Admission Policies

Requirements

General Entrance Requirements

Students who apply for admission to Loras College are considered on the basis of probable success, determined by academic coursework and achievement in secondary school, aptitude scores, references and other relevant information.

Loras evaluates admission applications throughout the year for fall semester or spring semester entrance. When all materials required for admission have been received, the application will then be reviewed. Applicants are notified of the decision on a rolling basis. Students accepted to Loras usually are graduates of a state-accredited high school and have completed a college preparatory curriculum. Recommended study includes:

• Four years of English
• Three years of mathematics
• Three years of natural science
• Three years of social science
• Two years of additional academic courses (foreign language, additional natural science courses, etc.)

Generally, Loras College accepts students on the basis of six semesters of high school work with a cumulative high school grade point average of at least a 2.500 on a 4.000 scale. All incoming students must send a final high school transcript certifying their graduation to the Office of Admission prior to enrollment.

Some academic programs have specific requirements that will be evaluated during the student’s declaration of major. There is no guarantee of admittance to any specific program of study.

Students who do not meet minimum admission requirements may be considered by the Admission Director on an individual basis. Students may be asked to submit seventh or eighth semester grades, standardized test score, teacher references and complete a personal interview. The review process will also take into consideration various high school’s approaches to grading during COVID-19. Students who do not have a high school diploma must present the results of the GED exam, submit an ACT or SAT test score (unless the student has been out of high school five years or more), and submit a high school transcript(s) with all previous work. These standards do not apply to transfer students with a GED or who have successfully completed more than 14 semester credit hours of college work. Students transferring to Loras College should follow the guidelines for transfer student admission.

Loras College reserves the right to cancel the registration of any student who fails to fulfill properly and promptly all requirements for admission and registration, including any conditions specified for admission or readmission in individual cases.

Division & Program Entrance Requirements

All students accepted for general admission to Loras College are responsible for providing appropriate materials and meeting requirements of the program/division in which they choose to major. Contact the Division or Program chair for information about additional requirements.

Application Procedure

First Year Students

First-time applicants to Loras College must forward the following items to the Office of Admission:

1. A completed Loras College Application for Admission
2. Official high school transcript(s) or GED certificate
3. Pending a student’s cumulative GPA, an official score report from one of the following tests:
   1. American College Test (ACT)
   2. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
4. Personal interview (optional, or by request of the Admission Director)
5. Teacher references (optional, or by request of the Admission Director)

Transfer Students

Loras College welcomes the application of qualified students from accredited colleges or universities. Transfer applicants may be admitted to Loras if they present evidence of at least a 2.500 cumulative GPA (on a 4.000 scale) from the last college or university in which they were enrolled. College-level coursework that is comparable to the Loras College curriculum requirements and in which a minimum grade of “C” was earned is transferable to Loras. Students who do not meet the minimum transfer requirements may be reviewed by the Admission Director on an individual basis.

The transfer applicant must submit the following to the Office of Admission:

1. A completed Loras College Application for Admission
2. Official academic transcript(s) from each college/university attended
3. Official Financial Aid Transcript (FAT) from each college/university attended
4. Official high school transcript(s) with graduation date or GED certificate
5. Personal statement (optional, or by request of the Admission Director)

It should be noted that transfer students who do not submit all official transcripts will be blocked from registering for their second term until such time as official transcripts are received.

Transfer applicants will receive an unofficial credit evaluation of previous college coursework at the time of acceptance. Students should contact their Admissions Representative for more information.

International Students

English Language Proficiency

Loras College requires international students to demonstrate a minimum level of English proficiency for undergraduate study.
Applicants for undergraduate programs must complete the Declaration of Finances alongside a bank statement and submit one of the official test scores or documents listed below:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
  • Internet-based test - score of 80 or higher
  • Paper-based test - score of 550 or higher
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
  • 6.5 or higher
• SAT: 500 or higher on evidence-based Reading and Writing sections
• ACT: 21 or higher on both English and Reading sections
• AP Exam: 4 or higher in English Literature/Composition exams
• Transfer of 28 credits or more from an accredited U.S. college or university, with the equivalent of L.ENG-LIB 105 College Writing (a grade of B or above) and a cumulative GPA of 2.500 or higher
• Evidence that the dominant language of instruction for secondary school coursework was in English.

Proficiency scores must be sent directly to Loras College from the testing center and must not be more than 2 years old. The applicant’s file is not considered complete without the test scores.

