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Frequently asked questions and answers

General

Arizona State University ranks highly compared to other universities, and many ASU programs rank highly compared to other universities' programs. ASU has been named the No. 1 school in the U.S. for innovation for nine consecutive years, ahead of Stanford and MIT, according to U.S. News & World Report. ASU is also No. 1 in sustainability and No. 1 in global impact, and is the top public university chosen by international students. See a complete list of ASU rankings.

ASU strives to keep class sizes as small as possible. The student-to-faculty ratio at ASU is 19-to-1.

ASU’s four campuses in metropolitan Phoenix are home to 79,400+ students as of fall 2023.

ASU is located in the metro Phoenix area of Arizona, in the southwest region of the United States. The university is about a six-hour drive (or one hour flight) from Los Angeles and five-hour drive (or 50 minute flight) from Las Vegas.

Cost of attendance varies for in-state (resident), out-of-state (non resident), international and graduate students.

Scores are automatically sent from the ACT or the Collegeboard (SAT) to the places you requested when you registered. You can also have your scores sent to ASU from ACT or the College Board (SAT) after you take your test.

Being declared a resident by the state of Arizona differs from being considered a resident for tuition purposes by ASU. University Registrar Services follows specific Arizona Board of Regents guidelines when determining a student’s residency status based on the information provided on the admission application.

Each year, the deadline to apply for spring admission is Nov. 1 and for fall admission, the deadline is May 1. For summer admission, the deadline is Feb. 1.

Within a few days you will receive an email with instructions on how to log in to My ASU. My ASU is where you can monitor the status of your application, view any missing items and receive the final decision on your application.

Once we have received a complete application, including paid application fee and official transcripts, undergraduate students should receive an admission decision in about four weeks. Depending on the volume of student applications, processing times may vary. In some instances, admission decisions can be made in as little as five business days.

To see your application status, log in to My ASU and click My Application Status.

You can expect to receive your letter five to seven business days after admission.

You can submit your MMR immunization documentation to ASU Health Services.

As a first-year student, you're expected to live on the campus of your major. If you’d like to request a housing exemption, you must first complete the housing application to let us know your reason for requesting a housing exception.

There are a variety of resources available to help you select your major or minor. You can start by visiting ASU’s undergraduate degree search to explore the more than 400 degree programs at ASU. While on Degree Search you can take ASU's major and career quiz, Me3®, which can help you decide on a major.

It is not uncommon for students to change their majors after they start classes at ASU. To change your major, log in to My ASU, click Change My Major and follow the steps from there.

To register for classes, you must submit your enrollment deposit (if applicable) and your MMR immunization form. Check My ASU to make sure you don’t have any holds, and make an appointment with your academic advisor who can help you register for classes.

You can find your advisor’s contact information in My ASU in the Academic Support Team box.

You can pay your tuition online by going to My ASU and clicking the Finances tab.

First-year student

During the application process, you will be asked to enter all your courses and grades for school years 9 to 11 as they appear on your official high school transcript. You will also be asked to enter your in-progress courses for year 12.

To accurately enter all information, you must have your high school transcript when filling out the Required High School Courses section in My Grades. All semester, trimester or quarter grades must be listed in the Required High School Courses section.

The information entered in the Required High School Courses section must match your official transcript if you have been admitted and intend to enroll. Any inaccurate information can result in your admission being revoked.

Yes, the application gives you the option to self-report any college courses or dual credit courses you have taken before enrolling at ASU.

If your transcript includes a numerical grading scale, click on 100 point based in the Grading System section of your application and then you will select the number range for your grades in the Grades section.

If you have been admitted and intend to enroll at ASU, you will need to have your official high school transcripts sent directly to ASU once you graduate. Do not send any official transcripts during the application process or before you graduate.

Transfer

At ASU, a transfer student is anyone applying for admission who has attended another college or university and has completed 12 or more transferable credits post-high school, at the time of application. If you are completing college courses while in high school you are considered a first-year student and not a transfer student.

It depends on your particular situation. If you transfer fewer than 24 transferable credits, you must also meet freshman admission requirements, which may require ACT or SAT scores. Also, some majors, such as business, require a particular ACT or SAT score for admission into the program. Take a peek at the ASU undergraduate Degree Search for admission information specific to your major.

