Admissions Requirements

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Undergraduate Student Admission

Clark University welcomes applicants for undergraduate admission regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, handicap, national origin or financial condition. Selection is competitive and based primarily on academic promise as indicated by secondary-school performance, recommendations, writing ability and extracurricular involvement. Standardized test (SAT, ACT) scores are considered when an applicant chooses to provide them, but are not required for US Citizens and Permanent Residents. Admissions decisions may also reflect consideration of the individual experience and particular circumstances unique to each candidate.

Entrance Requirements 

A diploma from an accredited secondary school or G.E.D. equivalency is required for admission to Clark. The suggested academic preparation for successful candidates includes four years of English; three years of mathematics; three years of science; three years of social science; and two years of a foreign language (or American Sign Language); and other credit electives recognized in the secondary-school curriculum.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants must submit their applications through the Common Application. Official transcripts for all secondary and post-secondary coursework must be submitted by the student’s high school or college. First-year applicants are also required to submit two letters of recommendation, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

International Admission

International students applying to Clark must submit their applications through the Common Application. Official transcripts covering the student’s prior three (full) years of education must be submitted by the student’s school. Two letters of recommendation are required, one from an academic teacher and one from a school counselor.

All applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit evidence of English proficiency either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo, regardless of the length of time they have spent in the United States. The Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) necessary to obtain a student visa will be granted only after full admission and receipt of complete financial documentation (in the form of an official bank statement reflecting the student’s family’s financial resources).

Early Decision

First-year applicants who are certain that Clark is their first-choice institution are strongly encouraged to apply Early Decision (ED).  Students who submit their complete applications by the November 1st (ED I) or January 15th (ED II) deadline will receive early notification of their admission decision in mid-December (ED I)/Mid-February (ED II).  Because Early Decision is a binding agreement, any student admitted in the ED round must commit to enrolling at Clark by submitting a nonrefundable deposit and withdrawing any remaining applications to other schools by January 15 (ED I)/March 15 (ED II).

Early Action

First-year applicants who are ready to start their college applications at the beginning of senior year are encouraged to apply Early Action (EA). Students who submit their complete applications by the November 1 deadline will receive early notification of their admission decision in mid-December.  Early Action is a nonbinding agreement, allowing admitted EA students to submit their enrollment deposits no later than May 1.

Regular Admission

First-year students who wish to apply for fall semester enrollment under our regular decision deadline must submit their applications and supporting credentials by January 15. (November1 for January admission.)

Transfer Admission

Clark welcomes applications for admission with advanced standing from students attending two-and four-year institutions. Transfer applicants must submit their applications through the Clark website. Applicants for fall-semester enrollment should submit their applications by May 1; spring-semester enrollment by November 1. (Articulation agreement applicants have deadlines of May 15 and November 15, respectively.) All transfer candidates are required to submit evidence of good standing, complete transcripts of all previous academic work (secondary and post-secondary), a recommendation from a faculty member, and any other information requested by the Admissions Committee (e.g., course descriptions).
Normally, credit is given for academic courses in the liberal arts previously taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities and by advanced standing procedures, described above. No credit is given for grades lower than C. Evaluation of credits for college courses is made at the time of admission or upon receipt of final transcripts and is used in planning a program of study at the University. Up to 50 percent of Clark’s degree and major requirements may be awarded on this basis, and a minimum of two academic years at Clark is necessary for completion of degree requirements.
Clark University participates in transfer articulation agreements with Mount Wachusett Community College and Quinsigamond Community College. These agreements facilitate a seamless transfer process for Associate Degree graduates and those with the appropriate academic records in their two-year programs.

Standardized Test Scores

All US Citizens and Permanent Residents applying for first-year or transfer admission have the option of submitting standardized admissions test scores to be included in their admissions applications, but these results are not required. Students who choose to submit test scores may send either SAT or American College Test (ACT) scores for consideration.
All applicants whose first language is not English (regardless of citizenship or amount of time spent in the United States) are required to submit evidence of English proficiency, either through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Doulingo.