Credit Evaluation for College Coursework Completed Outside the U.S.

All international undergraduate applicants seeking credit for college level coursework must order a foreign credential evaluation report showing the credential evaluation report and the United States equivalency for the college coursework. Loras College accepts evaluations directly from either Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (https://www.ece.org/ECE) or Foreign Credits, Inc. (https://www.foreigncredits.com/). This evaluation will assist our Admission Office, advisors, and registrar in helping applicants meet their educational goals.

Applicants should contact Undergraduate Admissions if they have already received a foreign credential evaluation report from an organization other than ECE or Foreign Credits.

Returning Students

Any previously enrolled student who has been away from Loras College for more than one semester who wishes to return to Loras to complete his/her bachelor’s degree must apply for readmission. Students participating in a Loras-approved foreign study semester are not required to apply for readmission.

All application materials must be on file in the Office of the Registrar at least 10 business days prior to the start of the term to be considered for readmission for that term. Returning students must submit the following materials to the Office of the Registrar:

1. A completed Loras College Application for Readmission https://myweb.loras.edu/Loras/PDF/RegistrarReadmit.pdf
2. An official academic transcript(s) from each college/university attended since withdrawal from Loras
3. Personal statement addressing the reasons for seeking readmission

The application materials may be submitted to the Office of the Registrar in one of the following ways:

• In person at Room 121, Keane Hall, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• By mail: Office of the Registrar, Mail #1, Loras College, 1450 Alta Vista Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
• By email: Send as a “pdf” attachment to registrar@loras.edu

Previous admission is not a guarantee of readmission. In select cases, the student may be asked to provide additional information or to schedule a personal interview. Any student who has been away from Loras College for less than one semester should contact the Registrar at 121 Keane Hall or by calling 563-588-7106.

Second Major Policy

A person with a bachelor’s degree from Loras College may not apply for an additional major and have that major added to his/her transcript after a degree has been conferred. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree from any institution may seek admission as a Second Degree Student.

Second Degree Students

A student who possesses a bachelor’s degree from another accredited institution and wishes to enroll at Loras to pursue an additional degree may seek admission as a Second Degree Student. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree from Loras College may not pursue a second degree of the same type (B.A. or B.S.) at Loras College.

Requirements for admission:

1. A completed Loras College Application for a Second Degree https://myweb.loras.edu/Loras/PDF/SecondDegreeApplication.pdf
2. A nonrefundable application fee
3. Official transcript of previous degree(s) received.

Submit the application materials to the Office of the Registrar by one of the following methods:

• In person, to Room 121 Keane Hall between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• By fax to Office of the Registrar, (563) 588-4962
• By U.S. post to Office of the Registrar, Mail #1, Loras College, 1450 Alta Vista St., Dubuque, IA 52001

All application materials must be on file in the Office of the Registrar at least 10 days prior to the start of the term to be considered for admission for that term.

Requirements for degree:

• Be admitted to Loras College
• Be accepted as a major
• Earn at least 30 credit hours in residence at Loras College
• Fulfill all of the requirements for the major. If previous courses satisfy some of the major requirements, the division will designate courses from other areas that will enhance the major

A holder of a B.A. or B.S. degree from another accredited institution is considered to have satisfied all the Loras general education requirements.

Special Students

A Special Student is any student who is not pursuing a degree, as well as any student who is 16 years of age or older, but has not yet obtained their high school diploma. Students under the age of 16 are not admitted to Loras College.

Students pursuing admission as a special student must submit:

1. A completed Loras College Special Student application. The application can be downloaded using the following web link: https://myweb.loras.edu/Loras/PDF/SpecialRegistrationForm.pdf
2. A nonrefundable application fee
3. Transcript or statement of good academic and social standing from the last school attended (for undergraduates)
4. Transcripts from all institutions attended

Students will be notified by the Registrar’s Office when they can register.

A special student who has not received a bachelor’s degree is limited to attendance in a single term and a maximum of 11 credits. Any student who wishes to enroll in an additional term or exceed 11 credits may not register for courses until he/she has reapplied to the college and has been accepted as a degree seeking student.

A special student who is pursuing coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree has no restrictions on the number of terms or credits in which he/she may enroll.

Special students are not eligible for financial aid or participation in January term courses. Once a student applies and is admitted to the college as degree seeking, the student may apply for financial aid and is eligible to enroll in January term courses.