ASU’s expert transfer specialists are available to answer your questions and help with your transfer to ASU. Find your transfer specialist.

Transfer applicants with 24 or more transferable semester credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university, and who will be 22 or older by the start of the requested semester of admission, will not be required to submit a high school transcript for admission. Once all prior college or university transcripts and outstanding admission items are received and verified, the high school transcript requirement will be waived. Transfer applicants are required to have graduated from an approved high school (or equivalent) prior to the semester of requested admission at ASU, and to include this information on the application for admission.

Yes, for ASU to determine whether you meet admission requirements, we must evaluate your entire academic history, including coursework completed at each college or university attended, regardless of academic performance. College transcripts should be sent directly from your college to:

ASU Admission Services
P.O. Box 871004
Tempe, AZ 85287-1004

If you have previously attended ASU as a degree-seeking student, you will be considered a readmission student. Please see readmission information.

Yes, you need to reapply. Be sure to sign in to My ASU to see if any additional items are needed to complete your file.

No, you can transfer to ASU at any time as long as you meet the transfer admission requirements. However, ASU recommends attaining your associate degree before transferring.

Once you are admitted, you'll work with your academic advisor and review your DARS (Degree Audit Report System) to see which credits apply to you major.

There are no prerequisites required to be admitted to ASU, unless you have fewer than 24 transferable credits. Students with fewer than 24 transferable credits are required to meet freshman admission requirements, including aptitude and competency requirements.

Yes, ASU has housing devoted specifically to upper-division students and strongly encourages all students to live on campus during their first year at ASU. For more information, please refer to University Housing.

There are also a variety of off-campus housing options in close proximity to ASU’s campuses. For more information on off-campus housing, check out Off-Campus Housing.

The IGETC/CSU GE is not a requirement for admission to ASU but is highly recommended. Completing either of the GE patterns and getting certified by your community college will satisfy the General Studies requirements at ASU.

Getting certified means you have completed all General Education requirements at your California community college. If you have confirmed with your community college counselor that you are eligible for the certification, ASU will require that you submit the official certification along with your official transcripts to Admission Services.

No. Even though you may not currently qualify for WUE, we will always reevaluate your admission to the program if you currently have courses in progress and submit your final transcripts.

ASU representatives will be attending college transfer fairs and hosting various visits at community colleges throughout California. Find your transfer specialist to ask about upcoming opportunities near you.

ASU awards transfer credit for college-level coursework as long as it was completed at a regionally accredited institution, you earned a grade of “C” or higher, and ASU offers an equivalent course. To see how your credits transfer to ASU, use the online Transfer Guide. Click on Course Search to get started. Read more about how your credits transfer to ASU, and if you have additional questions, contact your transfer representative.

ASU uses a rolling admission process that allows for a flexible time frame. ASU typically recommends that students start their steps to apply at least one semester prior to their starting term at ASU. It may take approximately two to six weeks to receive an admission decision once all requested materials are received. Although there are no “hard” deadlines to apply to ASU, there are a few priority dates to keep in mind if you’d like to maximize your opportunities for financial aid. You can review these dates, as well as admission requirements and steps to apply, at admission.asu.edu/transfer/apply.

If the transcript key or the institution provides information that indicates a Pass grade is comparable to a C- or higher, the course will be counted as transferable but will not be calculated in the student’s transfer GPA for admission. A Fail grade will be counted as an “F” and calculated in the student’s GPA accordingly.

Pass grades are not counted in the GPA, but may be transferable to ASU if the institution or transcript indicates the “P” grade is comparable to a C- or better. Fail grades are calculated as an “F” and will impact your GPA.

If the transcript key indicates a Pass grade is comparable to a C- or higher, the course will be counted as transferable but will not be calculated in your GPA. A Fail grade will be counted as an “F” and calculated in your GPA.

If the institution or transcript indicates the “P” grade is comparable to a C- or better and the course is on your degree map, it will count toward degree completion.

The admission criteria remains the same. We will look at all submitted information to determine admissibility to ASU.

