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Office of Admission
Phone: 401.865.2535
Toll-Free: 800.721.6444
Location: Harkins Hall 222
The admission requirements and procedures are designed to help the College select those applicants best qualified to benefit from the educational opportunities at Providence College. The College welcomes applicants who evidence thorough scholastic preparation, good character, intellectual curiosity, and motivational purpose both in and outside of school. Submission of standardized test scores is optional for students applying for admission.
Admission to Providence College is competitive. Entering classes consist of approximately 1,000 students selected from a pool that averages over 9,000 applicants. In general, all applicants are encouraged to broaden their reading outside of class and to take every opportunity to develop their competence in writing. Applicants who cannot demonstrate competence in written English will be at a distinct disadvantage in the competition for admission.
Freshman Admission Requirements
- Application
Applicants to Providence College must complete the Common Application and the Providence College Supplemental Form, and submit the $55 application fee. Applicants may download and mail their completed application or complete the application electronically through the Common Application’s Web site, www.commonapp.org. Students submitting their applications electronically have the option of paying by credit card or mailing a check under separate cover. (Checks must be accompanied by the applicant’s full name and address.)
Applicants who require an application fee waiver may petition for one through their college advisor. The Application deadline for enrollment in the fall semester under the Regular Decision Program is January 15. Applicants who apply under the Early Action Program must submit their application by November 1. The application deadline for enrollment in the spring semester is December 1. Late applicants for any deadline will be considered on the basis of availability of classroom and residence hall space.
- School Report
The college advisor’s assessment of the applicant’s character and accomplishments, and an official transcript of the secondary school record, should be forwarded to the College by the appropriate date indicated above; the secondary school transcript should consist of courses of a substantive college preparatory nature. Individual cases may vary, but it is highly recommended that at a minimum an applicant complete four years of English, four years of mathematics, two years of social studies, three years of one foreign language, and three years of science, with at least two laboratory courses. Applicants planning to major in the areas of science or mathematics will be at a distinct disadvantage if they have not taken four years of math and science during their high school studies. Three additional units may be taken in any subjects which meet requirements for graduation.
- Recommendations
A letter of recommendation and evaluation from an applicant’s secondary school teacher is required. The Committee on Admission prefers a recommendation from a teacher of English or from a teacher in a content area relevant to the applicant’s intended major. Letters of recommendation from persons who do not know the applicant personally and who have not been involved in his or her scholastic development are of little value.
- SAT or ACT Examinations
Submission of standardized test scores is optional. The academic review for admission at Providence College focuses on the applicant’s high-school performance and recommendations rather than standardized test results. The applicant, therefore, may decide whether or not to submit standardized test results with other application materials. Applicants who choose not to submit SAT or ACT test scores will not be penalized in the review for admission. Additional details about the test-optional policy can be found on our Web site.
- Notification
Early Action applicants receive formal notification on their entrance status by early January. Regular Decision applicants receive formal notification on their entrance status before April 1. All admitted applicants must submit a non-refundable commitment deposit no later than May 1 to confirm enrollment.
Providence College provides updates during the course of the admission process to applicants via e-mail. Therefore, it is important that applicants provide the College with a legible e-mail address that will be active throughout the application process.
- Campus Visits
Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit Providence College for a personal interview, an individual day visit, Group Information Session, and/or a student-guided tour before or after they apply for admission. Please contact the Office of Admission at 401.865.2535 for further information.
Early Action
Well-qualified applicants are encouraged to apply as Early Action candidates in order to receive notification by early January of a decision. To be considered under this program, applications must be on file by November 1. Early Action decisions are based on school records at the end of the junior year, senior-year course schedule, and SAT or ACT test results if submitted.
The Committee on Admission will respond to applicants not accepted under the Early Action Program in the following manner:
- Those for whom a favorable decision may be possible will be deferred to the regular applicant group to be reconsidered in March.
- Remaining applicants will be notified of a final negative decision immediately, an approach which benefits those applicants who might wish to pursue alternative application plans. Applicants who are denied admission at the Early Action stage may not reapply as a Regular Decision applicant.
Early Action Program candidates who would like to be considered for need-based financial aid must complete the on-line College Scholarship Service Profile Application no later than December 1. Applicants accepted under the Early Action Program may be awarded a preliminary aid package based on this financial statement and any supporting documents requested by and submitted to the Office of Financial Aid. It is important to note that Early Action applicants must also file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the deadline of February 1. The FAFSA is a Web-based application and can be completed after January 1 by visiting the Department of Education Web site:
www.fafsa.ed.gov. Applicants who have provided all financial aid application materials by the deadline and who are accepted under the Early Action Program will receive an official confirmation of their financial aid no later than early February. Please refer to the Financial Aid and Scholarships section for detailed information on financial aid application procedures.
Transfer Admission Requirements
Application
Students who wish to apply for transfer to Providence College must complete the Common Application for Transfer Students, the Providence College Supplemental Form and submit the $55 application fee. An application will not be reviewed without the Supplemental Form. The transfer application fee will be waived for transfer applicants who had applied to the College in the past. Transfer applicants may download and mail the completed application or submit it electronically through the Common Application’s Web site, www.commonapp.org. Transfer applicants submitting their applications electronically have the option of paying by credit card or mailing a check under separate cover. (Checks must be accompanied by the applicant’s full name and address.)
