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Admissions

The admissions process at National Louis University (NLU) is designed to ensure that students’ needs are properly identified and matched to appropriate degree programs. The Office of Admissions considers individual students through a personalized review which takes into account prior academic record, personal and professional achievement and student goals and objectives. The University reserves the right to change requirements for admission at any time and every non-admitted applicant for a degree program shall be held to compliance with these changes.

NLU enrolls a diverse student population. Through academic and other support services, the University makes every effort to create environments that promote student success and achievement and reflect the diversity of the student population.

Please note:

  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Some programs may have application deadlines. See specific program information for details. 
  • Many programs have specific admissions requirements. See degrees offered section for additional requirements. Undergraduate admission to the University does not guarantee admission to the program of your choice. 
  • All graduate students taking graduate courses at National Louis University should understand that credit toward a graduate degree at the University is awarded only upon formal admission to a program of graduate study
  • Applicants can usually expect an admission decision within five to ten business days of receipt of all admission documents. Programs that include an interview or faculty review may require additional time. Admission notifications are emailed to applicants once an admission decision occurs. 
  • Financial assistance cannot be awarded prior to admission
  • Incomplete applications are inactivated one year from the application date and may be reinstated by submitting written request via email
  • Inactive and incomplete applications and supporting documents are destroyed three years from the original application date
  • Documents submitted without an application are destroyed one year after receipt 
  • National Louis University is approved for benefits for the education of veterans, active duty service personnel, disabled veterans, and qualified dependents (widows, war orphans, etc.). A veteran who seeks admission should follow the regular admission policies. For more information visit the veterans benefits page.
  • The decision to deny admission cannot be appealed

 

Admissions Pending Students

Applicants who, for valid reasons, cannot complete the application file before registration may be allowed to enroll as Admissions Pending students under the following conditions:

  • Admissions Pending students must have on file an application for admission and are required to sign a statement prior to registration that they understand the Admissions Pending student policy and believe in good faith that they will meet the requirements for admission. It is the student’s responsibility to make certain that the admission requirements are completed well before the end of the first term of registration.
  • If the formal admission process is not completed by the end of the first term, the student will be dropped from the program
  • The decision to deny admission cannot be appealed
  • Undergraduate Admissions Pending students are not eligible for financial aid
  • Graduate Admissions Pending students may not be eligible for financial aid. Contact Financial Aid for more information.

Returning to NLU

Re-entry

Students who have previously attended NLU, but have been away from the University for one calendar year or longer, but fewer than five calendar years, must submit a Returning Student Form.

The following rules apply to re-entry:

  • Students return with the same academic status as when they left
  • Students who were dismissed for reasons of academic ineligibility may apply for reinstatement after two quarters of non-enrollment. Petition for reinstatement should be directed to the Office of the Registrar who will forward the petition to the governance unit designated by the respective college to deal with student appeals.
  • Students who weren’t dismissed but return with a GPA lower than the minimum required by the program need to petition for re-entry and submit personal statement with two letters of recommendation to the Office of the Registrar for further review by the program chair and related college committee.
  • Students are subject to degree requirements in effect at the time of re-entry, see the Catalog of Entrance policy
  • Students must submit official transcripts of any college work taken since leaving NLU

Readmission

Students who have previously attended NLU, but have been away from the University for five calendar years or longer, must submit a new Admissions Application, including all documents and transcripts required for admission.  

The following rules apply to readmission:

  • Students return with the same academic status as when they left
  • Students who were dismissed for reasons of academic ineligibility may apply for reinstatement after two quarters of non-enrollment. Petition for reinstatement should be the Office of the Registrar who will forward the petition to the governance unit designated by the respective college to deal with student appeals.
  • Students who weren’t dismissed but return with a GPA lower than the minimum required by the program need to petition for re-admission and submit personal statement with two letters of recommendation to the Admission’s Office for further review by the program chair and related college committee.
  • Students are subject to degree requirements in effect at the time of readmission, see the Catalog of Entrance policy

Undergraduate Admissions

Undergraduate Admission Requirements

  • Completed application available at www.nl.edu/applyonline
  • Appropriate transcripts:
    • High School or High School equivalency credential (GED or Hi-Set for Freshman Admission)
    • All college transcripts for Transfer Admission
  • Proof of English language proficiency is required if English is not the applicant’s native language and/or the applicant’s high school degree was earned outside the United States. This requirement may be waived if the applicant has proof of completion of a high school degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Click here for more information on proof of English Language Proficiency.

