Undergraduate Requirements

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Applying for Admission

 

Apply to Franciscan University of Steubenville and find your home at a supportive and faithfully Catholic university.

 

Not only will your admissions counselor walk you through the admissions process step-by-step, but the entire Franciscan community will help you answer God’s call for your life while here on our Ohio campus and anywhere the world may take you.

 

The courses, connections, and experience you’ll gain as a Franciscan student will prepare you to be an ethical and successful professional in a wide variety of career paths. Faith and reason are woven into every major and minor at our Newman Society Guide recommended college.

 

Complete your undergraduate college application for Franciscan University of Steubenville today and start your journey at an academically excellent and passionately Catholic university. If you have questions about tuition and financial aid, please reference the Tuition and Financial Aid page or contact your admissions counselor.

 

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Franciscan friars, the professors, and your future classmates cannot wait to welcome you to campus once the admissions requirements are fulfilled.

 

Basic Requirements for Admission

Academic Requirements for Admission

 

All applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent from an accredited institution. A student must have completed a minimum of 15 high school units with at least 10 units in four of the following fields:

  • English
  • Foreign Language
  • Social Science
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Science

 

The remaining 5 credits may be in other subjects counted toward your high school graduation.

 

Specialized Requirements

High School Seniors: Seniors in high school must meet the following requirements for admission:

  • Minimum GPA Requirements:
    • Achieved a weighted cumulative high school GPA of 2.4 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
    • Franciscan University of Steubenville follows a standard weighted GPA scale, wherein all Honors and Dual Enrollment classes are given +0.5 weight, and all AP classes are given +1.0 weight. We reserve the right to reweight any reported GPA that does not follow this standard weighting method when determining admission to the university and merit scholarships.
    • We accept a GED diploma with a “College Ready” score of 165 or higher.
    • Note: Students applying for the Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, or Pre-Engineering dual-degree programs must have a 3.6 weighted GPA or higher to be directly accepted to the Department of Engineering and Computing. Math and Science grades and scores are specifically taken into account to ensure academic success in these rigorous majors. Students with a GPA below 3.6 will be placed in the Engineering- Provisional major at the time of acceptance, with specific requirements.

 

  • Test Scores and Exam Requirements:
    • SAT score of 1000 or higher (with only Evidence Based Reading and Writing and Math sections), OR
    • ACT composite score of 21 or higher, OR
    • CLT Score of 68 or higher.
    • NOTE: We do not super score, or combine section scores from different test dates.

 

  • TEST SCORE SUBMISSION IS OPTIONAL FOR SPRING AND FALL 2025 APPLICANTS: Franciscan University has elected to make the standardized test requirement optional for new students. Submitting an essay vs. above minimum test score will not negatively impact the review process.
    • Franciscan University will allow students applying for admission for Fall 2024 or 2025 who would like to opt out of submitting a standardized test to substitute a brief essay on the Mission of Franciscan University. Please note: A minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.2 is required for regular admission with the essay option.
    • The essay can be emailed to [email protected] or to your admissions counselor with the subject line: “Undergraduate Admissions Essay.
      • The essay must be one page, double spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font
      • The essay must discuss the Mission of Franciscan University of Steubenville.
      • If you have any questions about the testing requirements policy or require any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the admissions office at [email protected] or you can contact your admissions counselor directly.

 

If you do not meet one or more of these requirements, please contact your admissions counselor to discuss your available options.

Seniors must receive a high school diploma or the equivalent from an accredited institution before officially enrolling at the university. An admission decision is usually made before this occurs, but we still need your final and official high school transcript after graduating.

Franciscan University welcomes and encourages students who have been homeschooled to apply for admission. Homeschooled students must meet the regular criteria above for high school seniors and provide:

  • SAT, ACT, or CLT score report;
  • Evidence of participation in a homeschool program, including official seal and signature; OR official transcripts from a homeschool program or independent homeschool showing courses that fulfill the Franciscan’s high school course requirements
  • Transcripts may be submitted in either of two ways:

 

Transfer students to Franciscan University must meet the following requirements:

  • Received a cumulative college GPA of 2.2 or higher after completing at least 24 college-level credits from an accredited institution. (SAT/ACT/CLT not required)
  • If you have not yet received 24 college-level credits, your high school GPA and SAT, ACT, or CLT score will be considered along with your college GPA. Midterm grade reports may be required.

