Admission Policies and Procedures

Each applicant must submit all items required for admission by the program. The Graduate School reviews all applications for admission in partnership with the appropriate academic program coordinator. Applicants for most programs are typically notified of the admission decision within a ten-day period. Some cohort-based programs, including the dietetic internship, occupational therapy and the doctor of nursing practice, have a designated notification period following the published application deadline.

Information on graduate applications and requirements per program is available at http://www.lr.edu/admission/graduate/apply.

General Admission Requirements to The Graduate School

A candidate for admission to The Graduate School at Lenoir-Rhyne University will:

1. Possess (upon matriculation) an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. Submit official copies of all university, college and/or community college transcripts where the student has been enrolled.
3. Submit a completed application for the desired program along with the required application fee.
4. Submit a personal statement describing goals and life experiences which influenced the decision to pursue a graduate degree (1-3 pages).
5. Submit a resume describing education, work and volunteer experience; if you have significant work experience, detail thoroughly on your resume so it can be prioritized when reviewing your application.
6. Submit a letter of recommendation.
7. Submit all additional documentation as required by the specific graduate program.
8. Submit standardized test scores (GRE, MAT, PRAXIS II or GMAT) if requested by the specific program or if it strengthens your application.
9. Complete an interview upon request by the graduate admission office.

The admissions committee determines admission decisions based on the whole application and reserves the right to admit, provisionally admit, waitlist or deny applicants. An admission decision can be rescinded if a student fails to provide final academic documentation as requested by the admission office.

International Students

Each program will have unique requirements; the admissions requirements below cover international admissions requirements to be considered in addition to the program-unique requirements. 

All international applicants will submit the following:

1. A completed Graduate School application and a non-refundable $35 (U.S.) application fee.
2. Official transcripts for each college or university attended which have been translated into English and evaluated into a course-by-course report by an approved credential evaluation agency.
3. Proof of English proficiency if the applicant’s native language is not English. The preferred method of proof is an official score report from the TOEFL or the IELTS. Applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based version, 213 on the computer-based version, or 79 on the internet-based version. The minimum IELTS score is 6.5

Note that one of the following may also be submitted to verify English language proficiency depending on the program of interest:

• Official score report for the GRE, Miller Analogies Test, or GMAT standardized tests. For the GRE, the minimum scores are: Verbal - 147; Quantitative - 147; and Analytical Writing - 3.5. For the Miller Analogies Test, the minimum score is 390, and for the GMAT, the minimum score is a 450;
• Completion of a college-level English composition or other reading intensive courses with a B/3.0 or equivalent at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or a non-U.S. college or university where instruction is in English;
• An official transcript showing completion of an associate of arts, associate of science, or a higher degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or a non U.S. college or university where instruction is in English.

If an applicant does not meet the above minimum English-proficiency criteria, the following options are available to the applicant:

• Take the iTEP English proficiency exam which is administered by Lenoir-Rhyne’s partner program, the American Language Academy (www.ala.edu), and attain a minimum score of 3.9.
• Enroll in and complete an accredited English language program, such as the American Language Academy Program, prior to attending Lenoir-Rhyne. The student will be recognized as English proficient after completion of level 5 of the American Language Academy program. Other accredited English language proficiency programs will be accepted as well, as long as the applicant completes through the certified level deemed English proficient.

If an applicant does not meet any of the minimum criteria above, they may request an appeal and, if granted, may participate in a virtual interview to be used as an additional evaluation tool to determine English proficiency. Please note that the findings of this interview will be used in conjunction with all other above materials.

• A completed certificate of finance certified by a bank official, attorney or notary public

International Graduate Student Enrollment Guidelines

1. An offer of admission, if applicable, will be sent via email.
2. To confirm enrollment, the applicant will submit the enrollment deposit. This enrollment deposit may be paid online and will be applied to tuition.
3. An I-20 form will be forwarded to the deposited student.

Confirmation of Enrollment

Submission of an enrollment deposit confirms acceptance of an offer of admission.  Deposit amounts vary by program and are non-refundable.  Specific costs are provided in the official offer of admission.

Deferred Enrollment

Students who have been admitted may defer enrollment for up to one year. Requests for deferred enrollment must be submitted to the Graduate School at least 30 days prior to the initial term start date.    

Re-Admit Criteria

If a student is not enrolled in three consecutive semesters within an academic year or approved for a Leave of Absence (LOA), they must either request an extension of their program or reapply through The Graduate School. Requests for program extensions must be made to The Graduate School and are reviewed by the Graduate Studies Council. Failure to complete the request for LOA may result in full reapplication to the university and degree program.  This would include all required fees and admissions processes. Re-admission is not guaranteed. 

Re-entering students in good standing who are absent from the university for more than three semesters must reapply and meet the requirements as outlined under admissions requirements by program. All transcripts of work completed at other institutions must be submitted with the application.

Students desiring to continue study following a period of academic dismissal from the university must reapply through The Graduate School.

Re-Entry for Military Service Students

Students who are required to fulfill active military service obligations during a period of enrollment should notify the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible. Students who will be in service for less than 30 consecutive days will not be academically penalized or withdrawn from courses unless the student makes this specific request. Faculty members will coordinate efforts with the student either during their deployment or upon their immediate return to make up any missing course requirements.

Students who are required to fulfill active military service obligations which require them to cease enrollment more than 30 consecutive days are not required to reapply to the university and may return with the same academic status. Students should inform the Registrar’s Office of their deployment and expected date of return as soon as possible and will work with the Registrar’s Office to enroll in courses for the next available term.

Waitlisting

Admission from a waitlist generally occurs when a vacancy is created by a withdrawal from an incoming student to a program that has limited space available. Should a student meet minimal criteria but not offered admission, a student may be offered a position on the waitlist. As slots become available, students may be selected from the waitlist based on ranking. Once classes begin, students placed on the waitlist receive a notification of denial.

Provisional Admission

An applicant who does not meet all graduate admission criteria may be considered for admission on provisional status. Under these circumstances, applicants may be required to fulfill additional requirements. Provisionally admitted applicants may gain full admission by earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on a minimum of 6 semester hours of graduate level coursework. Students on provisional admission may be limited to the number of hours they are allotted to take during their first years. At the successful completion of 6 hours (with no grade lower than a B-/2.7 while maintaining a 3.0 GPA) a student will be reviewed for full admission. Provisionally admitted applicants must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their first 9 hours.

Institutional Matriculation Agreements

The Graduate School has specific matriculation agreements with particular Lenoir-Rhyne undergraduate programs as well as partner institutions which may alter admission requirements. For a complete listing of existing agreements, please contact The Graduate School.