The transfer application deadlines are April 1 for candidates seeking admission to the fall semester and December 1 for candidates seeking admission to the spring semester. Adherence to these deadlines allows full consideration by the Committee on Admission, evaluation of course work for transfer credit, and a review for campus housing and financial aid. Late applicants for any deadline will be considered on the basis of availability of classroom and residence hall space.
College Officials Report
The College Officials Report may be found at commonapp.org. Transfer applicants must print the form and submit it to the college official(s) who has access to academic and disciplinary records at the current or most recently attended college. The completed form should then be sent to Providence College. Providence College will not review an application without this report.
Official Transcripts
Transfer applicants must request that the final official high school transcript and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended be sent to Providence College. If transfer applicants have course work in progress at the time of application, a transcript that documents all course work completed to date should be sent.
Notification
Transfer applicants for the spring semester receive notification on a rolling basis two to four weeks after receipt of the completed application. Candidates for the fall semester receive notification beginning April 15. After April 15, notification will be sent two to four weeks after receipt of the completed application.
Recommendations
Transfer applicants are welcome to submit letters of recommendation; however, they are optional.
Test-Optional Policy
Submission of standardized test scores is optional. The academic review for transfer admission at Providence College focuses on the applicant’s high school and college-level performance, and recommendations, if submitted, rather than standardized test results. The applicant, therefore, may decide whether or not to submit standardized test results with other application materials. Students who choose not to submit SAT or ACT test scores will not be penalized in the review for admission. Additional details about the test-optional policy can be found on our Web site.
Transfer applicants are encouraged to achieve a B average in their prior college work. Transfer credit toward undergraduate degrees will be granted for approved academic work with a grade of C or better at a fully accredited institution. Providence College does not enroll under any status a student who is not in good academic and disciplinary standing at a previous institution. Students seeking admission from two-year colleges and have graduated from high school are normally encouraged to complete requirements for the associate degree prior to transfer but are not required to do so. All students who have earned a GED are required to complete an associate degree to be eligible to apply for transfer. Students who applied as freshmen, but were not granted admission, are required to complete one full year of college course work in a full-time status before reapplying as a transfer student.
Transfer Credit
A maximum of 56 hours of transfer credit may be accepted toward the undergraduate degree. Students who have earned 56 credits through transfer course work may enroll in additional transfer courses (e.g. a summer course) only with approval from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies. To be eligible for a degree, transfer students must complete the final two years in full-time attendance at Providence College and earn at least 50 percent of their major credits with Providence College course work.
Ordinarily, the College accepts transfer credits for courses taken at another accredited institution in which students have earned grades of “C” or better; however, grades received in course work completed at other institutions are not computed in a student’s grade point average at Providence College. Only grades earned at Providence College (including the School of Continuing Education) or through its approved affiliate semester programs are computed in the student’s grade point average.
Relevant information regarding course work from other institutions (e.g., course descriptions and/or syllabi) is reviewed by the appropriate academic department or program and/or the dean of undergraduate and graduate studies to determine existing Providence College course equivalents, if any. Incoming students receive a Transfer Equivalency Worksheet just prior to meeting with their faculty advisors to discuss course selection and registration. This worksheet details the status of all course work taken prior to enrolling at Providence College and lists any approved Providence College course equivalencies. Approved transfer courses are identified on the College’s transcripts with the Providence College course equivalent. In the event that an exact match in the College’s curriculum does not exist, the College may award elective credit.
Students are responsible for understanding how their transfer credits fit into their academic program requirements. Students should consult with their faculty advisor and the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies if they have questions regarding the applicability of transfer course work toward their degree.
After initial matriculation at Providence College, students may seek permission to enroll in courses at other institutions in fulfillment of their major, minor, or certificate program requirements. Written authorization from their department chair or program director, as well as the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, is required in advance of any such enrollment. Credits earned at other institutions through summer school or intersession courses may be approved only for the purpose of rectifying deficiencies in credit hours earned or fulfilling specific program requirements as authorized, not for the purpose of accelerating the advancement of graduation class year status.
Students who have earned transfer credits with specific Providence College equivalencies may not enroll in the same course and receive additional credit. In adherence to the College’s course-repeat policy (see Enrollment Services ), credits may only be earned for the most recent course attempt. Thus, the original transfer credit will remain on the official transcript, but may not be counted toward the student’s earned credit hours.
Official transcripts listing all transfer course work from the accredited institutions must be forwarded to the Office of Enrollment Services.
College credits earned through advanced placement or dual enrollment while in high school will be noted as such on the academic record following appropriate approval by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies.
Advanced Placement (AP) Equivalency Chart
Click here to view chart
Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/High School-College Dual Enrollment
The College participates in the Advanced Placement Program administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Students who demonstrate superior performance in the Advanced Placement Examination (a score of 4 or 5) will be awarded Advanced Placement credit. See the Advanced Placement (AP) Equivalency Chart for more specific information concerning the placement of AP courses within the academic program.
