2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Apr 18, 2024  
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admissions Policies and Procedures



Park University seeks students with a desire to pursue academic excellence, who value accountability and integrity, and desire to engage in a global community of learners. No applicant will be denied admission on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or veteran’s status.

How to Apply

  1. Application must be made online at www.park.edu
  2. Submit the $35 (USD) application fee (nonrefundable).
  3. Submit official transcript(s) from previously attended secondary and/or post-secondary institution(s) to:

    Office of the Registrar
    Campus Box 27
    8700 NW River Park Drive
    Parkville, MO 64152-3795

    Park University also accepts electronic transcripts from approved third parties. For e-delivery options contact the previously attend high school/secondary school or post-secondary institution.

Applications may be submitted through the final registration date of the desired academic term. International Non-Immigrant Students should apply by April 1 for term(s) beginning in August and October 1 for term(s) beginning in January.

Qualifications for Admission

Students applying for admission to Park University must present evidence of high school graduation to complete application to the institution and be reviewed for admission. The official transcript from the accredited public or private secondary institution from which the student graduated is the accepted form of evidence of graduation. One (1) of the following alternatives to the official transcript may be submitted as evidence of high school graduation:

  • GED certificate
  • A certificate or other official completion document demonstrating the student has passed a state-authorized examination considered equivalent to a high school diploma such as the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), the High School Equivalency Test (HiSet), or the California High School Proficiency Exam.
  • Official transcript(s) from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s) from which the student has earned a minimum total of 60 credit hours or an associate’s degree
  • Home school transcript that demonstrates the student has met minimum criteria to earn a high school diploma as defined by state law
  • Additional alternatives for active members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces:
    • Official transcript from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
    • Official Joint Services Transcript (JST)
    • Leave and Earnings Statement indicating year of high school graduation (LES)
    • DD-214

Students will not be eligible for Title IV federal financial aid or access federally funded benefits such as military tuition assistance for payment until one (1) of the acceptable alternatives providing evidence of high school graduation has been submitted. For more information refer to the Financial Aid section of this undergraduate catalog.

Provisional admission will be granted to students who supply an unofficial copy of the secondary institution transcript or an unofficial copy of one of its alternatives. Students submitting unofficial documents will have eight (8) weeks from the start date of the first term of enrollment to supply Park University with the official document(s). Students will not be able to register in additional coursework after eight (8) weeks from the start date of the first term of enrollment until official documents have been submitted.

Prior to enrolling in coursework for the first time at Park University entering students must complete an English and Math assessment. The assessment measure English and Math skills in order to enroll students in the appropriate level of coursework. Evidence of English language proficiency is required for admission to Park University. Evidence of proficiency may be required in addition to the English assessment. For more details on proficiency requirements refer to English Proficiency Requirements in this section. Students may submit forms of alternative evidence of readiness to be exempted from an assessment. Alternatives to the Park University assessments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine entry level coursework. These alternatives may also be submitted to satisfy liberal education requirements applicable to most Park University undergraduate degree programs. Students may submit one (1) of the following alternatives as evidence of readiness:

English Assessment Alternatives:

  • Official transcript(s) from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s) from which the student has earned credit for an articulated Math and/or English course that satisfies the Park University general education requirement.
  • College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam on which the score qualifies as review for credit
  • DANTES or DSST exam on which the score qualifies as review for credit
  • Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and exam score which qualifies as review for credit
  • GED certificate with an English score report of 165 or higher
  • HiSET certificate report with a English subtest score of 15 or higher and minimum essay score of 4
  • ACT English sub score of 21 or higher
  • SAT Evidence-based and Writing score of 310 or higher

Math Assessment Alternatives:

  • Official transcript(s) from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s) from which the student has earned credit for an articulated Math and/or English course that satisfies the Park University general education requirement.
  • College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam on which the score qualifies as review for credit
  • DANTES or DSST exam on which the score qualifies as review for credit
  • Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and exam score which qualifies as review for credit
  • GED certificate with a Math score report of 165 or higher
  • HiSET certificate report with a Math subtest score of 15 or higher
  • ACT Math sub score of 21 or higher
  • SAT Math sub score of 530 or higher

Undocumented immigrant students who have completed and are able to provide proof of having a diploma from an accredited high school in the United States, are eligible for admission to Park University, provided they meet the admission requirements stated above.

An applicant can enroll in courses without formal admission to a degree program and in doing so will be classified as Non-Degree Seeking Student. Students without a high school diploma or equivalent cannot enroll in Park classes unless they are part of a cooperative program between Park University and the student’s current institution. A nondegree seeking student is not eligible to receive federal financial aid. A student may enroll in a total of 30 credit hours while classified as non-degree seeking. To enroll in course work which requires a pre-requisite non-degree seeking students must provide course evidence that prerequisites have been met, otherwise the academic area Program Chair must be consulted to approve course enrollment.

Park University reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant. Students who do not meet the minimum expectations for college readiness as evidenced by academic performance at other educational institutions may be offered provisional admission. Students entering coursework on provisional admission must meet minimum expectations for academic performance in the first academic term in order to continue progress towards a degree and enroll in subsequent terms.

