Domestic Student Admission
Undergraduate admission and readmission decisions for applicants who identify as a citizen of the United States are made by the Office of Admissions. Questions regarding William Carey University admission policies and procedures should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Applicants who is denied admission may request a review by the Vice President of Strategic Operations, who supervises the Office of Admissions.
In the admission of students, the University may consider an applicant’s character. The University may refuse to admit an applicant because of past misconduct, inaccurate or incomplete responses regarding past conduct, or failure to notify the University of any changes in information prior to entry into the University.
Programs within the School of Nursing and School of Education may have a additional departmental application process and requirement set. Students interested in these programs must obtain general admission into the institution and should consult program requirements outlined in this catalog.
William Carey University enforces University approved application deadlines for each academic term. Refer to the website (wmcarey.edu) for current deadlines and additional information.
Admissions requirements are subject to change without prior notification.
Intentionally giving false information, whether written or oral, to university officials is not permitted. The falsification, alteration, fabrication, omission, or misuse of a form, document, or record provided to the university is prohibited and can lead to rejection, expulsion, or dismissal.
William Carey University reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant and to forbid any student’s continued enrollment without assigning a reason.
Admission Document Submissions
New applicants and applicants who previously applied to WCU but did not complete a minimum of one academic term must submit all required admission requirements.
Applicants who have completed a minimum of one academic term at WCU are not required to resubmit transcripts from other institutions previously evaluated and recorded on the William Carey University transcript. However, applicants must submit final, official transcripts from any college or university attended during or after their enrollment at WCU.
Required supplemental materials, such as immunization records or test scores, may also be required to be resubmitted.
First-Year / Freshmen Student Admission
A First Year / First-Time Freshman applicant has either a final high school or homeschool transcript; official GED or HiSET report with passing scores; and less than 12 college credit hours earned after the high school, homeschool, or equivalent test scores test scores have been earned.
A completed applicant record contains the following:
1. A submitted application for admission. (Apply Here)
2. One of the following:
a. A final, official* high school transcript with
i. a graduation date that occurred before the transcript arrived at WCU
ii. a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
b. A final, official* home school credit transcript
i. a graduation date that occurred before the transcript arrived at WCU
ii. a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
c. A final, official* GED score report recording eligible scores
i. GED eligible scores: minimum score of 150 on each of the four content areas or a minimum total score of 600
d. A final, official* HiSET score report recording eligible scores
i. HiSET eligible scores: minimum score of 15 on all four content areas
ii. essay score is not measured for admission.
3. Proof of Immunizations (See subsection Immunization Requirements)
4. One of the following:
a. National American College Test (ACT) official score report recording eligible scores.
i. General admittance scores: 20 or above
ii. Probational admittance scores: 17-19
iii. Free Throw admittance scores: 16-19
iv. WCU accepts ACT superscores for general and probational admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 16. National ACT superscores must be sent to the University through ACT.org.
b. Residual American College Test (ACT) official report recording eligible scores.
i. Offered by and administered at WCU’s Hattiesburg campus
ii. Scores can only be used at WCU and will not influence state or federal aid
iii. General admittance scores: 20 or above
iv. Probational admittance scores: 17-19
v. Free Throw admittance scores: 16-19
vi. WCU accepts ACT superscores for general and probational admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 16. Residual ACT scores can be superscored with official national ACT scores for institutional admission and institutional scholarships.
c. Official score on the College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
i. Composite SAT score is based on a combination of evidence-based reading and writing + math scores only
ii. General admittance scores: 1030 or above
iii. Probational admittance scores: 920-1020
iv. Free Throw admittance scores: 880-1020
v. WCU accepts SAT superscores for general and conditional admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 880.
d. Official score on the Classical Learning Test (CLT)
i. General admittance scores: 66 or above
ii. Probational admittance scores: 54-65
iii. Free Throw admittance scores: 49-53
iv. WCU accepts CLT superscores for general and conditional admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 49
* Final, official high school transcripts must include all completed courses, corresponding final grades, and the official graduation date. Transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to William Carey University, either electronically or by mail, and must be received after the graduation date listed.