Providence College recognizes credit earned through the International Baccalaureate (IB), an internationally recognized curriculum and examination program. Of the two IB examination levels (Higher Level and Standard Level), the College recognizes the Higher Level examinations where a score of 5, 6, or 7 has been achieved. Each successfully passed examination in the Higher Level of the IB program will earn three credits. Official documentation of each successfully completed examination with the conditions noted must be submitted to the Office of Admission prior to a student’s matriculation at the College.
Students who successfully complete dual enrollment courses at accredited institutions should submit an official college transcript to the Office of Admission by August 1. Credit for dual enrollment courses is ordinarily not awarded for courses required for high school graduation, nor for courses taken in a high school setting by a college-approved high school faculty member. To be eligible for dual-enrolled credit, courses must be taken on the college campus and taught by a full-time faculty member. The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies reserves the right to determine whether courses taken from a college or university by incoming students while in high school may be accepted as transfer credits. Final approval of dual enrollment course credits will be made by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies. Students who wish to obtain academic credit for dual enrollment courses should plan to meet with the dean of undergraduate and graduate studies during their first semester at Providence College.
Students who are granted Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or dual enrollment credit are still required to complete the College’s full-time, eight-semester requirement. (See Academic Policies , General Degree Requirements, Number 6.)
International Students
Applications from international students are considered for full-time degree programs beginning in the fall semester. International students must take necessary steps to assure that all official transcripts are forwarded to the Office of Admission by January 15. Transcripts from non-English-speaking countries must be accompanied by a certified English translation. International applicants must satisfy identical entrance requirements and adhere to the same application procedures as outlined for other applicants.
While individual circumstances may vary, international students whose native language is not English are normally expected to present results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). For information regarding administration of these exams, please contact the coordinator of international admission in the Office of Admission.
Although need-based financial assistance is not available for international students, applications from students with outstanding academic credentials are referred to the Committee on Scholarships for consideration.
Providence College is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to enroll non-immigrant alien students. Most students are issued an F-1 student visa for study at the College. In order to be issued an F-1 visa, students must meet the following eligibility criteria: admission to the College, evidence of financial funds to support all educational and living expenses in the U.S., payment of the I-901 SEVIS fee, evidence of English proficiency, and possession of Form I-20. The I-20 is issued by Providence College and mailed to the student once Providence College receives the Confidential Declaration of Finances form and other necessary financial documentation. The student must have the Form I-20 prior to making the consular appointment to receive the visa stamp.
International students are required to have obtained appropriate immigration status from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services prior to the start of school.
Admission for Home-Schooled Students
Providence College welcomes applications from home-schooled individuals. As with our requirements for applicants from public or private schools, the submission of standardized test scores is optional.
If home-schooled applicants follow a prescribed curriculum, evidence of course work completed will need to be submitted. If not associated with a particular program or institution, the applicant is encouraged to submit a descriptive résumé that outlines the student’s high school work, level of challenge, and depth and breadth of curriculum.
Early Admission
Although the College believes that most students benefit from four years of secondary education, early admission may be approved for outstanding candidates who have completed less than the traditional sequence of requirements. Students who will have demonstrated superior achievement upon completion of three years of secondary education and who have exhausted the advanced courses in their secondary school program may apply for early admission in the same manner as those students who will have completed four years of secondary education before enrolling at Providence College. In addition, early admission applicants must be recommended by their high school principal or guidance counselor on the basis of academic potential and emotional maturity. An admission interview is required.
Deferred Admission
It is possible for accepted students to defer entrance for a year. Students wishing to defer admission should write to the Committee on Admission explaining the reasons for such a request. Approval for such status is made with the understanding that students will not enroll for credit course work at another college during the deferral year or thereafter.
Readmission and Reinstatement
Students who voluntarily withdraw from the College must apply for readmission through the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies. Application deadlines are April 15 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. Students who are returning from a personal leave of absence are exempt from this requirement; they must simply notify the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies of their intention to return by December 1 for the spring semester or by June 15 for the fall semester. Students who are returning from a medical leave of absence (whether voluntary or involuntary) must satisfy the requirements and conditions established at the time of and/or during the leave by the Vice President for Student Affairs Administration before the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies will approve readmission. Students who are dismissed for academic reasons may petition the Committee on Academic Status for reinstatement to the College as outlined in the “Academic Policies” section of this Catalog.
Non-Degree/Special Student Status
Special student status is reserved for those persons who are not baccalaureate degree candidates at the College but who wish to elect one or more courses for academic credit for which they are qualified and can demonstrate special need. One must have held a high school diploma for at least two years to be eligible to apply. Applicants from other colleges and universities must present evidence of good academic and disciplinary standing. Attendance at Providence College as a special student is on a non-degree, non-matriculated status only. Special students are not eligible for campus housing or financial aid. Enrollment is normally for one semester only. A maximum of 12 credits earned in special student status may be applied toward degree requirements.
Applications for consideration as a special student are available from the Office of Admission. Applications and supporting credentials should be submitted by August 15 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. |
