General Requirements

Prospective students who wish to speak to an Admissions representative about the admissions process or admission policies may do so by contacting the Liberty University Admissions Office.

Prospective students are encouraged to apply over the phone with an experienced Admissions representative or online at apply.liberty.edu.

Liberty University Admissions Office:
Phone: (800) 424-9595
Fax: (888) 301-3577
Email: luoundergrad@liberty.edu
Website: www.liberty.edu/online

Hours of Operation:
M, Tu, Th, F   8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST
Wed. 8:00 a.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, Virginia 24515

Admission is governed by policies and procedures developed by the Senate Committee on Academic and Admission Standards.

The mission of Liberty University is to develop Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact the world. We expect that our students understand and respect our mission and purpose while enrolled at Liberty University.

Prospective students are assessed according to academic background; personal moral behavior and character; personal philosophy; and willingness to follow Liberty’s rules, regulations, and policies. In the consideration process, the applicant’s complete prior academic record, recommendations, plans for the future, and personal information will be reviewed. Applicants meeting the required standards in these areas will be admitted to one of the academic terms at the University.

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.

The University reserves the right to refuse or revoke admission or readmission to any prospective student or returning student. Any applicant who intentionally withholds pertinent information or who falsifies information may be required to withdraw from Liberty.

The Office of Admissions may request additional documentation from applicants who do not meet admissions standards. If the Office of Admissions determines that the documentation justifies the candidate’s potential for success, the Office of Admissions may present the documentation to the Office of the Provost with a request to admit the student.

The regulations listed herein are subject to change after the date of publication through established procedures. Liberty University reserves the right to make necessary changes without further notice.

Technology Requirements

All Liberty University students in an online program are required to meet the minimum technology requirements as listed at https://www.liberty.edu/online/tech-requirements/.

Available Undergraduate Certificates

To view a list of current undergraduate certificates offered at Liberty University Online, please visit https://www.liberty.edu/online/degrees/undergraduate-certificates/.

Application for Admission

Items to be Submitted

Applicants must submit the following items to the Office of Admissions in order to be considered as candidates for admission. A decision will not be made until all documentation has been received and evaluated.

Application for Admission

1. Academic Records
   Prior to acceptance, applicants must submit a final official transcript from an accredited high school or an official transcript of the General Educational Development (GED) test scores or a High School Self-Certification form. Applicants with prior college coursework must submit official transcripts from all colleges attended.
   • Applicants who submit a High School Self-Certification form instead of a final official transcript from an accredited high school or an official transcript of the GED test scores may only be admitted to enroll in up to 12 credit hours at Liberty University and are subject to verification procedures. Students admitted with only a High School Self-Certification form may be randomly selected for verification of high school completion. If selected, such students must provide documentation necessary to validate accredited high school graduation or adequate GED scores prior to disbursement of financial aid.
   • Students must submit official high school transcripts from an accredited high school, or official college transcripts showing at least 12 credit hours earned with an acceptable GPA from an accredited institution, in order to register for additional courses.  Credits earned through Liberty University cannot be used in lieu of a high school transcript.
   • Preliminary transcripts - must reflect all coursework and final grades received for grades 9-11, and an overall grade point average (GPA).
   • Final official transcripts - must reflect all coursework and final grades received for grades 9-12, a graduation date, and an overall GPA. (Mailed transcripts must be in a sealed and unopened envelope.)
   • Students should refer to www.liberty.edu/online/admission-requirements/ for a detailed list of applicable admission requirements. The high school transcript, GED requirement, and High School Self-Certification form will be waived if the applicant earned an associate's degree.
     
     Although the University does not require specific high school courses for admission, successful applicants usually have completed at least 4 years of English, 2–3 years of college preparatory mathematics, 2 years of laboratory science, 2 years of social science, 2 years of foreign language, and at least 4 units of elective credits in subjects such as art, music, or drama. A high school diploma must be a standard or advanced diploma, or its equivalent. This curriculum prepares one for the classroom expectations at Liberty University.
     