Submitting Dual Credit Coursework to WCU
If a student took college classes before the completion of high school or home school and you qualify as a First-Year / Freshmen student, the final and official* college transcript is not necessary for admission to the University. However, transfer credits will not be applied to the student’s record until a final and official* college transcript is provided.
*Final, official college or university transcripts must include an associated final grade or notification of withdrawal for all enrolled coursework and must be sent directly from the issuing institution to William Carey University, either electronically or by mail.
Free-Throw Program
William Carey University provides an opportunity for First Year / First-Time Freshman applicants who do not meet general WCU admission requirements and have no college credit hours after high school graduation to participate in the Free-Throw Program.
Applicants with an ACT score of 16, an SAT score of 880-910 (evidence-based reading and writing + math), or a CLT score of 49-53 are required to participate.
Applicants with an ACT score of 17-19, an SAT score of 920-1020 (evidence-based reading and writing + math), and a CLT score of 54-65 can choose between the Free-Throw Program and Probational admittance.
Free Throw Benefits
- 12 hours of college credit, tuition-free for the first term of attendance (pending graduation from WCU)
- Opportunity to qualify for a scholarship from WCU at the conclusion of the Free Throw term.One of the following institutional scholarship may be available:
- Academic scholarship (2.5 GPA or above)
- Talent Scholarship (upon successful completion of the Free Throw term and talent area offer)
- Athletic Scholarship (upon successful completion of the Free Throw term and coach offer)
Students enrolled through the Free Throw program must be advised for 12 credit hours of coursework by the Student Success Center for the Free-Throw semester. Students must successfully complete the Free-Throw semester with a 2.5 GPA or higher to register for the next academic term and apply for further institutional scholarships.
Terms and Conditions
12 hours of tuition-free college credit are available for the students’ first academic term. Students must achieve a GPA of 2.5 or higher at the conclusion of the Free Throw term. Students who do not achieve a GPA of 2.5 or higher at the conclusion of the Free Throw term will be denied admission for subsequent terms and must pay tuition for the 12 hours of Free Throw courses at the current rate of tuition. By participating in the Free Throw program, students agree to finish their bachelor’s degrees at WCU. Students who do not complete their bachelor’s degrees at WCU must pay tuition for the 12 credit hours of courses taken during the Free Throw semester at the current rate of tuition at the time of transfer.
Transfer Student Admission
A transfer applicant is a student who has 12 college credit hours or more after an awarded high school or homeschool diploma, or after GED passing test scores or HiSET passing test scores have been recorded. Applicants pursuing a second baccalaureate degree are listed as transfer students. Second degree students are not eligible for WCU institutional aid.
A completed applicant record contains the following:
- A submitted application for admission. (Apply Here)
- Final and official* transcripts from all colleges attended with
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00
- Proof of high school diploma or final high school transcript
- Proof of Immunizations (See subsection Immunization Requirements)
*Final, official college or university transcripts must include an associated final grade or notification of withdrawal for all enrolled coursework and must be sent directly from the issuing institution to William Carey University, either electronically or by mail.
Readmission to the University
Students who have previously completed at least one academic term at WCU who do not continue coursework after a fall or spring academic term and would later like to continue at WCU will return as a readmit applicant. A student who does not register for classes during the summer term only does not need reapply to the university. Also, a previous applicant who attended one WCU academic term but did not receive final grades on his or her transcript would return to WCU using the first-time freshman or transfer student admission process, respectively.
Students who have completed at least one academic term at WCU and do not enroll in coursework for a subsequent fall or spring term must apply for readmission in order to continue at WCU. Students who are not enrolled during the summer term only are not required to reapply.
Applicants who previously attended one academic term at WCU but did not receive final grades on their transcript must reapply through the appropriate First-Year / Freshmen or Transfer admission process.
A completed applicant record contains the following:
- A submitted application for admission. (Apply Here)
- Final, official* transcripts from any college or university attended during or after enrollment at WCU.
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00
- Proof of Immunizations (See subsection Immunization Requirements)
*Final, official college or university transcripts must include an associated final grade or notification of withdrawal for all enrolled coursework and must be sent directly from the issuing institution to William Carey University, either electronically or by mail.
