1998-1999 Catalog

Undergraduate

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Applying for Admission

Admission Requirements

Freshman

To qualify for admission as a freshman, you must meet one of the following:

Associate Degree

For admission to associate degree programs, you must be at least 18 years old or have earned a high school diploma or successfully completed the GED examination.

If you're an associate degree or certificate student in good standing with a high school diploma or its equivalent and later wish to enter a baccalaureate degree program, you may be admitted after earning, with a "C" average, 14 credits at the 100 level or above, of which nine credits must satisfy general baccalaureate degree requirements.

Baccalaureate Degree (Bachelor's Degree)

1. For admission to a baccalaureate degree program, you must have graduated from high school with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 ("C") or higher. Your admission to a specific baccalaureate degree program is based on a combination of your high school grade point average and your completion of specific high school courses. In addition, you must complete, with a minimum grade point average of 2.5, a high school core curriculum of at least 16 academic units. The units must include 4 credits in English, 3 credits in college preparatory mathematics (selected from Algebra I, II, geometry, trigonometry, elementary functions, precalculus or calculus), 3 credits in social sciences and 3 in natural or physical sciences (including at least one laboratory course in biology, chemistry or physics). Two years of study in a non-English language are strongly recommended. Test results from the ACT or SAT must be received before you can be admitted.
2. If you've graduated from high school with a satisfactory GPA but don't meet minimum entrance requirements for the baccalaureate degree, you may be accepted with deficiencies provided you make up the deficiencies by earning at least a "C" grade in each of the appropriate developmental or university courses and complete 9 credits of general baccalaureate degree requirements with a grade of "C" or higher in each course.
3. If you haven't graduated from high school, are 18 years of age or older, if you completed high school by passing the GED test or its equivalent or if you do not meet admission requirements, you may be considered for unrestricted admission to a baccalaureate degree program on a case-by-case basis. You will need to provide for review supporting evidence of your academic ability, including test results from either the ACT or SAT examinations.

Transfer Students

If you're an applicant who has attended other accredited institutions, you are eligible for admission if you have a 2.0 GPA in your previous college work and an honorable dismissal from previous schools. If you're applying to a technical or scientific program, you may need to present a higher grade average and proof that you've completed appropriate background courses before you will be admitted to the program. If you're transferring in with fewer than 30 semester hours of transferable credit, you must also have a high school GPA of 2.0 or higher and must complete the ACT or SAT before registering. If you have attended an unaccredited postsecondary institution, your admission status will be determined on an individual basis.

International Students

If you're an international student or a recent immigrant to the United States, additional admission requirements apply to you:

English Language Proficiency Policy

In addition to meeting regular admission requirements, you must be able to read, write and speak English well enough to successfully complete your program.

TOEFL Test Requirements

1. You must present a TOEFL score of at least 550.
2. If you're from a country where English is not the native language, you must present a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). You can't use any other proof of English competency (such as English credits from other schools).
3. If you're a permanent resident on an immigrant visa, a TOEFL score is required if all your formal education is from a country where English is not the primary language, or when the documents presented for admission don't clearly indicate your proficiency in English.

Other Requirements

1. When preparing the I-20 form that is necessary to obtain an F-1 (student) visa, the university must certify to the Immigration and Naturalization Service that you have been accepted for full-time enrollment and that you have funds to meet estimated expenses for one academic year. If you're in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, you must maintain a full-time course load; you may not enroll as a part-time student (less than 12 credits per semester).
2. You must sign a statement and provide documentation that funds are available to pay all expenses while you attend UAF, as well as the amount needed for round-trip transportation between your home and Alaska. The minimum cost for attending UAF for one school year is $15,000. This amount covers university fees, room and board on campus and a reasonable amount of personal expenses. It does not include transportation to and from Alaska, summer living or cold weather clothing costs. Since the application for the F-1 visa requires affirmation that you don't intend to live in the United States permanently, you aren't eligible for resident tuition fees.
3. Your application should reach the Office of Admissions by March 1 for the fall semester or September 1 for the spring semester. Your application must be completed and accepted by August 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester in order to allow time for your I-20 form to be issued. You can't reserve on-campus housing until your application for admission has been accepted. If you're interested in single student housing, you should file your application materials at least eight months before you plan to enroll.

Readmission of Former Degree-Seeking Students

As an undergraduate degree student, if you don't enroll for a semester or more, or if you enroll through the non-degree student registration process, you need to notify the Office of Admissions in advance when you plan to resume studies in your degree program.