International Nonimmigrant Students

How to Apply

  1. Application must be made online at www.park.edu
  2. Submit non-refundable application fee of $75.00 (USD).
  3. Submit the following required documents:
    • Official transcript(s) from previously attended secondary and/or postsecondary institution(s).
    • Proof of English Language Proficiency.
    • Statement of Finances
    • Affidavit of Support form
    • Colored copy of passport
    • If transferring to Park University from a school within the United States, the applicant must also submit the following:
      • copy of visa
      • I-94
      • I-20/DS-2019
      • Transfer-In Form 10

Mail all required documents to:
Office of International Students
Park University
Campus Box 3
8700 NW River Park Drive
Parkville, MO 64152-3795

The priority deadline to submit international applications for the Parkville Daytime Campus, from outside of the United States is October 1 for the spring semester, and April 1 for the fall semester.

Qualifications for Admission —

International Non-Immigrant Students applying for admission to Park University must present evidence of high school graduation to complete application to the institution and be reviewed for admission. The official transcript from the secondary institution from which the student graduated is the accepted form of evidence of graduation. One (1) of the following alternatives to the official secondary institution transcript may be submitted as evidence of high school graduation:

  • Official transcript(s) from a non-U.S. post-secondary institution(s).
  • Official transcript(s) from a regionally accredited post-secondary U.S. institution(s) from which the student has earned a minimum total of 24 credit hours.

English Proficiency Requirements

Evidence of English language proficiency is required for admission to Park University. Applicants are exempt from providing evidence of English proficiency if one (1) of the following criteria apply:

  • The applicant is a U.S. citizen from one of the fifty U.S. states or Washington, D.C.
  • The applicant has permanent residency in one of the fifty US states or Washington, D.C.

If neither of those criteria apply, the applicant must provide evidence of English proficiency. Students may submit one (1) of the following as evidence of English proficiency:

  1. A minimum English test score exceeding one of the following:
Minimum Scores Undergraduate Graduate
TOEFL IBT/ Paper based 69/525 79/550
IELTS 6.0 6.5
ITEP* 3.7 3.9

* The ITEP test can be administered by Park’s English Language and Culture Institute.

  1. Successful completion of Park University’s English Language & Culture Institute (ELCI Level 6).
  2. Completion of an English as a Second Language program from either ELS (completion of Level 112 English for Academic Purposes Program) or The Language Company (Level 9).
  3. Completion of 24 non-ESL credit hours in residence at a regionally accredited U.S. institution.
  4. Diploma or degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.
  5. Diploma from a postsecondary educational institution where English is the principal language of instruction. In this instance, the applicant must provide evidence of at least three years of full-time enrollment in the diploma granting institution.
  6. SAT:
    • Prior to March 2016: Minimum composite score of 930 on the SAT (430 in Critical Reading and 440 in Math)
    • March 2016 & after: Minimum sub-score of 310 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.
  7. ACT: Minimum composite score of 19 on the ACT (18 in Critical Reading and 16 in Math).
  8. Proof of at least 3 years of academic coursework from a country/countries in which the official language is English. Please see listing of TOEFL/IELTS exempted countries below.

If the English proficiency criteria do not apply to you AND you cannot provide evidence of proficiency, you may enroll in Park’s English Language and Culture Institute (ELCI). As ELCI is currently offered only on the Parkville campus, campus center or online students who do not meet proficiency requirements are encouraged to work with Park University partners that can offer assistance in achieving the minimum proficiency threshold for admission. Such partners include higher education institutions that offer ELL tutoring services as part of a Memorandum of Understanding with Park.

TOEFL/IELTS Exempt Countries

Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Botswana
Cameroon*
Canada*
Cayman Islands
Christmas Island
Dominica
Fiji
Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Liberia
Malawi
Micronesia
Montserrat
Namibia
New Zealand
Nigeria
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Pitcairn
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Africa
St. Helena
St. Kitts & Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Swaziland
Trinidad & Tobago
Turks & Caicos Islands
Uganda
United Kingdom
Virgin Islands, British
Zambia
Zimbabwe

*Students from Quebec and Francophone educational system may be required to submit proof of English language proficiency.

International Non-Immigrant Students applying for admission to Park University must present evidence of Financial Capacity, i.e. a bank statement. If you hold, or intend to seek, an F-1 Student visa, you must provide financial documentation that has been issued within the last 6 months, and the funds shown must be in liquid assets (readily accessible). Bank statements may be in the country of origin’s currency, but must be equal to the required U.S. Dollar amount. If a student is sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM), the SACM Financial Guarantee must be addressed to Park University

International Non-Immigrant Students applying for admission to Park University must present an Affidavit of Support. The Affidavit of Support must verify the financial sponsor’s willingness to pay for tuition, registration fees, books, and living expenses (if applicable) for the duration of the student’s studies in the U.S.

Continuous Enrollment

Students who break enrollment for five years or more and desire to return to Park University must submit a new application for admission and update to the current catalog requirements. Students who break enrollment for a time period of less than five years have the option to follow the requirements in their original catalog or update to the current catalog requirements. All returning students, regardless of length of break in enrollment, must submit official transcripts from all institutions attended during the break from Park University within one semester of reenrollment.