When to Apply

Freshman and transfer applications for admission to a bachelor’s degree program are due no later than June 15 for fall semester, Nov. 1 for spring semester and May 1 for summer semester.

Applications are processed in the order they are received. Applications received after the published deadlines may not be processed by the beginning of the semester.

High school seniors are encouraged to apply for admission as early as the first semester of their senior year and should provide a high school transcript including a list of courses in progress. Transfer students should apply at least three to four months before the beginning of the semester in which they plan to enroll.

How to Apply

To be admitted to UAF, a student must:

1. Submit an application for admission
   Apply online at http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/. Applications must be received before the published deadlines, along with a $50 nonrefundable application fee. Applications submitted after the published deadlines have a $75 nonrefundable application fee and are processed in the order they are received. They may not be processed by the beginning of the semester. 
2. Submit transcripts
   To be considered official, transcripts must arrive in sealed envelopes from each institution attended.
   High school transcripts — Applicants with no college course work or fewer than 30 semester credit hours of college credit must submit official high school transcripts. Students currently enrolled in high school may submit unofficial, in-progress transcripts for admissions review. Acceptance becomes final when official transcripts with degree earned are received.
   College transcripts — Applicants who have college-level course work must send official college or university transcripts to UAF.
   International — See Applying for Admission: International Students page for additional information.
3. Submit official test results
   Freshman and transfer applicants with fewer than 30 semester credit hours must submit the results of either the ACT or the SAT examination. Please note that the ACCUPLACER, ASSET, COMPASS, ALEKS or other placement tests do not satisfy this requirement.

International Students

See Applying for Admission: International Students page for additional information.

Admission Requirements

For admission to baccalaureate-level programs, applicants must fulfill either:

Option 1:

1. have a high school diploma, and
2. pass the 16-credit high school core curriculum (see High School Entrance Requirements) with a GPA of at least 2.5 and
3. have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. No minimum ACT or SAT score is required, OR

Option 2:

1. have a high school diploma, and
2. pass the 16-credit high school core curriculum (see High School Entrance Requirements) with a GPA of at least 2.5, and
3. have a cumulative GPA of 2.5, and
4. submit results of the ACT with a score of 18 or SAT with a score of 970. UAF will continue to accept test scores of 1280 from the previous version of the SAT.

Admission to a specific bachelor’s degree program is based on a combination of your high school GPA and completion of specific high school courses. See High School Entrance Requirements to specific colleges and schools within the university.

Test results from the ACT or SAT must be received before a student can be fully admitted.

Pre-Major

Students who have not met the minimum requirements for admission to a baccalaureate degree program will be admitted to pre-major in general studies. 

Students will be changed to major status when they are in good standing and have completed 14 credits at the 100 level or above with a C (2.0) average or higher; 9 of the 14 credits must satisfy the general education requirements.

General Studies

Students accepted to bachelor’s programs that do not select a major will be admitted as general studies students. Students receiving GI assistance or veterans’ benefits may be required to change to a declared major to keep their benefits award. 

Transfer Students

A transfer student is defined as someone coming into the university who has been a degree student at any other institution prior to the semester applied for. Students with more than 30 university semester credit hours must only submit prior college transcript(s). Students with less than 30 semester credits must submit high school transcripts and test scores in addition to their college transcripts, and will be evaluated based on all three. Transfer students are eligible for admission to a bachelor’s program if they have a 2.0 GPA in their previous course work and left their previous institution(s) in good standing. If applying to a technical or scientific program, students may need to present a higher grade average and proof that they have completed appropriate background courses before they will be admitted. Admission status for students who have attended an unaccredited postsecondary institution will be determined on an individual basis. See Transferring Credits for more information.

Probational Acceptance

Applicants with previous college course work may be admitted with probationary status or an academic warning if their cumulative or most recent term grade point average is less than C (2.0).

High School Students

High school students may take classes at UAF. The Alaska Higher Education Admission Decision (AHEAD) program requires formal admittance to UAF. The other two enrollment options, Secondary Student Enrollment and TECH PREP, have specific registration requirements but do not require admission to UAF.