Admission Notification and Deposits

All notifications of admissions decisions are released electronically. Upon receipt of his or her application, the applicant will be given access to an online account for this purpose. First-year, fall-semester applicants who applied under the Early Action or Early Decision deadline will be notified of their decisions in December or early January; first-year applicants who applied under the Early Decision II deadlines will be notified in February; all other first-year, fall-semester applicants will be notified in March. All first-year, fall-semester admitted students who wish to enroll must submit a nonrefundable deposit to be paid no later than May 1, with the exception of Early Decision admitted students, who must deposit earlier. The deposit is credited toward first-semester charges. First-year, spring-semester applicants can expect to receive their admission decisions in late November with the deposit due within two weeks of notification. Transfer applicants are notified of their admission decisions on a rolling basis following submission of their applications, and will be notified of their deposit deadline when they receive their admission decisions.

Deferred Enrollment

An admitted student who wishes to postpone his or her enrollment for up to a year must submit a request in writing by June 1. A nonrefundable deposit (credited toward first-semester charges) is required. A student who enrolls in a degree-seeking program in the interim may not defer enrollment but must reactivate his or her application and submit official transcripts for review.

Advanced Standing

An enrolling student may earn up to one semester of advanced standing credit by submitting scores of 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) tests administered by the College Entrance Examination Board or by transferring credit from college-level coursework. A student who earns a diploma through the International Baccalaureate program may be eligible for a full year of advanced standing credit. More information about these requirements can be found here. Please contact the admissions office if you have any questions about specific program in which you are participating.

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Graduate Student Admission

The first step in starting an application to any one of our graduate degree programs is to review the program requirements for the degree the student plans to pursue.

Every program requires that the applicant submit an online application, as well as supporting credentials (recommendations, resumes, writing samples, etc.). We encourage all applicants to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the program they plan to pursue prior to starting their online application. Applicants should visit the Graduate Admissions webpage to find the online graduate student application, as well as information regarding additional departmental requirements.

All application materials should be submitted through the online application portal. Unofficial transcripts can be provided for application review. Official final transcripts, including confirmation of earned degree, are required prior to enrollment. If an applicant is admitted while still a candidate for a degree from another institution, an updated official transcript noting the conferring of that degree is required prior to enrollment.

Some programs require submission of additional materials, including tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), or  Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL).

In addition to an application and fee, international applicants should provide a certified English translation of official transcripts if they are not already in English. English language proficiency tests (TOEFL or IELTS) are required of all international applicants. Students who are citizens of the following countries, or who have graduated from an accredited degree program at a university in these countries, may be exempt from the English language requirements: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Seychelles, St. Helen, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Part-time graduate study is possible through the School of Management, the School of Professional Studies, and the International Development, Community, and Environment department.

For International Graduate Applicants

Please note that the I-20 process is necessary for international applicants to complete in order to receive a visa. Applicants must accept their offer of admission and pay the non-refundable enrollment deposit to begin the I-20 process. The following items are needed for an I-20 to be processed: International Student Information Form (located in the application portal), bank statement (no more than six months old), an affidavit of support (if you are not using personal funds to finance your education), and a copy of your passport identification page. If applicant has accompanying dependents, a copy of the passport identification page for all dependents is required.

For more information regarding the I-20 process and how to obtain a visa, please see the International Applicant Information.

The Graduate application process

Once an applicant is ready to begin their application to a graduate program at Clark they must:
1. Create an account on our online application portal
2. Follow instructions within the portal to complete the application form for a specific program, including uploading additional credentials as required
3. Pay the application fee
4. Request any required test scores (GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, etc) sent to Clark University Graduate Admissions
5. Monitor the status of their application via the online application portal to ensure all credentials have been received and to view the final decision.