For more information visit the Transfer Student Requirements page.

Transfer students who have attended other colleges and universities must submit a final official high school transcript prior to enrolling.

If you do not meet one or more of these requirements, please contact your admissions counselor to discuss your available options.

If you are an international student, please follow the requirements on the International Students page.

You may also contact the director of International Student Services at 740-283-6441 or [email protected].

Students who attend classes for credits to be transferred to another college or university in which they are regularly enrolled are classified as transient students.

Such students must file a transient application form, which includes a statement granting them permission from the college or university that they are attending.

Through the Franciscan FastTrack program high school students can take college classes on campus or online!

For information about online classes visit the Franciscan FastTrack pages.

Area high school students may come to Franciscan University of Steubenville campus for regular courses on a space available basis. Students may take up to two courses per semester (Fall and Spring) and an additional two courses spread over the summer sessions.

The cost is $150 per credit hour for both online and on ground Fast Track courses.

Eligibility

  • High school students must be 16 years of age by the last day of add/drop for the semester they will enroll and have completed their sophomore year of high school.
  • Students must have a current high school grade point average of 2.4 or a C+ average to participate in this program. A maximum of twelve (12) courses at Franciscan University may be taken.

Processes and Procedures

  • Course selection is limited to 100 and 200 level courses as space allows. Students must submit to the Admissions Office a Post-Secondary Application with the signature and title of the approving high school official.
  • For each semester after the initial application, the student will need to register for their course(s) online on their Port student account. Students will receive an email from Admissions before each semester begins, informing them when Post-Secondary Online Registration is open.
  • High school students will be issued a Franciscan University ID coded “high school” that will enable them to purchase meals in the cafeteria. High school students are not charged an activity fee and may not participate in intramural sports.
  • Post-secondary classes are not available after high school graduation.

Students who have already obtained a degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville or from another college or university and wish to attend classes for credit must file an application and indicate that they are not seeking a second degree (non-degree student).

A transcript that indicates the degree and date of graduation must be sent from the school that awarded the degree. To change from non-degree status to degree-seeking status, a student must apply through the Admissions Office.

Students wishing to attend Franciscan University as non-degree students who have not already obtained a college degree must follow the same procedure as a first-time or transfer student, submitting all high school and college transcripts. To become a degree-seeking student at a later date, students must submit all final, official transcripts and a new application to the Admissions Office.

Prospective students who wish to enroll in a course or courses on a non-credit basis are classified as auditor students. Individuals who would like to audit courses for personal enrichment and who are not enrolled in courses for credit should contact the Registrar to complete a brief application form.

International students wishing to attend class as audit students must complete the regular admissions procedure for international students.

Former Franciscan students desiring readmission after withdrawing from Franciscan University of Steubenville are required to file an application for readmission with the Admissions Office.

Applicants for readmission who have enrolled at another college or university since their departure from Franciscan University of Steubenville are required to provide official transcripts of their additional academic study.

Students who have been dismissed from Franciscan University of Steubenville are ineligible to apply for readmission until one semester or its equivalent, excluding summer school, expires. If students desire readmission after this period, they should submit an application for readmission and complete a reinstatement questionnaire obtained from the Admissions Office.

NOTE: Students who have been dismissed a second time from Franciscan University are ineligible to apply for readmission.

Students who have financial obligations to the University may be denied readmission until these obligations are satisfied.

Franciscan University of Steubenville will promptly readmit a service member with the same academic status as he/she had when last attending the school or accepted for admission to the school. This applies to any student who cannot attend school due to military service.

The student must notify Franciscan University of Steubenville of his military service and intention to return to school as follows:

The readmission process can be initiated by contacting the admissions department [email protected] or (740)283-6226.  Any questions can also be directed to [email protected].

Franciscan University of Steubenville will promptly readmit the student into the next class or classes in the program beginning after he/she provides notice of intent to reenroll, unless he/she requests a later date or unusual circumstances require Franciscan to admit him at a later date.

If the student is admitted to a different program, and for subsequent academic years for a student admitted to the same program, Franciscan will assess no more than the tuition and fee charges that other students in the program are assessed for that academic year.

The cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences from Franciscan for military service may not exceed five years. Only the time the student spends actually performing service is counted.

Equal Education Opportunity

 

Franciscan University of Steubenville does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran’s status (or any other criteria protected by applicable law) in its educational programs and activities or admissions.