Freshman Admissions

  • Freshman students are high school graduates who are first-time college attendees or have fewer than 15 quarter hours of transferable college credit
  • Freshman applicants must request that their high schools send final transcripts including eighth semester grades and indication of high school graduation
  • Freshman applicants must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale (C average). Applicants with less than a 2.0 GPA may be considered for admission as high potential students.

Undergraduate Transfer Admissions

  • Entering students who have earned 15 quarter hours or more of transferable credit at another accredited college or university are considered transfer students
  • Transfer students are required to have a 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (C average) and to be in good standing at the college previously attended. Applicants with less than a 2.0 GPA may be admitted as high potential students.
  • Applicants with coursework in progress at another college or university must submit official transcripts of the completed coursework.

Undergraduate High Potential Students

NLU believes that a change in a student’s learning environment may change his or her academic performance. In that light, NLU will consider applications from students who do not meet the admissions criteria described above. Such students may be admitted on a high potential basis and referred for appropriate assistance to Learning Support or other academic and student support services.

Criteria used in determining whether or not students can be admitted on a high potential basis could include work experience, demonstrated leadership in their community, extracurricular activities, motivation and attitude toward learning or career objectives. The applicant is required to submit a personal statement and two letters of support reflecting their academic work or ability. A personal interview may also be required. Some students may be asked to take a skills assessment prior to admission and the results will be used as a basis for the admission decision.

Completion of courses prior to formal acceptance does not guarantee program admission. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all documents necessary for a decision regarding admission. Admissions decisions will not be made until all documents are received. The student is then notified of formal admission status. Until such notification is given, formal admission to a program is not to be presumed. Credentials will not be returned to applicants.

Admitted students should contact their academic advisors to review degree requirements.

Graduate Admissions

Students applying for graduate admission must meet the following requirements and additionally must meet all of the requirements of the program to which they are applying:

  • Completed application available at www.nl.edu/applyonline
  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Some exceptions apply.
  • Official transcripts from all institutions were degrees where awarded. Some programs may require official transcripts from all institutions attended.
  • 3.0 GPA (there may be exceptions at the college level)
  • Proof of English language proficiency is required if English is not the applicant’s native language and/or the applicant’s high school degree was earned outside the U.S. This requirement may be waived if the applicant has proof of completion of a high school degree for undergraduate admission, or a bachelor’s degree for graduate admission, at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Click here for more information on proof of English Language Proficiency.

    Applicants who do not meet the above criteria are not eligible for full admission, but may be admitted under two-course or four-course review status, depending on the college. See each college’s graduate admissions requirements for details.

    Completion of courses prior to formal acceptance to graduate study does not guarantee admission to graduate school. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all documents necessary for a decision regarding admission to graduate study. Admissions decisions will not be made until all documents are received. The student is then notified of formal admission status. Until such notification is given, formal admission to a graduate program is not to be presumed. Credentials will not be returned to applicants.

    Admitted students should contact their advisors to review degree requirements.

 

International Students

Students Whose Previous Academic Work Was Not in the United States

The following guidelines apply to students whose previous academic work was not in the United States:

  • U.S. citizens or resident aliens whose previous academic work was from an institution outside the U.S. are required to have their high school transcripts and/or undergraduate transcripts evaluated by one of NLU's approved foreign credential evaluation agencies
  • Graduate applicants with a baccalaureate degree or college coursework from an institution outside the U.S. are required to have their undergraduate transcripts evaluated by one of NLU's approved foreign credential evaluation agencies verifying degree equivalence to a U.S. regionally accredited baccalaureate degree
  • The NLU Office of Admissions and Records will examine foreign transcript evaluations and make a determination of suitability for undergraduate and graduate admission

Nonimmigrant International Students

NLU is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students. If you are a resident of a foreign country who wants to study at NLU, please note that you must satisfy the following requirements before your I-20 can be issued. NLU faculty and staff will be there to help you on your way to getting an NLU education.