GPA and test scores will still be used to determine admissibility. Pass grades are not calculated into your GPA for admission purposes, but may still be transferable. Opting for a Pass grade rather than a letter grade could impact your admissibility if you need to bring up your transfer GPA to meet the criteria for a program with higher requirements. If you have the option of being issued a Pass grade or a letter grade, opt for the letter grade.

Yes. Any coursework with a Pass grade that the institution indicates is comparable to C- or better is transferable.

No, maintaining eligibility for ASU financial aid or scholarships is based on your ASU GPA.

International

International first-year and transfer F-1 students may be considered for the New American University Scholarship, which helps with college expenses.

ASU may offer conditional admission to international applicants who meet the academic (aptitude) requirements but who are not proficient in English. Conditional admission gives international F-1 students three semesters to submit a passing TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score, or to successfully graduate from ASU Global Launch to be fully admitted to the university.

In addition to your application fee and all official transcripts, international students must submit proof of English proficiency. Foreign school transcripts can be sent by the student as long as they are official and original documents.

The English proficiency requirement depends on your major. ASU accepts passing scores on the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE exams. Contact International Admission Services for more information at 480-965-2437 or asuinternational@asu.edu.

ASU offers several English proficiency exemptions:

  • Applicants who have completed their junior and senior years in a U.S. high school with an SAT EBRW score of 580 taken after April 2016 (SAT Verbal score of 550 if taken prior to May 2016) or an ACT English score of 23.
  • Applicants who have completed a minimum of 48 transferable semester credits including six credits of freshman English composition at a U.S. college or university with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher.
  • Applicants holding a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
  • Applicants who have completed four years of high school in a U.S. high school — these applicants are subject to high school competency requirements.

No, a financial guarantee is not necessary for an admission decision to ASU.

Generally, 12 or more credit hours per semester is considered full time for international students. Contact ASU’s International Students and Scholars Center at 480-727-4776 for more information or to discuss your particular circumstances.

Online credits are credits received for classes taken remotely using your computer. On-campus credits are credits received for classes taken in person on an ASU campus. As an international student, you are required to take a certain number of credits at an on-campus location.

To receive your I-20, you must submit:

  • I-20 delivery option.
  • Financial guarantee form.
  • Financial document (bank statement or financial support letter).
  • Foreign SEVIS address.
  • Copy of passport.
  • SEVIS transfer form (if applicable).

Be sure to choose your preferred I-20 delivery option. All the items above will show up on My ASU after you are fully admitted.

If your native language is not English, you must provide proof of English proficiency.

Individual academic units may have higher requirements for English proficiency. Review your degree program of interest for details.

Your academic credentials must provide information on the courses you took each year and the grades or marks received. Please note that any document ASU receives becomes the property of the university and will not be returned to you. Please do not send documents that cannot be easily replaced. Please do not send your intermediate or secondary education documents.

Official academic credentials are issued by the registrar of the institution attended, bearing the seal of the institution and registrar’s or academic official’s signature, or verified true copies of credentials by a responsible official of the institution or education representative of the country’s government or embassy. Each page must bear the verifying official signature and stamp.

All international transcripts must be submitted in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Translations must be literal, complete versions of the originals and must be translated by a university, government official or official translation service. You may not complete your own translation.

Photocopies and notarized transcripts are not acceptable.

Contact the International Students and Scholars Center before submitting a Voluntary Withdrawal form, as it most likely will affect your visa status.

Graduate

For prospective students or applicants, ASU has provided three resources that describe the application requirements for the graduate degree programs that interest you.

  • ASU Degree Search website: Departments list the admission requirements on the degree page under the Admission Requirements subheader. Also, you will find contact information for that department if you have additional questions. 
  • The department’s website: Visit the department's website to learn more about their degrees, events, contact information, faculty, curriculum and more.
  • The admission application: The application will dive deeper into a program’s admission requirements. You will find most of your answers here.

If you are looking for general application advice, please join us at our next Graduate Information Session and Application Advice webinar. Register here at visit.asu.edu/live-hosted-visit.

If you run into problems with the application, payment page or login information, please contact gograd@asu.edu.

 

If you are an international student, once you are admitted and have questions regarding the I-20 process, contact Graduate Admission Services at gradi20@asu.edu.

For questions regarding course registration or advising, please contact your academic advisor. Contact information can be found on My ASU in the Academic Support Team box. 