If you left UAF in good standing, haven't enrolled in an institution outside of the University of Alaska system, and haven't been absent more than two years, you must request readmission and an update of your degree status before you register. No processing fee is required if your readmission update is received by Aug. 1 for the fall semester and Dec. 1 for the spring semester. Requests for readmission received after these dates must be accompanied by a $35 fee and will be processed if time permits.

If you were on probation at UAF or were enrolled in an institution outside the UA system or if it's been more than two years since you were last enrolled in your degree program at UAF, you will need to submit the regular undergraduate application for admission form, pay the $35 processing fee and submit official transcripts from any colleges or universities you attended since you last enrolled at UAF.

If you're a UAF graduate and are seeking to enter a second undergraduate degree program, you must submit an undergraduate application for admission. If you're a UAF associate or certificate student and you wish to enter a bachelor's degree program, you will have to submit an application for admission.

Non-Degree Students

If you wish to attend UAF, but not as a degree student, you must be a high school graduate or at least 18 years old. As a "non-degree student," you are subject to the placement examination requirements for freshman courses. You must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain in good standing. You won't be considered a degree candidate until you've met regular admission requirements and filed transcripts. As a non-degree student you aren't eligible for financial aid or priority registration.

High School Students

UAF offers three opportunities for high school students to enroll in university classes: dual enrollment, the AHEAD program and TECH PREP. For information these programs please contact your high school guidance counselor or UAF Admissions counselor at (907) 474-7500 or (800) 478-1823.

Dual Enrollment

The dual enrollment program allows high school students to register for UAF classes. This program open to the following:

• High school seniors with a GPA of 2.5 or above may register for two classes for a maximum of six credits.
• High school seniors with a GPA of 2.0 to 2.5 may register for one class.
• High school juniors with a GPA of 2.75 or above may register for one class.
• All other students are encouraged to contact the director of Admissions for information on course enrollment at UAF.

Dual enrollment is available for many university classes appropriate for high school students. Two very popular areas of study are Airframe & Powerplant and Culinary Arts.

Pick up a Dual Enrollment Application Form (valid for one semester) from your high school counseling office. You must file an application for each semester you wish to attend.

AHEAD Program

The Alaska Higher Education Admission Decision (AHEAD) program allows qualified students to be formally admitted to UAF. AHEAD students are assigned an academic advisor and are given priority registration. The AHEAD program is for high school students who have completed three-fourths of their high school core curriculum and have a 2.5 GPA or higher.

You may pick up an AHEAD program application and a UAF undergraduate application for admission from your high school counseling office.

TECH PREP Opportunities

The TECH PREP program allows students to earn credits toward a UAF certificate or associate degree by completing classes in high school that have been approved for college credit by UAF. TECH PREP programs available are Business/Information Systems and Drafting.

Students must complete these courses with a "B" grade or better and be formally enrolled in the TECH PREP program to qualify for UAF credit. You may pick up the TECH PREP Agreement from your high school counseling office.

Students with Bachelor's Degrees

If you hold a bachelor's degree but have not defined or declared your graduate program, you may enroll as a non-degree student. You're in this category if you are:

1. Planning to take "interest courses."
2. Strengthening your preparation in order to be admitted to graduate study.
3. A transient student expecting to be at UAF only briefly.
4. Awaiting action on applications for graduate status.

Second Bachelor's Degree Programs

If you wish to complete a second bachelor's degree, you must apply for admission as an undergraduate transfer student.

If you completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, you will be considered to have completed the equivalent of the baccalaureate core when you have been officially accepted to an undergraduate degree program at UAF.

Academic Bankruptcy for Returning Students

If you performed at an academic level that made you ineligible to continue your studies at UAF and dropped out or were dismissed from school, academic bankruptcy can offer you a new undergraduate start. You may apply for readmission on the basis that your prior academic record be disregarded. You begin your college study again with no credits attempted, no credits earned and no quality points reflected in subsequent grade point average calculations. You may use academic bankruptcy only once. You may request academic bankruptcy for records from present UAF units that were not part of UAF prior to fall 1987 separately from your UAF record.

To declare academic bankruptcy, you must submit an Application for Academic Bankruptcy form. Before applying for admission on this basis, at least two years must have elapsed since the end of the last full-time semester you attended. Academic bankruptcy application forms are available at the Admissions or Registrar's offices.

Your prior academic record remains a part of your overall academic record and appears on your transcript, but none of the credits you earned previously can be used in your new program. The only time these credits will be included, however, is in GPA computations for graduation with honors (See "Graduation with Honors"). You may be allowed advanced standing or a waiver of requirements just as any nonbankrupt student, but you won't be allowed credit by examination for courses lost in bankruptcy.