     Liberty University’s minimum acceptable college GPA is 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. Applicants who fail to meet the minimum required GPA will be evaluated on other indicators of ability to perform satisfactorily at the college level and may be admitted on Caution status. All students accepted on Caution status may be required to enroll in one or more developmental courses as determined by the Office of Admissions.
2. Other Documentation
   If the Admissions Committee determines that additional information is needed in order to make a determination on the applicant’s status, the applicant may be required to submit letters of recommendation or other relevant documentation.
   U.S. Citizens and those with Legal Permanent Residency in the U.S. who have completed a secondary education outside of the U.S. will be evaluated as international students for admission purposes.

Homeschool Applicants

Note: The University recognizes that the academic records of home-educated students widely vary. However, records of academic work plus any evaluations or grades awarded by the parent or other evaluator must be included on the academic records to properly evaluate the applicant’s eligibility for college-work. Additionally, homeschooled applicants must also submit:

1.    Verification that they have completed the equivalent of a standard secondary school education. This requirement may be satisfied by a statement signed by the parent or guardian, a home-education diploma, or a graduation date posted on the home education records.

2.    Verification that the home-education was carried out in compliance with applicable commonwealth or state laws. The form of this documentation will vary depending on the state statutes governing home-education. The documentation may be a letter from the local school board or public school superintendent, a letter from an umbrella school, or a signed affidavit from the parent or guardian. Students homeschooled outside of the United States must submit a transcript that confirms completion of a secondary education according to an identified standard or authority.

NOTE:  See www.liberty.edu/online/homeschool-students/ for a sample home school transcript. (Do not submit portfolios, photocopies of awards, or photographs of school projects.)

Private School Admissions

Applicants from nonpublic high schools, whose accreditation cannot be confirmed, must have their school submit a self-certification form to confirm their curriculum meets state standards. Statements printed on the official transcript, confirming that the curriculum meets state standards will also be accepted.  Applicants must also satisfy the same admissions requirements as other applicants, including applying and paying the application fee.

Conditional Enrollment

Conditional enrollment is not available to students pursuing certificates.

Transfer Students

Transfer applicants must complete all of the forms that are listed for the initial application procedure.

An official transcript from each college or university that the transfer applicant attended must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the Registrar(s) of the respective institution(s) of higher learning.

All students who intend to transfer to Liberty must be eligible for re-enrollment or readmission at the last institution attended. The record is reviewed based on Liberty’s admissions standards. If an applicant’s GPA does not meet Liberty’s admissions standards, even though the applicant may not have been placed on Academic Warning or Probation at the last school attended, the applicant may be denied. Appeals may be granted, and will be evaluated on other indicators of ability to satisfactorily perform at the college level as determined by the Office of Admissions.

Transfer Credit Policy

Note: Transfer credit accepted by the university is denoted on the unofficial and official transcript in a section denoted as transfer credit accepted by the institution along with the originating institution and grade of P with no GPA value.

