Domestic Student Admission
The following information pertains to all graduate programs with the exceptions of WCU’s Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctorate of Pharmacy, Doctorate of Physical Therapy, and Master of Occupational Therapy.
Graduate admission and readmission decisions for applicants who have identified themselves as a citizen of the United States are made by the academic department to which an application was submitted. Communication regarding William Carey University admission policies and procedures should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Any Graduate applicant who is denied admission to the University may request to have his or her case reviewed by the department chair or dean of the academic department.
Admissions requirements are subject to change without prior notification.
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.
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.
A completed applicant record from a U.S. citizen or green card holder applying to a graduate program contains the following:
- A submitted application for admission (Apply Here)
- Final and official transcripts from all college sttend with:
a. A baccalaureate degree or other foundational degree from a regionally accredited institution as specified by the program of interest
b. Final: all courses listed have an associated final grade or notification of withdrawal
c. Official: transcript sent to William Carey University from the institution, delivered either digitally or by mail.
3. Any supplemental requirements specified by the respective graduate degree program and published in the University 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.
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. International students who wish to be admitted to William Carey University must meet the requirements listed below. The online application, the list of supporting documentation needed, and additional information regarding international student admission is located online at http://www.wmcarey.edu/page/international-student-admissions.
For admission purposes, an international student at WCU is any non-U.S. citizen
- Application. An application for admission can be submitted online (Apply Here). 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.
- Academic Records. Academic records indicating graduation from any institution(s) of higher education or official transcript(s) from U.S. institution(s) attended are required. An official transcript is defined as one sent directly from one institution to another. All records must be in English before a Form I-20 from William Carey University is issued.
- Official college/university transcripts. 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 service providers are: World Education Services (WES) http://www.wes.org; SpanTran - The Evaluation Company (TEC) https://spantran.com/web/; 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 (in a course-by-course analysis format) by one of the four services before the admission file can be processed. The results from the evaluation must be mailed to William Carey University or received in the official manner via the online portal, if applicable. This process takes 30 to 60 days.
- Transcripts. Transcripts may be mailed to Office of International Student Affairs at WCU #188, 710 William Carey Parkway, Hattiesburg, MS, 39401, or sent via an approved electronic transcript platform.
- 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. Scores 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 William Carey University’s English Language Center.
- 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.
- Health Requirements. Documented proof of two immunizations for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is required if born on or after 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.
- 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 student visa, students 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 university and academic calendars for dates of semester breaks and religious and national holidays (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas) in preparation for holiday travel or end of the year travel, as well as campus closures.
Admission 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, 1-800-962-5991 (toll free), or internationaladmission@wmcarey.edu.
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 published admissions requirements.
- Accepted: Indicates that all admission requirements and standards have been satisfied and the applicant has been admitted by the graduate program admission committee.
- Probational: Indicates that academic credentials do not meet minimum admission requirements; however, the applicant has been approved for admission to the graduate program on a probationary basis.
- Not all graduate programs admit students on a probational basis.
- Provisionally Accepted / Accepted Lacking: Indicates that an applicant has demonstrated satisfaction of academic requirements with one or more unofficial documents, but the application file remains incomplete pending receipt of required supporting or official documents.
- Incomplete: Indicates that applicant has not submitted all required admission eligibility documentation for review.
- Denied/Rejected: Indicates that academic credentials have been evaluated and do not meet minimum admission requirements, and the applicant is not eligible for admission.
Provisional Acceptance/Accepted Lacking Admission
Applicants to a graduate program may submit unofficial copies of required documents (transcripts, test score reports, etc.) in addition to submitting any program-specific requirements (proof of licensure, essays, etc.) to demonstrate satisfaction of the program’s admission requirements and be considered by the admission committee for provisional acceptance into the program.
Applicants granted Provisional Acceptance status must then submit final, official copies of all required documents (transcripts, test score reports, etc.) to update their admission status to Accepted, contingent upon a subsequent application review by the admission committee.
