Liberty University Graduate Admissions Office:

Phone: (800) 424-9596

Fax: (888) 301-3577

Email: LUOgrad@liberty.edu

Website: www.liberty.edu/online

M, Tu, Th, F: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST
Wed. 8:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST
Sat. 10:00 a.m. –  6:00 p.m. EST

Mailing Address:
Liberty University
Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515

Items to be Submitted

Applicants must submit the following items to Liberty’s online Admissions Office in order to be considered for admission. Admission decisions are not made until all documentation has been received and evaluated.

1. Application for Admission
   Application can be made online at apply.liberty.edu.To initiate an application for online programs by phone, graduate students may contact Liberty University at (800) 424-9596.
2. Application Fee is non-refundable. The fee is deferred until Financial Check-in.
3. Academic Records
   Applicants to master’s-level degree programs may submit an unofficial transcript indicating successful completion of a baccalaureate degree program from an accredited institution. Unofficial transcripts will allow for acceptance and registration. Unofficial transcripts will not be reviewed for transfer credit. Before submitting unofficial transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
   
    - School’s name or logo printed on the document
    - List of completed courses and earned credit
    - Degree and date conferred
   
   To be admitted using unofficial transcripts, students will need to submit a Transcript Request Form. Upon an admission decision, official transcripts are required within 60 days; official transcripts are required in order to register for a second semester of courses. The official transcripts must adhere to the specific program’s requirements for admission. If the official transcripts do not meet the requirements, the admission decision may be reversed and the student could be dropped from current classes and have financial aid removed. All applicants to Liberty University must be eligible for readmission at the last institution attended.
   
   Applicants to doctoral programs will be required to submit official transcripts indicating successful completion of a master’s or doctoral degree and may also be required to submit transcripts from their baccalaureate degree. Please see Program Specific Admission Requirements for more details.
   
   In some cases, additional transcripts may be required in order for an acceptance decision to occur. In order to receive credit for both transfer courses and prerequisite courses, students must send in official transcripts from the school(s) at which the course(s) was/were taken. An “official transcript” is one that is received directly from the educational institution attended, or is sent to Liberty University (by any party) within the original, sealed, university envelope. Official transcripts should be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office.
   
   Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree from an unaccredited institution who have also earned a master’s degree from an accredited institution may be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree. The Office of Graduate Admissions may request additional documentation from applicants who do not meet admission standards. If the Office of Graduate Admissions determines that the documentation justifies the candidate’s potential for success, the Office of Graduate Admissions may present the documentation to the Office of the Provost with a request to admit the student.
   
   Liberty University does not engage in unlawful discrimination or harassment because of race, color, ancestry, religion, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability or military veteran status in its educational programs and activities. Liberty University maintains its Christian mission and reserves its right to discriminate on the basis of religion to the extent that applicable law respects its right to act in furtherance of its religious objectives.
4. Additional Requirements for Admission
   Please see the Program Specific Admissions Procedures in the individual program sections of this catalog for information regarding minimum grade-point-average requirements and additional items needed for acceptance. Some Applicants may be required to provide Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores, or other similar type of test scores (GMAT, MCAT, and etc.).
   
   Applicants who have taken the GRE should contact the College Testing Service and request that an official score report be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Applicants who have not taken the GRE should contact the Educational Testing Service to make arrangements to take the exam. The website address for the GRE is www.gre.org, and the toll-free number is (866) 473-4373. The computer-based format may be scheduled by individual appointment. Please use the Liberty University code 5385 on the GRE forms in order to have test results sent directly to the University.
   
   Applicants who have taken the Miller Analogies Exam should contact https://www.pearsonassessments.com/graduate-admissions/mat/about.html to request that an official score report be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

GPA Policy For Matriculated Students

Students who apply for admission/readmission to a Graduate/Doctoral program and who have already matriculated at Liberty University as a Graduate/Doctoral student must have, at the time of the receipt of their application, a cumulative Liberty Graduate/Doctoral GPA equal to or higher than the minimum cumulative GPA required for good academic standing in and graduation from the degree program to which they are applying.

