Missouri ‑ St. Louis is 6889. Test scores should be sent to the Director of Admissions.  A brochure with detailed information is available in the Office of Admissions.

Dual Credit.
Accredited programs such as the Advanced Credit Program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis enable qualified high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credits while completing high school.  General education courses are offered through the University in the College of Arts and Sciences and through the College of Fine Arts and Communication.  Information about the transferability of credits from dual credit courses is available from the Office of Admissions, and further information about the Advanced Credit Program may be obtained by calling (314) 516-7005.

Dual High School/University Enrollment.
Superior high school students may be admitted in a special student category to take one or more University courses on campus during their junior or senior years of high school or during the summers. Students must submit a dual enrollment application and a high school counselor's or principal's recommendation. Students are admitted on the evidence of academic excellence. Admission is limited and governed by available space, and students must meet the  prerequisites for the course or courses selected. Students should contact the College of Arts and Sciences at (314) 516-5501 for more information.

College Level Examination Program.
Applicants may earn advanced credit through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP).  CLEP offers subject examinations for credit in specific areas. These examinations can be taken any time, provided the student has not taken a college credit course in the test area. Consultation with an advisor is highly recommended before taking an exam.  CLEP tests are given in the Campus Testing Center by appointment only.  Contact the Campus Testing Center at (314) 516-6396 or their website.  To get more information on CLEP, visit their website.

Credit for Military Service.
Credit may be allowed for service training programs conducted by the various Armed Forces branches. The American Council of Education’s recommendations in A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services generally serve as a basis for granting such credit. To count toward a degree, the credit granted must be appropriate to the student's curriculum.

Trial Admission.
It may be possible for applicants who do not meet the regular admission standards to be admitted on a trial basis. Each student's academic record will be reviewed by the Director of Admissions and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

High School Equivalency Applicants.
Individuals may seek admission on the basis of passing the General Education Development (GED) test with a minimum score of 2500 (for tests taken after January 1, 2002; minimum score of 250 required for tests taken prior to January 1, 2002).

In addition, the following must be presented:

Home-Schooled Students.
UMSL welcomes home-schooled students. To be admitted for undergraduate admission, the home-schooled student must present the following:

Veterans and Mature Adults.
 Applicants may be admitted as degree or non-degree-seeking students if they are veterans of military service or over age 21 and have not previously earned college credit, have not been in school for several years, have not earned a high school diploma or passed the GED; or if they have a diploma but do not meet regular admission requirements from high school. Non-degree-seeking students can become degree candidates on the basis of their performance in University course work.

Admission for Transfer Students
UMSL welcomes transfer students; students should be aware that actual requirements for degrees vary from institution to institution.

Students transferring from other colleges and universities must submit the following information to the Director of Admissions:

All credentials submitted for admission become the property of the University.

A transferring student who has completed fewer than 24 earned semester hours of college‑level work must apply under the procedures for admission to the freshman class and must have at least a 2.0 overall grade point average (4.0 system) in all college‑level courses attempted at previous institutions.

Suspended and Dismissed Transfer Students.
Students under suspension or dismissal from another institution or whose previous record is of unsatisfactory quality may need to appeal to the Faculty Senate Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid.

Missouri State Transfer Agreement CBHE Statement.
Students transferring into UMSL and out of UMSL may use the Coordinating Board of Higher Education (CBHE) Articulation Agreement. The agreement outlines statewide undergraduate general education requirements which satisfy the general requirements for students transferring into UMSL and students transferring out of UMSL to other public higher education universities in the state.

UMSL requires mathematics proficiency beyond the general requirements in the CBHE Statement.  Please refer to the General Education section of this bulletin, goal number six for details.

Transfer Credit.
According to the articulation agreement among public institutions within the state of Missouri, the following guidelines will govern transfer of credit to UMSL from colleges and universities within the state of Missouri. These guidelines also apply to students transferring to UMSL from schools located outside Missouri. Advanced standing in the form of credit hours may be allowed for work satisfactorily completed in another college or university of recognized standing, public or private, located in the state of Missouri, as long as the work satisfies the requirements of the University division in which the student registers.

The academic record at a given institution will include all courses attempted. Grades of D or better earned in college-level work at an accredited or approved institution of higher education should receive full credit when transferred to UMSL. The University, however, will treat all grades on courses attempted on the same basis as that of a UMSL student. For example, if a UMSL student, is required to repeat a specified course having earned a D grade, a transfer student will also be required to repeat the same course if it carried a D grade.

Advanced Standing.
Advanced standing includes credit by examination, such as Advanced Placement (AP), the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). It also includes credit by portfolio review (Bachelor of Fine Arts only). These lower-division credits may not apply at the senior level. For examination credit, students should submit appropriate transcripts to the Office of Admissions before their first semester at UMSL. Likewise, the Fine Arts department should be consulted for portfolio reviews. Early attention to these matters is essential to avoid unnecessary course work or repeats that can lead to loss of credit. If examinations are completed at a later date, transcripts should be submitted as soon as they are available.

