Admissions

As a Christian institution providing higher education in the liberal arts and selected professional areas, Southwestern Adventist University welcomes applications from students who will share the vision, values, and ideals of the university. And whose desire for a successful education experience will enable them to commit to the total program of learning, development and service. The university is committed to equality and does not consider race, gender, age, disability, color, or national and ethnic origin in determining qualifications for admissions.

Admission is granted to applicants who meet admissions requirements and who will uphold the standards of the university in accordance to the Christian principles as taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Students are advised that admission is contingent upon the integrity of the information submitted to the University. Discovery of false information could be grounds for withdrawal of the offer of admission or for immediate dismissal. Dismissal would result in forfeiture of all charges paid and academic credits earned.

Freshman Admission

To receive priority processing and scholarship consideration, applications should be submitted by March 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester. Application deadline is August 1.

Regular admission requirements

Transcript: submit one of the following

Official secondary school transcript with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale)
General Education Development (GED) test average score of 500 with no score below 450. Texas GED 150-159 subject to committee review. 160-200 regular admission.
Home school transcript with courses, grades, and dates of completion with a state-issued certificate of secondary school completion if applicable.
General Certificate of Secondary Education: must have five (5) passes or more

Test Scores: one of the following

ACT minimum composite of 17
old SAT minimum of 830 for mathematics and critical reading
new SAT minimum of 910 for mathematics and ERW (beginning March 5, 2016)

Early Admission Requirements

Official secondary school transcript with a GPA of 2.75 or above

ACT or SAT will be required to be submitted no later than May 15 for merit scholarship and enrollment in fall. Students whose test scores do not meet the minimum requirement may have their admission status changed from Early to Summer Bridge.

Southwestern encourages the TEA Recommended High School Program of 26 credits, which will increase a student's opportunities for success.

4 credits of English/Language Arts
4 credits of Mathematics, including Algebra I, II, and Geometry
4 credits of Science, including Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
4 credits of Social Studies, including World History, World Geography, U.S. History, 1/2 credit Government, 1/2 credit Economics
1 credit of Physical Education
1/2 credit of Speech
1 credit of Find Arts
5 1/2 credits of Electives
2 credits of Foreign Language Studies

Applicants taking Advanced Placement classes should consult the AP examination program in the Academic section of this Bulletin regarding scores necessary for college credit.

Summer Bridge

Students who wish to enroll at Southwestern, but fail to meet one of the two minimum admission requirements (GPA or SAT/ACT) must participate in Summer Bridge. Learning takes place in a three-week session prior to the beginning of the freshman year and provides developmental learning support in the areas of math, reading, and writing. At the end of the session, student progress will be assessed and students will receive new course placements for fall semester. Summer Bridge includes one (1) credit which will apply toward the requirements for a degree. Cost for Summer Bridge is $400 all inclusive - tuition, room , board.

Transfer Admission

Transfer Admission Requirements

Official transcripts of all college/universities attended with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
Students with less than 24 credits will need to submit ACT/SAT scores and proof of secondary school completion

Academic credit earned from regionally accredited colleges and universities will be accepted as transfer credit subject to the following guidelines:

Courses with grades of C- or higher will transfer
Even though credit hours are transferable, the hours may not necessarily apply toward a particular degree program or general education requirements
All courses taken at a community college transfer as lower-division hours only
Courses considered technical, developmental/remedial, continuing education, co-operative education, extension, English as a Second Language, and non-credit classes will not transfer
Transcripts submitted from non-accredited institutions are evaluated on a course by course basis
Transcripts from universities outside the United States must be evaluated for the student by an independent evaluation service. Southwestern recommends the use of World Evaluation Services www.wes.org

Transfer students who have not completed the general education mathematics requirement and/or the freshman composition requirement prior to enrollment at the University should submit the ACT or SAT for math placement prior to registering for classes. An SAT math score of 500 (old) 530 (new) or an ACT math score of 21 is a prerequisite for MATH 110. An SAT critical reading score of 450 (old) or an ACT English score of 17 is a prerequisite for ENGL 121.

Applicants who do not meet the published requirements may be considered for admission on academic probation. A letter of intent to succeed along with two references need to be submitted to the Office of Admissions for consideration by the Admissions Committee.

Admission to the Fire Science Program

1. Meet all admission requirements for enrollment at Southwestern Adventist University.

2. Complete all steps in the Fire Science Application Process.

3. Complete all Fire Science pre-requisites:

a. Minimum SAT score of 450 (old) or 25 (new) in Critical Reading or ACT score of 17 in English

Students scoring minimums may enter the program on a probationary basis and must take ENGL 021 and RDNG 021.

b. Minimum of 500 (old) 530 (new) SAT Math or 21 ACT Math

Students scoring below minimums may enter the program on a probationary basis and must take MATH 013.

c. Minimum score of 70 on the Computer Proficiency Test

Students scoring below 70 may enter the program on a probationary basis and must take CSIS 102.

d. Minimum high school GPA of 2.75

Transfer students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Admission to the Nursing Program (Spring semester only)

All application materials must be submitted to the Admissions Office by August 15, application deadline. Late applications and incomplete files will not be considered.

1. Apply Online to Southwestern Adventist University at www.swau.edu

2. Obtain three professional reference letters from teachers, employers, and/or church pastor, which attest to professional competence, scholastic ability, emotional stability, and physical health.

3. Send official transcripts from all schools attended (high school, college and/or university) to the Southwestern Adventist University Office of Admissions.