  • Complete and submit your NLU Application.
  • Be certain that you meet the admission requirements for your program of study.
  • You must have all of your secondary, college and university foreign transcripts evaluated by one of NLU's approved foreign credential evaluation agencies. The course-by-course evaluation must verify degree equivalency of a level of education equivalent of a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.
  • Proof of English language proficiency is required if English is not the applicant's native language and /or high school degree was earned outside the United States. Applicants must have official results of a TOEFL or other University-approved examination sent to the Office of Admissions.
    • Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Scores: Undergraduate applicants: A minimum score of 72 for the Internet-based test (iBT) or a minimum of 533 total for the TOEFL paper test (PBT). Graduate applicants: A minimum score of 80 for the Internet-based test (iBT) or a minimum of 550 total for the TOEFL paper test (PBT). TOEFL scores are only valid for two years. 
    • International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Scores: Undergraduate applicants: 6.0, with no individual band below a 5.5. Graduate applicants: 6.5, with no individual band below a 6.0. IELTS scores are only valid for two years. 
    • Pearson Test of English (PTE). Scores: Undergraduate applicants: A minimum score of 50. Graduate Applicants: A minimum score of 54. PTE scores are valid for two years.
    • Duolingo English Test (DET). Scores: Undergraduate applicants: A minimum score of 95. Graduate Applicants: A minimum score of 105. DET scores are valid for two years. 
Please click here for more details concerning NLU-approved examinations.

  The English Proficiency requirement may also be considered as met for students who satisfy any of the following criteria:

  • Completed at least three years of education at a high school or secondary school, where English is the language of instruction.
  • Completed at least two years (48 semester credits or 72 quarter credits) of education at a college or university where English is the language of instruction.
  • Completed an ESL program accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), or any of the six regional accrediting bodies for higher education institutions in the US within the past three calendar years
  • Undergraduate applicants who have completed level 5 of the National Louis English Language Program.
  • The person(s) paying your tuition and living expenses while you attend NLU must complete and sign an affidavit of support, or a letter of support, in the presence of a Notary Public or First Class Magistrate. You or your sponsor(s) must also provide a financial statement, on business stationery, indicating the amount of funds available in U.S. currency. If the sponsor(s) are U.S. citizens, or self-employed resident(s), they will need to send NLU a copy of the latest income tax return they filed.
  • You or your sponsors(s) must submit documented proof of sufficient funds to defray all living and school expenses during the first year that you anticipate studying in the U.S.
  • You must submit a copy of your passport and, if you are currently residing in the U.S., a copy of your U.S. visa stamp and I-94 card as well, if you were issued one.
  • For F-1 visa related questions, please contact Brisbane Rouzan, Principal Designated School Official, PDSO, at BRouzan@nl.edu or 312-261-3461.

Veterans

National Louis University is approved for benefits for the education of veterans, active duty service personnel, disabled veterans, and qualified dependents (widows, war orphans, etc.). A veteran who seeks admission should follow the regular admission policies. For more information visit the veterans benefits page.

NLU is in full compliance with the Higher Education Relief Opportunities For Students (HEROES) Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-76).  The HEROES Act of 2003 is intended to ensure that service members who are receiving Federal student aid are not adversely affected because of their military status and to minimize the administrative burden placed on such individuals.

In full compliance with the US Department of Education’s Readmission Requirements for Service Members (eCFR §668.18), NLU does not deny readmission to a person who is a member of, applies to be a member of, performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an obligation to perform, service in the uniformed services on the basis of that membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation to perform service.

 

NLU will promptly readmit to the institution an individual as described above with the same academic status as the student had when the student last attended the institution or was last admitted to the institution, but did not begin attendance because of that membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation to perform service.