Be sure to refer to the Help tab on My ASU for additional information.

 

Application deadlines are set and managed by individual degree programs. Before submitting an application, visit the program website to review the deadlines for your proposed admission term. You will not receive an application fee refund if your application is not complete by the deadline. Please refer to the program descriptions found on Degree Search for deadline information. To discuss deadlines and exceptions, contact the academic program office offering the program.

 

If you are a prospective PhD student, check with the department to see if waivers are an option. Admission Services does not offer a general application fee waiver. 

Refer to this resource if you are a McNair Scholar. 

The application requires your cumulative undergraduate GPA, junior-senior GPA and graduate GPA (if applicable). You can usually refer to your transcript to see the GPA awarded by your university. In the application, use the “scale” drop-down menu to see if your school’s grading scale is listed. You will not need to convert your GPA scale to a 4-point scale to apply. Refer to this resource for more information.

Junior/senior GPA refers to the last two years or 60 semester credit hours of your undergraduate work. If you have not yet finished your undergraduate degree, you can either estimate what your GPA will be in your final year if you are certain what your grades will be and calculate your junior/senior GPA that way, or you can use your last 60 semester credit hours of your undergraduate work to calculate it. Please use your best judgment on this section.

The academic program to which you are applying may or may not require supplemental documents like letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, resume, portfolio or test scores (GRE, GMAT, MAT). ASU has provided three resources that describe the application requirements for the graduate degree programs that interest you.

  • ASU Degree Search website: Departments list the admission requirements on the degree page under the Admission Requirements subheader. Also, you will find contact information for that department if you have additional questions. 
  • The department’s website: Visit the department's website to learn more about their degrees, events, contact information, faculty, curriculum and more.
  • The admission application: The application will dive deeper into a program’s admission requirements. You will find most of your answers here.

If you are looking for general application advice, please join us at our next Graduate Information Session and Application Advice webinar. Register at visit.asu.edu/live-hosted-visit.

The application must be completed and the application fee must be paid before ASU emails the recommenders.

You have access to resend the email to your recommender every seven days through My ASU by clicking on the Manage Recommenders link. If your recommender does not seem to be receiving the emails, please have them check their email spam/junk folder. ASU will only email individuals listed on a submitted admission application.

Request that your official transcript(s) be sent to Admission Services by following the instructions here.

 

Official scores can only be sent to ASU directly from the testing services. It may take up to seven business days from receipt to process and update on My ASU Priority Tasks.

If it has been longer than seven business days, please provide the following to gograd@asu.edu:

  • The order confirmation and delivery information from your university, ETS, Duolingo or any other organization showing that the document has been sent to ASU.
  • A copy of your TRF and the TRF number (IELTS only).
  • Your ASU 10-digit ID.
  • First and last name on your application and on your test documents.

Admission decisions are not centralized, so please contact the academic department of your program for an estimated time frame in which to expect a decision. Graduate program telephone numbers and email addresses are available on Degree Search, or you can connect here.

Be sure to monitor My ASU regularly for any updates regarding your application. Pending Priority Tasks will delay the processing of your application. 

 

Please follow the instructions outlined here

 

You can apply to more than one program for a specific term. Individual applications will need to be submitted for each program, but official documents such as transcripts and test scores can be matched to all applications you submit. Be sure to refer to Degree Search with any questions about the application requirements for specific programs. 

 

Graduate credit transfers are handled by each program so it would be best to contact your program of interest directly about the possibility of transferring your credits. Students are able to transfer up to 12 credits into a graduate program at the discretion of the program. Graduate program telephone numbers and email addresses are available on Degree Search, or you can connect here.

 

Some additional documents may still be added to the application before it has been moved into review with your chosen program. Refer to My ASU to see if your application is in committee review. If it is not, please email gograd@asu.edu regarding these items and include your application ID number. 

 

Applicants are only able to attempt to submit or make a payment on an application once every 24 hours. This is a security measure that can sometimes occur due to internet connection or stability when attempting to submit the application. You will need to wait a full 24 hours before reattempting to pay. After that time has passed, you can try submitting the application again, possibly from a different web browser, or connect to a VPN and make the payment once that secure line is established.

