System Procedures
Chapter 3 - Educational Policies
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Procedure 3.4.1 Undergraduate Admissions

Part 1. Purpose

This procedure provides requirements and guidelines for the consistent administration of admissions policies at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

Part 2. Application Form and Fee

Subpart A. Fee. Each college and university may charge an admission application fee as provided in Board Policy 5.11.

Colleges and universities that charge an admission application fee shall not process a prospective student's application until the fee has been paid or waived.

A college or university shall not charge an application fee to a student who has previously been admitted to that institution as a candidate for a certificate, diploma, or degree.

Subpart B. Application Form. A uniform, system-wide admission application form shall be developed by the Office of the Chancellor in consultation with the colleges and universities.

An online application form and process shall be developed and implemented on the system website for use by all system colleges and universities.

Colleges and universities may accept applications from commercial online services, but all such applications must be identical in format and content to the system-wide online application form.

The Office of the Chancellor shall make the system-wide application available in paper form. Colleges and universities may use a paper form customized with their own "branding," but it must have the same format and content as the system-wide application.

Colleges and universities may use alternative forms for registration/enrollment of students in limited enrollment, customized training courses. These forms must comply with format guidelines provided by the Office of the Chancellor and with applicable federal and state statutes and regulations.

Part 3. International Students.

Subpart A. Academic Preparation and English Proficiency.

International students shall be eligible for admission if their academic preparation is judged to be equivalent to the admission requirements of the institution to which they are applying.

International students may be required to submit high school or other transcripts to an evaluation service designated by the admitting college or university. Cost of the evaluation shall be borne by the student.

International students who are not native speakers of English shall be required to demonstrate proficiency in English on a standardized test selected by the admitting institution. An international student may be admitted to attend a college or university intensive English as a second language program if the student attains a score of 400 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or its equivalent. An international student may be admitted as a regular student if the student attains a score of 500 on the TOEFL, or its equivalent.

Subpart B. Economic Self-Sufficiency.

Prior to being admitted to a college or university, an international student must demonstrate economic self-sufficiency to be able to afford the costs of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and any other costs necessary for the completion of the academic year.

International students must purchase the system-approved student health insurance, except those students whose sponsoring agency or government certifies that the student is covered under a plan provided by the sponsoring agency or government.

Part 4. Documentation of Admission Eligibility.

Subpart A. Individual Evaluation. Applicants may be required to document admission eligibility. Those who are unable to present transcripts or other traditional documentation of educational preparation shall be individually evaluated on the basis of guidelines consistent with the institution's identity and mission.

Subpart B. English Language Competency. As a condition of admission, applicants whose primary language is not English, and applicants who have graduated from a high school where the language of instruction is other than English, may be required to demonstrate English language competency using the Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA) or an equivalent instrument.

Subpart C. High School Students. Colleges and universities may admit persons who are currently high school students on the basis of readiness as determined by the college or university.

Subpart D. Special Student Status. Colleges and universities may allow students to enroll for courses in a special student status. These students are not candidates for diplomas, certificates or degrees at the institution where they have special student status.

Part 5. Admission to an Academic or Career Program. The admissions standards in Board Policy 3.4 are meant to apply to admission to the institution only. Colleges and Universities may develop a standard or standards for admission into a specific academic or career program that exceed or are in addition to the requirements for admission to the institution.

Part 6. Students Suspended from Other Institutions.

Subpart A. Students Suspended for Academic Reasons. Students on academic suspension from a Minnesota State College or University shall not be admitted to another college or university in the system during the term of that suspension unless they demonstrate potential for being successful in the particular program to which they apply.

Subpart B. Students Suspended for Disciplinary Reasons. Students who have been suspended or expelled for disciplinary reasons from any postsecondary institution may be denied admission to a Minnesota State College or University.

Part 7. Appeals. Each college and university shall establish an appeals process that may be used by individuals who are denied admission.

Approval Date:	08/13/06,
Effective Date:	08/13/06,
Date & Subject of Revisions: