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 four items:

• Undergraduate Application for Admission.
  Applications may be requested by calling the Office of  Admissions at (314) 516-5451. Application is also available via the Internet.  Applicants may apply on-line at http://www.umsl.edu.
• Application Fee.
  The $25.00 application fee ($40.00 for international students) may be paid in the following ways:
  • A check or money order made payable to UM-St. Louis
  • A credit card by using the on-line application
  • A credit card by calling 314-516-6930
  • Cash by appearing in person at the office of the Registrar in 269 Millennium Student Center.
• High School Transcript and Class Rank. Transcript must be sent directly from the high school to the UM-St. Louis Office of Admissions. Transcript should indicate class rank and all courses satisfactorily completed.   ACT or SAT test scores may also be submitted via this transcript.
• College Aptitude Test. Freshman admissions require that a test score be submitted for each applicant, from one of the following:
  • American College Testing Program (ACT) These tests are administered at UM-St. Louis and at many other locations across the country.  To request a test packet, call the Office of Admissions at (314) 516-5451.
  • Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Tests are administered at many locations across the country.

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:
• English: 4 units. Two units emphasizing composition or writing skills. One of the remaining 2 units may be in speech or debate.
• Mathematics: 4 units (Algebra 1 and higher).
• Science: 3 units not including general science, one of the 3 units must be a laboratory course.
• Social Studies: 3 units.
• Fine Arts: 1 unit.
• Foreign Language: 2 units. Must be 2 units of a single foreign language.  (Math and foreign language units may be accepted from middle/junior high school)

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 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.

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 admissions may include:

• Extracurricular activity
• Outstanding talent and/or abilities.
• College preparatory courses taken.
• Evidence of marked improvement over time in high school academic record.
• Significant work experience and/or family responsibilities.
• A personal statement to one or more of the above in student's own hand (in essay form).
• Recommendations by teachers, counselors or principals.

For additional information regarding admission requirements, contact the Office of Admissions at (314) 516-5451.

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. UM-St. Louis 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 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. 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).  A maximum of 28 semester hours of credit may be earned.  CLEP offers subject examinations for credit in specific areas. These examinations can be taken any time, provided the student has not taken a course in the test area. The student must earn a score at or above the 50th percentile to receive credit. Consultation with an adviser is recommended. CLEP tests are given by appointment in the university Assessment Center in room 412, Social Science and Business Building (SSB).  Call  (314) 516-6396 for complete information.

Credit for Military Service. Credit may be allowed for service training programs conducted by the various Armed Forces branches. The American Council of Education 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. Applicants who do not meet the regular admission standards may 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) tests.  Applicants submitting GED scores are reviewed on an individual basis.

Home-Schooled Students. UM-St. Louis welcomes home-schooled students.  The admission decision is largely based on the ACT/SAT test scores.

Veterans and Mature Adults. Applicant may be admitted as degree or non-degree-seeking students if they are veterans of the 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
UM-St. Louis welcomes transfer students; however, 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:

• Undergraduate Application for Admission
• A $25 application fee
• High school transcript, or GED if the applicant has less than 24 hours of college-level course work or the applicant is pursuing a degree or certification in Education.
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended. Hand carried credentials are not accepted.

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 UM-St. Louis and out of UM-St. Louis 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 UM -St. Louis and students transferring out of UM-St. Louis to other public higher education universities in the state.

The math proficiency requirements at UM-St. Louis that students must satisfy are not part of the general requirements covered by the CBHE requirement.

Transfer Credit. According to the articulation agreement among public institutions within the state of Missouri, the following guidelines will govern transfer of credit to UM-St. Louis from colleges and universities within the state of Missouri. These guidelines also apply to students transferring to UM-St. Louis 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 UM-St. Louis. The university, however, will treat all grades on courses attempted on the same basis as that of a UM-St. Louis student. For example, if a UM-St. Louis 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 UM-St. Louis. 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.

Policy Regarding Final Examinations
The period designated for final examinations is an important component of the academic term. It provides faculty with a final opportunity to evaluate student learning and attainment of course objectives.  Faculty members are encouraged to meet with students during the final examination period.

1. A faculty member who gives an in-class examination may give this examination only on the day and at the time designated in the official final examination schedule.  A majority vote of the students to the contrary does not change this policy.
2. A student may submit a written request for a change in the scheduled time of a final examination for a limited number of documented hardship reasons.  These reasons include, but are not limited to, being scheduled to take more than two examinations on the same day, illness, military obligations, and religious practices.  Except for emergencies, this request should be presented directly to the instructor at least two weeks before classes conclude.  The student may forward denied requests to the chairperson/area coordinator/program director and, if denied, to the dean of the school or college sponsoring the course for additional consideration.

Associate Degree Transfers from Community Colleges.
A student admitted to the university and holding an associate degree oriented 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 UM-St. Louis. 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. Credit earned in or transferred from a community college shall normally be limited to approximately half the baccalaureate degree program requirement.

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 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.

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 his 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, and Nebraska 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 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
8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis,MO 63121-4499

Returning Students. Former students not currently enrolled should file a returning student application with the Director of Admissions. The application is available on line at http://www.umsl.edu/admission or by calling The Office of Admissions (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 at www.umsl.edu/admission 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 who 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 at www.umsl.edu/admission or by calling (314) 516-5451.  Financial aid is not available for such students.