AHEAD Program

The Alaska Higher Education Admission Decision (AHEAD) program allows qualified high school students to be formally admitted to UAF as general studies students. AHEAD students are assigned an academic advisor and follow the registration timeline for degree students. To qualify, students must have completed three-fourths of their high school core curriculum and have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher. Students who wish to apply to the AHEAD program may get a program application from the Office of Admissions.

Home-Schooled Students

Home-schooled students who have gone through a state-recognized program and have a valid high school diploma may be admitted to a bachelor’s program according to UAF admission standards. See How to Apply section for more information.

For home-schooled students who have not gone through a state-recognized program, admission to a bachelor’s degree is through an individual review by the director of admissions (or a designee). Applicants are required to submit scores from either the SAT or ACT and the ALEKS math placement exam prior to an admission review. Additional supporting documentation, such as letters of recommendation, may be requested for review by the director of admissions. In some cases, files will be shared with deans, department chairs or faculty for further review.

Students who have not met the minimum requirements for admission to a bachelor’s degree program may be admitted to pre-major status. Students will be changed to major status when their admissions file is complete, they are in good standing, and they have completed 14 credits at the 100 level or above with a C (2.0) average or higher, 9 credits of which must satisfy baccalaureate core requirements.

After Acceptance

Incomplete and Final Acceptance

Qualified applicants will receive a letter of acceptance once all required items are received and evaluated. Qualified applicants who are in their last year of high school or are attending another college will receive incomplete acceptance. Acceptance becomes final when the Office of Admissions receives official transcripts showing the student has satisfactorily completed all work in progress and that a high school diploma or GED has been earned. Acceptance to UAF is final only when the Office of Admissions has reviewed all necessary credentials.

Request to Postpone

An offer of admission to UAF is valid for the semester for which the applicant applied. Requests to postpone admission until a later semester must be made in writing to the Office of Admissions. Admission may be postponed for up to one calendar year. Students are required to notify the Office of Admissions if they are attending another school outside the University of Alaska statewide system.

Applying for a Second Bachelor’s Degree

Upon official acceptance to a UAF undergraduate degree program, a student who earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution will be considered to have completed the equivalent of the UAF baccalaureate core.

Readmission of Former Degree-Seeking Students

Undergraduate degree students who choose not to enroll for a semester or more may be eligible to re-enroll in their original degree program without reapplying for admission. Students remain eligible to register for classes if:

• they have not been academically disqualified,
• they have not attended a non-UA institution since they were last enrolled at UAF,
• their lapse in enrollment is less than two years, and
• they are continuing with the same degree program.

Students should be aware that poor academic performance at other campuses in the UA system may affect academic standing upon their return to UAF. Students who meet all of the above requirements should consult with their academic advisor and register for classes. Students who do not meet all of these requirements should submit an undergraduate application for admission along with the $50 application fee and transcripts of any non-UA course work taken. Students who are unsure about their status should contact the Office of Admissions.

Fresh Start for Returning Students
Fresh Start can offer a new beginning for students who performed poorly at UAF when they last attended and who have taken at least a two-year break from classes. Those who withdrew from school or were dismissed for academic reasons may apply for readmission and request that their entire prior academic record be disregarded. Students who qualify for Fresh Start begin their college study anew with no credits attempted or earned, and no quality points reflected in future GPA calculations. Fresh Start can be used only once.

All prior course work will remain part of the student’s overall academic record and appear on transcripts, but none of the previously earned credits can be used in a new program. These credits will be included only in GPA computations for graduation with honors (see Graduation with Honors). A student admitted under Fresh Start may be allowed advanced standing or a waiver of requirements just as any other student, but will not be allowed credit by exam for courses lost in Fresh Start.

Readmission of Service Members
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 requires that students who left school to serve in the uniformed services be readmitted into the same program with the same standing they had when they left. UAF allows for special readmission of these students. More information is available at http://www.uaf.edu/veterans/.

Where to Get More Information

Office of Admissions
University of Alaska Fairbanks
2nd floor, Signers’ Hall
P.O. Box 757480
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7480
Email: uaf-admissions@alaska.edu
Online: http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/
Telephone: 907-474-7500
Toll free: 800-478-1823
Fax: 907-474-7097