1. Undergraduate Studies
   1. Accreditation: Accredited Institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
   2. Grades: Grade of ‘C-‘ or higher. Grades of P/P+ are eligible to transfer as long as the grading system at the transfer institution states that ‘P’ or ‘P+’ is equivalent to ‘C-‘ or better. Grades of P/P- are not able to transfer if they are not equivalent to ‘C-‘ or better.
   3. Equivalency: Coursework must be similar in content and scope of courses offered at Liberty University by at least 60%. Courses that are not significantly similar to a Liberty University course may transfer as elective credit. Elective credit is coded as 1XX, 2XX, 3XX or 4XX, depending on the level of the course.
   4. Credit Hours: Coursework must be at least 2/3rds the number of hours required by Liberty. The 2/3 rule may create a shortage of credit hours (all coursework is met, but a total of 60 or 120 hours is not). Additional credit must be taken to meet the credit hour requirement.
   5. Conversion: Liberty University operates on the semester system. Courses completed under a different credit hour system must be converted to the semester system.
   6. Age of credit: Liberty offers a lifetime acceptance of credit, with the exception of those courses wherein the University faculty has determined the course content changes significantly over time.
   7. Non-transferable: For specific information concerning non-transferable courses, please visit Registrar - Transferring Coursework.
   8. Residency requirement: 25% of major and 25% of degree must be taken through Liberty University.
2. Graduate Studies
   1. Accreditation: Accredited Institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
   2. Grades: Grade of ‘B-‘ or higher except for programs that allow ‘C-‘ or higher. Grades of P/P+ are eligible to transfer as long as the grading system at the transfer institution states that ‘P’ or ‘P+’ is equivalent to ‘B-‘ or better. Grades of P/P- are not able to transfer if they are not equivalent to ‘B-‘ or better.
   3. Equivalency: Coursework must be similar in content and scope of courses offered at Liberty University by at least 80%. Courses that are not significantly similar to a Liberty University course may transfer as elective credit. Elective credit is coded as 5XX, 6XX, 7XX, 8XX or 9XX, depending on the level of the course.
   4. Credit Hours: Coursework must be the exact number of credit hours as the LU requirement.
   5. Conversion: Liberty University operates on the semester system. Courses completed under a different credit hour system must be converted to the semester system.
   6. Age of credit: 10 years for master’s-level and post-master’s (Education Specialist and Master of Theology) programs and 7 years for doctoral-level programs. Any exceptions to this policy will be noted in the Transfer Credit Matrix. Age of the course is determined at the time of evaluation based on the completion date of the transfer course.
   7. Non-transferable: For specific information regarding non-transferable courses, please visit Registrar - Transferring Coursework.
   8. Residency requirement: 50% of program hours may be transferred including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University. Any exceptions to this policy will be noted in the individual degree’s Program of Study page in this Catalog.
3. Special (Non-Degree-Seeking) Students – Special students, whether undergraduate or Graduate, are not eligible to receive transfer credit of any type.      