Non-Degree Student Admission
Students who want to complete undergraduate courses, but not pursue a degree, are considered non-degree seeking students for the purposes of admission and financial aid. Non-degree students are not eligible for federal financial aid or for institutional scholarships. However, non-degree students are subject to all university regulations governing registration, attendance, and academic standing. Credit earned by a non-degree student is recorded on the student’s permanent record and may be applied in an undergraduate degree program when the student has satisfactorily changed his or her admission type from non-degree to degree seeking.
Non-Degree First-Time Freshman Student Admission
A completed applicant record contains the following:
- A submitted application for admission. (Apply Here)
- One of the following:
- A final, official* high school transcript with
- a graduation date that occurred before the transcript arrived at WCU
- a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- A final, official* home school credit transcript
- a graduation date that occurred before the transcript arrived at WCU
- a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- A final, official* GED score report recording eligible scores
- GED eligible scores: minimum score of 150 on each of the four content areas or a minimum total score of 600
- A final, official* HiSET score report recording eligible scores
- HiSET eligible scores: minimum score of 15 on all four content areas
- essay score is not measured for admission.
- Proof of Immunizations (See subsection Immunization Requirements)
- One of the following:
- National American College Test (ACT) official score report recording eligible scores.
- General admittance scores: 20 or above
- Probational admittance scores: 17-19
- Free Throw admittance scores: 16-19
- WCU accepts ACT superscores for general and probational admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 16. National ACT superscores must be sent to the University through ACT.org.
- Residual American College Test (ACT) official report recording eligible scores.
- Offered by and administered at WCU’s Hattiesburg campus
- Scores can only be used at WCU and will not influence state or federal aid
- General admittance scores: 20 or above
- Probational admittance scores: 17-19
- Free Throw admittance scores: 16-19
- WCU accepts ACT superscores for general and probational admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 16. Residual ACT scores can be superscored with official national ACT scores for institutional admission and institutional scholarships.
- Official score on the College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
- Composite SAT score is based on a combination of evidence-based reading and writing + math scores only
- General admittance scores: 1030 or above
- Probational admittance scores: 920-1020
- Free Throw admittance scores: 880-1020
- WCU accepts SAT superscores for general and conditional admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 880.
- Official score on the Classical Learning Test (CLT)
- General admittance scores: 66 or above
- Probational admittance scores: 54-65
- Free Throw admittance scores: 49-53
- WCU accepts CLT superscores for general and conditional admittance once a student has scored a minimum single test score of 49
* Final, official high school transcripts must include all completed courses, corresponding final grades, and the official graduation date. Transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to William Carey University, either electronically or by mail, and must be received after the graduation date listed.
Non-degree Transfer Student Admission
A completed student file contains the following:
- A submitted application for admission. (Apply Here)
- A final and official* transcript from the college or university most recently attended with
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Proof of Immunizations (See subsection Immunization Requirements)
*Final, official college or university transcripts must include an associated final grade or notification of withdrawal for all enrolled coursework and must be sent directly from the issuing institution to William Carey University, either electronically or by mail.
Immunization Requirements
Immunizations are required for students who apply to programs hosted at the Baton Rouge site; students who apply to in-person or hybrid programs at the Hattiesburg and Tradition campuses; and students who apply to online programs while residing in the state of Mississippi.
General admission immunization requirements can be fulfilled in one of the following ways:
- Birthdate before January 1, 1957
- Documentation of two Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination dates located on a 1-21 form or equivalent document
- Results of a titer serology test conducted within the past five years demonstrating positive immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella
- Permanent Exemption
- A physician-issued letter stating the student has a permanent medical condition that prevents receipt of the MMR vaccination
- An approved religious exemption
Applicant Statuses Defined
Applicants may be assigned various statuses throughout the application cycle. Statuses are updated based on the applicant’s level of completion and compliance with admissions requirements.
- Accepted: Indicates that all admission requirements and standards have been satisfied.
- Probational: Indicates that academic credentials do not meet minimum admission requirements; however, the applicant has been approved for admission to the University on a probationary basis.
Students with the Probational applicant status must be advised by the Student Success Center until released to their program advisor.
Provisionally Accepted / Accepted-Lacking: Indicates that academic credentials meet minimum admission requirements, but the application file remains incomplete pending receipt of required supporting or official documents.
Incomplete: Indicates that no academic credentials have been submitted for provisional review.