Conditional Enrollment

Some programs allow students to be conditionally enrolled following the receipt of a completed application. Conditionally enrolled Graduate students may enroll for up to nine semester hours of online coursework within only the first semester, pending the receipt of all remaining admission documentation. Students who have not submitted the required documentation by the completion of the first semester will not be permitted to enroll in additional courses until the admission file is completed and program admission is granted.

Conditional enrollment is not a guarantee of full admission to a degree program. Federal and state financial aid is not available to students under conditional enrollment.

Self-Certification Form

Applicants to a master’s degree may complete a Self-Certification Form verifying that they will have completed a bachelor’s degree by the time they begin their master’s-level classes. Applicants to a doctoral degree must complete a Self-Certification Form verifying that they will have completed a master’s or doctoral degree by the time they begin their doctoral-level classes. Students must have met all other admission requirements for the program for which they are applying. Students under this status will be eligible for financial aid.

In order to maintain enrollment in the master’s program, students must submit a final official transcript with an undergraduate degree conferral date by the end of their first term of enrollment. In order to maintain enrollment in the doctoral program, students must submit a final official transcript with a master’s or doctoral degree conferral date by the end of their first term of enrollment.

Transfer Students

Graduate applicants who intend to transfer to the University must be eligible for re-enrollment or readmission to the graduate program at the institution they most recently attended.

Transfer of Credits

Only courses from institutions accredited by accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are eligible for transfer credit. These include regional accrediting bodies such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and other accrediting bodies such as the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), and the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Courses from University–approved institutions that meet regional or national accreditation equivalency will be accepted for transfer credit based on transfer credit policy. Applicants must request official transcripts be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions from the registrar(s) of previously-attended school(s). 

For master’s and post-master’s degrees, there is a limit of ten years for the acceptance of credit. For doctoral degrees, there is a limit of seven years for acceptance of credit.  For exceptions, please see the Transfer Credit Matrix.

Credits transferred from other institutions are awarded grades of P for Pass, and do not impact a student’s Liberty University GPA or academic standing.

In order to receive direct credit for a course, the description must overlap the Liberty University course content at least 80%. Courses that do not match a Liberty University course by at least 80% are eligible to transfer as elective credit where allowable. Elective credit is coded as 5XX to 9XX, depending on the level of the course.

At least one-third of credits toward a graduate or post-baccalaureate professional degree are earned through instruction offered by Liberty University.

Internship credit and life-experience credit are not transferable.

Course work from a degree on the same academic level previously earned through Liberty University is considered transfer credit and is subject to the same restrictions as course work completed through other institutions. Please refer to the "Multiple Degrees" section for more detailed information.

Please see the Transfer Credit Matrix.

Outgoing Transfer Credit 

Transferability of credit earned through Liberty University is at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Multiple Degrees

Credit from a degree completed through Liberty University may be applied toward a second degree of the same academic level (e.g., master’s) earned through Liberty. The number of credits allowed to be applied toward the second degree may not exceed the maximum number of transfer credit for that degree as listed on the Transfer Credit Matrix.

In cases where the two degrees shared required courses in excess of the maximum amount of transfer credits allowed for the second degree, the student must take additional courses and use them as substitutions for the shared courses.

Any established exceptions to this policy will be noted either in the Transfer Credit Matrix and/or in the pertinent college/school section(s) elsewhere in this Catalog.

Dual Cognates or Concentrations

Students may not earn a degree with two or more cognates or concentrations (e.g., a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling with cognates in Business and Executive Leadership). Any exception to this policy for an individual degree program will be noted in the Catalog information pertaining to that program.

Students who have graduated with a degree may not apply for admission to pursue the same degree with a different cognate/concentration (example: a student who has earned a Master of Divinity [MDiv] degree with a cognate in Biblical Studies may not apply for admission to pursue a second MDiv with a cognate in Church History).

Admission Notification

When all required items have been received, applicants will be notified of an admission decision from the Office of Graduate Admissions or the appropriate academic department. Course registration information and pertinent information about financial check-in are included in the letter of acceptance.