Shortly after all official transcripts are on file, a student's previous academic record will be evaluated to determine which courses are applicable. Should there be any question concerning applicability of any courses, students should contact the Dean’s office of their academic unit. Degree checks, determining whether courses meet a specific degree requirement and whether courses are accepted as a part of the student's academic major, are made in the office of the Dean concerned.

Associate Degree Transfers from Community Colleges.
A student admitted to the University and holding an associate degree applicable toward the baccalaureate degree will be accepted in junior standing. Students fulfilling the general education requirements outlined by the Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education and certified by the sending institution will have met the lower division general education requirements at UMSL.  Students with MO AA degrees that include a CBHE approved general education core may transfer more than 64 credit hours for lower division courses.  Any additional lower division course credits above 64 credit hours must be applicable to the baccalaureate degree or must be a prerequisite for an upper division course in the major.  However, this does not exempt the student from meeting specialized lower-division degree requirements of specific departments. Courses completed in the associate degree program are evaluated for application to specific degree requirements by the same criteria used for transfer students from other colleges and universities.

Transfers without an Associate Degree
Transfer applicants who do not have an associate degree will have their transcripts evaluated on a course-by-course basis.  Students who have fulfilled the general education requirements outlined by CBHE and certified by the sending institution will meet the University’s general education requirements.

Transfers Within the University of Missouri System.
A student not in good standing at another campus of the University of Missouri (suspended or dismissed) must submit an appeal to the Senate Committee on Admissions and Student Financial Aid in order to be admitted to UMSL.

Any course that leads to an undergraduate degree on any campus of the University of Missouri shall be accepted in transfer toward the same degree on any campus of the University offering that degree. Grades, including D and F grades, and honor points earned in such courses will also transfer and will be included in the cumulative grade point averages.  Unresolved problems related to transferability of credit may be appealed to the Dean of the College or their representative.

Students within the last 30 hours of graduation may take a limited number of courses at another campus in the UM system, provided the last 15 hours are taken at UM‑St. Louis and the work is approved by their respective Deans and departments.

Midwest Student Exchange
The Midwest Student Exchange Program is an initiative designed by the Midwestern Higher Education Commission to increase interstate educational opportunities for students in its member states. The program enables residents of Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin to enroll in the institutions and specified programs located outside their home state at reduced tuition levels.

Students from Other Countries.
Prospective students living outside the United States and its possessions should write to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at the address below at least one year before the date of desired admission for information about application to the University.  Students will be expected to supply official original secondary and college/ university transcripts from all schools attended as well as other official original documents.  International students must also pay a $40 application fee.  All students should make arrangements to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) well in advance of their admission date. 

Since 1998, all students in F-1 and J-1 status have been required to purchase an inexpensive insurance policy with coverage for illness and accidents, billed directly to the student’s accounts.  For details contact:

Office of International Student and Scholar Services
261 Student Millennium Center
One University Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63121-4400

Returning Students
Returning undergraduate students who are admitted and/or enrolled who did/did not attend will be automatically eligible to register without having to reapply for the period of one academic year.
Students who do not attend for two semesters will be required to complete a returning student application and provide official transcripts from other colleges and universities attended since last enrolled as an UMSL student.

The returning student application is available on line or by calling the Office of Admissions at (314)-516-5451.

Visiting Students
 Students who are attending another college or university who do not wish to earn a degree from the University of Missouri‑St. Louis may register as visiting college students. Visiting student forms can be obtained from the Office of Admissions, the Office of the Registrar, or on-line or by calling (314) 516-5545. At the end of the session, students must request that their grades be reported by transcript to their respective schools. Financial aid is not available for such students.

Non-Degree-Seeking Students
 An individual wishing to enroll in a course but is not seeking a degree may apply to the University as a non-degree-seeking student. No transcripts are required; however, the admission applies only for that particular semester. To attend for another semester, the student must reapply. The non-degree application is available on-line or by calling (314) 516-5451, in the office of the Registrar, or in the office of Admissions.  Financial aid is not available for such students.

UMSL Express
UMSL Express provides Missouri’s Senior Citizens (65 and older) easy access to undergraduate courses without limit on an audit (not for credit) space-available basis.  Graduate courses are not available through this program.  Students are subject to:  non-refundable $25 registration fee, parking fee, and course-related fees.  Former UMSL Express students who reapply for the Program must again pay the registration fee.  Students interested in attending as an UMSL Express student may obtain a registration form from the Office of Admissions.  Students should complete and return the form with proof of age to the Office of Admissions on the day before classes are scheduled to begin or after.