- Denied / Rejected: Indicates that academic credentials have been evaluated and do not meet minimum admission requirements and is not eligible for probationary admission.
Provisional / Accepted-Lacking Admission Conditions
Students with a Provisional Accepted / Accepted-Lacking status may register for their first academic term at WCU. If they do so, these students must:
- pay at least 50% of all charges by the end of the first week of class, and
- Submit all remaining required admission documents to the Office of Admissions by the end of their first term of attendance.
Financial aid will not be processed, credited, or disbursed to students who have not been officially Accepted. Students who remain in a Provisional Accepted / Accepted–Lacking status may not register for or continue coursework in a subsequent academic term.
Students who fail to complete admission requirements, or who do not meet minimum admission standards upon receipt of official documentation, will be removed from classes, will not receive academic credit, and will be refunded in accordance with the University’s tuition refund policy.
Permission to register does not constitute official acceptance to William Carey University.
Probational Admission Criteria and Conditions
First Year / Freshmen applicants with ACT scores between 17-19, SAT scores between 920-1020, and CLT scores between 54-65 can be admitted to WCU with an applicant status of probational.
Transfer applicants with a cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be asked for additional information to complete the provisional admission review. These applications may be reviewed by the Admissions Committee for a final admission decision and can be admitted to WCU with an applicant status of probational or rejected with an application status of Denied / Rejected.
Undergraduate applicants admitted with an applicant status of probational must be advised by the Student Success Center until they are released to their preferred area of study and are not eligible for academic institutional scholarships.
High School Dual Credit Program
William Carey University offers a cooperative program in area high schools where specific courses may be offered for college credit in addition to high school credit. Approval of courses for college credit is based on criteria including teacher qualifications, curriculum, and instructional methods. Admission as a dual-credit student is only available to qualifying junior and senior-level students at cooperating high schools. Admission requires a minimum ACT score of 20 or an SAT score of 1030 (evidence-based reading and writing + math) and approval from their high school counselor. Students wishing to take mathematics must have ACT math subscores as follows: 20 for College Algebra (MAT 1310 ) and Trigonometry (MAT 1320 ); 25 for Pre-calculus (MAT 1500 ); and 26 for Calculus w/Analytic Geometry I (MAT 1710 ).
An official high school transcript and official ACT or SAT scores must accompany the application form. When the student elects to begin full-time enrollment with the university following high school graduation, the student must reapply as a degree-seeking student.
Step-Ahead Program
The Step-Ahead Program serves high school or homeschool junior and senior students who wish to enroll in college courses before completing high school. The program is offered on the William Carey University Tradition campus.
Admission requirements are as follows:
- A submitted Step Ahead application
- Approval of the high school counselor or homeschool coordinator to participate in this program
- An official, current high school or homeschool transcript
- One of the following official standardized test reports, recording eligible scores
- A minimum ACT score of 20
- A minimum SAT score of 1030 (evidence-based reading and writing + math)
- A minimum CLT score of 66
Students wishing to take mathematics must have ACT math subscores as follows: 20 for College Algebra (MAT 1310 ) and Trigonometry (MAT 1320 ; 25 for Pre-calculus (MAT 1500 ); and 26 for Calculus w/Analytic Geometry I (MAT 1710 ).
When the student elects to begin full-time enrollment with the university following high school graduation, the student must re-apply as a degree-seeking student.
Academic Renewal
Academic renewal is provided for qualifying undergraduate students who were not successful with their initial college experience and who have not attended college for the previous five years. The policy allows the student to have one or more terms of previous college work forgiven. For information, contact the Academic Affairs Office at academicaffairs@wmcarey.edu.
Nondisclosure Statement
A student must certify that he or she is not under suspension from any college or university. Nondisclosure or misrepresentation when completing the application for admission may result in disciplinary action taken on the student, including possible dismissal from the university. In addition, students who find after enrollment that they are ineligible to return to the last institution attended and fail to report this immediately to the Office of Admissions will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible dismissal.