Readmission

Students must apply for readmission if they have broken enrollment.

Residential students break enrollment if they do not maintain continuous enrollment every Fall and Spring semester.

Online students break enrollment if they do not matriculate in a course at least once every academic year.

Admission status is subject to the terms of any previous academic or disciplinary probation, suspension, or dismissal. Students must submit official transcripts from all educational institutions attended since enrollment at Liberty. Students must receive approval from the Registrar’s Office, Office of Community Life, and Student Financial Services before an acceptance decision can be made.  Admission decisions for re-applicants will be based on the current admission criteria of the respective certificate/degree program at the time the re-application is submitted.

Students who break enrollment and apply for readmission will be required to follow the current certificate/degree completion plan (CCP/DCP) in effect at the time of re-entry to the University.

Any military students wishing to be readmitted who broke enrollment due to deployment must contact the Office of Military Affairs.

Exceptions may apply for Doctoral students in the dissertation process. Students should refer to their DCPs and their program handbooks for more information.

International Student Admission

Applicants who have completed secondary education or college-level academic coursework outside of the U.S. must have their transcripts evaluated by a credential evaluation service provider that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES®).

If the NACES credential evaluation was completed based on a preliminary secondary transcript for the purpose of admission to the University, the student must also submit a NACES evaluation of the final secondary credential before being permitted to register for second semester courses.

Applicants whose native language is a language other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternate assessment (see below).

Applicants who successfully complete the levels of English-Second-Language (ESL) instruction indicated below at one of three schools will have the TOEFL requirement waived. Students will have their application held until transcripts from one of the below schools are received.

• Level 6: Language Consultants International (LCI) 
• Level 109: ELS Educational Services (ELS)
• Advanced 6: Forum Intensive English Center (Forum)   

If an international student is seeking admission to an undergraduate program of study and has attended an accredited U.S. high school for a minimum of two years, the English proficiency test requirement may be waived.

If an international student is seeking admission to an undergraduate program of study and has earned a high school diploma at an accredited international high school outside of the U.S. using a U.S. high school curriculum and in which the primary medium of instruction is English, the English proficiency test requirement may be waived. (Proof must be submitted in the form of an official statement from the school's Registrar Office.)

If an international student completes an undergraduate degree at an accredited university/college outside of the U.S. in which the primary medium of instruction is English, the English proficiency test requirement may be waived. (Proof must be submitted in the form of an official statement from the school's Registrar Office.)

Students who have studied for two or more years in a country where a waiver is currently provided, but where the student is not also a citizen of that country, the English proficiency requirement may be waived.

Students who have attended a U.S. college/university for two or more years may not be required to submit a test of English proficiency. Information regarding English proficiency tests may be obtained online as follows:

• TOEFL
• IELTS
• PTE
• iTEP
• Duolingo English test

Graduate Students Only

Applicants must earn a TOEFL score of 8.5 on the Essentials test or 80 on the iBT (Internet Based Test), a 3.9 on the iTEP, a 6.5 on the IELTS, a 105 on the Duolingo English test, or an equivalent score on an approved alternate test for all graduate degree programs. An official score report sent directly from the testing service must be submitted to the University before an admission decision can be made. Applicants who have an earned degree from a college or university in the U.S. or other English-speaking country or school may have the TOEFL requirement waived by the Office of Graduate Admissions. In addition, the Office of Graduate Admissions may require any student whose native official language is not English, regardless of citizenship, to submit a TOEFL score or score from an approved alternate test, if such documentation is deemed necessary. Enrollment in certain courses may be determined by the student’s English proficiency test score in conjunction with other diagnostic assessments administered after the student matriculates on campus.

Online Students Only

Students living abroad and foreign nationals residing in the U.S. with an appropriate visa status are eligible to enroll in online classes provided they have the necessary Internet access and email service. Enrollment in online courses does not enable students to obtain or remain on Student (F-1) Visa Status.