 

Our recommendation for students who do not have a credit or debit card is to buy a prepaid gift card with a certain amount on it in order to be able to cover the application. Most commonly, you can find a Visa gift card that will allow you to make that payment for the application fee.

 

Please follow this link for more information.

 

Veterans and military-affiliated students

For questions related to admission, please reach out to our veteran recruitment coordinator at asuveterans@asu.edu. Current students can direct any questions to the Pat Tillman Veterans Center at PTVC@asu.edu.

To start a file and initiate benefits for the term, sign a VA Benefits Responsibility Form, complete a Prior Credit Evaluation with your academic advisor and fill out a VA Enrollment Activity Form. These forms are submitted directly to the Pat Tillman Veterans Center. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, please include your latest letter from the VA that details your benefit level and months/days of benefits remaining (your Certificate of Eligibility). Visit admission.asu.edu/veterans and review the steps under Benefits.

No. If you are eligible for Ch. 30 Montgomery GI Bill® or Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, provide a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to the Pat Tillman Veterans Center after completing the VA Benefits Responsibility Form.

If you have questions about VA benefits, eligibility or processing timelines, contact Troy Rundle, ASU’s VA VetSuccess on Campus counselor, at troy.rundle@asu.edu or 480-727-5627.

Yes, VA benefits are not considered when determining financial aid eligibility.

 

We strongly encourage all veterans to self-identify on the ASU application, whether using benefits or not. By identifying as a veteran, you will receive veteran-specific communications and information starting from when you apply through enrollment. Then, while completing your degree program at ASU, we will help make sure you can connect with veteran and military student career, networking, professional development and social opportunities.

 

If you qualify for the maximum benefit, ASU covers the full cost of public, in-state tuition and fees. Learn more.

 

No. Because the enrollment deposit is not attached to a course of study, this fee cannot be covered under your benefits.

 

The application fee applies to all students, and there is not a veteran exception. We always encourage graduate students to reach out directly to their department to learn more. 

 

Request that your official transcript(s) be sent to Admission Services by following the instructions here.

 

ASU awards credit at the undergraduate level in accordance with the American Council on Education recommendations. Check out the Transfer Guide to see how your credits may transfer.

JSTs received at ASU will be automatically reviewed for all transferable credits. These credits will be reflected on each student’s Degree Audit Report. Academic advisors will evaluate transferable credit for applicability to each student’s program of study.

Because of the sequence involved in this process, a student must be admitted to a program of study in order to determine how their JST will affect degree completion.

 

Go to airuniversity.af.mil/Barnes/CCAF/Display/Article/803247/ and have it sent to ASU like a traditional transcript. Check out the Transfer Guide to see how your credits may transfer.

 

Potentially. Some degrees offer online and on-campus options, but it varies by degree. For undergraduate students, log in to my.asu.edu first and then click here. Current ASU graduate students will use this form.

 

As soon as possible, let your instructors and advisors know if you are being deployed, then contact ASU’s military advocate at militaryadvocate@asu.edu to find out what your options are.

 

Yes. Veteran and military students are awarded an honor stole to wear with their cap and gown at graduation ceremonies.

 

There are multiple ways that a veteran student at ASU can gain in-state residency for tuition purposes. Please review the residency policies and procedures for our veteran students to see if you qualify: veterans.asu.edu/policies.

 

For questions related to admission, please reach out to our veteran recruitment coordinator at asuveterans@asu.edu or schedule an appointment at calendly.com/kevin-martin-4. As a current student, you can also direct any questions to the Pat Tillman Veterans Center at PTVC@asu.edu.

 

Parents and families

My ASU is a personalized website that has everything your student will need as an incoming Sun Devil, all in one convenient place. Students can find their next steps and to-do items for enrollment, financial and account information, class schedule, and more in My ASU. Remind your student to check it often.

You may be accustomed to having direct access to every academic and financial record for your student, but that changes when your student begins college. All students are granted privacy rights regarding their education records by the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA.

Your student can share important FERPA-protected information with you through My ASU Parent Guest Access. Students can give access to some or all of their student information, including class schedule, grades and finances. If you are considering a Parent Plus loan or want to be an authorized payer on your student’s account, you will need an account on My ASU Parent Guest Access as well.

Check the academic calendar for important dates during ASU’s fall, spring and summer terms.