4. Complete and send in all health records: (physical and health record forms are available at http://nursing.swau.edu)

a. Physician's Report of Physical Examination

b. Proof of current immunizations or positive titer as required by the State of Texas (Tdap, MMR, Varicella, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, Influenza)

c. Current TB Test (negative PPD yearly or chest xray every three years)

d. Current CPR for the Healthcare Provider

5. Successfully complete at least 49 semester hours of pre-nursing requirements, including courses in progress.

6. Pass the TEAS ATI Nursing Admission Assessment Exam.

7. Complete an interview with a nursing advisor.

Please submit all documents to: the Director of Admissions, 100 W. Hillcrest St., Keene, TX 76059


August 30	Notification of admission status
September 30	$500 Nursing deposit to reserve your place in the January class
September 30	Drug testing fee of $50
October 15	Fast Pass Fingerprints for background check
November 7	Registration open for spring classes
November 15	Be at registration Sept 6 to avoid being dropped from the program
December 15	Submit BLUE card from the Texas Board
January 4	Step 7 of registration completed

Nursing Orientation for all new students is mandatory on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

Admission of International Students

The application deadline is May 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. The acceptance process must be completed by June 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester to allow sufficient time for the student to obtain an I-20 and student visa.

In addition to meeting the freshman or transfer acceptance requirements, an international student must send official copies of all education documents that are validated by school or national officials. These should be in the original language, accompanied by a certified English translation.

Students for whom English is not their native language must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting one of the following:

Minimum score on the TOEFL* (Test of English as a Foreign Language) of 550 on the paper based test, or 225 on the computer based exam, or 75 on the internet based test or
IELTS 6.0
Minimum score of 3.9 on iTEP.
Minimum score of 80 on the Michigan* test or
Minimum score of 430 on the old SAT critical reading component or 23 on the new SAT Reading
Minimum score of 17 on the ACT English section or
Transfer of a minimum of 24 semester credit hours from a college or university where English is the language of instruction

International Student I-20 process - F1 Visa

All students needing an I-20 must meet the following:

Submit legible copy of valid passport information page
Submit at least three (3) bank statements that give evidence of income
Submit the international student deposit of $1000 which includes the $100 residence hall room deposit, and a $100 non-refundable processing fee.
Pre-payment of $6500* for undergraduate students or $5500* for ESL students
Upon receipt of I-20 student must submit payment to SEVIS for I-901.

*If a student is not granted a visa and does not enroll, these funds will be returned minus the processing fee and any transaction fees.

Current immigration laws allow an international student with an F-1 Visa to work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the semester and up to 40 hours per week during vacations provided that the student is registered for the subsequent academic semester. While there are many campus jobs available, Southwestern does not guarantee student employment.

Major medical insurance coverage must be purchased through Southwestern at registration. If a student is already insured through the SDA system, he/she must provide documentation of equivalent insurance coverage. No insurance coverage refunds will be made after the second week of classes.

International students should not leave their homeland until they have the following:

A letter of acceptance from Southwestern Adventist University
An I-20 from Southwestern Adventist University
A valid passport and F-1 Visa for travel to the United States of America

English as a Second Language

Degree seeking students must meet all University admission requirements for acceptance into the ESL program. Non-degree seeking ESL students may enter the ESL program without academic transcripts. However, if the student is a US citizen or permanent resident and is seeking federal financial aid they must be degree seeking.

Application Procedure for Admission

Prospective students can apply at no cost online at www.swau.edu/apply or request an application packet from the Enrollment Services Office at enroll@swau.edu.

Completed paper applications should be sent to the Admissions Office with an application fee of $25.00.
It is the responsibility of the student to request all transcripts and SAT or ACT scores to be sent to the Admissions Office at Southwestern Adventist University. These become the property of the University.
When all documents have been received, the application, transcripts and test scores will be reviewed and the Admissions Office will notify the applicant of the decision.

Commitment Deposit

New students who are accepted must pay a $50.00 Commitment Deposit in order to reserve their place in the entering class. Priority deadline is May 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester. Commitment deposits are applied to the student's account and are non-refundable if the student does not enroll.

Admission of Non-Degree Students

Special permission to register is extended to a variety of students wishing to take classes at the University. Academic transcripts are not required. Tuition and fee charges for these students are provided in the financial section of this Bulletin.

Non-degree students desiring to change to degree status must apply and meet all regular admission requirements.

Audit. Students who plan only to audit a class must submit a Special Student Admission Application and a request for registration.

Individual Distance Learning (IDL). Students taking on-line courses who do not wish to enroll for a degree program must submit an application and a request for registration.

High School Students. The University has several programs available to high school students to take University courses on-line, on-campus, or at a Union academy. Students interested in these programs should contact the Office of Admissions and submit an application and a request for registration.

Teacher Certification. Individuals who need specific courses for certification must submit an application and a request for registration. Students interested in certification should consult the Department of Education section in this Bulletin.

Transient. Students enrolled at another college or university who wish to take a course must submit an application, a guest letter from their college or university and a request for registration.

Readmission to the University

Students seeking readmission must reapply and submit official transcripts from any subsequent college or university to the Office of Admissions.

Returning students will be readmitted provided there are no academic sanctions, disciplinary actions, or financial holds restricting enrollment. Students who are readmitted after two or more semesters of non-attendance must meet the degree requirements of the Bulletin in effect at the time of readmission.

Admission of Post-Baccalaureate Students

Southwestern Adventist University offers four-year graduates of any accredited college or university, including Southwestern, the opportunity to take additional undergraduate classes, to complete another undergraduate degree or to apply for graduate studies. Admission policies will apply to these students as follows.

Additional classes only as a non-degree student
Additional undergraduate degree as a transfer student
Graduate study admission policies are described in the Graduate Bulletin

The tuition discount for post-baccalaureate students is described in the Finances section of this Bulletin.