The University offers general admission to its undergraduate program of study to applicants who achieve one of the following scores on a standardized test of English proficiency:

• TOEFL: 7 for Essentials Test or 61 for iBT
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 6.0
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): 51
• International Test of English Proficiency Academic Plus (iTEP): 3.6
• Duolingo English test: 90

Residential Students Only

Liberty University is authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to issue the SEVIS Form I-20 to eligible international students and their dependent family members. Any person who is not a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident of the United States and who desires to be admitted to the University and attend on campus courses while on Student (F-1) Visa Status must follow the procedure established by the Office of International Admissions. Applications for the fall semester should be submitted by April 1 and applications for the spring semester should be made by October 1.

Any college transcript from an educational institution outside of the U.S. must be officially translated into English and submitted to a credential evaluation service accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at https://www.naces.org/.

At the discretion of the Office of International Admissions, applicants from English-speaking countries may also be required to submit an English proficiency test score that meets the required minimum.

The University offers general admission to its undergraduate program of study to applicants who achieve one of the following scores on a standardized test of English proficiency:

• TOEFL: 7 for Essentials test or 61 for iBT test
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 6.0
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): 51
• International Test of English Proficiency Academic Plus (iTEP): 3.6
• Duolingo English test: 90

Some programs of study in the School of Aeronautics have higher English language proficiency requirements which students must meet before being admitted (for flight-based majors) or before enrolling in certain courses (e.g., aviation maintenance and aviation administration courses). 

Minimum English proficiency test score requirements for admission to a School of Aeronautics major, minor, or certificate program of study leading to FAA certification or enrollment in a course leading to FAA certification are:

• TOEFL: 8.5 for Essentials test or 79 for iBT test
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 6.5
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): 55
• International Test of English Proficiency Academic Plus (iTEP): 3.9
• Successful completion of Level 7 at Language Consultants International (LCI)
• Successful completion of Level 112 at ELS Educational Services (ELS)
• Duolingo English test: 105

Students enrolled in these programs or courses, who do not reside in an English- speaking country, are not eligible to have the English proficiency test requirement waived.

Unmarried students under the age of 21 are required to reside in housing provided by the University. Unmarried students who are 21 years of age or older may choose to reside off campus. It is strongly recommended that a minimum of one semester be spent in University housing to help international students adjust to the local area and culture. On-campus housing is not available for married students or those over the age of 25.

International students must be covered by an adequate health insurance policy each semester of enrollment. A mandatory student health insurance fee is added to the account of international students each fall and spring semester. It is the responsibility of international students to remain enrolled in an adequate health insurance policy while studying at the University.

As part of the admission requirements, international students must document availability of adequate funds to pay for all University-related expenses for the regular nine-month academic schedule. Those who intend to remain during the summer must document additional funds (approximately $4,000 US) for living expenses.

Newly accepted international students are required to complete the International Online Orientation course in Canvas.

Special (Non-Degree-Seeking) Students

Students who are not seeking degrees may enroll in master’s-level courses as Special Students. These students may accumulate no more than 12 semester hours under this status. Doctoral-level programs do not have Special-Student status; however, Special Students may be able to take doctoral-level classes upon approval by the Associate Dean or Academic Dean.

Special Students are not eligible to receive transfer credit, including credit earned through advanced standing, ICE (Institutional Challenge Examination), and Experiential Learning Credit. Financial Aid is not available for Special Students.

Students on Academic Suspension or Academic Dismissal are not eligible for admission as Special Students.

Academic Amnesty

Students Academically Suspended or Academically Dismissed from Liberty University may appeal for readmission under Academic Amnesty per the following protocols:

1. The student must not have been enrolled at the University for a period of two (2) years. (Example:  If the student’s last enrollment was in the Fall 2023 term, he/she would not be eligible to appeal for Academic Amnesty until after the Fall 2025 term.)
2. The student must submit a written appeal for readmission to the Registrar’s Office through the designated portal. The appeal should include a thorough explanation of
   1. the circumstances which contributed to the academic performance which resulted in the student’s Academic Suspension or Dismissal and
   2. why the student’s present circumstances are more conducive to improved academic performance if permitted to resume his/her studies.
3. Corroboration may be requested of the student (e.g., transcripts from other institutions, certificates, awards).
4. Students who were Academically Dismissed because of academic dishonesty are not eligible for Academic Amnesty.