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICY AREAS & PROCEDURES

1. Higher Education Institutions
   1. Domestic Higher Education Institutions: Domestic higher education institutions are defined as US institutions that provide postsecondary instruction that aims to culminate in the award of a degree, diploma, or certificate of higher studies.
      1. Accredited: Domestic higher education institutions regionally or nationally accredited by an agency officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Refer to Undergraduate and Graduate Studies transfer policies.
      2. Unaccredited: Domestic higher education institutions not regionally or nationally accredited by an agency officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). These institutions must go through an internal vetting process before they can be approved for transfer credit. If approved, refer to Undergraduate and Graduate Studies transfer policies.
   2. International Higher Education Institutions: International higher education institutions are defined as non-U.S. institutions that provide postsecondary instruction that aims to culminate in the award of a degree, diploma, or certificate of higher studies. College-level academic coursework completed outside of the U.S. must first be evaluated by a credential evaluation service provider that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES). All standard Undergraduate and Graduate Studies transfer policies will apply to the course-by-course transcript evaluation completed by Transfer Evaluations.
2. Experiential Learning: Liberty University recognizes that learners have valuable experiences that they bring to the academic environment of higher education. For that reason, LU believes students should receive college credit for learning that can be demonstrated through experience via our Experience Plus Program. Transfer policy standards are applied to Experiential learning evaluations as applicable.
   1. Certifications
      1. Certificate Programs: academic departments vet curriculum, learning outcomes, and instructor’s qualifications for certificate programs and make a recommendation for transfer credit equivalencies in accordance with university’s transfer policies.
      2. Professional Experience: academic departments vet professional experience, job skills, and industry-recognized experience and make recommendations for transfer credit equivalencies.
   2. Credit by Examination
      1. Institutional Challenge Examinations (ICE): ICE is available to students with a satisfactory justification of previous knowledge in a subject area based upon a non-college training program, job experience, or self-learning. Students must successfully complete the examination to earn college credit.
      2. Advance Placement (AP): AP is a College Board program geared for high school students seeking to earn college credit and preparedness. The Transfer Evaluations department generally reviews all AP offerings on a yearly basis and creates a transfer equivalency sheet.
      3. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP): CLEP provides students an opportunity to gain college credit for acquired knowledge and skills through a testing process. The Transfer Evaluations department generally reviews all CLEP offerings on a yearly basis and creates a transfer equivalency sheet.
      4. DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST): DSST tests provides students an opportunity to earn college credit for learning acquired outside the traditional classroom. The Transfer Evaluations department generally reviews all DSST offerings on a yearly basis and creates a transfer equivalency sheet.
      5. Excelsior College Exam (ECE): ECE is a credit-by-examination program that provides students with the opportunity to have their college-level learning recognized by earning college credit.
      6. International Baccalaureate (IB): The IB Diploma Programme is a program for students ages 16-19 that assesses students work as direct evidence achievement against the stated goals of the program.
      7. NOCTI Business Solutions: Technical training that can be equated to college credit through NOCTI assessments with collaboration of the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS).
      8. University of Cambridge International Exams (CIE): Exam-based qualifications, which are created, corrected, administered, and regulated by Cambridge.
   3. Portfolio: Students can earn transfer credit for LU courses by demonstrating competency of the course learning objectives they are petitioning credit for. This process is typically geared toward students who have field experience. Students are required to complete a series of essay-type questions and encouraged to provide supplementary documentation that will help them demonstrate competency in the subject. The requests are reviewed by qualified faculty members within the specific academic departments who use a grading rubric to assess student’s competencies in the different disciplines.
   4. Military Experience: Liberty University provides evaluations of military training and experience for college credit. All credit granted for military training and experienced is given based on the American Council on Education (ACE) guidebook, A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services and qualified faculty members within the specific academic departments at Liberty University. Liberty University accepts military transcripts, certificates of completion, and most official documents that demonstrate prior military training and experience for consideration of transfer credit (including the DD214, 2-1, 2Z, or DD295).
   5. Other Online-course Providers (non-traditional institutions): Liberty University recognizes non-traditional or non-institutional credit that students may have completed or are seeking to complete. LU accepts courses from other online-course providers based on the American Council on Education (ACE) guide and the recommendations of qualified faculty members within the specific academic departments at Liberty University.
   6. Ministry Partnership Program: Rawlings School of Divinity (SOD) works with ministry partners directly to determine if the experiential and classroom training they provide can be awarded transfer credit through an internal vetting process. Ministry partners are not higher education unaccredited institutions.
      1. Initial Vetting: SOD sets an initial call to discuss the process and follows-up with an application document to understand doctrinal statement, mission, purpose, and philosophy of education of the ministry.
      2. Decision: SOD decides to move or not to move forward with the partnership. If yes, the decision is communicated to Online Provost, Enrollment Management, and Registrar’s Office.
      3. Initial Evaluation: SOD reviews academic content of the training in question to determine if it aligns with LU course objectives and makes an initial recommendation on transfer equivalencies.
      4. Secondary Evaluation: Information is sent to Admissions Verification and Registrar’s Office for a second review. Transfer team reviews the proposed transfer equivalencies and provides additional feedback. SOD develops the additional website information and works with Enrollment Management for dissemination of the information.
      5. Final Decision: MOU is generated and signed by Liberty University and ministry partner. Approvals are updated on Experience Plus website.

Outgoing Transfer Credit 

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

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 within the School of Aeronautics require a higher English language proficiency for the purpose of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification and do not qualify for existing TOEFL waivers. International students from non-English speaking countries must meet these English proficiency requirements before being admitted into any program (Certificate, A.A, or B.S, or Minor) containing FAA certification.

Minimum English proficiency test score requirements for admission into programs containing 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.

In accordance with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), non-U.S. citizens are not permitted to enroll in the School of Aeronautics B.S. in Unmanned Aircraft Operations, B.S. in Aviation Maintenance: Unmanned Aerial Systems, or the Certificate in Medium Unmanned Aerial Systems programs. International Students who meet the prescribed English proficiency requirements outlined above are permitted to enroll in the Minor in Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator.

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.

Break in Enrollment

A break in enrollment occurs when a student has not actively taken a class within one full academic year. The academic year begins with start of the fall semester and ends with the conclusion of the summer term.

Students who break enrollment must apply for readmission and will be required to follow the degree requirements 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.

Readmission

Students who have withdrawn from the University or who have broken enrollment must apply for readmission through the Admissions Office. Admission status is subject to the terms of any previous academic or disciplinary suspension or probation. Applicants must provide 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.

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.