Notification will be received
When we receive a completed application, the Graduate Admissions Office will forward the application to the appropriate admissions committee. The time it takes to receive a decision will vary depending on the program applied to and when a completed application is submitted. The School of Management, the School of Professional Studies, and the International Development, Community, and Environment department aim for a 2 - 4 week turnaround on completed applications as best practice. Once a decision has been reached, applicants will be notified via email, with their decision letter, which will include awarded scholarship if applicable. All documents, letters, and information is available in the application portal.

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Undergraduate SPS Student Admission

General Admissions and Transfer

The School of Professional Studies (SPS) takes pride in its mission to provide access to a Clark University education.  Our approach focuses on practical education, integrating hands-on experiences with coursework taught by faculty practitioners who are leaders in their respective fields. Students come to SPS to gain the skills they need to get ahead. When they graduate, they leave with tools needed to create positive, meaningful change in their jobs, companies, and communities.

While anyone who wishes to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree may apply, our bachelor’s degree completion programs are intended for applicants who have previous college experience, pursuing a second credential, or who have participated in one of Clark University’s Pathway programs.  No SATs are required.

When to Apply

Domestic Applicants

The School of Professional Studies Undergraduate Programs admissions process operates on a rolling basis. To ensure a timely start of your studies, it is recommended that all required documents are received:

• Six weeks prior to your desired start term for transfer applicants
• Four weeks prior to your desired start term for applicants not transferring credits

International Applicants

Priority deadlines are offered in rounds. Applications are viewed per round with admission and scholarship considered. However, late applications after Round 3 are accepted and will be considered per program on a space-available, case-by-case basis.

Application Information

Application Requirements

To apply to a School of Professional Studies Bachelor of Science degree program, please submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Personal essay
• $75 non-refundable application fee (international students only)
• Official high school transcript or equivalent (unless high school completion is noted on a college transcript)
  • In lieu of a high school transcript, transfer students can submit an official copy of their domestic college transcript in combination with our Attestation Form.  This will waive the need for a high school transcript submission.)
• English proficiency exam scores. Required for international applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL 80 | IELTS 6.5 | PTE 51.

For Transfer Credit Evaluation:

• Official transcript from previously attended college/university from which you would like to seek transfer credit evaluation
• Foreign transcripts-official transcripts and English translation; we recommend you submit a course-by-course evaluation of your diploma(s) and transcript(s) 
• College-level examinations-official examination
• Military evaluation

Applicants should refer to the following information to submit application documents:

Mail or Drop Off

Mail or drop off supporting documents to the following address:

Clark University
School of Professional Studies
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
950 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01610

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Clark University School of Professional Studies from the originating institution.

Important Codes

Note the following codes:

• TOEFL (ETS) code: 5969
• FAFSA code: 002139

Admissions Contact

Please feel free to reach out to the School of Professional Studies Office of Admissions:

• 508-793-7373
• spsugadmissions@clarku.edu

Application Withdrawal Due to Inactivity

An application can be incomplete for up to one year before it is automatically withdrawn due to inactivity. An applicant who would like to reactivate their application has one year to do so from the time of their application withdrawal.

If an applicant has any questions or would like to reactivate their application, call 508-793-7373 or email spsugadmissions@clarku.edu.

Request to Withdraw an Application

An applicant can request to withdraw their application for admission at any time. An applicant who would like to reactivate their application has one year to do so from the time of their application withdrawal.

To request to withdraw your application, call 508-793-7373 or email spsugadmissions@clarku.edu.

Admissions Acceptance Deferral

A student who is not able to start their studies during the academic term for which they gained acceptance must contact the Office of Admissions to request a deferral of admission. A student may request a deferral for up to one year, unless otherwise noted for specific programs. Check with the Office of Admissions for more information.

If a student does not get approved for an acceptance deferral and does not begin their studies within two academic terms of acceptance into a program, that student forfeits their acceptance and must reapply to the program for a future term. It is important for the student to inform the Office of Admissions about deferral requests as this may impact the student’s time limit on program completion and financial aid.