Admission Policies and Procedures

Each applicant must submit all required admission material(s) to be considered for admission to Lenoir-Rhyne University and the selected academic program. The Office of Admission will review the application in partnership with representatives frm the selected academic program. Applicants will be notified of the admission decision within a ten-day period, unless stated otherwise. Some programs, including Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Leadership, 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 at minimal:

1. Possess (upon matriculation) an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. Submit a completed application for the desird program along with the non-refundable application fee.
3. Submit official copies of all university, college and/or community college transcripts where the student has been enrolled.
4. Submit a personal statement using the prompt provided by the selected academic program. (1-3 pages).
5. Submit a resume describing education, work and volunteer experience; if significant work experience has been achieve,d the applicant is encouraged to detail thoroughly throughout the resume so it can be prioritized during application review.
6. Submit a letter of recommendation(s).
7. Submit all additional documentation as required by the specific graduate program.
8. Optional:
   1. Submit standardized test scores (GRE, MAT, PRAXIS II or GMAT) if requested by the specific program or if it strengthens your application.
   2. 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 An admission decision can be rescinded if a student fails to provide final academic documentation as requested by the admission office or falsifies information.

Some programs may require additional information which will be provided on the graduate application webpage at http://www.lr.edu/admission/graduate/apply. 

International Students

Each program will have unique requirements; the international admission 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/academic records for each college or university attended outside the U.S. The records must be 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 TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test.

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.
• 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.

International Graduate Student Enrollment Guidelines

1. An offer of admission, if applicable, will be sent via your application portal.
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, once a completed certificate of financial responsibility form and supporting financial documentation have been received

Confirmation of Enrollment

Students must submit a non-refundable enrollment deposit via cash (in-person only); credit (in-person or online) or check (in-person or mailed) to confirm an offer of admission.  Deposit amounts vary by program and are non-refundable.  Specific costs are provided in the official offer of admission and on the admission application webpage at http://www.lr.edu/admission/graduate/apply

Deferred Enrollment

Students admitted to the instution may defer enrollment for up to one year. Requests for deferred enrollment must be submitted via email to the Office of Admission prior to the initial term start date. Students are allowed one deferment.    

Re-Admit Criteria

If a student is not enrolled in three or more consecutive semesters within an academic year or approved for a Leave of Absence (LOA) byt the Dean of The Graduate School, they must either request an extension of their program or reapply through The Office of Admission. 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 consecutive semesters must reapply and meet the requirements as outlined under the program admissions requirements. All transcripts of work completed at other institutions during the absence must be submitted with the readmission application.

A student dismissed from the university is not eligible for readmission for one full academic year. Students desiring to continue the selected academc program following academic dismissal from the university must reapply through The Office of Admission and the application is subject to review The Graduate School. The request should address remediation of issues and circumstances related to dismissal. 

Re-Entry for Military Service Students

Students who are required to fulfill active military service obligations during a period of enrollment should notify the Office of the Registrar 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 Office of the Registrar of their deployment and expected date of return as soon as possible and will work with the Office of the Registrar to enroll in courses for the next available term.

Waitlisting

Admission from a waitlist offer occurs when a vacancy is created by a withdrawal from an incoming student to a program that has limited space. Should a student meet minimum admission criteria but not offered admission to the university and the selected academic program, 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 drop/add occurs, students placed on the waitlist will receive formal notification of denial or be offered the option to start the program in a future term.

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.