The Registrar’s Office, upon reviewing the written appeal, must receive approval from Community Life and the academic department indicating the student is eligible for readmission.

If the student is approved by Community Life and the academic department, the Registrar’s Office will submit the appeal for Academic Amnesty for review by the Office of the Provost.

If the student’s appeal is approved, the grades will be revised as follows, and as determined by the Office of the Provost:

1. Programs with a graduation GPA of 2.50, 3.00, or 3.25: Grades of C, D, and F (including +/- grades) will be revised to Q and will no longer be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA. Grades of A (including +/- grades) and grades of B+ and B will not be revised and will continue to be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA. Grades of B- will be revised only in cases where not doing so will cause the student’s cumulative GPA to be too low for eligibility for readmission.
2. Programs with a 2.00 graduation GPA: Grades of D and F (including +/- grades) will be revised to Q and will no longer be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA. Grades of A and B (including +/- grades) and grades of C+ and C will not be revised and will continue to be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA. Grades of C- will be revised only in cases where not doing so will cause the student’s cumulative GPA to be too low for eligibility for readmission.
3. Students who have been granted Academic Amnesty are not eligible for graduation honors.

If any prior certificate or degree has been awarded through Liberty University, grades earned during that time cannot be excluded when Academic Amnesty is applied. All grades earned toward a previously awarded certificate or conferred degree will remain on the student’s transcript.

Once the approved student’s grades have been revised, he/she is eligible to apply for readmission. If the student meets all other applicable admission requirements, he/she will be readmitted on Academic Caution.

If the student desires to pursue a degree program that is different than the one for which he/she was approved for Academic Amnesty, he/she must submit a new appeal to the Associate Registrar for Academic Success, who in turn will submit the appeal to the Associate Dean over the student’s desired program.

All previously assigned academic standings will not change and will remain part of the student’s academic records for the respective terms for which they were earned.

If, after the first term of enrollment following readmission, the student’s cumulative GPA falls below the minimum cumulative GPA required for good academic standing in the student’s degree program, the student will be Academically Dismissed, and will not be permitted to submit any further appeals for permission to continue his/her studies through Liberty University.

If the Office of the Provost denies the student’s appeal, that decision will be final. The student will not be permitted to resume the pursuit of any Graduate or Doctoral degree through Liberty University.

Degree Candidacy

Requirements for Degree Candidacy vary by program. See the Program Specific Admission Requirements in the individual program sections of this Catalog.

Dual Enrollment

Undergraduate students may enroll in master’s-level courses during the semester in which they have nine or fewer semester hours remaining to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Students must meet the cumulative GPA requirement for admission in good standing into a graduate program to be eligible to register under dual enrollment for that program.

Students may be dually enrolled for a maximum of two semesters and may enroll for a maximum of nine semester hours of graduate course work. 

Non-Liberty University undergraduate students must send in their Graduate admission application, official transcripts, and a letter from their current Registrar’s Office indicating their current Grade Point Average, the specific degree they are pursuing, the estimated date of graduation, and the number of remaining credit hours for degree completion. Once these documents have been received by the Office of Graduate Admissions, the student must contact the Liberty University Registrar's Office to request approval for dual enrollment.

Currently enrolled Liberty University undergraduate students do not need to send in an application; they must submit a request via the Dual Enrollment Request Form.

For information concerning how dual enrollment impacts tuition rates and financial aid eligibility, visit the following links: 

• Student Financial Services > Eligibility & Enrollment for Aid

• Liberty University Policy Directory > Enrollment Levels and Types Policy

Dual enrollment is not available to the following students:

• Students already enrolled at the Graduate level and pursuing either a Graduate degree or a Graduate Certificate.
• Students who are pursuing an Associate degree.
• Students pursuing an undergraduate Certificate.
• Students who plan to pursue a Graduate Certificate rather than a Graduate degree.

Additional Information

Additional information regarding the University’s academic and administrative policies and procedures can be found on the University web site at www.liberty.edu/online.