Applicants granted Provisional Acceptance status who are not yet able to provide final, official copies of all required documents will be allowed to register for the first term of courses after signing a Provisional Acceptance Agreement Form to acknowledge that:
1. To register for courses in any subsequent term, they must achieve officially Accepted admission status by submitting all outstanding final, official documents by the end of the term. Final admission status is contingent upon a subsequent application review by the admission committee.
2. Financial aid will not be processed, credited, or disbursed to students who have not been officially Accepted to the university.
3. The student is responsible for paying at least 50% of all charges by the end of the first week of class and any outstanding balance that accrues on their ledger.
- Applicants currently completing a prerequisite degree must submit unofficial transcripts that include grades through the most recent term to be considered for provisional acceptance.
- Students who submit official documents but are not officially Accepted upon subsequent admission committee review will be removed from classes, will not receive academic credit, and will be refunded in accordance with the University’s tuition refund policy.
- Provisional acceptance applies to all graduate programs except Doctorates in Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, and Physical Therapy; Master of Occupational Therapy; and any programs with accreditation or regulatory requirements that may preclude it.
Readmit Student Admission
A student who has not completed courses in their program of study for a period of 12 months must apply for readmission, must meet all current admission criteria, and is subject to the six-year degree completion time limit (see Academic Regulations).
An admitted student who has not registered for initial courses within 12 months of their anticipated start term must submit a new application and meet all current admission criteria.
Non-Degree Student Admission
Students who want to complete graduate courses without pursuing a degree are considered non-degree seeking for the purposes of admission and financial aid. (Contact the Financial Aid Office for information regarding available financial aid.) A non-degree graduate student must hold a baccalaureate or appropriate prerequisite degree from a regionally accredited institution. Enrollment as a non-degree graduate student does not signify admission to any school or degree program at William Carey University (WCU). However, non-degree students are subject to all university regulations governing registration, attendance, and academic standing. Up to 9 hours of course credit earned by a non-degree seeking graduate student may be applied to a graduate degree program with the approval of the appropriate graduate department chair, lead, or coordinator if the student satisfactorily changes his or her admission type from non-degree to degree seeking by submitting a new application and being admitted to a degree program. Non-degree coursework to be applied to a degree program is subject to the six-year degree completion time limit (seeAcademic Regulations )
Early Admission
Undergraduate students with a cumulative 3.0+ GPA who are within six hours of completing a bachelor’s degree at William Carey University may apply for early admission to a graduate program.
Early Admission allows students to dual enroll in a maximum of 6 hours of graduate courses while completing the requirements of their bachelor’s degree and is limited to one academic term.
Early Admission is implemented at each graduate program’s discretion.
Changing a Degree Program or Emphasis
A new application, including any required supplemental documentation, and admission committee review are required if a student desires to change from their current program or emphasis to another.
Acceptance of Transfer Credits
Students who have completed graduate credit at another regionally accredited institution may receive up to 25% transfer credit toward program requirements at the discretion of the program coordinator.
- Transfer credit will be accepted only for courses that contribute to the plan of study outlined in the graduate catalog.
- Graduate courses carrying a grade of less than a ‘B’ will not be accepted.
- All transfer credit is subject to the six-year degree completion time limit (see Academic Regulations).
- Independent study credit earned at another institution will not be accepted.
Transfer credit eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis and requires approval of the dean. Candidates should discuss transfer credit eligibility and procedure with their advisor.
Subsequent Graduate Degrees
William Carey University allows a candidate with a conferred graduate degree to pursue a subsequent graduate degree in:
1. A different academic field.
2. A different concentration, endorsement, or certification in the current academic field.
All candidates must submit a new graduate application and meet all admission requirements for the subsequent degree. Candidates must complete all coursework for a prior graduate degree before enrolling in a new graduate program, as only one graduate degree may be pursued at a time.
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