International Student Admission
William Carey University is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enroll non-immigrant alien students on the Hattiesburg campus only. F-1 International students may not enroll in online-only programs. International student applicants must meet the requirements listed below. They must also meet the academic requirements listed above in either the first-time freshman or transfer subsections as applicable. A first-time freshman student is one who has attempted less than 12 hours of credit at an institution of higher learning (college or university) in the U.S. or abroad. A transfer student is one who has attempted 12 or more hours of credit at an institution of higher learning in the U.S. or abroad. For additional information about applying as an international student, refer to https://www.wmcarey.edu/page/international-student-admissions.
For admission purposes, an international student at WCU is any non-U.S. citizen.
A completed student file contains the following:
1. Application After reviewing the information below, start the application process using the online application on the University website. Application and material deadlines are set in accordance with the academic calendar and are approved by university administration. Application and material deadlines also take into consideration processing times and estimated visa application processing periods. Applications cannot be submitted after the posted deadlines.
2. Academic Records.
- First-Time Freshman Student - Official academic records indicating the level of secondary completion or course work completed at a foreign institution(s) must be provided. Properly certified English translations must accompany each transcript. Transcripts may be mailed to William Carey University, Office of International Admissions, WCU Box 188, 710 William Carey Parkway, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, or hand-delivered in the official manner upon arrival.
- Transfer Student - Official academic records indicating course progress from any institution(s) of higher education or official transcript(s) from the U.S. institution(s) attended are required. An official transcript is defined as one mailed directly from one institution to another. All records must be in English before a Form I-20 from William Carey University is issued. Transcripts may be mailed to William Carey University, Office of International Admissions, WCU Box 188, 710 William Carey Parkway, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, or sent via an approved electronic transcript platform.
- Official college/university transcript(s) - Academic records from each college/university attended must be provided. Transcripts from institutions of higher learning in countries other than the United States must be evaluated by an approved transcript evaluation service before being transmitted to William Carey University. The four approved services are: World Education Services (WES) http://www.wes.org; TEC - The Evaluation Company (TEC) https://evalcompany.com/; Global Credential Evaluators (GCE) https://www.gceus.com/; and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) https://www.ece.org/. William Carey University must receive an official transcript that has been evaluated by one of the four services before the admission file can be processed.
- F-1 Students transferring from any college or university in the United States must coordinate the transfer of their active SEVIS record from their current institution to William Carey University. The requirements for obtaining such transfers are established by each individual institution. Additional documentation for transfer students may be required by WCU before transferring an active SEVIS record.
3. Language Proficiency. Students who are not from nations where English is considered the official or second language are required to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo. A minimum score of 523 is required on the paper-based TOEFL; a minimum score of 193 on the computer-based TOEFL; or a minimum score of 4 on the new scale, or 70 on the previous scale on the internet-based TOEFL. Students who wish to take the IELTS must meet the minimum requirement score of 5.5. Students must score a minimum of 100 on the Duolingo English Test . Students who do not meet the minimum English proficiency required are invited to apply for admission to the William Carey University English Language Center .
4. Affidavit of Financial Support. Proof of financial support for the duration of the international student’s stay in the United States is required. This document is included in the online application process.
5. Health Requirements. Documented proof of two immunizations for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is required if born on or before January 1, 1957. Additionally, each student must complete a tuberculosis screening (QuantiFERON Gold blood test) performed in the United States and submit the results to the Office of International Student Affairs prior to starting class. A Tuberculosis skin test does NOT meet this requirement.
6. Major Medical Coverage. All F-1 international students are required to have a policy with the university; students will be administratively enrolled and assessed for the policy coverage at the beginning of each academic term.
Additional Information. If a student requires a visa to attend WCU, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain the appropriate visa. To obtain an F-1 visa, studetns must follow the established procedures at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in his/her home country to apply for a visa. U.S. officials may at any point of the student’s travel to the United States deny him/her entry into the country. WCU cannot act on behalf of students with pending visa appointments or interfere with U.S. government functions to influence or expedite these processes.
International students should refer to the academic and university calendars for dates of academic term breaks and religious and national holidays in preparation for holiday and end-of-year travel, as well as campus closures.
Asmissions requirements are subject to change as changes to the F-1 and other visa categories are implemented.
Questions or concerns should be directed to the director of International Student Affairs on the Hattiesburg campus, 601-318-6104, 800-962-5991 (toll free), or internationaladmissions@wmcarey.edu.
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